I've often heard all kinds of rumours about the Police Interceptor packages installed on Crown Victorias, Mustangs and the like, with one friend who worked as a mechanic bragging that he once got one of the Mustangs to 160mph without much trouble, and so I'd like to know what makes them so special.
Since at least two of us here should have some direct knowledge about that, maybe they'd like to share, because I for one am really curious !
the police interceptor motor is the cobra motor...i think thats all it is to the motor
The police intercepter is nothing more than an otherwise stock passenger car with heavy duty suspension, brakes and cooling, some minor wiring provisions for add-on equipment such as radios and light bars, and a decontented interior (rubber floors, coarse cloth buckets, vinyl rear bench, de-activated rear inner door handles/locks/windows). There are no engine/tranny differences (except the CVPI has its speed limiter raised and therefore uses an aluminum driveshaft). The CVPI has the same 239-horse 4.6 SOHC engine that the CV LX has (when equipped with dual exhaust). It also has an identical 4R70W tranny and 3.27 rear gears.
There is no police package Mustang anymore (not since '93). There are semi-police-package Explorers and Expeditions, but those are simply regular models with rubber floors and vinyl rear seats (no suspension/brake upgrades). The PI Taurus died in '94.
I used to work on the state police cruisers. The CV's are really no different than the regular ones. Just a bunch of heavy duty stuff. The Mustang was basically the same. Your friend is BS'ing if he got a stock Mustang to do 160. When I got my 90 Mustang, the fastest it would go is roughly 143 mph and that is with the optional 3.08 gears with the T5. The AOD cars came with 3.27 gears. The PI Taurus was a dumb idea from the start. Those vehicles weren't reliable in the regular version so they go ahead and make a police car out of it:rolleyes:
James
thought the pi cars had a engine chip mod done to em?
I was thinking the police interceptor models had a higher-amperage alternator for all those doodads they run...
oops i was liking at specs of a moded one :)
They run a 135-amp 3G. The newer (2003+) models have a clutch on the front of the alt, much like the clutch fan, that limits its rotational speed at higher engine RPM.
Some of the State and Highway interceptors have a Hi/Low rear....or so I hear.
If they do, it's aftermarket. I've built hundreds, if not thousands, of police cars and have never seen a high/low rear
That's the funny thing about police cars, you hear so many stories...
There was a guy I worked with who swore up and down that Caprice police cars came with supercharged 454's...because he "saw it in a magazine once." He claimed to still have the magazine and said he'd bring it in...I still haven't seen it.
I worked on one with a gas/propane powered 502 (it was actually a Roadmaster), but it was a VIP security limousine, with bulletproof glass, armoured sides, explosion proof floor, an onboard oxygen system, run-flat tires and other anti-terrorism measures. The guy that dropped it off said "Do NOT put it on a hoist, it will pull the hoist out of the floor"
Hmm speaking of police cars any one heard of the legendary 1969 Dodge Polara 440 Magnum interceptor. Supposedly they were the fastest 4 door polce cars ever. I don't know about you guys but I want one :D .
Here ya go:D
The '68-'71 440 Plymouths, were a bad ass police car, but really no more powerful than any other car of the period. Where they got their reputitation was the high speed capability. With a 2.75-2.80 or so rear gear, they would run 130-140mph which was fast for a street car in those days. The average 428 Mustang, 454 Chevelle, etc could walk away from one, but because most had 3.50-4.30 gears, were limited to 110-125 mph max(a few CJs did get 3.00 gears and could run 135+ But those were dogs at the stop light Grand Prix). So you'd better be on a twisty road if you wanted to out run one.
In about '74-'75 I got a chance to try my '69 428 CJ against a new 440 Plymouth State Trooper cruser. The senerio was, he was crusing behind me on a 6 lane highway as we approached a truck weigh station. At just that time a truck decided to dodge the scales. So the cop gagged the Plymouth at about my rear bumper and pulled ahead. Figuring he ain't paying attention to me, and this is the best chance I'll ever have to try a real cop car, I pulled the Cobra back into 2nd and gagged mine as well. Since he already had a head start he pulled me by 20 lengths or so, then I started gaining on him. After I gained 3-4 lengths I backed out, figuring he'd get pissed if I passed him... :D
Your such a rebal Tom!
They have a diffrent computer to allow higher speed's and the upgraded drivshaft, some have the extra oil and trans cooler.
we havea corvette cop car here, that was donated by a local car dealership. most of these "police interceptors" were custom made that way and will vary by area
That's pretty much it. Our newest ones have adjustable pedals.......I guess that's standard Crown Vic equipment now.....
We have a few assortments of cop cars that have been seized and taken over by the police here in Hall County, GA. The only one that i really fear is a Nissan 300zx... it's the twin turbo model, and even though it only runs a low 14/high 13 from the factory, when they took it in, it has been modded out the ass. The car really hauls ass, runs high 12's. And no, this ain't no rumor. It cruises around regularly, and is black with some graphics (that are hard to see unless you're right next to it, even in daylight). Seized after a repeat drug offender/dui driver got pulled over. Impounded the car finally, and took it over. Sucks for him, and a few others.
They used those in the 1971 movie, Vanishing Point. Cool movie.
Duuuhh, my police car is a supercharged/turbocharged v12 with nawws, it goes 9 seconds in the quarter mile and is fully bullet- and stab-proof. It's also awd and has airbags that lift it 18" off the ground so it can go off road. Also has inflatable floatation devices that come out from under the car, and a propeller comes out of the back and you can drive it on water.
Oh, it has an AM/FM Casette deck, too.
Don't forget the TARBO POWER, Brian. ;)
so what movie did you see that in?:flip:
That's a combination of every BS story I've heard about PI's, including some of my own invention.
The county sheriff dept. here is starting to switch to the Impala...
I wonder if they're any better than the CV?
Probably not, to my biased way of thinkin'!
The local RCMP tried the Impala for a few years, mainly as "detachment cars" (the ones that answer shoplifting and other non-emergency calls). They were never used as radar/pursuit vehicles but the RCMP have recently decided to go away from Impalas entirely. The Impala is not as durable as the C/V - not that Impalas aren't durable, but compared to the full frame RWD C/V anything looks weak. There are supposed to be some Charger cop cars going into use but I've only seen one (the "proof of concept car").
Oh, and Brian - quit yer lyin'. Crown Vic Cop cars don't come with cassette decks. They're AM/FM only, bitch :flip:
fordtruck freek ..... off topic but i want your seats dude......!
Better in the snow, but horrible over rough road at speed due to low ground clearance. My job still uses Vics but the county next to us is in transission and everyone there I've spoke with prefers the Vic to the new Impala
Anyone remember that TV show "Viper" ... ?
Flippin' sweet show right there!
Yeah I was one of the apprently few fans out there. I watched per near every episode when it was originally aired(we has those 6 ft. dishes the time, so when the Network would broadcast them to the affiliates, I picked them up). I wish they would produce that on DVD