Is this Merc responsible for the 03 Marauder

[tutbo2256b]

Back in 1990 started working for Ford Engine Design.
At some time after purchased a 1987 Grand Marquis 2 door and started modifying it. So i am driving this all around Fords buildings in Dearborn before Merc / Lincoln moved to the west coast. So i often wondered if driving around out running many Mustangs, and other rides owned by Ford employees going to an from work and to lunch. Did one of the merc executives or such see my ride and the idea of a come back of the Marauder.
Not trying to start trouble but it was the only juiced up Merc running around

[RF Overlord]

Not saying your car didn't attract some attention, but Steve Babcock (Program Manager for the Marauder) has told us at a number of Maraudervilles that the major inspiration was the the '94-'96 Impala SS. It was originally going to be a Crown Vic BlackHawk but was given to Mercury for reasons I can't remember now.

[kirk]

It was originally going to be a Crown Vic BlackHawk but was given to Mercury for reasons I can't remember now.

Ford already had enough variations of the Vic so Steve went to Mercury.

[Invective]

Not trying to start trouble but it was the only juiced up Merc running around

I'm sure it had an influence on improving the rustproofing as I have yet to see a rusty Marauder...

[Invective]

It was originally going to be a Crown Vic BlackHawk but was given to Mercury for reasons I can't remember now.

An interesting bit of history I wasn't aware of! The Mercury 'Street Stalker' is interesting too.

****************************** ********

The Blackhawk is to the Ford Crown Vic what the Impala SS was to the standard Chevrolet Caprice. Although Ford officially calls it a concept car, insiders say this bad ride is headed for showrooms next year. Power is provided by a 4.6L SOHC V-8 making 235 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque, exhaling through large-diameter exhaust pipes and low-restriction mufflers. This output is up from 220 hp and 265 lb-ft in the quotidian Crown Vic’s 4.6.

Strangely, the Crown Vic Blackhawk will compete with Ford’s own Mercury Grand Marquis Marauder, a 5.4L V-8-equipped big sedan originally scheduled for production this year. The Marauder will now appear in showrooms after the Blackhawk debuts.

The Crown Vic Blackhawk’s 4.6L muscle is fed to the rear wheels through a high-stall 11.25-in. torque converter, a four-speed automatic, a beefy aluminum- driveshaft, and a 3.27:1 axle ratio. Brakes are four-wheel discs with 12.4-in. front vented rotors and 11.1-in. rears. Ford has enhanced the driving dynamics with the same performance handling package available on the standard Vic. That includes a 1-in. drop in height, monotube shocks, and huge P255/45ZR18 tires on alloy wheels.

http://www.motortrend.com/news/ford-crown-victoria-blackhawk/

[crownvic97]

I'm sure it had an influence on improving the rustproofing as I have yet to see a rusty Marauder...

Trust me, they exist...they rot to pieces just like any other Panther when not cared for.

[crownvic97]

An interesting bit of history I wasn't aware of! The Mercury 'Street Stalker' is interesting too.

****************************** ********

The Blackhawk is to the Ford Crown Vic what the Impala SS was to the standard Chevrolet Caprice. Although Ford officially calls it a concept car, insiders say this bad ride is headed for showrooms next year. Power is provided by a 4.6L SOHC V-8 making 235 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque, exhaling through large-diameter exhaust pipes and low-restriction mufflers. This output is up from 220 hp and 265 lb-ft in the quotidian Crown Vic’s 4.6.

Strangely, the Crown Vic Blackhawk will compete with Ford’s own Mercury Grand Marquis Marauder, a 5.4L V-8-equipped big sedan originally scheduled for production this year. The Marauder will now appear in showrooms after the Blackhawk debuts.

