Project Angry Grandpa

[CNTLOSE]

Well with four young kids having a DD Mustang is not possible. So the next best thing is Crown Victoria P71. This was a transport car for Franklin County Sheriffs Office that sat at the airport for 10 years until I bought it last August. So other than a cage it had no equipment mounted, so no holes everywhere. Plus it did not sit idling for hours on end. I picked up the car and discovered the steering shafts were essentially frozen, which is a common issue. Thanks to Rich I had a trailer to bring it back home.

Auction Pics:

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/109_2533_2_zpssxgfosiy.jpg (http://s461.photobucket.com/user/cntlose92/media/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/109_2533_2_zpssxgfosiy.jpg.html)

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/109_2533_6_zps6ufxzlub.jpg (http://s461.photobucket.com/user/cntlose92/media/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/109_2533_6_zps6ufxzlub.jpg.html)

Pick-up Day:

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20140821_111600_zpse1429cb2.jpg (http://s461.photobucket.com/user/cntlose92/media/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20140821_111600_zpse1429cb2.jpg.html)

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20140821_111611_zpsfbca57b9.jpg (http://s461.photobucket.com/user/cntlose92/media/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20140821_111611_zpsfbca57b9.jpg.html)

[CNTLOSE]

So the first thing to address was the steering issue. FML 2005+ steering shafts are covered under warranty...mine is not. So I ended up needing both the middle and upper shaft.

Pick after soaking it for a couple days with WD40 to no avail.

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20140831_160344_zpsc0dab40d.jpg (http://s461.photobucket.com/user/cntlose92/media/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20140831_160344_zpsc0dab40d.jpg.html)

Once removed:

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20140831_165506_zpsf73f18c7.jpg (http://s461.photobucket.com/user/cntlose92/media/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20140831_165506_zpsf73f18c7.jpg.html)

Installed and then realizing I needed the upper shaft too.

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20140831_170719_zps36341f68.jpg (http://s461.photobucket.com/user/cntlose92/media/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20140831_170719_zps36341f68.jpg.html)

[CNTLOSE]

Well that made her my driver for the time being. I put some chrome center caps on and left it that way for the winter...well until the intake decided to go bad. This being a 2004 it has the same PI engine as the 99-04 Mustangs. Like those intakes it has an issue with cracking. Well mine did not crack, but the built in gasket at the thermostat housing let go. So a Ford Racing intake was ordered and installed. During this time I was lucky enough to snap the EGR tube. Since 11 years of heat and cold cycles had the tube froze to the manifold, and new manifold was in order. As much as I wanted to go LT headers they were not in the budget at the time. So a Dorman replacement was installed and the EGR was deleted. At this time I did a junkyard upgrade and put an E250 70mm TB on to replace the stock 65mm TB. Being this is the P71 it already has an 80mm MAF so that was left alone. Also put on a set of Steeda underdrive pulleys. Since I have the P71 the alternator is the high output version. Which means I could only use the crank and water pump pulley.

Well the next thing to address was a misfire that had developed in cylinder 7. A new set of plugs and a little hotter set of coils fixed that and had the car running like new. Also decided it was time to make a little more noise, so a set of 40 series Flowmasters were welded in place. It was at this time I scored a deal on a set of Mustang 18" take-off wheels.

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20150601_115419_zps1jd5lyma.jpg (http://s461.photobucket.com/user/cntlose92/media/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20150601_115419_zps1jd5lyma.jpg.html)

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20150601_115408_zpscf5bxy9r.jpg (http://s461.photobucket.com/user/cntlose92/media/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20150601_115408_zpscf5bxy9r.jpg.html)

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20150601_115357_zpstsvwo4tn.jpg (http://s461.photobucket.com/user/cntlose92/media/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20150601_115357_zpstsvwo4tn.jpg.html)

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20150601_115346_zpsdfa5hczi.jpg (http://s461.photobucket.com/user/cntlose92/media/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20150601_115346_zpsdfa5hczi.jpg.html)

[CNTLOSE]

Well now I needed to add a little more pick-up and the non-limited slip 3.27 rearend was just not cutting it. Since becoming friends with Jason (86GT40) I discovered he could and was willing to install some gears for me. To top it off he knew I had been looking for LS and picked one up for me. So I ordered a set of 4.10 gears from LRS and dropped the car off to Jason. I had also picked up a SCT X4 tuner for the CV since the trans will not work correctly without a tune for the gears.

