Ford began selling the Ford Crown Victoria within the 1992 model yr, and its incredible 20 years of sales success with law enforcement organizations and taxi firms tended to overshadow its popularity as a civilian vehicle. Naturally, loads of Crown Vics have been customized, with highlights including tank engine swaps, Police Interceptor lowriders and so forth, and today’s Junkyard Gem is a first-year automobile that I discovered in a North Carolina automobile graveyard just a few months ago.
Ford began using the Crown Victoria name in the center Nineteen Fifties (little question inspired by the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II), as a trim-level designation for the upscale Fairlane. It was revived on the LTD Crown Victoria for the 1980-1991 period, only becoming a model name in its own right in 1992.
Enthusiasts of those cars generally discover them by the numbers within the fifth through seventh characters of the VIN. The stretched-wheelbase taxi models are P70s, the Police Interceptors are P71s, the odd taxis are P72s, the bottom civilian cars are P73s and the upscale civilian LXs are P74s (for 2010 and 2011, the ultimate numerals in these sequences were replaced by A, B, C, D and E). This automobile is a P74.
Every production 1992-2012 Crown Victoria was powered by the 4.6-liter SOHC Modular V8 engine, on this application rated at 190 horsepower and 260 pound-feet (single exhaust) or 210 horsepower and 270 pound-feet (dual exhaust). The Police Interceptor versions for 1992 weren’t more powerful than their civilian counterparts, but that they had beefier cooling systems, a balanced aluminum driveshaft and an ECU that would not go into limp mode in a high-speed pursuit.
This being a top-of-the-civilian-line LX Touring sedan, it has the four-spoke steering wheel with leather trim.
The MSRP for this automobile was $23,892, or about $54,417 in 2024 dollars. That was quite a bit greater than its $20,644 Mercury Grand Marquis LS sibling, but cheaper than the $31,211 base 1992 Lincoln Town Automotive. The entry-level 1992 P74 Crown Victoria began at $19,563 ($44,557 after inflation).
The paint still looks pretty good, considering where this automobile resides now, but the shortage of shaved door handles is disappointing.
Fortunately, I discovered one other P74 with the door-shave treatment at a distinct Charlotte yard the identical day.
When you care about your family members, you are a foul person for getting every other vehicle.
Who’s got the last laugh now?
The Police Interceptor commercials are rather a lot more fun.
This Article First Appeared At www.autoblog.com