The Crown Vic Blackhawk’s 4.6L muscle is fed to the rear wheels through a high-stall 11.25-in. torque converter, a four-speed automatic, a beefy aluminum- driveshaft, and a 3.27:1 axle ratio. Brakes are four-wheel discs with 12.4-in. front vented rotors and 11.1-in. rears. Ford has enhanced the driving dynamics with the same performance handling package available on the standard Vic. That includes a 1-in. drop in height, monotube shocks, and huge P255/45ZR18 tires on alloy wheels.

http://www.motortrend.com/news/ford-crown-victoria-blackhawk/

I had never seen that article before, very interesting!

[Drewstang]

Funny, my car was already built when that article was published.

[NorthShoreChiMM]

Trust me they rust. The only rust on my car is the bottom of the rear doors on the inside. And the door sills. Going to have to replace it all one day.

[gdmjoe]

Invective - An interesting bit of history I wasn't aware of! The Mercury 'Street Stalker' is interesting too. ...


Concept - Crown Victoria Blackhawk (http://www.gdmjoe.com/marauder/documents/blackhawk.html) ««« -click-

REFERENCE:
http://www.gdmjoe.com/images/mmdocuments-50.jpg (http://www.gdmjoe.com/marauder/documents/documents.html) ««« -click-

[RF Overlord]

Strangely, the Crown Vic Blackhawk will compete with Ford’s own Mercury Grand Marquis Marauder, a 5.4L V-8-equipped big sedan originally scheduled for production this year. I wasn't aware the Marauder was ever proposed to have the 5.4.

I saw Paul's Street Stalker at MV2 in Indy. Unfortunately he broke something in the trans going down the track so I didn't get to see it run.

[sailsmen]

Mercury's Customer were dying so the Marauder was to get younger traffic into the show rooms.

[Invective]

Concept - Crown Victoria Blackhawk (http://www.gdmjoe.com/marauder/documents/blackhawk.html) ««« -click-

REFERENCE:
http://www.gdmjoe.com/images/mmdocuments-50.jpg (http://www.gdmjoe.com/marauder/documents/documents.html) ««« -click-



Thanks for this!

[crownvic97]

Mercury's Customer were dying so the Marauder was to get younger traffic into the show rooms.

That worked out well.

[RubberCtyRauder]

That worked out well.

It might have if Eleanor Ford would not have listened to some large ford or lincoln dealers in TX that told her they should be charging $5k more for the car, so she did. The target price was to be $30,995. That's the short story of it as told by Steve Babcock at MV Cleveland.

[Serge]

Trust me, they exist...they rot to pieces just like any other Panther when not cared for.

Yup. Mine was a rust bucket. When I sold it it had a fender and 3 doors from P71 and both rockers redone.

[04 Quicksilver]

Trust me they rust. The only rust on my car is the bottom of the rear doors on the inside. And the door sills. Going to have to replace it all one day.

Why do they rust on the inside bottom of the rear doors? Is it a plugged up drainage hole or something like that? Thanks.

BW
Rust Never Sleeps

[Marauderman]

It might have if Eleanor Ford would not have listened to some large ford or lincoln dealers in TX that told her they should be charging $5k more for the car, so she did. The target price was to be $30,995. That's the short story of it as told by Steve Babcock at MV Cleveland.

^^^^^^^^^^^^Yep And we --well a lot of us have that higher MSRP sticker to prove it showing that extra $5K^^^

And as we know the Blackhawk was dropped and those initial Marauder specs were changed to what we all know today---

[Taemian]

Street Stalker was aftermarket mod. Says so right on the ad. Like the KB Panther mod.

[Joe Walsh]

Mercury's Customer were dying so the Marauder was to get younger traffic into the show rooms.


That worked out well.


It might have if Eleanor Ford would not have listened to some large ford or lincoln dealers in TX that told her they should be charging $5k more for the car, so she did. The target price was to be $30,995. That's the short story of it as told by Steve Babcock at MV Cleveland.

Yep....good old Eleanor Ford!

She was sure that those Mariners and jelly bean Cougars were the way to go for Mercury...no muscle, no style needed for a brand.

