2011 Crown Victoria Police interceptor Build and Suggests

[Over the Crown]

After seeing this beast from afar in the wild, and then randomly having you message me on Reddit - I am really glad you joined Overland Bound. That thing is a BEAST. Can't wait to see it in action!

If you're going to upgrade your lights, make sure you upgrade the housings as well! Nothing is worse than meeting a car on the road running HID lights in projector housings.

Does the spot light work? Also, if you haven't already, I would definitely put some random colored strobes or wig-wag flashers (not red, blue, white or amber - but something you don't normally see), a Ghostbusters style siren, and a PA speaker for off-the-road shenanigans.

Spot light does work (I had to fix it, I also converted it to LED). Thought about strobes, decided not to go for them. The lights I'm getting are new housings, and they look much nicer. Here's a pic

 

[Over the Crown]

@overthecrown
Okay, you didn't say but it probably already has a locker rear or at least posi track. I'd remove the lower part of the grill section and build me a winch mount up there with some recovery hooks. Three more inches of lift should let you put some 265/75R/16 wheels and tires. Probable need some rear wheel well opening butchery. It should come with a good tranny cooler but if it doesn't have one, I would add a tranny cooler. You might need to have some skid plates under the vulnerable areas of the belly of the car. Personally I would get rig of the wrap around headlight protection, it's just something else to get pushed into your body. After you remove the fiberglass skirting below the grill you may have some junk hanging down behind it that you can get rid of or relocate. Rip out the rear seat and cut out the firewall between the trunk and rear seats making it a larger cargo area. You should be able to lay in a plywood floor to kinda level everything out for sleeping and kitchen needs. A simple 4 point roll bar wouldn't be a bad addition if you have a heavy foot.
Then go out and give it hell. You might want to change out the rear gear ratio to at least 427-456 to 1 after you put the bigger tires on it., depending on how slow or fast you want to go. Of course you will want heavy duty shocks since you are raising the car. If steering drag links are vulnerable they may need a 1"x1" angle iron welded to them for added strength.

just did some research, it has an open diff.

 

[Poserlander]

#overgambler

 

[PatricL]

But is it missing the cigarette lighter?

Fix the cigarette lighter.

 

[Billiebob]

I saw this somehere...


Crown Vics are soo cool

 

[Billiebob]

just did some research, it has an open diff.

Right after ground clearance, get a selectable locker. They are better than a winch.

 

[theMightyGoose]

Yeah, I have a police car. Don't plan on selling it or doing any frame swaps right now. Any suggestions for what I might want to add?

Currently have 29 inch Mastercraft AT tires, 9.5 inches of ground clearance. In the next few weeks I will be lifting it 3 inches.

Currently, I have:

2 Wavian gas canas
Roof rack
Shovel
2 First aid kits
CB Radio / PA Speaker
A little baofeng radio
Push bar mounted to the frame of the car (slightly bent because a Charger hit my front end on the right side)
Hitch mount
A tool bag of random tools
1 42 Inch Light bar
2 4inch lights on the back of the roof rack
LED Search light
Aftermarket air intake


I think that sums it up? Any suggestions to get into more serious overlanding? I plan on doing a dual battery sometime in the near future. Also planning some a on/off locking rear diff. I plan on getting a new set of headlights (mine are very dim), an extender for 4G (I live in the mountains and have poor service), side lights, and a 9500 pound winch mounted to the pushbar (or another suggested location).
View attachment 116927

I actually thought that was the Ghostbusters machine for a sec.

 

[persquank]

Fix the cigarette lighter.

Blues Brothers reference..

If you have an open diff, I saw a video of a VW bug overland build. He had a trick e-brake handle rigged up so if you pull back it would lock one wheel and pushing forward would lock the other wheel. So he had manual torque vectoring. Seemed like an interesting idea.

 

[PatricL]

Blues Brothers reference..

If you have an open diff, I saw a video of a VW bug overland build. He had a trick e-brake handle rigged up so if you pull back it would lock one wheel and pushing forward would lock the other wheel. So he had manual torque vectoring. Seemed like an interesting idea.

Couldn't help myself with the Blues Brothers references.

In my teenage years some friends and I used to get VW bugs and strip them down to make buggies. We put these turning brakes in (we used them for what is now called drifting). They worked great. Should work for feathering the slipping wheel. Interesting idea.

