For the first time, I realized that I cannot leave my car in stock form

[ADE 1000]

I have not really driven my Marauder all that hard since I bought it. There have been a few full throttle romps here and there and for the most part the car felt strong to me. That is until I gained a new point of reference today.

I was on my way home from the grocery store when I lined up at a two lane left hand turn with a bright red newer Grand Am GT. The light turns green, we both round the corner and I hit it accelerating quickly up to the speed limit. I was not really looking for a race, but it appears he was. He stayed with me and we are both cruising along at the same speed. Finally, he hits it. He gets a very slight jump and I say what the hell and drop the hammer as well. What happened next shocked me, from a roll to a fairly high rate of speed I could not pull on him. :confused: All I was seeing was that ugly spaceship spoiler staying in front of me as we approached speeds I'd rather not mention.

I am not one for street racing and I still love my car, but when I can't trounce a punk highschool kid in a FWD V-6 somethings got to give. The Marauder looks and sounds too good to be so wimpy in stock form. I am used to blowing peoples doors off in the Z06 and I have not been humbled by such a lowly vehicle since I had my '97 Taurus SHO. (Come to think of it, I got beat by a Grand Am GT in that car as well :puke: ) Let the mods begin :burnout:

I think a chip, underdrive pulley, and a 4.10 gear would be a good start. :coolman:

[FordNut]

I think a chip, underdrive pulley, and a 4.10 gear would be a good start. :coolman:

That's a great starting point, but you probably will want to consider a MMX driveshaft with the gears & chip.

Just thinking, were you running up against the speed limiter? It's about 117-120. A chip can take care of that without the gears, and the chip & pulley combo will pick up about 30 RWHP. But taking the speed limiter off will still get you in the driveshaft speed range that may require the MMX shaft.

[Zack]

Call me. Id be glad to help with advice and any installs you may need.
Ever ride in a Supercharged car?? Be sure to make it to the Chicken Shack on March 14th. 708-476-2647

[woaface]

I don't know about Marauders, but the SCT on the Marquis made it a completely different car by all means. A simple upshift and all new power is opened to the car and it just goes so much more athoritively. Pullies are a good idea too, I've seen some real good stuff around here about them.

[lgetz]

Get out the wallet because your going to need it.:)

[CRUZTAKER]

Trouble from a roll? That's programming man. I remember those days....All two weeks of them :P
Chip or reflash for sure, that will makethe biggest difference. Plus, if you do gears, it will be required.
BTW: How many miles?

[TAF]

For the first time, I realized that I cannot leave my car in stock form

Don't worry...the performance is in there...you just need a few things to "release the hounds"...

Call Zack, he can be a BIG help to you up there!:up:

[rookie1]

mine's pretty perky when keep the OD off.

[duhtroll]

[QUOTE=rookie1]mine's pretty perky when keep the O/D off


THAT says a lot right there. If your OD was on it makes a big difference in performance from a rolling start. I couldn't get mine to downshift properly w/o turning it off once either. Of course by then the race would already be over.

Just a thought.

-Van

[ADE 1000]

I've got about 3300 miles on it, so I am guessing it is not fully broken in yet.

Zack, I will be giving you a call.

[Ross]

Ade, we were wondering when you would finally come around! Do the mods, you will love them.

[Haggis]

To bad about your embarassment. You will feel better once you tweek her a little. Good Luck and keep an eye out for that Grand Am.

[merc406]

Don't forget the Marauder's 1500 or more pounds heavier then that tomato can is.

[Smokie]

It's difficult to believe that from a rolling start you could not catch, you don't say if u were even at start, and I have to assume that you reached a speed that exceeded 100 mph.

The GrandAm weights 3100 lbs and has 175 horses, 4 speed auto. The weight to Hp. ratio on the GrandAm is 17.71 pounds per horse, the mm. has a ratio of 13.9 pounds per Hp.
Physics say you should have caught him, not sure what went wrong. Mods will help and feel great, still your car stock should have caught up.:confused:

[Heavy D.]

