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I saw loads of these Ford CROWN Victoria’s in the USA last year and I’ve wanted one ever since but I know next to nothing about them (apart from what Wikipedia says!)  I’m looking for a new toy and fancy one, ideally the Police Interceptor spec. Has anyone got one, or had one, or got a mate who has one? I know there are a few in the UK, and there have been a few on ebay etc. I just wanted the lowdown on them from someone with some first hand experience as I’m a Yank virgin ;D – I’ve had dozens of old British, European and even Australian cars and vans but never owned a yank and my only experience of driving them has been rented Chevy Impala’s and Chrysler 300’s when on holiday in the States. Is there a UK forum for these (or a decent UK forum for Yank Motors)?  Thanks guys. Here’s some pics so you can maybe see why I want one.....................      |
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Currently driving a Renault Wind Gordini as my daily. Don't ask about previous cars - there have been way too many and I stopped counting at 160!
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10mpg
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,253
Club RR Member Number: 204
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Feb 20, 2011 10:09:10 GMT
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the engine's shared with the mustang, as such they seem to be very welcome over on the Mustang Owners club GB, several member who run them as dailys or just have/had one..
Ask over there (or I will on your behalf if you would like?) get some good first hand experience..
Personally I LOVE yank cars, but over here i less than like driving them, i can drive lhd perfectly (dailyed one for years) but i still don't like it, because you're fundemntally still on the wrong side of the car, overtaking is a pain, and despite their best efforts the yanks just cant make a car that actually handles UK roads proficiently..
try the yank car dealers and find one to have a drive, they're quite good apparently if a little bland..
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The Internet, like all tools, if used improperly, can make a complete bo**cks of even the simplest jobs...
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Sammo
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 1,461 
Club RR Member Number: 103
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Feb 20, 2011 10:25:23 GMT
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I have always wanted a CROWN Vic as well ;D
There is a guy that lives near where I work that has one in full NYPD livery and uses it as a limo!
There are a couple on eBay at the moment and arent that expensive!
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Follow Me On Instagram - @parttimecartinkerer
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Feb 20, 2011 11:39:20 GMT
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Looking at pictures of these has made me realise why I like black steels:  There's a '94 CROWN Vic on eBay in full police livery for less than £5k  |
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" East bound and down, loaded up and truckin' "
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Feb 20, 2011 11:46:04 GMT
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If you get one, you MUST make sure it's a P71 model, that's the Police Interceptor model.
EDITED to say: I'm assuming that you want the same as I do from a car. The standard civilian model is really awful. We had one as a rental a few years ago having already driven a PI and swapped it after a couple of days.
The P71 has a handling package and performance upgrades that make up for the sub-Daewoo interior plastic quality.
Most of them I've seen in the UK are badged as PI models way but some don't appear to be genuine. The biggest giveaway is having both a PI badge and the CROWN Vic badge.
The P71 is a relatively low spec model sold only to fleet customers, also sold for taxi use, so the door handles generally weren't body coloured, the rad grille is different and the number plate surround at the back is shiny black.
Think about what made a Fiesta Pop Plus different from an LX or a Ghia and you'll understand what you're looking for.
From the factory, the rear light clusters were different in the P71, they skipped the orange sections to leave space for strobes but I understand that UK imports have the civvie clusters installed to accomodate orange indicators.
Inside, the P71 should have two seats in the front, not a bench. They were shipped with loads of cubby holes and a locker between the seats. The front seat backs have a metal stab-shield in them, too.
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Last Edit: Feb 20, 2011 11:49:47 GMT by Battles
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Feb 20, 2011 11:50:12 GMT
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thanks chaps - there are 3 I've found advertised in the UK at the moment One is a civvy spec with LPG wich looks nice but a shade uninteresting. The other two which I looked are still in Police spec (with lights etc) and a yellow one in taxi spec ;D Maybe I could get a sideline in prom vehicle / film work etc to help pay the fuel bills  |
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Currently driving a Renault Wind Gordini as my daily. Don't ask about previous cars - there have been way too many and I stopped counting at 160!
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Hirst
Posted a lot
This avatar is inaccurate, I've never shaved that closely
Posts: 3,930
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Feb 20, 2011 12:07:17 GMT
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If you want a bit of a weird sporting model, go looking for a Mercury Marauder, they're mega-cool. Probably cost a fortune though.
