PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With - Jalopnik Comments

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Mrb00st — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 02:52:38 EST

P71, obviously. Forget the Honduh, keep it as the reliable inexpensive thrifty DD and go nuts on the P71. Does it already have a modular V8? I would say stuff a supercharger, a T56, a limited slip and some 3.73 final drive gears under that bitch.

Mrb00st

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Rust-MyEnemy is stll out there! — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 16:51:37 EST

Crown Vic. Obviously.

I know what I'm talking about.

Because I'm very, very cool.

Rust-MyEnemy is stll out there!

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

hapless — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 16:39:38 EST

I could fit the civic into the crown vic's trunk. That settles it for me, all project considerations aside.

hapless

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

TR3-A — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 15:10:27 EST

I vote neither. One is front wheel drive. I hate FWD. And the other is a four door. I don't hate four doors but I sure wouldn't buy one as a project car. Besides, part of the Hell in Project Car Hell is that the projectee must love or at least want to love the project. I just can't work that kind of passion up here. About the only thing I can think of is maybe trying to put the Civic engine in the back seat to make it mid-engine or somehow modifying the Vic to make it a two-door. But I can't work up the fantasy to do that. My perception of reality is too good for me to even pretend that I have that kind of skill. So I pass.

TR3-A

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

smokeydog001 — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 13:35:12 EST

All is well dude. Where else could all of us act like imbeciles at times and still have as much fun? Incidentally, your descriptive comment concerning "Flying Dutchmen" truly deserves Comment Of the Day!

smokeydog001

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

charles_barrett — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 12:50:14 EST

@Novaload:
@smokeydog001:
Whoopie's comment was exactly what I was referring to. I don't watch "The View" myself, but some other entertainment daily program excerpted it and ran it, which was my source. My apologies to any Southerners who took offense, and thank you NOVALOAD for clarifying my statement.

charles_barrett

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Beluga — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 11:35:11 EST

Chop the top on the Crown Vic and shorten it into a coupe. Pure hell.

Beluga

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Elhigh — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 11:33:50 EST

@smokeydog001: Seconded - I've lived here for 25 years and whenever I hear someone mention dogfighting, the perpetrator's name is usually prefaced with bad words.

Elhigh

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Maymar - now with 37% less anonymity — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 11:28:13 EST

Rear-engined Crown Vic powered Civic! The Mega-Shogun (although I suppose the proper way to keep up that theme would be to track down one of the Yamaha V8s from a third-gen Sho).

But yeah, go with the PCH on the CV P71. I mean, by Hell standards, it'd be worse to mod the Civic, because then you've gotta depend on a relative guzzler for your daily driver, and you're left with a modded Civic, and no one wants that (even the tuner kids dream of something cooler). But working on the Crown Vic leaves you with the Honda as a sensible daily driver to make the folks at Audi feel uncomfortable, and fast police cars are cool.

Maymar - now with 37% less anonymity

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

48pan2 — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 11:19:30 EST

The Crown Vic. As stated, rear wheel drive and V8 power is what made this country great, and until we learn that lesson and return to the core, we will be lost. Beat your chest and howl at the moon.

48pan2

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

NovaloadMissesPolar — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 10:51:52 EST

@smokeydog001: Well, you got the rims, so now all you need is the rusting, busted, cannibalized, burned out "car" to start a project!

NovaloadMissesPolar

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

smokeydog001 — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 10:37:23 EST

@NOVALOAD
Yeah, sorry for the rant. That absurd statement, combined with the fact that I don't have a project car and am in danger of becoming a "Flying Dutchman" myself, ain't a pretty thought! However, my wife did give me a new set of rims for Christmas! :)

smokeydog001

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

superbmtsub — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 10:37:10 EST

Civic FTW dude. Looks a lot better than the box sitting next to it.

superbmtsub

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Rougestang — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 10:31:07 EST

@LTDScott: True, you could do some wieght reduction if you want to..... but even then, the gears would make up for it.....4.10's would probably do it justice, but I siad 4.56 or even, maybe some 5.12's would be cool. You'll get less mpg than a portugese sailor on leave, but atleast that will make the math easy to figure out!

