1992 Crown Victoria Touring Sedan

"The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123" (mattp123) 01/05/2014 at 22:31 • Filed to: None

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One year only. I want one. Read up on them !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 01/05/2014 at 22:38

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Interdasting O.o

DollaMoneyAve > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 01/05/2014 at 22:41

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"The model featured dual exhausts for an increased engine output of 210 hp (157 kW; 213 PS), wider tires, rear air suspension, and various suspension components shared with the police package model for improved handling. Actually, it turned out that the Touring Sedan could be optioned-out with components such as speed sensitive steering and larger dia. sway bars, and lack of electronic speed limiter, that were superior to the Police Package."

Who knew?! That's awesome.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 01/05/2014 at 22:44

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But this is so much better. 2005 LX Sport

oldirtybootz > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 01/05/2014 at 22:47

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I went 23 years without ever realizing that this generation of Crown Vic and Grand Marquis had totally different styling. Not once did I notice the GM has a far more formal roofline.

dogisbadob > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 01/05/2014 at 22:49

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Sounded good until I saw "air suspension"

dogisbadob > oldirtybootz 01/05/2014 at 22:51

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They should've kept this styling though! Doesn't it look so much better than the other panthers?

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > DollaMoneyAve 01/05/2014 at 22:52

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My grandparents bought this one new in 92, and this one was bought used as my first car. Still have them both. I can definitely confirm that the one with the air suspension, thicker sway bars, and police size tires rides and handles A LOT better. Feels a lot more... refined. As far as a body on frame solid rear axle dinosaur chassis can be refined, I guess?

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The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > dogisbadob 01/05/2014 at 22:55

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My grandparents bought this one new in 92, and this one was bought used as my first car. The white one has the air suspension ans thicker sway bars. Makes a world of difference, especially when carrying a lot of weight in that cavern of a trunk. It is an expensive fix though when it eventually goes out.

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dogisbadob > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 01/05/2014 at 22:57

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Yup! That last sentence is what did it for me :(

Jedidiah > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 01/05/2014 at 23:08

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Live axle cars can be very competent performers. They can be designed to have good geometry and are easy to drop out of the car and fix. Depending on the suspension type used, they can have advantages in controlling the roll center. It really depends on the environment the car will be used in. Most daily drivers benefit from IRS because the conditions they're in are highly variable, while a live axle might be a viable consideration in some specific racing conditions. Every automotive configuration has tradeoffs.

As for body on frame cars, at least they won't be totaled in a fender bender. Body on frame was used alot by American manufacturers for a long because it offered superior road isolation when the market wanted "affordable luxury cars" (read as big and plush boats).

I bought a book called How to Make Your Muscle Car Handle by Mark Savitske. While the cars he discusses in the book might not be relevant to everyone, they way he describes suspension geometry and discusses the advantages/disadvantages of particular set-ups is very interesting and easy to understand.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > Jedidiah 01/05/2014 at 23:19

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Nice 72 Hurst Olds in your avatar.

Solid rear axles definitely can handle well. I'm not sure how much thought Ford put into the Panther platform. We have a pair of 1992 Grand Marquis(es?), one has coils, one has air suspension and thicker sway bars. The air suspension and thicker sway bars definitely make a world of difference. It serves its purpose well, and that is to provide good straight line stability and comfort.

DollaMoneyAve > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 01/05/2014 at 23:25

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Well since you have an extra one, surely you wouldn't mind giving me one right? Because now I really want it...

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > DollaMoneyAve 01/05/2014 at 23:33

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No dice. The sentimental value is through the roof.

DollaMoneyAve > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 01/05/2014 at 23:38

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You changed, dude.

Jedidiah > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 01/05/2014 at 23:42

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The air cleaner in your avatar looks familiar .

I lost my factory air cleaner assembly for my 72 supreme. I have no idea where it went. It's a shame; it still had the sticker on it.

My parents purchased an 04 P71 for my grandmother because it would be nearly impossible for her to destroy it. I thought the handling was impressive for a car that size. The Watt's linkage and sway bars definitely make a difference. It definitely handles better than my Cutlass, which lacks these amenities. They also had rack and pinion steering in 2004, which felt excellently weighted for a full size car. The damping was near perfect and with z-rated tires it handled like a racecar compared to my Olds on 14 in rims.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > DollaMoneyAve 01/06/2014 at 00:08

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Sorry man. The blue-ish one is too nice to part with, I'll never find another like it. And the white one is my first car.

sarcastomancer > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 01/06/2014 at 00:12

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Nice Panthers Matt! I always thought 92 GM's & CV's had the cleanest styling of all of em.. A 1/2 coil drop and some Bilstiens and these old battlewagons will do stuff no car this size should be able to do. Found crownvic.net yet?

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > sarcastomancer 01/06/2014 at 00:16

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Thank you sir. Also, if you would like authorship privileges so your comments aren't stuck in the gray here on oppp, let me know and I'll put a shout out for you.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > Jedidiah 01/06/2014 at 00:25

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My air cleaner in my avatar came with this .

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I would say my Cutlass, being the old man variant that it is handles like... well it doesn't handle much, but it's more comparable to the Grand Marquis with coils. Staggered bumps make the back end wiggle on you and all around it is floaty. If it weren't for the vast differences in seats, they would ride pretty similar. The one with air suspension and thicker sway bars is pretty competent for what it is. The front end on the 92 Panthers is pretty different from the 03 and up for sure. I've never driven a newer Panther. But some day...

sarcastomancer > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 01/06/2014 at 00:27

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Sure! The air suspension is an easy fix,by the way.I read a little more,all of your issues are common to these,and not horribly hard or expensive..Keep the white one,you WILL regret it if you sell it. Was wondering, either of yours early 92 with the "bastard block" and AOD?

