Steel Wheels

[87DeuceVic]

So I have come across a set of steel wheels for the P71, they are from a 2001 Grand Marquis and under $200 in good shape. Are they the same as the ones used on the police interceptor?? I know that the center caps pop onto the lugs, so thats no issue, I just want the right style wheels for my car. Also I do need those special tapered lugs for the centers, correct?

[87gtVIC]

No idea about correctness, but I am almost certain about the lug nuts needing to be the 'special' ones.

[mcninetyone]

I'm 99% sure that steelies from 98-02 whales are the same, police car or not.
They will fit any panther, but the 98+ police dog dishes won't unless you've done the big brake swap. The center caps from Explorers and Rangers will work though. And you will need the 'shoulder lugs' to mount any of these dog dish style center caps regardless of what year model car you use the wheels on.
(some, if not all Areos will accept the 98+ police dog dishes, not sure about those years, early Areos might not?)

But unless those wheels have some VERY nice tires already mounted on them, I wouldn't buy them. Around here police steelies are a dime a dozen without good tires.

[85crownHPP]

Yes, all 16" steelies are the same afaik.
The '98-'02 police centercaps (the 'tall' ones) will fit any ford with that lug pattern, they will clear the big hubs just fine.
The '03+ (or whenever they changed the wheel offset) police vics have the 'pancake' center caps, the ones that won't fit over the old hubs.
You need the collared lug nuts to run either of those caps, the seat taper has nothing to do with it.
None of the above cars got 'dog dish' caps.

[mcninetyone]

I checked with my own eyes today, and it looked to me that all Areos will accept the 98+ PI dog dish hub caps, without going to the big brakes.

I know that technically those shoulder lug caps are not dog dishes, but they have become the late model version of the dog dish.

[85crownHPP]

I checked with my own eyes today, and it looked to me that all Areos will accept the 98+ PI dog dish hub caps, without going to the big brakes.

right, the '98-'02 caps will fit on any panther and the '03+ caps only fit only on '92+, unless you do big brakes.

[87DeuceVic]

But unless those wheels have some VERY nice tires already mounted on them, I wouldn't buy them. Around here police steelies are a dime a dozen without good tires.

These are the first set I have found up here, they rust out. I have been checking craigslist for parts car and havent found anything. Up here they aint a dime a dozen, their $200 for 4 :p

Thanks for the help mangs! They are at a salvage yard about an hour away from me and I am planning on going to get them in the next couple weeks. Looking forward to making the P71 look more original and making more people hit their brakes Once I do put them on I will be selling the Mercury wheels currently on the car.

[1987cp]

I checked with my own eyes today, and it looked to me that all Panthers back to '79 will accept the '98-'02 PI hub caps, without going to the big brakes.

Fixed that. See signature pic.