Rougestang

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

turbo zero — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 10:28:06 EST

@Murilee Martin: Well the Civic already has a tailgate, so that's a start.

turbo zero

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

thunder — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 10:22:27 EST

So is the Civic a coupe or hatchback?

Guess I'm not totally clear on why you'd mess with your daily driver, but then again I'm not totally clear on why anyone would continually subject themselves to CA emissions laws. There are 49 other states from which to choose, most of which allow you to get away with a lot, engine-wise.

I voted Civic; I've owned both Civics and a Crown Vic, and just like the way the Honda goes around corners better than the Ford. Can you say "body roll"? I knew you could!

thunder

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 10:19:43 EST

@Mike the Dog: You're probably right.

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

turbo zero — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 10:11:44 EST

@bd_juju: @Murilee Martin: I had mine stolen too, even though it was completely stock, except for the wheel covers from the sedan that were swapped for the hatch hubcaps. Can't verify for the age or trouser size of the miscreant, but they did leave their lunch wrapping behind in the car.

turbo zero

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Mike the Dog — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 09:58:38 EST

@LTDScott: Even money the pedal set is Mustang, same as the engine.

Mike the Dog

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

NovaloadMissesPolar — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 09:58:14 EST

@smokeydog001: Amen. Although actually it was Whoopie Goldberg who first floated that excuse for him, which was then picked up by the media. Especially interesting since downtown Norfolk is not exactly rural or "country."

NovaloadMissesPolar

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 09:44:55 EST

@rougestang: Ignoring the anti-California sentiment, just wanted to let you know that exhaust modifications AFTER the cat are completely legal in CA smog check wise, although the exhaust does have to obey sound limit laws, which would be close to the same anywhere in the country.

And while his Vic may be quick with those mods, don't forget it weighs nearly 2 tons.

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

MrEvil — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 09:34:08 EST

I'm voting for the Vic. RWD = the only way to fly. No matter how you want to play with it, that P71 suspension helps tremendously.

@daegon: P71 Crown Vics are plenty reliable. Taxi companies pick them up at auction with 150,000 on the clock and run them up past 300k easy with little more than oil changes and tires. My '98 SAT at the county road and bridge department where I picked it up for years. I put the key in the car, fired it up and drove it home. All I've done since owning it is put gas in it, change the oil and put some center caps on it.

MrEvil

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

SundaySunday — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 09:33:41 EST

Dang. All this talk about modding the Crown Vic has got me thinking, "How hard could this be." All I need to do is invite some PCH into my life.

Hmm. Get an old Police Auction special. Don't the Forestry people drive CV's? I'm sure they could be had for a good price... Ack! Help!

-- Oh and SHAPESHIFTER, 1000 demerits for the Mike Vic reference. (Says the dog lover and card carrying member of the National Wildlife Federation.)

SundaySunday

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

smokeydog001 — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 09:33:23 EST

@ CHARLES_BARRETT
Having lived in the rural south for almost 65 years, I can unequivocally state that I have never encountered or even heard of dog fighting in any form. Down here, dogs are bred to hunt, guard livestock or love as pets. This is just another example of the self-serving, PC tactics of the liberal press to stereotype an entire region in order to excuse an individual's actions because of his status. Now that ya'll feel all warm and fuzzy, ya'll can go back to watchin' Deliverance.

smokeydog001

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Rougestang — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 09:23:32 EST

Heres what you do:definatly go with the crown vic. upgrade the rear axle, put some 4.56's in it, a nice tall gear. What year is it???? a 97? If so, get some better flowing heads (like 150.00-200.00 for P.I. heads on just about any mustang forum or craigslist) a set of U/D pulleys(like 100.00-150.00)and put a tune in it. You'll gain atleast 40 H.P. (give or take) and the gears will murder anybody at the track. Maybe some flowmasters or magnapacks, but being in cali, I'm sure their too communist to allow you to let your car growl like it'll eat that shitty civic for breakfast. Make sure to get some sticky tires though, maybe a pair of 15"x9" drag rims with some M/T's on them. Nobody could touch you in the N.A. category... (except for my 350 horse mustang with 4.30's)You could add a shot of NOS, but I wouldn't go anything higher than a 100 shot on the stock internals.

