Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the Ford Crown Victoria was popular for fleet use, mainly as taxicabs or cop cars. The latter was offered with a Police Package that was ideal for the old-school rear-wheel-drive, full-size Crown Vics. In the 1980s, the cars still used LTD as part of the name, including this 1987 Police Interceptor that was a patrol car for the Sierra Vista, Arizona, police department. Presently well enough for its age, this Crown Victoria is offered as a project here on eBay due to it needing maintenance items like new tires. Located now in Tucson, this former long arm of the law is available here on eBay, where the current bid is $6,500.
This generation of the Crown Victoria was a Ford staple from 1980 to 1991. It was boxy in appearance before becoming more aerodynamic in the 1990s. The name was borrowed from the fancy Fairlane coupe from the 1955-56 run and was produced alongside the Mercury Grand Marquis. To keep pace with Chevrolet and Chrysler, Ford offered the Police Package, which took a stock Crown Vic and beefed it up, including the frame, suspension, brakes, and cooling. You also got lights and sirens, and the speedometer had a top end of 140 rather than 85 mph. A 302 cubic inch V8 was standard, with a 351 optional (as in the seller’s car).
The seller goes into painstaking detail about describing this old Ford – to ensure no surprises when you come to collect the vehicle. It has newer paint, perhaps of the Earl Schieb caliber, and there are some dings and scratches, so this is not a showroom-perfect ride. The interior has held up well enough for the presumed 140,000 miles, most of which were probably put on by a single police officer who took the car home at night.
Misses include an MIA air conditioning compressor, no tinted windows, removed police hardware except for the spotlight (non-working), an AM/FM radio which also doesn’t work, and some finicky power windows. But the engine and overdrive transmission work quite well, so once you throw on some new rubber donuts, you could have a driver. You might restore it as a tribute car or take it to Cars & Coffee and let their imaginations run free!
It really doesn’t look like there would be much to do but put gasoline in it and drive it. I am happy to see that all of the police equipment (ok except for the spotlight) has been removed and I assume that it’s been repainted, white. I don’t like to see decommissioned police cars in streets, still looking like police cars. It’s listed for reasonable price. With only 140,000 miles, it could be a really nice car, for many years to come.
I got ran over by a cop in one of these. It probably saved my life…… I know that’s an odd statement, but I’m here 45 or so years later to say it.
Wait a minute! Not so fast! There’s a lot more to that story. It’s not fair to just drop that on us and walk away! LOL! C’mon, spill the whole story…
It’s a story about having a fun night, until you’re not.
More information please.
Had an PPS 87 crown vic I bought in 1989 – a low mileage car that was apparently used by a local news studio to cover crimes. It was a super nice car – every option from power mirrors, seat, stereo – the right lane would clear from me on my commute to work. My buddies and I loved that car. I am guessing this one is Canadian because the speedo goes to 220 (kph)
The MPH scale, with 55 highlighted, is right on top of the KPH scale. It’s visible in the photos on the ad, just not here.
The upper speedo numbers are American with the lower numbers being Canadian. As it should be.
Yes Robert, because the USA is the only one still using mph.
https://ssmalloys.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Metric-and-Imperial-Use-in-the-world.jpg
I have always found the Metric System very confusing and I’ve spent a good amount time driving in Canada.
I remember driving in British Columbia,Canada when they
were converting to the Metric System.I saw a sign that said something
like “Creston 25 Miles”,then a little further up the road,there was another sign that said something like “Creston – 35 Kilometers”.That really messed
with my mind until I remembered what was going on.
GM dealers gave out some small decals that had both MPH &-
KPH on them that you stuck on your speedometer.
Yeah, thinking the same thing on the Speedo photo. In klicks that once over odo would be about 90k miles. Drive it as is, a lot to do otherwise. $$ seems right.
I did pursuit instruction and high speed driving instruction for police .Some in these cars .These would not reach 140 but could do 120 with the 351 .
I did pursuit instruction and high speed driving instruction for police .Some in these cars .These would not reach 140 but could do 120 with the 351 .
