1986 Does LTD Crown Victoria

[Codie Bias]

I am wanting to know if I could use a modern transmission for a 302 in my 1986 Ford LTD Crown Victoria?  I paid $1000 for this car and it just rolled over 84k miles.  It was not garage kept so have to repaint the exterior the person I bought it from was trying to make a hot rod out of it.  He didn't have it long as he did not know why it drove so slow and stuttered when you try to put your foot in the floor.  I found the problem to be an ICM, I replaced it and it drives like a dream.  When I bought it I had to put on the exhaust from the headers back, and he put in a Spectre air filter system.  So, to say, my car is not all original so I want to modernize it if I can.  Thus, needing to know if a modern transmission for a 302 will work in my car?

[GARY F]

Go to the Crown Vic website and ask.

[1957Birdman]

Hi Codie,

Welcome to the forum. I owned both a 1985 and then a 1987 LTD Crown Vic. Both of them were equipped with the 4 speed overdrive automatic. It is quite a good transmission and should go for 125K miles or more with no problem. 

Will a more modern transmission work in your car? Probably, but you will need to change the computer and probably a lot of wiring to make the new transmission work. After you do all of that you will probably have an extra gear making it a five speed transmission. To my way of thinking that is hardly worth it considering all the time and expense associated with it making the change. If you want a better performing car than I would suggest building up the engine using the specs of a 1986 Mustang GT. They had a more powerful engine and would give your car more zip.

In the end, I don't see this car as being one that is worth putting a lot of money into. There are just too many of them out there and they are nothing more than four door sedans that has the thick film ignition (TFI) that caused Ford owners and the company a lot problems. 

My opinion and hope this helps.

Lew Bachman

1957 T-Bird, Colonial White