Rougestang

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Elhigh — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 08:47:23 EST

Drive the Civic, play with the P71. Give it the full Monty, engine, drivetrain, suspension, the works. It'll cost you, what, $50? The parts are everywhere. You may be able to get some at fire-sale prices from a police lot or the cops' favorite dealer-upgrader closing out inventory.

Definitely go for the full sleeper approach. Power bulges and coffee can exhausts might make your britches shrink, but nothing gives you a genuine rumble in the nubblies like a big V8 shouting defiance.

The Lightning engine is nice - really nice - but if the smoggers give you too many headshakes over it, try finding a drivetrain from a wrecked Mustang Cobra.

Barring that, and truly seeking all that is helltastic, fit in an SHO mill.

Elhigh

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Skydiver — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 06:02:45 EST

@Murilee Martin: Li'l Li'l Red Express Truck? Don't forget the wood trim.

Skydiver

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

beercheck — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 03:51:30 EST

@beercheck: Heh.

beercheck

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

beercheck — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 03:50:51 EST

Ugh. You silly Ford guys. No wonder you invaded Iraq.

beercheck

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

tocsa120ls — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 03:20:39 EST

Keep the Civic as a daily runner, and do the engine swap in the Crown Vic... no-brainer. You're gonna have problems with smog laws either way, no one really wants to tinker in a japan vehicles's plumbing and electrical system, and the Ford is already far from stock with the police package. It only needs the finishing touch.
Ex-police cars will always have the Blues Brothers feeling to them, and what do FWD japanese imports make you think of?

tocsa120ls

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Murilee Martin — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 03:18:45 EST

@GreenVanMan: Well, that means I'd need to take the more difficult path and make a Civicamino! With stack exhausts, of course.

Murilee Martin

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

GreenVanMan — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 02:57:17 EST

Crown Vic = body on frame
body on frame = easy(er) body modifications
easy(er) body modifications = Ranchero
'Nuff said.

GreenVanMan

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Murilee Martin — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 01:53:04 EST

@koolykool44: That's not hellish enough... unless it has a blower added, of course.

Murilee Martin

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

koolykool44 — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 00:43:23 EST

If you want speed just stuff an H22 into the civic. ITs less than half the size of the vics engine gets about 30 more hp and the mpg is way better, plus what better way to wake up in the morning than to the sound of VTEC at full throttle?

koolykool44

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

mytdawg — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 00:37:17 EST

I think you're going about this the wrong way. Put a VTEC in the Vic, convert it to front drive, put a wing and Type-R stickers on it and voila'.

mytdawg

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 00:20:13 EST

@Zandr: Thanks.

Yeah I got a good look at it and took a few more pics that I'll link to below, but I dunno where they got the pedal set from.

[www.ltdlx.org]

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Zandr — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 00:14:34 EST

@LTDScott: Ahh, the LTD/LX...sweet ride, and yours looks flawless.

Did you get a good look at the Cobra Vic? In particular, where the #&$! did they get the pedal box?

I wonder how close to that thing you could get with a P71 and a bad junkyard habit. ;)

Zandr

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 00:09:43 EST

@Murilee Martin: Yeah, the color probably does it. Like I said, mine is solid white (same as CHP truck enforcement). Thankfully mine doesn't have spotlight holes in the A-pillars either, because apparently the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Dept puts a single spotlight in the roof instead.

And I completely agree that the P71's suspension is way more stable than a civilian Vic. It's the main reason I chose one (although my dad now drives it, so the stereotype of Crown Vic drivers is true in my case).