Also bear in mind that some of the P71 cop models come with a "street appearance" package so they look more like an ordinary car, basically meaning they have normal badges on and the chrome grille etc. off the regular civilian model. That would be my favourite, I'd love to have a plain wrapper.
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Feb 20, 2011 13:55:10 GMT
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bear in mind that some of the P71 cop models come with a "street appearance" package so they look more like an ordinary car, basically meaning they have normal badges on and the chrome grille etc. off the regular civilian model. Do you know if that includes body coloured or chrome door handles, the CROWN Vic badge and the rear number plate surround? Maybe the cars I've seen in the UK were genuine? That would be my favourite, I'd love to have a plain wrapper. Ditto. Though I'd love one of those searchlights on the A pillar. |
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Feb 20, 2011 13:59:21 GMT
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Ditto. Though I'd love one of those searchlights on the A pillar. Me to - dozens for sale for sensible money on USA e-bay but not many this side of the Pond. Maybe it's time to start saving the pennies for a cheap flight to the US and buy one there and ship it back ;D Only down side is the size - just checked and the damn thing is just short of 5.5 metres long - makes the Landrover look tiny. Don't think it will even fit on the drive  |
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Currently driving a Renault Wind Gordini as my daily. Don't ask about previous cars - there have been way too many and I stopped counting at 160!
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Feb 20, 2011 18:12:40 GMT
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they do keep cropping up but beware: if you want a real ex-cop one there are plenty of them out there are not real ex-cop models done up to look like a cop car.
So you get all the disadvantages of looking like a gimp or forking out to respray the damn thing without getting the P71 extras.
Be also aware many of them don't have the same 260 BHP tune to the modular V8 as the Mustang does. People assume they do. They don't. Even in P71 edition many have 210 BHP motors. Some have as little as 190 bhp from memory (taxi versions or some such)
TBH I wouldn't get too hung up on it being a P71 as if you are buying a 15 year old example and its a ex-cop car it will have 300,000+ miles on it and most stuff will probably be a bit worn and you'll need to replace it anyway...
I think I'd find a nice civvy-spec one and mod it properly. You can get coilover kits and bush sets from a few aftermarket suppliers now as interest in these cars has picked up.
Car Craft magazine has one as a project car. If you get one you might be as well seeing how they get on with theres.
The Marauder is ace. It got a 300+ bhp version of the mod motor. They fetch good money as a modern collector car now. Well, compared with a regular Grand Marquis.
driving experiance is probably down to what you want out of a car. Personally I love the way these sort of tanks drive. If you are a Lotus 7 or CRX kind of guy you'll probably hate it. People who want to quibble about the finish on the plastic trim or how many cup holders it has are missing the point. Yeah, the dash is pretty uninspiring, like a 90s Toyota Corolla or something, but you can always swap a custom binacle in, if my daughter would quit chelping on at me for 2 seconds I would remember who it is does them to take Autometer gauges. Also you can get something done through Dakota Digital or maybe Redline Instruments.
I get on fine with LHD. You may not.
Its a traditional full size body-on-frame car. Its a big heavy piece of tin. Yeah, they take up more space and need quality jack, axle stands and so forth. Also think about where you might park it in town, at work, etc.
See if you can find someone who owns one and hitch a ride a few times and maybe blag some wheel time.
I missed a Mercury Grand Marquis version for £1500 not so long back with LPG seemed like a good buy. Ignore the guys asking crazy money.
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1937 Austin Street Rod - 1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1976 Rover V8 - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Feb 20, 2011 18:20:03 GMT
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....despite their best efforts the yanks just cant make a car that actually handles UK roads proficiently.... Huh? The yanks founded an entire division of Ford Motor in the UK and were the top-selling marque in the UK for decades, what with the Escort, Cortina, Capri, Sierra, Fiesta, ad infinitum.... I'd say that was a helluva success by the yanks, and well-written up in every business student's textbook on global corporate adaptation to local conditions. |
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 Team Blitz Ford Capri parts worldwide: Restoration, Road, or Race. Used, Repro, and NOS, ranging from scabby to perfect. Itching your Capri jones since 1979! Buy, sell, trade. www.teamblitz.com blitz@teamblitz.com |
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Feb 20, 2011 19:05:33 GMT
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and you think the yanks had any input in to the handling development of them?
