newbie lookin for tips
5th Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,328
From: Where I lay my head is home
RE: i wanna get sum tips
I retract my prior statments. DO NOT race that car. There is no way in hell you will be able to upgrade the suspension on that to handle well enough. You would really be wasting your time trying to get anything other than a straight line car out of that.
Simple tuning to get a little more power is another story and I'm all for that. You are trying to make a race car out of a battering ram and it will not work well.
Simple tuning to get a little more power is another story and I'm all for that. You are trying to make a race car out of a battering ram and it will not work well.
5th Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,596
From:
RE: i wanna get sum tips
Welcome to the board. I wil be the last guy to tell you what to do with your ride. If you seriously want to keep your car and make it fast, you will need gears, a good tranny to support the HP and weight you will be putting on it. A good solid suspension, and just about every bolt on you can think of. However, I have to agree, your car is heavy, and you will have to produce more hp to run with lighter cars. Its HP to weight ratios, and this applies to cars, boats, bikes, planes, etc. Good luck.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 248
From: Iowa
RE: i wanna get sum tips
Here's my opinion. It's obvious that selling the car and putting the money of what you would spend on the TownCar into something like a Mustang is probably a more economical choice. However, I would think it would be highly entertaining to see a 12 second, or if even possible less 1/4 mile Towncar. Now, it's also obvious that you're are interested to making your car unique, fast, and something you don't see everyday. Because of that, I think you might have something really cool that you could do. The only thing that scares me, is I hope your not like a few guys from my high school. They receive a granny car or something as their high school first car, which is all fine and dandy. Immediately, without knowing anything about cars, they think they can put a few things in, supercharger, shot of nitrous, and some custom exhaust to make it fast. Umm, wrong. These kids are also guys that think in terms of video game money. 500 credits in Need For Speed Underground is NOT 500 dollars, maybe more like 5000.
Luxury cars were not made to go fast. The reason they put V8s, sometimes V10s in them, is simply for the luxury reason. Does a grandma need 400HP...no, although mine thinks she does (used to have a Pontiac GTO hehe, then she did get herself a Cadillac). The reason they put them there is the same every car manufacturer is making engines faster, simply for advertisement and being able to say they have the best. Plus you put a big engine in it, you can jack up the price some and have a reason behind it. I don't really know any grandma too concerned with engine specs at all, that's why I've kinda come to this conclusion. Plus, there are a few high executives that want power and luxury all in one, so that's the other reason.
I'm not saying go for it, but if you do, it's gonna be a lot of work. You'll need to strip it down. Maybe a rear seat delete, spare tire removal, chop the top...all the way off, take out the door panels...hell take off the doors, basically you just need to get that thing very light.
Oh yeah I just remembered what I wanted to say. There is a guy my town who has one hell of a sleeper car. I was cruisin around in my stang one night and saw this guy on several occasions cruising too. I wasn't interested in racing, but we found him messing with the local ricers. The guy's car of choice Pontiac Sunbird. Don't really know what he has under the hood, but it aint stock. I have seen the guy around, but don't know where he lives. Hopefully I'll be able to chat with him sometime. The car was beat a Celica and a newer Eclipse. It launched like a frickin beast. So yeah, if you can get something like that, all power to you. Everyone would underestimate you, then you could walk home with their money.
Luxury cars were not made to go fast. The reason they put V8s, sometimes V10s in them, is simply for the luxury reason. Does a grandma need 400HP...no, although mine thinks she does (used to have a Pontiac GTO hehe, then she did get herself a Cadillac). The reason they put them there is the same every car manufacturer is making engines faster, simply for advertisement and being able to say they have the best. Plus you put a big engine in it, you can jack up the price some and have a reason behind it. I don't really know any grandma too concerned with engine specs at all, that's why I've kinda come to this conclusion. Plus, there are a few high executives that want power and luxury all in one, so that's the other reason.
I'm not saying go for it, but if you do, it's gonna be a lot of work. You'll need to strip it down. Maybe a rear seat delete, spare tire removal, chop the top...all the way off, take out the door panels...hell take off the doors, basically you just need to get that thing very light.
Oh yeah I just remembered what I wanted to say. There is a guy my town who has one hell of a sleeper car. I was cruisin around in my stang one night and saw this guy on several occasions cruising too. I wasn't interested in racing, but we found him messing with the local ricers. The guy's car of choice Pontiac Sunbird. Don't really know what he has under the hood, but it aint stock. I have seen the guy around, but don't know where he lives. Hopefully I'll be able to chat with him sometime. The car was beat a Celica and a newer Eclipse. It launched like a frickin beast. So yeah, if you can get something like that, all power to you. Everyone would underestimate you, then you could walk home with their money.