Basically put a bullet in the Godshead...:shake:

[Mr. Man]

Not saying your car didn't attract some attention, but Steve Babcock (Program Manager for the Marauder) has told us at a number of Maraudervilles that the major inspiration was the the '94-'96 Impala SS. It was originally going to be a Crown Vic BlackHawk but was given to Mercury for reasons I can't remember now.


Ford already had enough variations of the Vic so Steve went to Mercury.Ford wanted the Blackhawk and Mercury wanted the Marauder. Ultimately the final decision was made by Bill Ford after hearing arguments from both parties.


I wasn't aware the Marauder was ever proposed to have the 5.4.

Steve wanted the 5.0l pushrod first then after that idea was scuttled by Team Modular the 5.4l was next up. It wouldn't fit with out massaging the engine compartment of which he didn't have the budget for.

[04 Quicksilver]

Does someone have an answer for post 17?

[Mr. Man]

Why do they rust on the inside bottom of the rear doors? Is it a plugged up drainage hole or something like that? Thanks.

BW
Rust Never Sleeps


Does someone have an answer for post 17?
You answered your own question. IIR there are two weep holes with plastic doors on the inside bottom edge that need to be kept clean and working. Front doors too I believe.

[decipha]

too bad the 5.4 didn't make it to production, would had been titties

I could see some modified lightning/harley blowers making their way

[tutbo2256b]

The blue car i pictured front frame passenger side wasthe first to rust. Had to replace the front torq box and later the frame rail on that side from front box to rear. main cause was the battery leaking acid over time. These days i often mix water and some baking soda remove battery and pour and or spray it around the battery location and into the frame.
Just did it to a Zephyr Z7 i am doing some restoration on. Neutralized a lot of acid.

[RubberCtyRauder]

The blue car i pictured front frame passenger side wasthe first to rust. Had to replace the front torq box and later the frame rail on that side from front box to rear. main cause was the battery leaking acid over time. These days i often mix water and some baking soda remove battery and pour and or spray it around the battery location and into the frame.
Just did it to a Zephyr Z7 i am doing some restoration on. Neutralized a lot of acid.

The box era and aero era cars ,I believe, had poor placement of the a/c drain and drained pretty into the frame rail causing that right side area to rot from inside out

[TrueBlue]

The Hot Rod article from November 1, 2001 had a lot of information for the upcoming Mercury Marauder, such as the reasons why the 5.4L engine or the Eaton-blown supercharger on the 4.6L weren't used. https://www.hotrod.com/articles/47438-2003-mercury-marauder/

Some of the more fascinating plans were the 2006 facelift and the X-100 "feature car" for later in '03 with headers, an X-pipe exhaust, Baer brakes, Edelbrock valve covers, and 19-inch wheels. All of this was based on a business case of selling 15,000 Marauders per year. We all know how that turned out. Interestingly, if the Marauder was considered rare at 15,000 units per year, it shows just how rare it really is with only 11,000 produced over its two year life span.

Also, to appreciate just how much the Marauder was valued at the time, its picture was located next to the Ford GT on the folder for the Ford 100th Anniversary Commemorative coin. I won this coin from Autoline Detroit and cherish it very much. There is one available on ebay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-100TH-ANNIVERSARY-COMMEMORATIVE-COIN-WITH-OFFICIAL-FOLDER-MINT-/392088822136

[crownvic97]

The blue car i pictured front frame passenger side wasthe first to rust. Had to replace the front torq box and later the frame rail on that side from front box to rear. main cause was the battery leaking acid over time. These days i often mix water and some baking soda remove battery and pour and or spray it around the battery location and into the frame.
Just did it to a Zephyr Z7 i am doing some restoration on. Neutralized a lot of acid.

The box era and aero era cars ,I believe, had poor placement of the a/c drain and drained pretty into the frame rail causing that right side area to rot from inside out

That’s what did in my 97’s frame sadly.

[NorthShoreChiMM]

Garage Kept + No snow + No Rain from factory and your almost guaranteed no rust for life.