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 In this tech article, I describe the commercial / fleet option for the ballistic / bullet proof panels offered by Ford for the P71 vehicle.
Although a number of companies offered ballistic panels for the Crown Victoria, Ford didn't officially offer them as a dealer/factory option until the 2006 model year.
Produced by BLS Textiles, the panels were a composite mesh of fiber, resin, and Kevlar and were offered primarily for the front doors to provide "stage III" protection.
These panels were fairly expensive and are therefore normally pulled from the cruiser to be installed in another cruiser prior to auction. The kit cost $1,200 for the
drivers door, and $2,400 for both front doors. Installation of these panels was indicated by the "BALLISTIC PANEL" logo affixed to the door with the panel installed (above).
 (Click here for larger PDF version) The kit came with two separate panels per door, this was to help facilitate installation and/or removal from the door frame. According to a few sources, these are the following part numbers for both sides as is verified by the pictures below: - RH - FRONT: AW73-202W20-AB - RH - REAR: AW73-202B20-AB - LH - FRONT: AW73-203W20-AB - LH - REAR: AW73-203B20-AB
In addition to the Ford factory/dealer offered panels, other manufacturers produced panels for the Crown Victoria as well. Pro-Gard, one of the
more well respected manufacturers of aftermarket police equipment, produced one set that was frequently used by police departments.
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