5th Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,596
From:
RE: i wanna get sum tips
ORIGINAL: dastangman
Here's my opinion. It's obvious that selling the car and putting the money of what you would spend on the TownCar into something like a Mustang is probably a more economical choice. However, I would think it would be highly entertaining to see a 12 second, or if even possible less 1/4 mile Towncar. Now, it's also obvious that you're are interested to making your car unique, fast, and something you don't see everyday. Because of that, I think you might have something really cool that you could do. The only thing that scares me, is I hope your not like a few guys from my high school. They receive a granny car or something as their high school first car, which is all fine and dandy. Immediately, without knowing anything about cars, they think they can put a few things in, supercharger, shot of nitrous, and some custom exhaust to make it fast. Umm, wrong. These kids are also guys that think in terms of video game money. 500 credits in Need For Speed Underground is NOT 500 dollars, maybe more like 5000.
Luxury cars were not made to go fast. The reason they put V8s, sometimes V10s in them, is simply for the luxury reason. Does a grandma need 400HP...no, although mine thinks she does (used to have a Pontiac GTO hehe, then she did get herself a Cadillac). The reason they put them there is the same every car manufacturer is making engines faster, simply for advertisement and being able to say they have the best. Plus you put a big engine in it, you can jack up the price some and have a reason behind it. I don't really know any grandma too concerned with engine specs at all, that's why I've kinda come to this conclusion. Plus, there are a few high executives that want power and luxury all in one, so that's the other reason.
I'm not saying go for it, but if you do, it's gonna be a lot of work. You'll need to strip it down. Maybe a rear seat delete, spare tire removal, chop the top...all the way off, take out the door panels...hell take off the doors, basically you just need to get that thing very light.
Oh yeah I just remembered what I wanted to say. There is a guy my town who has one hell of a sleeper car. I was cruisin around in my stang one night and saw this guy on several occasions cruising too. I wasn't interested in racing, but we found him messing with the local ricers. The guy's car of choice Pontiac Sunbird. Don't really know what he has under the hood, but it aint stock. I have seen the guy around, but don't know where he lives. Hopefully I'll be able to chat with him sometime. The car was beat a Celica and a newer Eclipse. It launched like a frickin beast. So yeah, if you can get something like that, all power to you. Everyone would underestimate you, then you could walk home with their money.
Here's my opinion. It's obvious that selling the car and putting the money of what you would spend on the TownCar into something like a Mustang is probably a more economical choice. However, I would think it would be highly entertaining to see a 12 second, or if even possible less 1/4 mile Towncar. Now, it's also obvious that you're are interested to making your car unique, fast, and something you don't see everyday. Because of that, I think you might have something really cool that you could do. The only thing that scares me, is I hope your not like a few guys from my high school. They receive a granny car or something as their high school first car, which is all fine and dandy. Immediately, without knowing anything about cars, they think they can put a few things in, supercharger, shot of nitrous, and some custom exhaust to make it fast. Umm, wrong. These kids are also guys that think in terms of video game money. 500 credits in Need For Speed Underground is NOT 500 dollars, maybe more like 5000.
Luxury cars were not made to go fast. The reason they put V8s, sometimes V10s in them, is simply for the luxury reason. Does a grandma need 400HP...no, although mine thinks she does (used to have a Pontiac GTO hehe, then she did get herself a Cadillac). The reason they put them there is the same every car manufacturer is making engines faster, simply for advertisement and being able to say they have the best. Plus you put a big engine in it, you can jack up the price some and have a reason behind it. I don't really know any grandma too concerned with engine specs at all, that's why I've kinda come to this conclusion. Plus, there are a few high executives that want power and luxury all in one, so that's the other reason.
I'm not saying go for it, but if you do, it's gonna be a lot of work. You'll need to strip it down. Maybe a rear seat delete, spare tire removal, chop the top...all the way off, take out the door panels...hell take off the doors, basically you just need to get that thing very light.
Oh yeah I just remembered what I wanted to say. There is a guy my town who has one hell of a sleeper car. I was cruisin around in my stang one night and saw this guy on several occasions cruising too. I wasn't interested in racing, but we found him messing with the local ricers. The guy's car of choice Pontiac Sunbird. Don't really know what he has under the hood, but it aint stock. I have seen the guy around, but don't know where he lives. Hopefully I'll be able to chat with him sometime. The car was beat a Celica and a newer Eclipse. It launched like a frickin beast. So yeah, if you can get something like that, all power to you. Everyone would underestimate you, then you could walk home with their money.