And for the record, this is my favorite autocrossing Crown Vic:

[www.youtube.com]

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

squablow — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 00:01:54 EST

I'm with Bobash and SOS10 on this one. Although the Vic and the Civic are excellent daily drivers, I don't find either very appealing as project cars.

Everything that can be done to a Civic has been done, and the best part of the Vic is the comfort/economy aspect.

Find something old or at least unique to spend your time in hell on.

squablow

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Murilee Martin — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 23:53:09 EST

@bluegoose: Stay tuned, people do indeed autocross Crown Vics.

Murilee Martin

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Murilee Martin — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 23:51:53 EST

@Skydiver: Yes, Wanky is still on the job. his fur is getting a little bleached by the sun, though, but he's still soft, fluffy... and safe!

Murilee Martin

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Murilee Martin — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 23:50:27 EST

@LTDScott: I haven't had too much trouble with other drivers slowing down with my CV (not as much as I did in high school when I had a blue-and-white, spotlight-and-antenna-equipped ex-water-district Fury). It happens, but since the paint is an un-cop-like bronze and it has no spotlights, it's not every time I drive it.

Having rented a civilian Panther not long ago, I can say there's no comparison between the cop suspension and the civilian one; the cop version rides a bit rough, but it stays flat through turns. The civilian version wanders, wallows, and applies door handles to asphalt on the slightest change in direction. Very 60s-like. Just goes to show the magic that can be accomplished with stiff springs, wide tires, and fat swaybars.

Murilee Martin

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Skydiver — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 23:39:38 EST

Yay! Wanky's still in the back of the Crown Vic. I love Wanky.

Skydiver

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 23:10:54 EST

Oh and one last post in this thread since I've clogged it up enough already - the fact that people slow down around you in an ex-cop car is NOT FUN.

One time I was driving from I-5 to Paso Robles, CA via Highway 46 (near where James Dean was killed). It's a two lane highway with a 55 mph limit, and I (in my all white slicktop '97 P71 which looks like the white slicktop P71s that CHP uses for truck enforcement) got stuck behind a convoy of produce carrying trucks, all with drivers going less than 55 mph and watching their mirrors like hawks.

All I wanted was for them to get out of my way, but it wasn't possible to pass and I had to endure this hell for at least 20 mins.

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

charles_barrett — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 22:59:10 EST

@Shapeshifter: Name it "Michael Vic"? Oh, dude, you will have SPCA folk all over you for that. Myself, not a football fan, but I am a fan of dogs. Mr. Vick cannot expect a free pass due to his being raised in a dogfighting-tolerating Deep South environment. Shame on them all. Animal torture is torture, regardless of the ZIP code.

charles_barrett

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 22:55:57 EST

@Zandr: I recently ran into an employee of the Bondurant school who picked up one of the Cobra Vics and somehow was able to register it in Arizona. It's pretty damn badass.

He took quite an interest in my car, since my model of car was actually inspired by a Bondurant trainer car. He was nice enough to park next to my car at the Coronado Speed Fest [/shameless self promotion].

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Bluegoose — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 22:52:13 EST

I would have to go P71, because you can still scare the bejesus out of common drivers who think you might me an unmarked.

The Civic is great as an autocrosser...its distant cousin, the CRX, was/is unstoppable there. However, the lack of torque in Hondas makes them anemic everywhere else.

The REAL fun would be to soup up the P71 and make it HANDLE. And then take it to the Autocross course. Now that would be something.

Having rented the Crown Vic last year at this time, I can say it would be a MAJOR undertaking. It is one of the last body on frame land barges that graces the interstate today. Just driving it STRAIGHT took an effort. It reminded me of my old 72 Plymouth Sattelite Custom, another old cop car. You would need sway bars, shocks, springs, bushings, etc. Not an easy task.

Bluegoose

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 22:43:45 EST

Of course the Vic. I am the proud owner of a 97 P71 formerly used by the Santa Clara sheriff's dept., which I agree is woefully lacking in power.

Never bothered to check if my rear end has an "L" on the tag, but I know that Ford was nice enough to put non-disengageable traction control on my car that means it can't be smogged on a dyno!