I was a police officer in a fairly large service from 1978 to 2008. I remember these well, although not fondly. They were relatively slow, and did not brake or handle as well as the Chevys. They had a smaller fuel tank and could not patrol the full distance in some rural areas. These Fords also spent more time in the repair shop. Ford redeemed themselves with the Panther platform, starting in 1998. By then, the GM “police car” was the despised, downsized, Lumina. We called them the NoRoomInA.
PAINT IT BLACK! Put Nitrous on it with a Red Knob under the dash to “juice it”. Reinstall siren and undercover strobes in the grille, front signal lights, rear taillights and WALA – The perfect “Men-In-Black” Tribute Car.
As cool or cooler than “Supernatural” – why didn’t anyone else see the resemblance?
Apparently a Canadian import, eh? Speedo is in Kilometers / hr, assume the odometer is also in Kilometers?
Read above comments. No, not Canadian, eh! MPH above Km/H on a calibrated police speedo
Had an 84′ Police Package, had an optional neat gauge cluster above the Glove Compartment with Oil Pressure/Water Temp/Ammeter. Had the 351, nice sound with some Turbo Mufflers (I think that’s what they were called)
Don’t like the way it looks under the hood
Lots of hoses and wires.
Favorite Ford cop car is the 1st generation w the 4.6. Whatever year that was, with the new body style on the Crown Vics.
No wonder only the cops were buying these, imagine walking onto a Ford lot in ’87 and seeing this frumpy, dated…thing…somewhere in a row of sleek new Tauruses. At least this one doesn’t have the puffy padded top, fake wire wheel covers and whitewall tires almost all the retail ones did. “If you think you hate it now, wait ’till you drive it!”
The 351 cars had the Variable Venturi carburetors. (emissions issue) A aftermarket throttle body injection would really perk this car up! Never had any issues with these in the service department. (Other than some VV carb issues)
Is that what it stands for? I thought it was for Very-often Vapor Locks Carburetor.
Back in 1999 I had an 1986 Arizona Highway Patrol one of these. Mine had the 351 HO according to what it said in the engine bay. For the time that thing would fly! Mine had air conditioning which I’m not sure if it was an option or standard equipment. Mine was the stripped down version, rubber floor covering as opposed to carpet. The previous owner made the inside back door handles functional. It still had the spotlight and the somewhat primitive by today’s standards push bar. The headliner wasn’t ripped or torn but it did have a permanent indentation where the cage had been inside. I sold it because I was moving. My first former police units. I’m still sorry I sold it. It ran and drove beautifully and the body was dent free and the paint was still excellent. You could see the ghost of the letters and numbers that were on it prior to it being sold to the public. It was my absolute favorite body style of any cop car I’ve owned. I love the square lines.
Some detailing in that engine bay would do wonders.
Nice ride, and probably a great value. During my cop days, we ran Dodge Coronets with the 4 brl 383. I really like the looks of this LTD, it as180 HP/275 Torque, and looks in great shape.
Good luck!
That 351 was large displacement by 1987. The no nonsense vibe is a good look, however I do see tinted glass.
Yes please, I’ll take it.
It’s the plastic in the window regulators that keeps the windows from working. As per my 92 grand maquis, which ended up with replacements in all for doors.
My uncle was a cop in Nassau county back in the early 60’s to mid 80’s. I rode up front in several of his patrol cars occasionally. None of them ever had cloth seats, too hard to clean. He finally got a car with cloth seats when he became a supervisor. No back seat barrier, either.
This was likely a detectives or supervisors car.
Had the 91 version of this car and I loved it, bought it at a Nebraska State surplus auction. I was working nights then and went there after work and I spotted 3 91’s parked side by side and looked them over some and thought maybe when they came thru the line I would bid on one, I got one bought for 1700 after being awake for almost 24 hours. After I got it home I realized it was carberated, thats when I learned for did not have a fuel injection unit short enough to clear the hood.
SOLD for $8600.
50 bids.