Big horsepower in a light package is what performance-minded folks wanted, though somewhat recently we've seen attempts at mid and fullsize muscle, including the Mark VIII, Turbo Coupes, Super Coupes, and most recently, the Mercury Marauder. But we've not seen a real powerhouse with the kind of old-school charm that Logan Wright's Crown Victoria has--until now.
A 26-year-old graphic designer from Miami, Florida, Logan has already owned his share of cars, and a mighty diverse collection at that. "I got the car as a replacement for my '98 GT," he says. "I was drooling over the Terminator Cobras but wanted something different. I always loved the Impala SS and Mercury Marauder." As it turns out, Logan spotted the '00 Crown Vic in the used-car lot and knew that was the one.
We imagine most people could...
We imagine most people could care less about the 5.4 emblems on the decklid, but it certainly explains the big chunk of metal popping through the hood.
"I wanted to create a powerful sedan from something that wasn't supposed to be," Logan says. "The mods started the first day with a 150-shot of nitrous." Over the years, he installed a twin-turbo setup as well as a centrifugal supercharger, and when the stock motor finally let go, he gave long consideration to his options.
It was a great deal on a used '03 Lightning engine that hit home and provided Logan with the power and unique quality he was looking for in his hot rod. As if stuffing the supercharged 5.4 into a car that never had anything but a 4.6 wasn't difficult enough, Logan one-upped the situation by adding a stick shift into the mix and says, "I did the manual swap because it's more fun to drive." Said swap started with a Tremec TKO600 five-speed, along with a Ram Powergrip clutch assembly and Ram billet-steel flywheel.
The pedal assembly was another matter altogether, as Logan spent a considerable amount of time melding the stock auto pedals with a manual set from a Mustang. An aluminum driveshaft was chosen to send the abundant torque back to a modified 8.8 axle with a 4.10 gear, stock shafts, and an Eaton differential.
Logan also performed some fabrication on the exhaust system, slightly modifying a set of Ford Racing Performance Parts shorty headers and a Summit Racing H-pipe to fit the chassis. Post H-pipe, you'll find a pair of custom tubes connecting a duet of Flowmaster two-chamber mufflers and dump tubes.
Engine mods beneath the factory Eaton M112 supercharger are limited to exterior changes, with pulleys setting the boost level at 12 psi, an SCT Big Air mass air meter reading the incoming atmosphere from a custom induction tube, and an Afco heat exchanger and Canton reservoir cooling the boosted bounty. VMP Tuning in DeBary, Florida, handled the computer flashing that employs the stock Crown Vic ECM.
While some might throw stiff shocks and springs into such a boat and make it an all-out highway killer, Logan went the opposite direction with a quartet of Competition Engineering drag shocks, which allow the Crown jewel's Police Interceptor coil springs to transfer weight faster than NBC's The Biggest Loser. The front springs were cut to give the Vic the old-school rake, while the rest of the suspension components remain stock.
Fueling the fullsize tire fryer is a 255-lph in-tank pump that gets the occasional jolt from Kenne Bell's Boost-A-Pump. The subsequent increase in voltage makes sure that the stock Lightning's 42-lb/hr injectors hose down the cylinders with enough fuel to keep the air/fuel ratio happy and safe.
Currently, the Crown Sic makes an estimated 450 hp and 540 lb-ft of torque. Combined with the soft suspension setup and the stick shift, this sedan gets down to business. We sampled the supercharged machine during our photo shoot, and the ride felt just like that of the classic fullsize cars. "The thing I like most is that it's like driving a time machine," Logan says. "It has an old-school feel to it that only a musclecar can give, and it shows people what's possible with a car not usually viewed as a performance vehicle." Mission accomplished on all accounts.
 Marauder wheels look tough...  Marauder wheels look tough but weren't able to put the power down, so Logan depends on a set of Weld wheels with 325/50/15 BFGoodrich drag radials. |  Aside from the hole in the...  Aside from the hole in the hood, the 5.4 was a pretty good fit in the sedan. The motor itself is bone stock with just the usual bolt-ons, though plans are in the works for a better blower, among other things. |  The interior is largely stock,...  The interior is largely stock, with the chrome Hurst stick and signature white shifter ball letting you know this car's just a bit different. The fuzzy dice fit the part too. |
 Placement-wise, the shift...  Placement-wise, the shift is perfect, as long as you find the right stick. Logan used a Marauder gauge pack to supplement the factory cluster with some real instrumentation. |  |  |