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Murilee Martin — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 22:24:53 EST

@smokyburnout: Good Photochop work! What do you call that? Crown Victorichero? Pantherchero? Police Interceptachero?

Murilee Martin

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Shapeshifter — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 22:18:45 EST

@SundaySunday:

Actually, making a Crown Vic that sounds like the ironworks of Hell itself would be pretty damn awesome...

That gets my vote.

Especially if it's otherwise stock-looking.

Then you could call it Michael Vic.

(Ow, ow, ow... sorry... has that joke's expiration date past?)

Shapeshifter

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

KatzManDu — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 22:15:46 EST

I'm a fan of the civic. I'm not sure why, though.

KatzManDu

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

thatguy01 — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 22:13:17 EST

@smokyburnout: Kudos on the diagonal Ranchero ute chop, amigo!

thatguy01

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Tomsk — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 22:13:15 EST

Hopped-up Civics are like belly buttons; hopped-up Crown Vics are like noses with three working nostrils.

Tomsk

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

no_slushbox — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 21:57:34 EST

@smokyburnout: Damn, that's spot on. Murilee, the blueprints are right above.

no_slushbox

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

dohcspit — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 21:55:59 EST

@sos10: He already has the cars, so it's bit too late for that. How to make them less boring is the question!

@smokyburnout: nicely done!

dohcspit

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

smokyburnout — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 21:44:19 EST

@no_slushbox: i like how you think (because you think like i did an hour and a half ago when i fired up photoshop...)
[img.photobucket.com]
and yes, i noticed the vic i found was newer, but you try finding a pic of a non-cop car crown vic on the intertubes...

smokyburnout

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

sos10 — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 21:34:45 EST

My choice? Neither. Keep your virtual money in your pocket, these cars are both waaaay to boring.

sos10

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Bumblebee — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 21:29:17 EST

There's another way to look at it, and this is a bit of a reach, but bear with me: Let's say you've dated someone for years, with all the time and money THAT requires.

What do you want to be able to show for that investment? And how does that inform your choice between the Civic and P71?

Bumblebee

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Bumblebee — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 21:25:17 EST

I voted Civic before reading the comments, but now I'm thinking P71. Why? Torque.

True, my Cooper S had only 155 ft-lbs and was a lot of fun, and it probably weighed more than your Civic.

And yet, it just seems more correct - maybe even right - that a car in which you invest so much of your time should have rear tire-liquidation abilities. Maybe I'm old school.

Bumblebee

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

SLR_BlowerMania — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 21:24:44 EST

It's good too see a Big 3 Detroit Rear Wheel Drive Iron is still favored. God Bless America.

SLR_BlowerMania

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

UDMan — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 21:18:20 EST

Crown Vic, nothing else needs to be said...

UDMan

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

mobilene — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 20:55:40 EST

See, now, this is why I feel so not worthy. If I were to PCH what's in my garage, it'd be between an '03 Matrix and a second-hand Trek Mountain Track.

mobilene

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

no_slushbox — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 20:29:57 EST

P71, but the Lightening engine needs a 6-speed tremec, and it needs to be turned into a Ranchero. After that you can use the P71 Rachero to pick up an Accord V6 to put in the back of the Honda.

no_slushbox

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

gadgetfanatic — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 20:10:52 EST

I'll take the P71, thank you very much.

gadgetfanatic

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

charles_barrett — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 19:59:53 EST

@Murilee Martin: ...And I shall show restraint by not making any cracks about Corinthian leather apparel for Murilee... I may draw blood, however, as I bite my tongue...

charles_barrett

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

TexanIdiot25 — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 19:59:07 EST

All of these were given to me by a friend who owns a Civic

Hold
On
Not
Done
Accelerating

Virtually
Torqueless
Economic
Crap

Had
One
Never
Drive-one
Again

TexanIdiot25

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

TexanIdiot25 — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 19:57:40 EST

Murilee, no matter how much you 'soup' up the Honda, your still driving the same thing as all the other rice boy pizza delivery boys. Torque is non-existent. Real women do not dig Civics. FWD is wrong wheel drive. My Coke bottle has more displacement. You will always still be beaten by push rods and carburetors.

