Photo: The Meteor Interceptor
1,647 cubic inches translates to 27 liters. That’s the displacement of the Rolls-Royce Meteor, a V12 engine developed during World War II for the likes of the Challenger, Cromwell, Comet, Centurion, Charioteer, and the post-war Conqueror tanks.
The OHV valvetrain and compression ratio of 6:1 or 7:1 translate to 550 to 650 horsepower, depending on application. Maximum torque, on the other hand, is listed at 1,450 pound-feet or 1,966 Nm if you prefer the metric system. In other words, it has double the torque of a Ford F-650 with the Power Stroke V8 turbo diesel.
As the headline implies, this antiquated leviathan has found a new home in the engine bay of a Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. Daniel Werner from Sweden is the man behind the project, and according to The Meteor Interceptor website that he’s running, this particular V12 from days long gone wasn’t his first choice.
The 37-liter Griffon from the Spitfire was originally intended for this engine swap, but Daniel gave up on this idea because of the difficulties it posed. Even a 27-liter Meteor is gargantuan for a Crown Vic considering the original engine has 4.6 liters to offer.
If you thought that an engine swap is all there is to this project, you are in the wrong. The Swede is working on a twin-turbo system and custom software for the engine control unit to unleash at least 2,500 horsepower. With enough strengthening, the front end of the body-on-frame sedan should be able to handle the extra weight.
But wait, there’s more! Care to guess what the mad professor plans to do once his tank-engined police car is ready to hit the road? “We are using a very clever, custom-made Allison transmission together with a TH400” to hit more than 200 miles per hour (320 km/h).
If that’s not ambitious, then I don’t know what is. At the time of reporting, the latest updates on The Meteor Interceptor are the new oil filter and the trigger wheel system, designed to control the engine control unit.
As the headline implies, this antiquated leviathan has found a new home in the engine bay of a Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. Daniel Werner from Sweden is the man behind the project, and according to The Meteor Interceptor website that he’s running, this particular V12 from days long gone wasn’t his first choice.
The 37-liter Griffon from the Spitfire was originally intended for this engine swap, but Daniel gave up on this idea because of the difficulties it posed. Even a 27-liter Meteor is gargantuan for a Crown Vic considering the original engine has 4.6 liters to offer.
If you thought that an engine swap is all there is to this project, you are in the wrong. The Swede is working on a twin-turbo system and custom software for the engine control unit to unleash at least 2,500 horsepower. With enough strengthening, the front end of the body-on-frame sedan should be able to handle the extra weight.
But wait, there’s more! Care to guess what the mad professor plans to do once his tank-engined police car is ready to hit the road? “We are using a very clever, custom-made Allison transmission together with a TH400” to hit more than 200 miles per hour (320 km/h).
If that’s not ambitious, then I don’t know what is. At the time of reporting, the latest updates on The Meteor Interceptor are the new oil filter and the trigger wheel system, designed to control the engine control unit.
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