You’ll need a spanner wrench to adjust the spring collar. Tightening it raises the ride height. The lower ring locks the collar in location. For both sides to be at the same ride height, the left- and right-side spring mount collars should be on the same thread. To make counting the threads easier, I marked them in groups of 10 with a paint pen.You’ll need a spanner wrench to adjust the spring collar. Tightening it raises the ride he As you can see, the collar is more than halfway up the shock body. Though these are 450 lb/in springs, I suspect I could have installed the next highest rate spring—550 lb/in rate. I would not have had to adjust the collars this high up the shock and I doubt the ride quality would have suffered.As you can see, the collar is more than halfway up the shock body. Though these are 450 lb Here is the finished job. It took about a day to complete, but it was not difficult. You can see from the lead image how dramatic the difference is between the front and rear. I needed matching rear springs; that job is next.You can see from the lead image how dramatic the difference is between the front and rear. Rear Springs Eaton Detroit Springs saved the day with their newly introduced lowering springs for Panther Platform cars (previously they were custom order only). Rear springs are extremely easy to install. We ran a short article on them in our Dec. ’10 issue.Eaton Detroit Springs saved the day with their newly introduced lowering springs for Panth Available in a 1.0- or 1.5-inch-drop front and rear, the cost is only $189 per pair. Why wouldn’t you do it?Available in a 1.0- or 1.5-inch-drop front and rear, the cost is only $189 per pair. Why w Front Sway Bar Lastly, I upgraded to an Addco sway bar. At a 1 1⁄4-inch diameter, it’s bigger than the already big 1.0-inch factory police bar.Lastly, I upgraded to an Addco sway bar. At a 1 1⁄4-inch diameter, it’s bigger than the al Installing it was a breeze as well, thanks to the thoughtfully designed hardware holding the brackets to the frame. It was much less frustrating here than on other cars we’ve worked on where the fasteners just thread into the frame. It is almost impossible not to strip the threads out of those boltholes.Installing it was a breeze as well, thanks to the thoughtfully designed hardware holding t Addco includes a urethane bushing and larger brackets, which is nice because you don’t have to try to force on a rubber bushing and mash it inside the stock bracket. The bar does slide around inside the bushings, though, so don’t forget to install the locking rings.Addco includes a urethane bushing and larger brackets, which is nice because you don’t hav SOURCES ADDCO Manufacturing 1596 Linville Falls Hwy Linville NC 28646 800-621-8916 www.addco.net Naake Suspension Specialists Roseville CA 916-771-0109 www.naake.com Eaton Detroit Spring 313-963-3839 www.eatonsprings.com South Bay Ford Hawthorne CA 888-358-9380 www.southbayford.com « | 1 | 2 | View Full Article By John McGann Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!
notoriousfpg 2/22/2013 at 3:43 PM I want to set a challenge because I have never seen it done, and that is all the more reason to do it. Take an old Vic cop car and tub it out, and put whatever engine you have to put in there, one of those budget turbo V8’ heck I don’t even care if it’s that turbo Hemi. You’re going to already make a bunch of people angry, by messing with a Vic might as well really make them angry. Take it to the drags and launch the front wheels off the ground!! I am not sure what kind of horse power you would need to do it, I am sure it is something ludicrous but it would be a sight to see!
bossmangw 12/24/2011 at 4:04 AM THANK YOU John McGann!! Great articles on building up your Crown Vic cop car! As an owner of a 2003 Marauder and a 2007 Vic cop car, your articles will come in very handy, as my Marauder and cop car suspensions are getting loose. Thanks for your honest opinions and observations. Regards, GregDecember 23rd,2011
RonMiller001 11/4/2011 at 6:07 PM Crown Vics, since the 80's, have been cars dying to be souped up and street raced. I find that your desire to make an old cop cruiser into a hot rod is more in keeping with the name of your magazine than articles about folks who let others do all the work on their rides. I can't remember if it was Car Craft or Hot rod who had a car where the owner said ...I'm not a gearhead, I just drive 'em. That comment boiled my blood, the most fun I ever had with old cars was telling everyone that I did all the work myself. Wish I had the money to get something going.