I dunno if you wanna goto hell in a Civic, or have real sleeper fun in the big ol' Crown Vic, but please, stay away from the Hondas... PLEASE!

TexanIdiot25

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

charles_barrett — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 19:53:21 EST

I agree completely, the Crown Vic for the win. I would hope the FoMoCo 5.0L V8 could be fitted without too much drama (my nuts-and-bolts knowledge is spotty at best), if not something with even more displacement.

@Novaload: I also applaud you on the Flying Dutchman reference. Well spoken sir! I used to joke with friends and clients about "headless Cadillacs", which looked to be without occupant(s) from behind, save for the gnarled liver-spotted knunckles at 10 o'clock and two o'clock on the bit of the steering rim visible above the driver's seat headrest. Large numbers of them nearby in Encino (and in Arizona and Florida, no doubt!)...

charles_barrett

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

wheels OF satan! — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 19:50:26 EST

dude,

NEITHER of these is gonna get you ANY pussy in the end...

unless some chick has a COP fetish
(yea, put one of those spolights on the pillar'
and a big blues brothers style logo on the door...)

but
you know
then you will look like the VILLAGE PEOPLE....
and that look attracts guys, not girls...

sell them BOTH! and buy a ...
well....

58 ALFA in PCH a while ago...!!

wheels OF satan!

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Murilee Martin — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 19:49:44 EST

@bobash: OK, just wasn't sure- sometimes people thing California cities are very close together. In any case, I can get a Cordoba closer to home- only problem is that I need a '75 so as to be exempt from smog checks. '76 or newer and I'd have to stick with the Malaise engine package.

Murilee Martin

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Murilee Martin — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 19:47:53 EST

@FLB: Perhaps a riding crop. Ricardo would never administer discipline with anything as crass as a cat-o-nine tails.

Murilee Martin

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

bobash — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 19:37:44 EST

@Murilee Martin:
Hmmm, you would look... scary :)

And I have a basic idea of how big California is :) But even the PORT where I picked up my Coronet is farther than that... And even in Europe it's not that unusual to buy car that far away...

bobash

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Sonic84 — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 19:37:00 EST

Civic is evil. EVIL. Every little snot nosed idiot with a sewer pipe and a set of hubcaps can "trick out" a Honda Civic.

Sonic84

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

FLB — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 19:23:01 EST

@Murilee Martin: A suit? How about a cat o'nine tails? A martinet? A good ol' fashion bullwhip?

FLB

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Murilee Martin — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 19:14:49 EST

@bobash: If I got one of those cars, I'd need to buy some extra Corinthian Leather and have a custom suit made out of it.

By the way, San Diego is 500+ miles from Alameda. California is big.

Murilee Martin

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

FLB — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 19:13:34 EST

Hot Civics have been done to death. Crown Vics haven't.

Ergo, the Crown Vic.

FLB

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

bobash — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 19:00:37 EST

@Murilee Martin: Really?

[monterey.craigslist.org]

[sandiego.craigslist.org]

bobash

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

JayP71 — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:55:48 EST

@PatFromGundo: That gets old fast. Mine's gloss black. I get so sick of being stuck behind people doing EXACTLY the speed limit...

JayP71

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Murilee Martin — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:50:11 EST

@bobash: Oh, I'm definitely considering a Cordoba for a future project. The problem is finding one with the Soft Corinthian Leather in sufficiently Ricardo Montalban-esque level of quality.

Murilee Martin

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

st3ph3n — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:36:35 EST

I was just about to start typing something really good here but JOLIETJAKE's suggestion of the Vic block in a RWD Civic is hoonarific beyond words.

