Manual Swapped Crown Vic Joyride

"offroadkarter" (04RauderDTR) 12/26/2013 at 12:24 • Filed to: ford, crown victoria, panther

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A member on my forum posted a gopro video of his T-3650 5spd swapped crown vic out and about in snowy NY.

I hope I can manage to cram a 6spd in my marauder, I am still debating if I want to go with a simple cable clutch or a hydraulic one. I think the 79-04 mustangs were like the last cars sold in the US to still use a cable clutch.

You can find his 5spd swap build thread right here.

Drsweetdik > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 12:33

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How long before his dad realizes his i-Pod is missing??

PS9 > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 12:43

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That vid + angle makes it look like he's driving a cavern...

Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur > PS9 12/26/2013 at 12:55

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Well he is

Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 > Drsweetdik 12/26/2013 at 12:56

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I'm 19 and mostly listen to the same exact stuff. New music is really hit or miss, 99.9% being a miss for me.

N60sdm > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 13:19

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This is cool!

Mathias Rios > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 13:26

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Manual Vic, good music, Im a few seconds into this video and everything seems alright. Do you have a link to the build thread?

offroadkarter > Mathias Rios 12/26/2013 at 13:30

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I'll look when I get home, I know he's posted some stuff

offroadkarter > Mathias Rios 12/26/2013 at 13:33

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nevermind I'll just find it now

http://unitedpantherownersassociation.us/Forum/Thread-M…

MEvans043 > PS9 12/26/2013 at 16:33

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A lot of it is the GoPro resolution I had it set to. This is my first GoPro so I'm still figuring out what setting works best.

MEvans043 > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 16:36

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Next thing on the list is either 3.90s or 4.10s to wake it up. Acceleration is sluggish on this beast.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 12/26/2013 at 16:43

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Whitesnake was that crappy new music in the 80s, though!

hethoughtofcars > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 16:44

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I see more "responsible commuting" than "joyriding"...

CAR_IS_MI > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 16:47

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Oh how I have been imagining P71's swapped with Coyote motors and 6 speed manny trannys for oh so long. This only makes the want so much stronger.

RiddldedTomcat > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 16:47

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That's legit. Creative too. Cause who else does this swap on this car? Kudos to this guy!

OttoMaddox > Mathias Rios 12/26/2013 at 16:49

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Now all he needs is a girl writhing around on the hood in the rain.

gideonford > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 16:50

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I'm having flashbacks of being in my dad's truck when he turned on the radio ...

regularconsuelo > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 16:51

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PUT A COYOTE 5.0 IN IT

srouxd162 > CAR_IS_MI 12/26/2013 at 16:52

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Reading your comment lit a fire in my loins of which I have never known the equal. A Coyote Panther with a good 6 speed is now my life's quest!

Diesel > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 16:53

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Worst Dash Cam Video of the Year. Sweet ride though.

Who needs sway bars anyway > Drsweetdik 12/26/2013 at 16:53

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As someone who was once the youngest at a Jetro tull concert by at least 25 years, Its good to see the kid has better tastes than the majority of his peers.

CAR_IS_MI > srouxd162 12/26/2013 at 16:54

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Quite possibly the coolest idea that has ever popped into this head of mine.

bpromersberger > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 16:55

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Can someone explain to me the appeal of a Crown Vic? I'm genuinely curious. I've never driven one, nor do I know anyone who owns one.

DocV2 > hethoughtofcars 12/26/2013 at 16:55

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Seriously! …I literally nodded off waiting for something interesting to happen.
Zzzzzzzzz….

Ratchet when he's all hopped up on synthetic energon > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 16:57

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Cable clutch will probably be easier to do in your Maruader, being that you'll want a tranny from a Mustang and as you said they didn't have hydraulic clutches until the S197.

I'm curious how you're going to do your clutch pedal, though. What are you pulling it from? Or are you doing a custom setup?

Futura1000 > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 17:00

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Is this Babby's first GoPro vid? lrn2edit. there is like 1 minute of nothing at the beginning. Actually the whole vid is nothing. Cool car tho

stigshift > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 17:02

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Okay, now I REALLY hate the autobox in my Interceptor. I see this swap in my future...

 > bpromersberger 12/26/2013 at 17:09

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It's a Crown Vic thing. You wouldn't understand.

ColdsnapBryan > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 17:12

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That's awesome. I love my Vic.

-408- > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 12/26/2013 at 17:12

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He is paying homage to Old School man.

-408- > Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur 12/26/2013 at 17:13

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Pretty much.

