Cooter said:If it were me, I would hit a Pick N Pull to score a complete CV front end, then grab an Exploder 8.8 with either 4.10s or 3.73s and a limited slip and toss that under the back (actually over the springs, though). Match wheel offsets to fit the truck. Tweak swaybars and rear leaves to taste, And run it.
That’s the formula you’re looking for. Nailed it!
Search ford 8.8 widths. There is a page listing all of them.
I added spacers on my 2002 panther to run high offset wheels.
The 4.6 mod came with different heads and power levels in lincolns. Maybe you can score one of those.
I will say the 2.73 gears in mine suck, but it's a daily so I have just left them alone. The HPP sway bars and police suspension I added make it a nice handling ride though. ALL of those parts are available in the junkyard but look at Rockauto, they have new for not much more.
If I added 3.55 gears it would make a decent autox / daily mash up. Not fast but fun. I have often wondered how fast it would be with just the frame and some rollcage for when I flipped it. 
Bent-Valve (FS) said:The 4.6 mod came with different heads and power levels in lincolns. Maybe you can score one of those.
There are NPI heads/cams, and PI heads/cams depending on year (mid-01+ for PI heads, right?), but I've never heard of Lincolns having better heads.
In reply to Will :
I suspect he means the DOHC heads. There's nuances involved in swapping those onto a 4.6 that came with SOHC heads, and I don't remember the details. Probably better to swap the whole engine if you want DOHC. But there's arguments to be made against going DOHC anyway.
Just to add one more variant, a friend of mine sawed a few inches of width out of the alloy crossmember and bolted it into his 54 Ford Crown Victoria.
Well, bolted in is maybe a stretch. It's a 2006 Mustang GT engine, trans, rear suspension and interior using the Panther crossmember on a severely modified original frame. Central locks and power windows and airbags and on and on.
Not on a challenge budget, built by a very talented guy in his home garage.
We bought our '05 Grand Marquis LS from Jewels' grandmother after she moved into assisted living in late '16. When it wasn't in the garage it made like 2x 300 mile road trips a year to visit family, was running errands in town, and got an oil change every 3 months even though it didn't need it. It was a garage kept cream puff with 23K miles on it when we bought it.
Jewels daily drives it, and now has 72K miles on it. I've put a set of tires on it, changed the oil, changed the wiper blades, and put an air filter in it. When Jewels is driving it she averages around 23 MPG, and I've witnessed her treat stop lights like a drag race Christmas tree. I've been a passenger, when she floored it at a green light, giggled, and said, "Veee Eight!" When I asked how often she did that, she said something along the lines of, "I don't see how that's any of your business."
I'm not a Ford fan, but it's been a great car, literally 2 tons, affordable, RWD, V8, Barcalounger on wheels, that gets low 20s MPG, it's hard to complain much.
slowbird said:In reply to Will :
I suspect he means the DOHC heads. There's nuances involved in swapping those onto a 4.6 that came with SOHC heads, and I don't remember the details. Probably better to swap the whole engine if you want DOHC. But there's arguments to be made against going DOHC anyway.
Yes. What he said. It's clear in my head, why cant you read my mind?
All the ones in my hood sound like they're making 1,000 hp but can't get above 15 mph.
I am beginning to hate them.
To add, was recently watching a video on bracket racing a P71. If you wanted to build a Crown Vic drag car, Here's what I'd do:
1. Get a 460 BIg Block or a 500+ Crate engine.
2. Run a Powerglide.
3. If running Top Eliminator, Take out 500 lbs. and back halfed the car.
Won't be street legal but could be built on the cheap.
Mine was terrible. I loved it. Who needs working window regulators and brake light switches that don't catch on fire when you can do really good powerslides?
I have a 72 F100 on a 2011 P71 full frame swap. It could use a couple more hp but it handles and stops really well on 275 nittos
I'll post some pics if I figure out how
In reply to seadoorider :
Read through this, see if it helps
https://dothan.craigslist.org/pts/d/crown-vic-grand-marquis-front/7197332684.html
been for sale forever, but shows what they look like in the wild!
also would see one with a T-Bird IRS from time to time always asking 400.. sometimes 400 with rear, sometimes 400 for just front.
anytime I see one on Craig’s, from va to tn ga al and FL, they are always asking 375 to 450. See them up north cheaper. No clue what pic a parts get... don’t have any around!!!
All my experience is with the 80s panther cars but my 81 2 door with 3.73 gears, intake, exhaust and vacuum secondary 750 holley still knocked down 18mpg mixed driving. I would love to have another panther if I had space for another car.
One of my good friends grew up with having only police cars to drive. Lived and died by them, to this day he always owns atleast one, although one time he had the Caprise outfitted with the Corvette engine. Anyways he let me borrow one I ended up buying another P71 for cheap. As much abuse as the cops throw at it, was reliable and the parts were cheap and plentiful. Now that they are getting older, I am sure the reliable function might be based on poor ownership. I wouldn't be afraid to recommend purchasing one. I was able to fit 3 adults in the back easily and haul loads of stuff in the trunk. It had a spotlight so that was always fun to play with, it's been 12-13 years, but I got to places fast because everyone thought I was a cop.
A funny story, I was in Buffalo we were trying to take a back way to a restaurant and found ourselves in the ghetto. In front of us was a crowd of people ready to fight I would say about 25-30 people in the middle of the street. As we approached the sea of people it parted to let us pass. I like to assume that the Crownvic saved us from trouble that day lolz.
Just to keep this going...
https://macon.craigslist.org/cto/d/macon-10-ford-crown-vic-police-package/7209810541.html
In reply to 03Panther :
"very fast" ... but oh, reverse doesn't work. And it needs a window.
Hmmmm ..... sounds like a good starting point !!!
In reply to einy (Forum Supporter) :
the very fast, MAY be a slight exaggeration! Or he's never been in a fast car...
Good price for a chassis donor, though. With part out potential.
I've seen ads calling almost anything "very fast".
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