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > sarcastomancer 01/06/2014 at 00:34

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One was a December 91 build and the other was April 92... I forget which is which. They both have AOD. What is this bastard block you speak of?

What happened with my air suspension is the bags got leaky. So the compressor was running more than normal to keep them filled. Eventually the compressor burnt out. I needed the car fixed in a hurry and liked the ride quality of the air bags, so I just bent over and gave the dealer $1200 about 10 years ago.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > sarcastomancer 01/06/2014 at 00:39

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It's kinda funny. What goes wrong with one will eventually go wrong with the other.

Jedidiah > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 01/06/2014 at 00:43

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Your Cutlass is prettier than mine. (Envious) Mine sat out in the woods for nearly 20 years after it was abandoned by the original owner. Paid $100 for it, got it working in an afternoon (miraculously) and drove it home.

Here's it when after I got it in the garage.

Here's it now.

Adding duals will get you past 200 HP with some old glasspacks. Sounds good for wannabe muscle (hence my 442 wing) but might be out of place for a luxocruiser with a vinyl top. Its easy to miss how quiet the single exhaust was sometimes.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > Jedidiah 01/06/2014 at 00:52

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$100?!? Well, the first image got Kinja'd so I don't know what shape it was in, but either way... $100?!?

I'm definitely keeping this one stock. Would love to find another to restomod. Or put in a 455, build it up a bit, but then paint the engine gold and throw on a 350 air cleaner to fool the unsuspecting. Would also love to make a "442" out of a 4 door. That would be neat, the sports sedan that never was.

What are your plans for this one? Is that another parked next to it?

Gamecat235 > sarcastomancer 01/06/2014 at 00:52

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I added you as an author. Welcome!

sarcastomancer > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 01/06/2014 at 01:12

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OK.early 92's(mid Feb 92-ish) came with the AOD trans,vs the AODE electronic trans. They have a rare 4.6 modularV8 block that has the older ford bolt pattern at the bellhousing,Hence "bastard block"...meaning any pre-modular V8 will bolt right to your trans,289,5.0, 351.all of em. different starter than any other 4.6,and a few other unique parts.be careful working on AC,the clutch as well as the belt are wider and have 1 more rib.To be sure,look at your throttle body,if it has a cable on Pass side going down to trans,you have an early AOD car.The early motors had lame valve seals,so if you puff blue smoke at startup,it's minor compared to a worn out motor. 5sp manual trans swaps are Very do-able..Crownvic.net has enough info to keep you broke,busy, and happy for years.Once you know which parts will swap and where the local pull-it-yourself yard(always full of P71 interceptors),you can do amazing things relatively cheap.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > sarcastomancer 01/06/2014 at 01:30

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Hmm. I'll have to look for that cable next time...

sarcastomancer > Gamecat235 01/06/2014 at 01:39

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Far out,thanks! Now I have to figure out what that means :) (trailing edge computer skills here).

sarcastomancer > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 01/06/2014 at 01:43

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A push button for OD on the end of your column shifter is also a clue.the cable is definite proof.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > sarcastomancer 01/06/2014 at 01:45

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No push button on either.

Aero > dogisbadob 01/06/2014 at 02:22

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Air suspension is actually really easy and cheap to work on. Shops typically perform shotgun repairs, throwing all new parts on because they don't know how to fix the problem. Do it yourself though and it's not a big deal.

Jedidiah > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 01/06/2014 at 02:39

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Yep $100. Radiator hose blew as soon as I pulled into the driveway. Didn't have any brakes but some lawn-mower gas was enough to get it started after all those years and enough to get me home. Its my first car and I did all the body work on when I was 15. There's alot of sentimental value in that car and I hope to keep it for a long time. When I get some cash after I'm done with college the plans are posi, some control arms and a sway bar. I kinda wish I'd repainted in the factory "radiant green;" it was a pretty color. Perhaps I'll redo some of the not-so-great body patches that I did. I can't really justify doing any engine work until the far distant future; just rolled over to 78k miles and runs good.

Heres the pic that got kinja'd. What you can't see is all the quarter panel rot and the non-existent floorboards. Don't ever let leaves get inside the fenders of a car; it will ruin it.

Parked next to is a 1970 Olds 98. It's my dad's car. It's like a time capsule; it was ordered at the Olds dealership in our hometown and stayed here ever since. He's the 2nd owner.

On the other side of the 98 is a 1975 Cutlass with the Y76 package. I can't find an pictures of it.

Jedidiah > Jedidiah 01/06/2014 at 02:43

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Kinja'd again.

Heres the pics

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > Jedidiah 01/06/2014 at 02:52

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Oh, Kinja...

Damn, still... $100 for that is a steal, even if it did need complete restoration. Congrats and kudos to you for keeping it on the road. You should do a write up on the car and the back story and keep us all posted.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > sarcastomancer 01/06/2014 at 07:47

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Wait, does the push button for the OD mean that it's an AOD or an AODE?

sarcastomancer > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 01/06/2014 at 13:15

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The button usually means AODE.Locks out overdrive so it doesn't keep trying to engage cruising around town like an AOD is known for.Pretty much an AOD they "improved" with electronic management via the PCM.

The AOD you shift-kit like the old days,AODE you do occult computer-ish stuff.I'm no Ford expert (life long Ford poo-pooer in fact),but this car has been a trusted friend for years,so I had to learn enough to do right by it.