Hello I'm Justin > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 17:13

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that's cool, but no tilt steering wheel?? look at that angle

Paul, Man of Mustangs > bpromersberger 12/26/2013 at 17:24

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It' big, comfy, has lots of power potential, and is rear wheel drive. Basically, a street cruiser.

MEvans043 > Ratchet when he's all hopped up on synthetic energon 12/26/2013 at 17:25

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There is a guy on the Crownvic.net forums who makes pedal assemblies for the swap. Its a hybrid between a Crown Vic and Mustang brake pedal assembly.

You had fordboy357 at "meat tornado" > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 17:26

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He needs a longer handle. He is stretching for 3rd.

MEvans043 > RiddldedTomcat 12/26/2013 at 17:26

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Thank you.

Angry Dorito > ColdsnapBryan 12/26/2013 at 17:27

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It looks purple. Please tell me it's purple.

bpromersberger > Paul, Man of Mustangs 12/26/2013 at 17:28

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Angry Dorito > You had fordboy357 at "meat tornado" 12/26/2013 at 17:29

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He needs to drive without having the seatback adjusted so it's resting on the rear seat...

bpromersberger > Paul, Man of Mustangs 12/26/2013 at 17:31

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That's what I figured. I wasn't sure if there is a big following for those who like to modify them, or what sort if potential they have.

Grim99CV > Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 12/26/2013 at 17:37

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There is a lot of good new music out there, you're just gonna have to look outside of mainstream radio.

Paul, Man of Mustangs > bpromersberger 12/26/2013 at 17:43

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As best as I can tell, the following isn't small, but it's not super huge. They do have a fair amount of potential, since the motor is pretty much the same as the Mustang motor. The suspension is decent, too.

ReallyColorful > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 17:55

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The badass is strong with this one.

ColdsnapBryan > Angry Dorito 12/26/2013 at 17:56

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midnight grey, looks black at night and grey during the day

ColdsnapBryan > ColdsnapBryan 12/26/2013 at 17:57

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more accurate color picture

kommyit > PS9 12/26/2013 at 18:17

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Having been in the rear of one of those cars, I can honestly say the wide angle of the camera isn't doing it justice. There's a reason they're considered boats on wheels. Even when loaded up with all kinds of cop gadgets

nmalinoski > Paul, Man of Mustangs 12/26/2013 at 18:23

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I don't understand why big cars are popular.

catram > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 18:39

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I can understand being happy with the new tool but, having a manual doesn't imply you have to drive 95% of your time with your hand on the stick!!!!!! (Unless you are a woman, obviously).

Paul, Man of Mustangs > nmalinoski 12/26/2013 at 18:43

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Because there's room to spread out and fit all your friends. You could take 2 or 3 friends on a week-long road trip, or go camping without feeling cramped. It's all about relaxation, really.

Jimmy Joe Meeker > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 18:43

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And to think, the last full size ford with an MT was in the early 70s as I recall.

I once almost bought a 1970 Galaxie 500XL convertible with a three on the tree and a 390 V8. I didn't want to offer his asking price and he said he had someone who would...

SeikenFreak > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 19:07

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Wish my T-3650 shifted that smooth :/

Its a bit rough into second (probably from previous owner banging through gears) and 5th gear makes some whining/bearing sounding noise. Granted, its not that bad but it irks me.

Plan is to swap it out with a T-56 and an IRS.

xxstich666xx > bpromersberger 12/26/2013 at 19:07

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They're also REALLY manageable on the limit. Every exit ramp in the rain feels like this to me.

John The Race Fan > bpromersberger 12/26/2013 at 19:09

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Most people still associate the Crown Vic with a police car, even though they've been replaced with Chargers or Taurus Interceptors or SUVs in most places.

Even the other rebadges like the Town Car or Grand Marquis look so much like a Crown Vic that people get out of your way when they see you in the rear-view mirror.
And almost nobody will pass you, even if you're doing the 45mph minimum on the freeway.

It's quite comical, really.

LeadfootYT > bpromersberger 12/26/2013 at 19:13

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Drive one. It'll make hilarious, illogical sense.

WhatsUpDOHC > LeadfootYT 12/26/2013 at 19:17

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Exactly.

David Tracy > bpromersberger 12/26/2013 at 19:17

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You remember the ol' 60s and 70s Cadillacs, Lincolns, and C Body Chryslers? Those were giant floating boats that gained lots of popularity for just being swankmobiles. We now jokingly refer to these ol' soft sprung, 17 foot beasts as "Land Yachts."

The Crown Vic is the last vestige of these Land Yachts.