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Feb 20, 2011 19:12:57 GMT
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Team Blitz Ford Capri parts worldwide: Restoration, Road, or Race. Used, Repro, and NOS, ranging from scabby to perfect. Itching your Capri jones since 1979! Buy, sell, trade. www.teamblitz.com blitz@teamblitz.com |
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Feb 20, 2011 19:17:53 GMT
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i think you should re read that link and my statement.
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Feb 20, 2011 19:25:55 GMT
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Now your arguement struggles Norm as ol' Henry's marketing has been sucessful in branding Ford's products over here as being as British as Mom's apple pie. This is as deeply engrained in the British psyche as the belief that no American automobile ever can handle, despite all evidence to the contrary. FIAT Daft - I somehow expect Norm to know the name and nationality of every engineer to work on any development project whether its in Dearborn or Dagenham. Shock, horror: Japanese people work in Detroit developing US market cars. I know US execs have lead development projects in the UK and engineers have moved between different bases and projects in the old big 2. Point remains, Ford is and always was "yank" although how that really matters at any meaningful level escapes me now |
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Last Edit: Feb 20, 2011 19:26:34 GMT by akku
1937 Austin Street Rod - 1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1976 Rover V8 - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Feb 20, 2011 19:38:09 GMT
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Lol! Problem is, most Brits see ford as two different car companies, ford Europe and ford USA. Prob because there has been very little crossover between this side and that side of the pond. Design, model line up, size, engines ect. Atleast in general public image over here.
Thing is, ford Europe doesn't have the image of an American car maker, it feels domestic to the uk so doesn't have the romance of ford America products.
Example is ford transit pickup, builder, ford F150 pickup, stunt man or cowboy ;D
Edit-: missed a bit
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Last Edit: Feb 20, 2011 19:42:24 GMT by cairyhunt
Remember the days when sex was safe and motorsport was dangerous. Vintage bling always attracts pussy.  |
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Feb 20, 2011 19:48:28 GMT
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^^Yeah, and that is perception and not fact. How else do you expect britons to accept Ford UK as domestic, but to peddle it that way?
If you look at the engineers, designers, and even head men at Ford UK and Ford Europe, literally scads of them are non-Brits and non-Europeans.
Hell, the guy who penned the Capri Mk1 was a yank, per recently discovered materials by his family and confirmed by contemporary Ford UK documents. He died before the launch of the car, sadly much like RJ Mitchell died before seeing his Spitfire rake 109's from the skies over England.
I was making a historical note to a throwaway comment. As always, it balloons here especially when the remora suckerfish known as FiatDaft starts stalking my every post in order to wind up the Mods. I do hope the Mods take note of his constant baiting of me. It's getting VERY old. Could you kindly pull the remora suckerfish from my abdomen, please?
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Team Blitz Ford Capri parts worldwide: Restoration, Road, or Race. Used, Repro, and NOS, ranging from scabby to perfect. Itching your Capri jones since 1979! Buy, sell, trade. www.teamblitz.com blitz@teamblitz.com |
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Feb 20, 2011 19:50:15 GMT
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And back on topic. I'd love a CROWN vic, in taxi colours but tuned to the hilt, slammed on wide steels ;D
And I prefer driving on the left, plus if you have a head on, your on the other side of the car, very handy if you've fallen out with swimbo....when you get used to it you can really scare a nervous passenger ;D hehehe
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Remember the days when sex was safe and motorsport was dangerous. Vintage bling always attracts pussy. |
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Feb 20, 2011 19:52:05 GMT
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Indeed, smoke and mirrors, I am continually surprised when I find out some European model had significant parts developed in the US or Japan and visa-versa. Then there's the world car models and of course everyone forgets about the south african and south/central american operations and thier odd variations. And the aussies of course. Ford is unusual in that its a "universal" brand but which has a different local flavour unlike say GM who maintain distinct brands like Vauxhall, Opel, Holden, etc.
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1937 Austin Street Rod - 1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1976 Rover V8 - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Feb 20, 2011 20:03:28 GMT
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Right, seen one which looks good. It's not a factory P71 but it has had the suspension and wheel / tyre package retro fitted. It's low milage and rust free which is a good start, done as a NYPD Cruiser (damn good copy - I've seen quite a few of the real thing!). Just trying to work out where to park it now Anyone got barn or yard space to rent in Surrey? |
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Currently driving a Renault Wind Gordini as my daily. Don't ask about previous cars - there have been way too many and I stopped counting at 160!
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