How To Turn A Normal Explorer Into A Police Cruiser Clone

Do you own a Ford Explorer ? Are you tired of getting stuck behind slow drivers in the left lane? Well, we have the solution for you, with a few choice modifications you can gain all the respect and road presence of a police cruise minus the cage and sirens. This doesn’t mean you will get to be a police officer but turning your soccer mom SUV into an Explorer with character is always worth it.

Ford Explorers blend in with the hoards of other SUVs on American roads but nothing is more frightening than seeing a police version in your rear view. Even if you have a suspicion that a police Explorer is watching you, the edited driving techniques come out to ensure your trip doesn’t cost a ticket. If you want to command this type of respect while driving your grocery getter, a combination of Ford OEM accessories is all that’s needed.

Step #1 – Wheels

One of the biggest exterior differences between a pedestrian Explorer and the Police Cruiser are the painted steel wheels. Consumer Explorers all have the aluminum alloy wheels needed to assert your SUV social status to your neighbors, nobody wants to be seen with hub caps on their $30,000 SUV. However, these alloy wheels aren’t going to help with your Cruiser clone so they need to go, it’s time to take on the painted black steel wheels of the cruisers. A  black painted OEM 18″ steel wheel (Ford Part #: DG1Z-1015-A) will set you back $232 plus an additional $47 (Ford Part #: DG1Z-1130-B) for the all important lug nut cover to complete the look.

Step #2- Push Bar and Grill

Now that you have the wheels, its time to work on the front end to continue the look and gain maximum rearview mirror respect. The Police Cruiser has a heavy duty front push bar needed to fulfill its duty and make the Explorer look more sinister. You can buy the exact one use on Cruisers for only $270 and also add some additional crash safety in the process. In addition to the Push Bar, the Explorer needs to use a blacked our grill (Ford Part #: BB5Z-8200-CA) as the stock chrome one will be a dead giveaway.

Step #3 – Lighting 

Now obviously this is all a joke and we do not support the impersonation of a police officer, but you can still add lighting to your modding list without getting in trouble with the law. A tasteful LED lighting bar mounted on the roof your roof car improve the look and improve night time driving on dark back roads. Adding a LED search light on the mirror would complete the look but it may be one step too far and not very functional during daily driving.

Owning the same make as a police Cruiser has its benefits. As the Ford Explorer becomes the default police vehicle across the country your family SUV may be mistaken for a cruiser. Adding on the exterior cues of a cop car not only make your Explorer look far more menacing but can also help you on your commute while people on the highway will remember their road manners. Hey, it worked for Crown Vics for 20 years.