P71 v. CV/GM

[Vortex]

I like the bucket seats in the P71's but could somebody tell me the main mechanical differences between a P71 as compared to a similar CV/GM? Reason I bring this up is I look thru Craigslist and there are so many cheap GMs with low miles for sale, and you know most of them werent put thru rough duty by a police dept. Whats the logic (other than personal taste) of a P71 over a similar CV/GM?

[DJCV]

I believe the mechanical differences are very few: higher-rate front and rear suspension; heavier-duty alternator & oil cooler (?); in some years a 3.55 trac lok versus 2.73 or 3.27 open diff in a CV/GM; maybe a few other items.

Many P71s jumped countless curbs & medians, sat idling repeatedly for extensive periods, and have had who knows how many different types of bodily fluids spilled all through it. Some are very drawn to having this type of vehicle as a daily driver. Not me.

[a_d_a_m]

DJCV basically hit the nail on the head.

I've run my '02 MGM with dual exhaust & 2.73's against a 2000 and 2002 CVPI. I beat the tar out of the 2000 and was sorta keeping up with the 2002. There just isn't enough difference in performance for me to even consider a P71.

My Marquis is clean, never had drugs or bodily fluids in it, and smells normal. :D

[bigjon]

please make sure you understand the difference between having a severe duty suspension and a handling suspension (like mine). severe duty means it can hop curbs with little to no damage, to a point of course. that does not equate to a good handling ride.

an hpp or sport equipped panther will out handle any cvpi.

cvpi also has:
-an aluminum ds and the extended tailshaft housing.
-slightly higher shift points and timing.
-04 and up have the 80mm maf and marauder-like airbox. this gives them 250hp out of the gait.
-dual exhaust. (please note that an hpp or sport also have this).

hpp/spots also have air suspension like the marauder. the sway bars on the hpp are actually bigger than the cvpi in the rear.