Interesting discovery

[CajunMick]

Having spent 47 years in the plastics world I can assure you if they went back to the old metal dashes, interior and exterior trim pieces your 40k vehicle would cost 60 to 80k. Also the added weight and fuel economy would sink. Are plastics great? No. But I remeber the junk yards of the 60s and 70s with many rust free cars 5 to 8 years old sitting there because the engines blew at 50k miles. 1 of my late brothers had a Corvair coupe and the other 1 had a Corvair side gate truck for awhile. Both were amazingly fun cars to drive. If only Ralph Nader hadn't lied about them!

Mine was 66 Corsair, 140 hp w 4 carbs, 4 speed. I drove it to work for while. My 2 oldest sons drove it to school, and their dates to prom. And fun car to drive.

True story….was stopped by a cop. Pulled over, lights on, he jumped out his cruiser, OMG, then told me nothing wrong. Just wanted to see the car! Spent time w him discussing the care. Told me he restoring an old Lincoln. Oh….ok.

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[dochawk]

Someone else mentioned it and I have to agree, "new cars handle better, but old cars ride better."

At one point, I had my 1989 Crown Victoria, and my secretary had a 1987.

The times I drove hers, I was surprised by the difference: mine drove more like a larger smaller car, while hers drove more like a smaller large car, particularly the "floaty"effortless drive, compared to the tighter steering on mine.

 

[CajunMick]

At one point, I had my 1989 Crown Victoria, and my secretary had a 1987.

The times I drove hers, I was surprised by the difference: mine drove more like a larger smaller car, while hers drove more like a smaller large car, particularly the "floaty"effortless drive, compared to the tighter steering on mine.

Onetime I drove a Buick Electra 225, my neb car tk garage where I worked, to do tune up. Big car, smooth ride, floats the road.

 

[Darryl]

The old saying, "Nobody takes care of your things like you do" I am very careful what I lend out, and to who!

But when he's the oldest grandchild Grandma doesn't say no . But she made him drop off the car EVERY night and hang the keys up. And come inside get the keys every morning. And if he needed it for anything other than work , additional Permission was . I think it was to remind him that it was HER car and to not get too comfortable. I didn't even tell her how low he ran it in oil. I put enough guilt trip on him.

 

[Darryl]

Not totally surprised at the handling differences between the two. Someone else mentioned it and I have to agree, "new cars handle better, but old cars ride better." The body-on-frame nature of the Panther Platform does make it a tough vehicle (hence why it was the most prolific taxi and police interceptor of its day), but some handling characteristics will be compromised as a result. Generally, unibody vehicles are always going to handle better than BOF. The Panther Platform also has more mass spread out/overhanging each axle, while the Maverick does not by having each wheel closer to each corner. This is the same reason why hot hatches, go-karts, and modern-day sports cars handle so well.

The Panther Platform IMO is probably the best all-around vehicle Ford has ever made though. Love the Marauder too. When I was growing up my parents had two of them. The first was a 2004 in Dark Toredor Red with Flint Grey interior, then a few years later they bought a 2003 in Dark Blue Pearl (if you know about Marauders, you know...) with Dark Charcoal interior. Would like to buy a blue one of my own someday!

Yes, Ford used the same basic platform from 1979-2011 making gradual incremental improvements along the way with the most significant being the change to rack and pinion and using subframe attached to the main frame and changing the front suspension in 2003. That improved handling without negatively impacting the ride. But I think the Crown Vic and Grand Marquis kept the same wheelbase and virtually the same "HIDE THE BODY trunk space the entire time. But the 1992 major revision made the car LOOK longer , lower and more upscale

 

[First Sergeant]

My thoughts? Crispy bacon and over easy eggs, ah and a cup of coffee please

Don't forget homemade extra crispy hash browns, with cheese and onions!

 

[Cancunbadlands]

Don't forget homemade extra crispy hash browns, with cheese and onions!

I can have that for a dinner as well

 

[dochawk]

But the 1992 major revision made the car LOOK longer , lower and more upscale

The Town Car was a bit longer than the CV and GM. All in the back seat, I believe, like the 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood as compared to the Impala/Caprice and Roadmaster. Ford started using the larger body for the Police Interceptor and cabs, and then for all CV and GM.

(Cadillac and the other luxury brands had long had models aimed at owner-drivers, and others aimed at owners who would be chauffeured, with the back larger and more luxurious than the owner driven models. [this is why there are a decade or so of luxury cars with leather front seats and cloth back seats--not wasting money on that new-fangled cloth seating for the driver!])

 

[Darryl]

The Town Car was a bit longer than the CV and GM. All in the back seat, I believe, like the 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood as compared to the Impala/Caprice and Roadmaster. Ford started using the larger body for the Police Interceptor and cabs, and then for all CV and GM.

(Cadillac and the other luxury brands had long had models aimed at owner-drivers, and others aimed at owners who would be chauffeured, with the back larger and more luxurious than the owner driven models. [this is why there are a decade or so of luxury cars with leather front seats and cloth back seats--not wasting money on that new-fangled cloth seating for the driver!])

Yes, the previous gen (1978 and below) had 3 wheel bases. The LTD was the shortest, the Marquis was slightly longer, and the Town car was the longest. Starting in 1979 for the Brand Marquis and crown Victoria shared the same wheelbase. And the 1980 Town car joined them but had a longer wheel base. In the late 1990's the town car becme available with an optional extended wheel base and was called the L edition. The extra length was again manifested itself in rear legroom..

 

[LSchicago]

Last night I drove my mother's 2001 Grand Marquis for the first time since May since it's been sitting since late July because she no longer drives, and my nephew no longer needed to borrow it. I figured she still might want to drive around the yard or to my sister's who lives behind her house. Anyway I was taken aback at how much BETTER the AWD HYBRID Maverick handles than the Grand Marquis. Part of it can be attributed to the fact that the Marquis has 265 000 miles on it. But much of it is the nature of the two vehicles. I was surprised to find that the weight difference is only 200-300 pounds . So lightweight is a relative term. So is small. The wheelbase on the Full sized Mercury is 114" But " compact" MAVERICK wheelbase is 121". However, at 211" the Grand Marquis is about a foot longer than the Maverick. I believe that largely explains the difference in handling. I believe Wheelbase and independent rear suspension make a significant difference especially when compared to the total vehicle length. What are your thoughts?

Grand marquis has an 80's style marshmallow suspension. Basically a pillow suspension. They were not made to handle.

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