I picked the car up and could not quit smiling. As any of the mod owners know, a good set of gears really wake these cars up. Plus with the LS it takes off like a bat out of hell with just a couple quick chirps.

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20150526_161905_zpste2roox5.jpg (http://s461.photobucket.com/user/cntlose92/media/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20150526_161905_zpste2roox5.jpg.html)

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq336/cntlose92/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20150527_124859_zpscvewfali.jpg (http://s461.photobucket.com/user/cntlose92/media/2004%20Crown%20Vic%20P71/20150527_124859_zpscvewfali.jpg.html)

[CNTLOSE]

So that is where I am at now. Future plans are a set of Stage 2 cams, J-mod to the trans, LT headers, and a 2" drop. Would love to add a set of TF heads, but at over $3k that will just be a dream for the time being.

As for the name Angry Grandpa, I came up with that since that is exactly what it looks like...and Grandpa car. I debated putting the black out treatment like most P71's, but this really puts off a sleeper look.

[k062693w]

Cool Project ...
That's a Good Looking Crown Vic ...
I like the Wheels on it ...
A Turbo would wake it up !!!

[chris91]

Gotta be careful with stage 2 cams. Some will require you to notch the pistons. My Hitech Stage 2's don't require it but I also have Fox Lake Stage 2 heads which have the slimmer oversized valves.

Good luck with it though. I'd love to throw my engine and Trans in one.

[86gt40]

This is an awesome car. Glad to of been a part of it !

[k062693w]

This is an awesome car. Glad to of been a part of it !

Comes with being a MAN of your Word !!!
Good Work Jason !!!

[uknowho1702]

Working on being a badass sleeper. Every kid on the street thinks his honduhh will out run everything, the levels of butthurt getting the L dealt to them in Grandpas pissed off grocery getter!!

[CNTLOSE]

Working on being a badass sleeper. Every kid on the street thinks his honduhh will out run everything, the levels of butthurt getting the L dealt to them in Grandpas pissed off grocery getter!!

lol...exactly.

As far as the cams I will be doing more research as I get closer to actually pulling the trigger. I know their are 3 different "stage 2" cams used by the CV guys, so I will be picking their brains as to which one is best for our boats. As far as a turbo, I had looked at a super charger, but it requires custom brackets since the intake is on the opposite side of the Mustang. ADTR.com makes a complete kit, but it is over $5k and I can not see paying that much for one.

- - - Updated - - -


This is an awesome car. Glad to of been a part of it !

Me too!...and will continue to be as well!

[COOP]

Those wheels look great on there. Cool project

[draggin50]

Those wheels made a big difference! Looks good!

[Stangman]

Love Crown Vic's. I'd love to have an '03-up black sheriff car all cleaned up, blacked out, and decked out as a daily driver.

[CNTLOSE]

Thanks guys! Next to my old Ecoboost F150 and Charger, this has been my favorite DD.

[Rich]

Good job Matt, car looks nice. I always thought a P71 would make a fun daily driver.

[CNTLOSE]

Good job Matt, car looks nice. I always thought a P71 would make a fun daily driver.

Thanks Rich. After driving them for 17 years it fits like a glove...lol.

[motox159]

Cool car for sure!

[86gt40]

r.i.p.

[draggin50]

r.i.p.

??? feel us in!

[86gt40]

I'll let him tell it his way. Glad to of been apart of the building of that awesome machine. I believe he made a trade off. Sell that to buy something else. ..

[CNTLOSE]

??? feel us in!

I ended up selling Angry Grandpa yesterday. I bought a new DD a few weeks ago and the deal I made with the wife is I would sell it...she hated it. The guy who bought it is from Dayton and it sounds like it will make some of the cruise-ins up north and some of the cars and coffee events.

On the plus side I am going to start tinkering on the '90 GT that has been sitting it the garage most of the summer.

[draggin50]

Ok. I liked that car!

At least you still have the Mustang to play with!

[CNTLOSE]

I did too! But we were at four cars and where we live now we really don't have the room for that many. I ended up getting a Cadillac CTS, which I have wanted for years...but AG and our Acura were the sacrifices it took to get it. Actually meeting up with Jason later this afternoon to get the cat-back he had listed for it. Not planning on going too crazy with it, just exhaust, gears, and some suspension improvements.