Anyway - the civic in the UK is not quite at the same level as the US, but they're really falling into the hands of someutter wankers now. But there's one near here that makes up for it - Stock "muffler" on that back, which is actually fake as there exhuast clearly isn't exiting there. Has the unmistakable sucking and spooling noises of a turbo too. Has a stance on it - not too low, but you can see the guy has spent time dialling in some pretty serious geometery. It rides on a set of wheels that to the ordinary man would be "meh", but on closer inspection are de-stickered Volks that probably weigh as much as a bag of doritos.

I'm not afraid to admit that in a straight line it made my non-stock WRX running 290/290 look a wee bit silly.

Oh and other than the nice, but thoroughlly understated rims everything else looked bone stock, down to the 1.6 badges. But I don't think it was a 1.6 any more.

st3ph3n

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

bobash — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:29:57 EST

I would choose neither. How hard can it be to find a suitable car, old enough so you won't be bothered with smog? I'd suggest Chrysler Cordoba with fine Corinthian leather, 600+hp 500ci big block and suspension upgrade (something like www.xvmotorsports.com stuff - if it fits Chargers and Challengers, it fits Cordobas :))

But from these two, it must be the Crown Vic. And I like the idea of baby blue car with plastic hubcaps and 500hp. But I'd buy a Caprice instead. Or a Roadmaster. Wagon with fake wood...

bobash

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

jolietjake — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:18:45 EST

oh.. and because it's CA... Make it a convertible!

jolietjake

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

jolietjake — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:16:19 EST

Every proper motorhead should do the Civic build once. Yes, there are a ton of aftermarket parts and potential engine swaps but there are a few challenges. Why not combine the 2 cars? A RWD civic with a Crown Vic drive train in it? You'd probably need to lengthen the whole car, but hey, this is PCH right?

jolietjake

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

dohcspit — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:06:37 EST

Substantial engine mods (or swaps) either one of these is hell in CA with the smog man looking over your shoulder.

However, going green doesn't mean you have to sacrifice performance... If an electric Datsun 210 can do 11 second quarter miles, so can a Civic. Oh there's the little problem of going more than a quarter mile, but that's what hell is all about.

Then there's the biofuel route. Propane is burns nice and clean, and you and you can crank the boost way up. Same with ethanol. Or you could go with the tried and true vegie oil. Sure, you'd have to cut a few things, but wouldn't this 810HP V10 look great sticking out of the hood of your P71 ? Who cares if the mileage sucks when you get your fuel free ?

dohcspit

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

PatFromGundo — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 17:59:47 EST

The Vic, painted in cop colors. SUPER REAR VIEW PANT FILLING POTENTIAL!

PatFromGundo

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

PomptonLaker — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 17:38:15 EST

If you have relatives in a more civilized state than California, register the P71 there. If it was Florida, that license plate coupled with a powder blue paint job would make it even more like gramp's car and even more of a sleeper.

Doing anything to the Civic will just make you into yet another stupid ricer!

PomptonLaker

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

smokeydog001 — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 17:35:20 EST

I'd like to make reservations for dinner at ARMAND4's!

smokeydog001

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

NovaloadMissesPolar — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 16:55:46 EST

@smokeydog001: Yeah, the bad uncle--everyone dreads his showing up at the family functions--but they're all too afraid to tell him not to turn up. They just hope he gets bored and leaves soon.

NovaloadMissesPolar

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Armand Bengle — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 16:52:58 EST

Armand's Christmastime hell recipe:
1 Crown Victoria P71
1 Supercharged Modular V8
1 Tremec six-speed transmission
Dash of Boost
Sprinkle lightly with nitrous oxide
Mix thoroughly
Allow the mixture to sit in the garage for a year or so while you fabricate the necessary hardware to put a manual transmission in an old man's car.
Hoon and enjoy.

