Kevin Varnes
Registered User
I've been debating this in my mind for a while now. I've got a '91 Crown Vic ex-police car in pretty good condition. Right now it's got a tired 351W (stock) with AOD trans and a 3.55TL. About two years ago (I don't drive it a lot), I put on a set of D0OE 351W heads, Performer RPM intake, 472/496 Comp Cam and Holley 4 bbl on it to try to wake it up. Still running the stock manifolds and dual exhaust. I haven't done a compression test on it, but it just feels tired. Given it's years of service I'm not surprised. Anyway here is my dilemma. I've got a perfectly good rebuilt 3.8SC long block sitting on an engine stand with nothing to go into right now (had it built up for a while). I've thought several times about putting that into the CV. Here are the problems I can think of off the top of my head with this A) the car is carb'd so I'd have to replumb the fuel lines and add a hi pressure electronic fuel pump B) the 3.8 v6 was never intended to go into the Panther chassis (at least as far as I know), so I'd need to fab some custom engine mounts C) obviously the electrical system will be completely different (not really worried about that). ORRRR I can build up a 393 stroker using the original engine. Obviously the heads aren't the greatest flowing SBF heads ever made, but they're what I have for now and they're in good shape. The 393 would be much easier to keep original appearing and probably easier overall from a fabricating standpoint. I think the 3.8SC would be really interesting though. There should be more than enough room in the engine bay to house a decent IC and have room to change the plugs from the top. I am assuming Mustang headers should be pretty close to fitting since SBF Mustang headers work in this chassis. I believe the weight should be a little less than the iron headed 351 even with the blower and plumbing on it (handling is a performance goal of the car).
So what do you guys think? I think either one would make a pretty cool car. No matter what direction I go I will swap in one of my spare M5R2's so the AOD is out. I'm basically looking for a fun, fast street cruiser.
So what do you guys think? I think either one would make a pretty cool car. No matter what direction I go I will swap in one of my spare M5R2's so the AOD is out. I'm basically looking for a fun, fast street cruiser.