WhatsUpDOHC > Drsweetdik 12/26/2013 at 19:21

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It adds to the irony. When that song came out, the Crown Vic was already outdated!

offroadkarter > Ratchet when he's all hopped up on synthetic energon 12/26/2013 at 19:26

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Someone on the marauder board fit a TR-6060 from a GT500 with a hydraulic setup, its possible just more work. The pedals are usually a mix of a panther gas pedal and a SN95 brake/clutch pedal fused together.

offroadkarter > ColdsnapBryan 12/26/2013 at 19:27

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Nice, thats a sharp looking sport!

offroadkarter > RiddldedTomcat 12/26/2013 at 19:27

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Theres actually quite a few manual swapped panthers, I think most of them go for T-45's though

offroadkarter > Futura1000 12/26/2013 at 19:30

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Editing any chunks out would remove some freedom, thats not acceptibru

offroadkarter > catram 12/26/2013 at 19:31

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it doubles as a hand rest

offroadkarter > Diesel 12/26/2013 at 19:31

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well, its not a dash cam, so

its like a b pillar cam

offroadkarter > Hello I'm Justin 12/26/2013 at 19:31

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they should have tilt wheels even in P71's

offroadkarter > regularconsuelo 12/26/2013 at 19:31

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so many people want to, nobody can afford it. A new crate coyote is like 7x the cost of most panthers

MrTexas > CAR_IS_MI 12/26/2013 at 19:45

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You could call it the Payote

CAR_IS_MI > MrTexas 12/26/2013 at 19:48

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Dear lord, that's Genius.

bittnerart > bpromersberger 12/26/2013 at 20:02

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In highschool my first car was my family's deserted 83 Grand Marquis, "fancy" cousin of the Crown Vic. It was enormous, heavy, rear wheeled, and underpowered V8 nonsense. Since it was so large I had no trouble hauling my friends around. I loved that car. My favorite memory was challenging a suped up Toyota pickup at the local cruising area. We stalled it out at the light when it turned green with Molly Hatchet blaring out the windows. I would buy it back in a heartbeat if I knew where it was.

Schmitty > CAR_IS_MI 12/26/2013 at 20:04

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eh, you could probably do an LQ9 + T56 setup for about the price of the Coyote alone. And LQ9's *Love* boost.

bluto1899 > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 20:05

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My Uncle used to have an early 90s Police Interceptor Crown Vic. That thing was badass.

MrTexas > CAR_IS_MI 12/26/2013 at 20:11

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It works on so many levels too!

CBXsix > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 20:28

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I ever so desperately want to swap a manual into my Magnum R/T — has anyone ever heard of that being done successfully? I've seen Crown Vics and Caprices with manuals. I love big cars with stick shift transmissions.

CAR_IS_MI > Schmitty 12/26/2013 at 20:41

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Yes but the coyote is an amazing platform and accepts boost very well.

D-Dubya > bpromersberger 12/26/2013 at 20:56

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It's an indestructible relic, a throwback to another era, and (sort of) an American icon all at once. You'd have to spend some time in one to appreciate one. It's not a car for everyone, but they have a character and feel all their own.

offroadkarter > CBXsix 12/26/2013 at 20:57

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I have heard of people putting manuals in chargers, I've heard its not cheap to do though.

eddchinastshirt > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 21:12

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I can explain the appeal of a Panther: nothing. As the former owner of a 1999 Crown Vic LX, I admit to once being bitten by that irrational Panther bug. The platform is nothing more than the ironic hipster of the auto world. Where to start? Too big. Too much front and rear overhang. Uncomfortable seats that felt as if bowling balls had been sewn into their squabs. You sat on them, not in them. There was that huge trunk but the car does not have enough rear suspension to support it with everything you can put into that trunk. Absolutely minuscule rear seat room leg room. This car had to have made the most inefficient use of its interior space of any car ever made. Suspension? Wallowly and soft. Installing Bilstein gas shocks made the ride more flinty with no real increase in body control. Numb steering. Oh, and try riding around in that thing without feeling 20 years older than every one else around you. This car seems great only to those who automotive expectations ceased to advance past 1958.

After 150K miles, one replacement torque converter, a rebuilt rear axle, and two blown out spark plugs (does no one at Ford know how to calculate the shear strength of aluminum threads?) it is gone forever. Good riddance!

I will admit to one good thing: better interstate gas mileage (24MPG) than most would expect from such a dinosaur.

RiddldedTomcat > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 21:16

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That's legit. I had no clue!