Is it possible the Grand Am wasn't stock? I think you can get chips and stuff for them but I don't know. How many miles do you have on it? I wasn't able to pull on my friend's BMW 323ci until about 7,000 miles... Now I can take him from 0-60 by about 1/2 a car length.

[ADE 1000]

Is it possible the Grand Am wasn't stock? I think you can get chips and stuff for them but I don't know. How many miles do you have on it? I wasn't able to pull on my friend's BMW 323ci until about 7,000 miles... Now I can take him from 0-60 by about 1/2 a car length.

I guess it is possible, but nothing on the outside of the car would have given away that it was modded. I have had a Grand Am GT before as a rental and I was surprised at how peppy it felt, but it should not be able outrun a Marauder.

I have 3300 miles on it, I would expect performance to increase when I get closer to 10,000.

[LVMarauder]

Come on now. you have 3300 miles on the car, its not even close to being broken in yet. Im just at 9200 right now and the difference between 120 miles when i got it and now is night and day. Give it time, Mods will defenitly help and I highly recommend them.

[bigjon]

Are you sure it was a GT and not a GTP? They look the same from the rear. You can only tell the difference from the side... I think.

[merc406]

Are you sure it was a GT and not a GTP? They look the same from the rear. You can only tell the difference from the side... I think.


GTP is the Grand Prix.

[ADE 1000]

GTP is the Grand Prix.

Yup, it was defiently a Grand Am GT two door.

[John F. Russo]

ADE
"...as we approached speeds I'd rather not mention."

Comment
Yes, I can relate to your statement. I have not had a speeding ticket in 16,000 miles. But it has been too close. It is especially bad news if you're going over 100 mph here in Massachusetts (I begininning to dislike that name more and more. I'm 3 miles from New Hampshire--the land of reason.)

My wife has warned me that she won't drive me to work. That alone is an incetive to not do it. But it is the heat of the moment as we all can relate in more ways than one. No one wants to lose, but there can be serious consequences. :shake:


______________________________ ___________________
2003 Dark Blue Pearl 300B (Canadian) w/Light Flint (reversed
traction control, mini spare, trunked 6 disc CD changer,
clock-in-the-radio, heated front seats, hood light)
-Born 12/10/02; converted new then used 2/28/03
-16,000 miles
-18.5 mpg at a steady speed of 80 mph
-Stock transmission (upgraded with Performance Automatic
clutches and band after stock tranny failed in 8,800 miles)
-Wheel locks (Ford)
-Badgeless front grille by “Zack”
-Zaino waxing; RainX
Kenny Brown: 6th “Signature Series” conversion (450 hp) Born
3/28/03 (first drove it)
-Vortech supercharger (5 to 9 psig boost)
-377 RWTQ
-4.10 gears
-Baer front brakes 14 in. two piston, vented rotors
-MMX Driveshaft
-Precision, triple disc, P/N469018-3 Precision, triple disc, P/N469018-3
-Ford Racing Stud and Girdle
-Pirelli P-Zero Asimmetrico (front 255/45ZR18 99Y; rear
255/50ZR18 102Y)
-Dead pedal
-FordChip
-3/4 of a coil from each front stock spring removed to produce
the “same” effect as an Eibach spring
-Ground clearance: 5 in.
______________________________ ___________________________
1961 Ford Galaxie, 2 dr. Club Victoria, 390CID, 375hp, 4 barrel (gone)

[jgc61sr2002]

There is a good possibility the Grand Am was modified. A friend of mine added nitros oxide to a chev. Monte Carlo (2002) for abour $900. Although I have never raced him it seems to pull fairly well within that range.

[chapel1]

ADE1900
March 14 as Zack said will show you several variations of Mods done to Marauders.You'll be able to drive and feel the differances before you make your changes.And you'll get alot more imput from the members there.