Turning Brake

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

I saw this somehere...
View attachment 117245

Crown Vics are soo cool

View attachment 117246

I dig um. They have a frame which is a good thing. They are plentiful and cheap. They are easily modified. They are comfortable.

 

[old_man]

I dig um. They have a frame which is a good thing. They are plentiful and cheap. They are easily modified. They are comfortable.

I found the back seat to be decidedly uncomfortable

 

[Sasquatch SC]

I found the back seat to be decidedly uncomfortable

I can confirm this as well. If it wasn't for the big piece of steel/plexiglass between the front and rear seats and having to sit with your hands behind your back I could see it being comfortable... but my only ride in the backseat of a Crown Victoria wasn't pleasant.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

I found the back seat to be decidedly uncomfortable

In a police cruiser it is a little tight I'll bet. LOL

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

I can confirm this as well. If it wasn't for the big piece of steel/plexiglass between the front and rear seats and having to sit with your hands behind your back I could see it being comfortable... but my only ride in the backseat of a Crown Victoria wasn't pleasant.

You gotta quit j-walking !

 

[Sasquatch SC]

You gotta quit j-walking !

Ehh... I was 19 years old, just finished my first year in college away from home and the car I was a passenger in was pulled over. The officer asked the driver if he could search it, he consented and that meant we all had to get out - which resulted in me ALLEGEDLY being under the influence in public. Then they looked in my wallet and I was being a good guy and I was holding onto an ID for a fella that was of legal drinking age. ALLEGEDLY I was using it as a fake ID. I learned my lesson. I haven't had so much as a parking ticket since that summer.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

Ehh... I was 19 years old, just finished my first year in college away from home and the car I was a passenger in was pulled over. The officer asked the driver if he could search it, he consented and that meant we all had to get out - which resulted in me ALLEGEDLY being under the influence in public. Then they looked in my wallet and I was being a good guy and I was holding onto an ID for a fella that was of legal drinking age. ALLEGEDLY I was using it as a fake ID. I learned my lesson. I haven't had so much as a parking ticket since that summer.

Bad break, good results in the end ! Lessons learned early in life tend to stick.

 

[Over the Crown]

Right after ground clearance, get a selectable locker. They are better than a winch.

Current one I'm looking at is a locking rear diff. Here's a link:

Auburn Gear® - ECTED Max™ Rear Limited Slip Differential

Ford Crown Victoria Flex with Ford 8.8" Series Axle with 10 Bolt 2011, ECTED Max™ Rear Limited Slip Differential by Auburn Gear®. With Selectable Full Locker.

www.carid.com

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

Current one I'm looking at is a locking rear diff. Here's a link:

Auburn Gear® - ECTED Max™ Rear Limited Slip Differential

Ford Crown Victoria Flex with Ford 8.8" Series Axle with 10 Bolt 2011, ECTED Max™ Rear Limited Slip Differential by Auburn Gear®. With Selectable Full Locker.

www.carid.com

Personally I would buy a junk yard Ford 9" with a posi unit for $350 and drop it in. But that's me, nothing stronger than a Ford 9" HD (large bearing hub) diff.
They are in cars and 1/2 ton trucks. Both coil and leaf spring suspended but mounting can be modified to anything you have if your mechanically inclined.

 

[Over the Crown]

Personally I would buy a junk yard Ford 9" with a posi unit for $350 and drop it in. But that's me, nothing stronger than a Ford 9" HD (large bearing hub) diff.
They are in cars and 1/2 ton trucks. Both coil and leaf spring suspended but mounting can be modified to anything you have if your mechanically inclined.

I'm unfortunately not very good at mechanics.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

I'm unfortunately not very good at mechanics.

Not a good way to start a build. Since you use the car as an everyday means of transportation you will never learn mechanics.
You cant afford the down time that it takes to do your own work. The locker you posted is more than half the value of your car but will not increase it's value if you sold it. IMO... I would buy another car with the (+ -) $800, use it for your daily while you work and learn on the cop car. Or, if the cheap rig you buy happens to be a truck or SUV, SINK YOU MONEY IN IT AND USE THE COP CAR FOR THE DAILY DRIVER. Any truck or SUV would carry a higher value if you sold it than the cop car. Your going to have to learn mechanics st some point or you will always be spending money on labor instead of investing in your rig. Best advise I can give, hope others will give us their .02$ on my opinion.