2005 Crown Victoria P71 Build

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grouch

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I used to have a 1999 P71. Mine was brown and tan as I got it from a Sheriffs Department. Keep in mind your P71 is different from a regular Crown Vic is subtle and not so subtle ways. Keep the cop wheels if they're good as they are as strong as truck wheels. Make sure all your locks work. On mine, the trunk lock was never used, they used the button, and it froze up. A normal lock cylinder when I had my car was around $50 but the police version was $130. Your suspension components are the same way. Cop parts cost more and you can't use regular, not if you want them to last.

If your car was an administrative (Chief) or detective car, it should last you quite a while. If you get on it going around a corner, you may hear clicking from under the dash. This is your ABS controlling slipping in the rear.
 
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95escahoe

95escahoe

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Very nice Vic Brett!

Mine was 05 LX with the column shifter. The antenna on the side of the 05 [and very windows] moved traffic over every time out on the highway. I ended up selling mine to a hard working 18 year old who loved it. Had 280K miles on it.

Now that Broward County and the FHP are using a sprinkling of white unmarked Tahoe's with dark windows my Tahoe is starting to move traffic over.

Some agencies in down in my neck of the woods went from Vic's to Tahoe's. South Florida still has quite a few Vic's still in service. The Panthers were the only good Fords they ever made IMHO.
Thanks, the LX’s are nice too, 280k is nothing for a Vic it’s just getting broken in, maybe you’ll get another one down the road, I loved the color scheme on the FHP Vic’s and the Texas State Trooper ones, there’s not too many in service up here the smaller towns have moved onto other vehicles a lot of the bigger towns still have a ton in service and I completely agree with the statement the only other Fords I like are some of the Mustangs


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95escahoe

95escahoe

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I love how loud the 4.6 is in the P71 cruisers, as well as the loud 1st gear in the 4r70
I loved how it sounded under WOT with the stock exhaust, growing up that’s all the State Police here used and I loved the sound of them flying down the road on call


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95escahoe

95escahoe

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Oh.....I've heard that the P71's have--either stab proof or bullet proof plates behind both front seats to protect against any rogue rear seat combatants. These plates are inside the upholstery. Are you replacement seats from a P71 also? You could probably unzip the upholstery on the driver seat and look around in there.
Yup stab proof seats there’s a metal plate in them, which is good if it’s a take home car like the State Trooper ones were since they didn’t have a prisoner cage, and the replacement ones came off a P71, they actually came off a Connecticut State Police Vic being a take home car they usually keep them pretty clean, I was surprised how clean the seats were


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95escahoe

95escahoe

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I used to have a 1999 P71. Mine was brown and tan as I got it from a Sheriffs Department. Keep in mind your P71 is different from a regular Crown Vic is subtle and not so subtle ways. Keep the cop wheels if they're good as they are as strong as truck wheels. Make sure all your locks work. On mine, the trunk lock was never used, they used the button, and it froze up. A normal lock cylinder when I had my car was around $50 but the police version was $130. Your suspension components are the same way. Cop parts cost more and you can't use regular, not if you want them to last.

If your car was an administrative (Chief) or detective car, it should last you quite a while. If you get on it going around a corner, you may hear clicking from under the dash. This is your ABS controlling slipping in the rear.
The steel rims are mint I picked up a new set from Ford a month or so ago I like the look, I was thinking about Mustang rims but decided against them for now, and thanks for the tips/info


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95escahoe

95escahoe

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After I installed the driver seat I ended up replacing the passenger seat so it matched the driver seat, it didn’t have much wear but looking at them side by side you noticed it, and picked up this cheap center console off Amazon

bad4fe4c2d618e5fe5b2d76492148071.jpg
84a92a72923f6de56739117cec48d61a.jpg


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95escahoe

95escahoe

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Next installed some LED’s in the dome light, added new side marker lights from Ford with the correct amber bulbs someone had clear bulbs in the old ones the old ones had holes from the strobes and let moisture in too

4fae1121824e93a5116a9502fd9f7937.jpg
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95escahoe

95escahoe

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I had that same exact console for sale--for awhile. I would up giving it away for free. Did you try looking for a police center console? Or were you staying away from that?
It’s not a bad console it fits pretty snug, I didn’t want a police one at first but if I found a clean one with cup holders I’d probably snag it down the road I’d like to add some amber lights and would need a spot for the switches


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