Armand Bengle

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

smokeydog001 — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 16:49:26 EST

Points for Flying Dutchman reference! I'm thinking a P71 Vickie that's the mad uncle of a P51 Mustang! GMC blower on a big block crate engine, chopped top with dark gray primer and limo tint. Take no prisoners!

smokeydog001

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

stopcrazypp — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 16:41:45 EST

Sorry, the civic is heavily in the been there done that territory and it's too easy even given CA smog. I would have to go with the Vic. It'll be a little more interesting.

stopcrazypp

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

NovaloadMissesPolar — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 16:31:04 EST

I vote for Vicky, except the paint is an issue.
It's a no brainer to make a Honda into a sleeper. Everyone goes for that option.
Vics (and Grand Marqs) that aren't painted a cop color are already sleepers to people who aren't familiar with them because they rarely encounter a hooning one--they see one rolling along a little under the speed limit with grandma and grandpa in it, or worse, a Flying Dutchman with no visible crew on board (very old grandma and grandpa). Youngsters of a certain age don't know that even the old grocery haulers (pre-malaise) packed a lot of heat. Just because they could. So if you lose the cop color but have it painted oh, powder baby blue--no primer, no rattle paint, but the real deal--you're halfway there. You'll need to find another engine to drop in though--the ebay one is already gone.

NovaloadMissesPolar

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Aatos — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 16:22:27 EST

The only thing better than a V8 is a forced induction V8.

Aatos

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

something_unique_and_descriptive — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 16:14:02 EST

@dolo54: My idea was sort of along the same lines, only instead of a turbo V6 combine these two projects and put the Lightning V8 in the back. And re-tune it to Ford GT spec.

The project itself will be hell, and then you'll be entering something even worse trying to get it past CA smog. Though with the amount of fabrication it would take to pull a project like this off you may be able to call it a kit car when you're done.

On a more realistic note, I voted for the Crown Vic. The Civic's just too easy, even with CA Smog.

something_unique_and_descriptive

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Zandr — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 16:07:08 EST

P71, and there's some precedent...

A couple of years ago Bondurant got a better deal from GM and eBayed all their student Mustangs, as well as the instructor cars. From what I could tell, these were P71s with a full Cobra driveline, including the 5-speed.

And harnesses in all four seats, of course.

I'm still kicking myself for not being able to snag one of those at the time.

Zandr

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Kelly — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 15:57:46 EST

Wrenches down, the Crown Vic.

Every time you think it'll be better than before a mod, something you didn't expect to fail, will, and you're back into your project.

Kelly

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

beercheck — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 15:56:30 EST

@beercheck: Here in the midwest, and = an. Next week I'll teach you all about dangling prepositions.

beercheck

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

beercheck — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 15:55:15 EST

This one's easy. All you have to do to the Crown Vic to make it wicked deadly is trade it in for an LT1 Caprice. No challenge there.

The Honda is the way to go. But you should make it RWD. And S2000 drivetrain in a little Civic wagon would be awesome like beer.

beercheck

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

SundaySunday — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 15:43:21 EST

Yeah, blower and a big noisy pulley. Forget about sleeper status.

And I voted P71, can ya tell?

SundaySunday

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Mike the Dog — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 15:42:44 EST

Definitely the Crown Vic. Hell will be trying to get that blower under the hood without adding a big-assed scoop or power bulge.

Mike the Dog

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

dolo54 — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 15:40:16 EST

If you want to get crazy you could convert your civic to rear engined rwd... that would be a hell with a cool payoff. It's been done a few times, here's one: [www.metacafe.com]

dolo54

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Murilee Martin — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 15:36:34 EST

@bd_juju: Hmmm... true. I've already had one Civic stolen. But these days the baggy-trousered thieves mostly don't bother with stock-appearing 5th-gen cars.

Murilee Martin

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

daegon — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 15:22:16 EST

only the civic if you want it to run reliably <.<

definitely the P71

daegon

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

Bad Juju — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 15:11:11 EST

Hell? The Civic. The Vic is too easy, and once you finally get the Civic all squared away, it'll promptly be stolen by 15yr olds with baggy pants.

Bad Juju

PCH, Personal Dilemma Edition: Love (And Fear) The One You're With

JayP71 — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 15:05:09 EST

P71, of course.

JayP71