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10
RE: i wanna get sum tips
i know i will be a lot of work and it will take me a few years to do it but i do intend on keeping this car for a very long time and i actually do know a little bit about cars and just stuff i teach myself right now i really just want to make it quicker and im no really worried bout supension (it currently has air ride in the back) because i intend on only drag like 1/4 and stuff like that i timed myslef one day and my time was about 17s and i knwo that seems slow but for my car its really notm i just want to make that time turn into like 12 or 13 or less if possible i really just want to be able to hang with the local cars
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 248
From: Iowa
RE: i wanna get sum tips
Well, if you say you know a little about cars, are determined to do this, and know it's gonna take a lot of time and money, then I'll probably just reemphesize what you've already stated, GO FOR IT. I love seeing sleeper cars just as much as exotics. With an exotic you know the things fast, with a sleeper car like this will be, it will be a big surprise and possibly a big money maker. Does this mean you have to have it rusted out, no you can have nice paint and rims and still surprise the crap outta racers. But the fact still remains that it's gonna be mostly a weight issue for you.
When I said remove spare tire, I was serious. Also you can get a lightweight foam for seats. My cousins Eclipse has custom seat padding. It's not the most comfortable for long rides, but it's not noticeable, as he wanted to keep rear seats, but lose a lot of weight (highly doubt he's losing THAT much weight). He hasn't done anything else to the car as far as performance goes, so I think it was dumb, maybe losing a whole 2 pounds at most, the only reason to do that is if you're real serious. And if you're real serious, you'll take unneeded seats out anyways. That'll drop a couple seconds off his drag time no doubt. Anyways, there's a lot of aftermarket weight reduction kits to buy, and some may or may not fit your vehicle, obviously doing research is the way to go. I don't know if you've ever been to Cardomain.com, but it's got pretty much every type of car on there and their owners. Many of which are pretty unique. You may end up finding a Town Car on there that is just like what you're wanting or at least someone with more answers. I don't' have time to check it out for you, but you may want to take a look.
I'm not sure if you'll be able to reach less than 12, or even make it to the 12s in the quarter mile. But I can promise, I will not tell you not to try.
I pretty much believe fully in this rule. Every car has as much potential as the bottom of your wallet.
When I said remove spare tire, I was serious. Also you can get a lightweight foam for seats. My cousins Eclipse has custom seat padding. It's not the most comfortable for long rides, but it's not noticeable, as he wanted to keep rear seats, but lose a lot of weight (highly doubt he's losing THAT much weight). He hasn't done anything else to the car as far as performance goes, so I think it was dumb, maybe losing a whole 2 pounds at most, the only reason to do that is if you're real serious. And if you're real serious, you'll take unneeded seats out anyways. That'll drop a couple seconds off his drag time no doubt. Anyways, there's a lot of aftermarket weight reduction kits to buy, and some may or may not fit your vehicle, obviously doing research is the way to go. I don't know if you've ever been to Cardomain.com, but it's got pretty much every type of car on there and their owners. Many of which are pretty unique. You may end up finding a Town Car on there that is just like what you're wanting or at least someone with more answers. I don't' have time to check it out for you, but you may want to take a look.
I'm not sure if you'll be able to reach less than 12, or even make it to the 12s in the quarter mile. But I can promise, I will not tell you not to try.
I pretty much believe fully in this rule. Every car has as much potential as the bottom of your wallet.
1st Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 67
From:
RE: i wanna get sum tips
Sounds like a cool project. Its going to cost alot to do any like everyone else said your going to need to strip it.
My car is almost 4000lbs to so i know with the right parts you can make it fly. although im guessing there a pretty big difference between a towncars engine and a 302. I would say just go with the weight reduction at first maybe simple things like seats and well anything that you can take off like the hood and see what you think about that car after all of that. that should give you a pretty good difference and maybe let you have a little bit of a feel of what kinda power it can have.
My car is almost 4000lbs to so i know with the right parts you can make it fly. although im guessing there a pretty big difference between a towncars engine and a 302. I would say just go with the weight reduction at first maybe simple things like seats and well anything that you can take off like the hood and see what you think about that car after all of that. that should give you a pretty good difference and maybe let you have a little bit of a feel of what kinda power it can have.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 274
From: Seattle area
RE: i wanna get sum tips
My daily driver is a 2004 Crown Victoria LX Sport and I hang out some at www.crownvic.net. Crown Vics and Continentals share the Panther platform, so a lot of the information there applies to your car. A lot of people there have done a lot of upgrades to their cars, including Marauders. Many have spent tens of thousands of dollars on upgrading the engine and drive train. Over there, a really fast car runs in the high 14's. It can be done, but it takes a TON of cash. There are a lot of things to take into consideration with this vehicle that most people here have never had to deal with. Just one "for instance": Changing the rear gears in a Panther car to 4:10 or higher will cause major damage to the transmission with prolonged highway driving. Why? Because the driveshaft is so long that it sets up a major harmonic vibration that damages the tailshaft of the tranny.
Do a little research before you set out on your quest for a luxosleeper.
Do a little research before you set out on your quest for a luxosleeper.