MTY85 > bpromersberger 12/26/2013 at 21:19

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Inexpensive to buy, plentiful, cheap to run and repair, comfortable rear drive V8 sedan.

offroadkarter > eddchinastshirt 12/26/2013 at 21:22

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what are you driving now?

epidemike > John The Race Fan 12/26/2013 at 21:31

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http://tv.msn.com/tv/episode/the…

That is all.

eddchinastshirt > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 21:32

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Primary daily ride is a 2008 Mustang with Miata M edition for sunny weekends.

offroadkarter > eddchinastshirt 12/26/2013 at 21:34

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Is the mustang a GT?

eddchinastshirt > eddchinastshirt 12/26/2013 at 21:36

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Oh, I forgot to add the atrocious rear traction of my 1999 Panther that spun the right rear wheel at the slightest provocation (wet road, sand on a hill) and sent me into an unexpected 180 degree spinning joy ride on a local city street.

eddchinastshirt > eddchinastshirt 12/26/2013 at 21:43

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Yes it is, but I admit I considered a 6 cyl car (cast iron heads) because I was spooked by the spark plug issue. But then I read that Ford I did address that problem between 1999 and 2008.

ColdsnapBryan > Paul, Man of Mustangs 12/26/2013 at 22:01

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I wouldn't say they have much potential for aftermarket swaps. You can supercharge it or turbo charge it but that's a good 5-6k to spend on and sometimes you have to cur out room on the hood.

The apeal to me is what's said a bit lower, it's a throwback to another era and it's a damn solid car with a solid drive train. The construction wants you to drive to over the edge but the comfort tells you to kick the seat back and relax for a bit. It's also got enough power to get out of its own way.

ColdsnapBryan > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 22:03

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Thank you sir!

offroadkarter > ColdsnapBryan 12/26/2013 at 22:14

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you should come hang out with us on our site and or facebook group

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > Hello I'm Justin 12/26/2013 at 22:22

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I have tilt in my Grand Marquis and I still keep it one notch down from school bus.

ColdsnapBryan > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 22:41

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UPOA? I'll register! Never heard of it until now, seems rad. I did a lot of reading on CrownVic.net before I purchased one.

Dropfox2 > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 22:50

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"I think the 79-04 mustangs were like the last cars sold in the US to still use a cable clutch"

They may be the last American cars but 90-93 integras had cable clutches as well as 88-91 civics. I know that because I would take the motors from those integras and put them into those civics and always had trouble finding the cable integra trannys cause I didn't wanna use hydro.

VideoSP > bpromersberger 12/26/2013 at 22:54

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I don't get it either. They aren't fast and they aren't really that roomy for their size. They're rear wheel drive but it's not like you'd take one drifting or drag racing. The later ones had a tow rating of just 1,500 lbs so they can't replace a full size truck. For the amount of time and money it makes to make one fast, just you could buy a Dodge Charger and still have money left over to fix it when it breaks or if it's just room and size you want get a Toyota Avalon.

Kevin Rhodes > bpromersberger 12/26/2013 at 23:08

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In my opinion, no one should have to drive one who isn't wearing a uniform and being paid to do so. Complete and utter dinosaur crap.

Micro-dosing Gawker's Tears > bpromersberger 12/26/2013 at 23:36

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You look like a cop so everyone slows down to the speed limit and blocks you in. Even in the passing lane.

Ryoku > offroadkarter 12/26/2013 at 23:54

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Why not just buy a Mustang from the era? Same if not better engine, better platform, and no manual swaps required!

Ryoku > bpromersberger 12/26/2013 at 23:59

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Durability, budget, but as far as actual driving experience I've driven FWD 4 cyl Toyotas that were more fun.

Panthers ride well, but the steering is no better or worse than a rental Dodge Avenger, the V8s feel more like generic 6 cylinders, the interior design is purely for the short, and you will never hear a Panther buff praise their "quality", something that they all lack. Only their soft rides which go and in hand with stability issues.

garrettnelson > offroadkarter 12/27/2013 at 00:03

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There is something so right about this. One of the coolest project cars on the internet.

MEvans043 > garrettnelson 12/27/2013 at 00:11

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Thank you. Its been a fun first car project.

MEvans043 > Ryoku 12/27/2013 at 00:13

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Why not be different? There will always be a lot of interesting Mustang builds. Not too often you come across something more unique like a Crown Vic.

mstrjon32 > eddchinastshirt 12/27/2013 at 00:34

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It looks to me like you just described everything that's RIGHT about the Crown Vic.

If you wanted a practical sedan, you could have easily bought a Fusion, or an Accord, or whatever. But that's not cool, at all.

offroadkarter > Ryoku 12/27/2013 at 00:39

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Because mustangs are the most unique project car someone can own

oh wait

offroadkarter > Dropfox2 12/27/2013 at 00:40

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at least that ended in the early 90's, I think F bodies had hydraulic clutches as far back as the second gens