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The Story of HwyCruiser's Marauder (DUW)

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    The Story of HwyCruiser's Marauder (DUW)

    What a wild ride it has been.

    I saw my first Marauder outside local L/M dealership at night, all prepped and ready for delivery. I was driving a '00 GM HPP at the time and my jaw dropped when I laid eyes it. I knew I was never going to be able to touch a new one, but then I found out the sales manager at the same L/M was selling his 300A, 18 months in service with 17k miles on it. I was hooked.

    First mods were pretty typical, just to pep it up a bit: 4.10's, Addco solid rear bar, Denso plugs, stat and an SCT tune. One of my co-worker buddies is seriously into autocross and talked me into getting the Marauder on the short course to see what she would do:



    I got into it and went out a few more times, upgrading the front brakes and rear control arms for better handling:



    Then I signed me and the wife up to go to mm.net's national meet, Marauderville II in Indianapolis. That was going to be the first time I've ever been drag racing and I new I needed something more to be competitive so I had a 3000 stall Precision Industries Stallion torque converter installed. I had a blast while putting down 14.4's naturally aspirated:



    I also got spanked pretty good that day by a Kenny Brown Marauder S. But it just happened that my wife was also in the car on that fateful run down the track. She saw how much quicker the other Marauder was and asked me what that one had done to it. Supercharger I replied. How much is one of those she asked. Fast forward a little less than a year later and see a Diablo custom tuned ProCharger kit in all its glory:



    With Marauderville III coming up soon in Detroit and sure to be drag racing, I put in a little practice and found that lack of traction had become my nemesis. A quick call to Discounttiredirect.com and I had some new meats to put the power properly to the ground. Now I was ready to drag race:



    Anybody that knows Marauders also knows that going into Detroit is going into Trilogy's back yard. I was hoping to put a good showing in for ProCharger at Milan, the drag racing venue at Marauderville III, and I wasn't disappointed with running in the high 12's.

    The Trilogy guys didn't turn out to be too bad at all. Once you get past the online rhetoric and just plain get out and have some fun everything turns out to be all good. At the car show during the Woodward Dream Cruiser, which Marauderville III centered around, they made sure I had a nice spot on the grass for the passersby to see:



    Once the meet was over I came back home and started itching for a little more drag racing action. As the weather started to cool I went out to visit the local track along with a buddy. The track announcer flipped when he saw me in the staging lanes. I guess he has something for Marauders. I ran 12.4's that day. Two weeks later, I met up with a buddy from St. Louis who wanted to get some late action in:



    A nice cool, crisp fall day and enough practice to know kinda what I was doing yielded the best timeslip to date, a 12.2 sec run at 111 mph:



    I've got over 40,800 miles on my MM now and every one has been a pleasure. This one is no garage queen, although she sleeps during the winter except for a cruise the occasional nice winter day. I just had her out this weekend and handed a guy in a Crossfire SRT-whatever his ass in a greasy paper bag. God I love this car and spring can't get here quick enough.

    Autocrossing and drag racing n/a the first year, drag racing s/c the second year, what's in store for year three? I think I'd like to try a road course. That means more suspension mods and totally different mindset on tires. Owning a Marauder has become quite the adventure for me... and what a wild ride it has been.
    Supercharged '03 Mercury Marauder - SOLD

    #2
    What a beauty, and it has the power and numbers to back up that "Catch Me If You Can" look....

    "Ad eundum quo nemo ante iit"

    Comment


      #3
      The best marauder ive ever seen.

      And probably the fastest... One day I will own one!!!
      1983 Grand Marquis 2Dr Sedan "Mercules"
      Tremec TKO conversion, hydraulic clutch, HURST equipped!

      Comment


        #4
        Very nice Marauder!
        Save a seal, club a liberal.

        Comment


          #5
          :crossjer: :crossjer: :crossjer: :crossjer: :crossjer: :crossjer: :crossjer: :crossjer: :crossjer: :crossjer: :crossjer: :crossjer: :crossjer: :crossjer: :crossjer: :crossjer: :crossjer: :crossjer:

          Comment


            #6
            :stupid:

            STICKY THIS HOT RIDE!!!!

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Grand_Marquis_GT
              The best marauder ive ever seen.

              And probably the fastest... One day I will own one!!!
              Thanks for the comments guys.

              I would not claim to be the fastest Marauder because there are several 11 second documented MMs out there and one flirting with 10's.

              I do believe at the boost level my blower is at and the other mods I have, my Marauder is certainly competitive. Even that statement would draw debate, so I don't make them often. I just show up, let the chips fall where they may, and let the results speak for themselves.
              Supercharged '03 Mercury Marauder - SOLD

              Comment


                #8
                It's a bad Mama-Jama no matter what you say or do not say!

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Blaze86Vic
                  :stupid:

                  STICKY THIS HOT RIDE!!!!
                  So it is written, so it shall be done.
                  Save a seal, club a liberal.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    yea man thats a sweet marauder i just hope oneday i can get mine to half of what urs is....
                    The Best
                    Past and Present Any Questions...................

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Its cool to see someone with a badass machine who isn't a jerk about it. You drive your car more than just 1/4 at a time and you are realistic about what it is, which is a hell of a nice car. Rock on. :rock:
                      86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                      5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                      91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                      1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                      Originally posted by phayzer5
                      I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Yep I still have a ways to go. Even has the MM limited production fender badges I wanted!

                        2005 Legacy GT *13.5 @ 96MPH*
                        2003 Mercury Marauder *Totaled*

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Absolutely beautiful, love the badgeless grille on the car.

                          Always Wanted a Marauder, Couldn't afford it so I got the Sport. I'm happy, but I still want a Marauder.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Nice car!!!

                            Good to see another Panther carving the corners out there?
                            2001 Grand Marquis LS
                            SuperMotors Page
                            CJMF
                            Motorsports North East


                            Best 1/4 Mile : 15.771 @ 86.96 mph 11/05/05
                            224 RWHP - 250 RWTQ - 03-18-06

                            New Best 1/4 Mile :
                            15.195 @ 89.79 mph 2.207 60' 11/03/06 - Race weight 4458 lbs.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              MMMMM.....sexyfast
                              Chris - A 20th Century Man \m/ ^.^ \m/

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