I'll fit in someday

[Midnight Cruise]

I'll be honest with you. A Marauder is not in my near or intermediate future. I can't afford one right now and it's kind of far down on my wishlist even if I had the money.

My main reason for joining this forum is that I've set my sights on getting a 2004-07 Crown Victoria LX. My only requirements for the purchase are the color (silver or red), interior (floor shift), and mileage (less than 100,00). The reason I joined up here is that some of the modifications I'd like to do share parts with the Marauder (i.e. the front bumper and the shifter). Some modifications are more general (exhaust, suspension, brakes, and gearing). Some are more semi-specific (engine/trans modification or replacement). In any of these cases, I figure the community here can probably help. Most of these changes are in the future anyway.

My intent with this car, at least at first, is to replace my crumbling-to-dust 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass. Not particularly fast but at least I don't have to floor it to get moving from a stand still. It's also not much fun with the column shift. With this in mind, and depending on how a Crown Victoria performs, I might have almost no modifications to make immediately.

A word on my username. I work second shift and get off after midnight. One thing I really like about my job is getting the road mostly to myself on the ride home. I love just cruising down the highway and listening to the radio with no one around. I don't speed or anything. I just like being able to drive freely without having to adjust my driving to traffic.

I suppose I should mention that I have yet to drive a Panther Platform vehicle. The only thing I can really find near me to test drive are Mercury Grand Marquis. I don't know how different that would be than a Crown Victoria. Once I get caught up on my homework (college), I might go do that.

[camelgrundle]

Welcome and hope you find something you are happy with!

[Ambitious1]

Welcome! If you're looking for a 2004-07 Crown Victoria with a floor shifter, you're looking for a Crown Victoria LX Sport. They are the only CV with a center console and a floor shifter. By the way, a good condition CV Sport are actually in the same price range as a higher-mileage Marauder. So, if you're looking for better performance and better looks, a MM is the way to go. A Mercury Grand Marquis will not have as much performance, but will have some of the most luxury features of the panther platform, except for the Lincoln Town Car. Since you're new, here's some information that may help:

a) Crown Victoria Base: Column shifter, usually 2.37 gears, not a lot of performance or luxury, SOHC 4.6L engine; single exhaust;

b) Crown Victoria Interceptor: Column shifter, usually 3.27 gears, some do have the 3.55 gears (I believe the 1999 and 2000 models), little more aggressive tuning, little to no luxury, SOHC 4.6L; dual exhaust;

c) Crown Victoria LX; Column shifter; usually 2.37 gears, not a lot performance, some luxury, SOHC 4.6L engine; single exhaust;

d) Crown Victoria LX HPP (also called "Handling and Performance Package"); Column shifter, 3.27 gears, little more aggressive tuning; luxury features and some performance, SOHC 4.6L, dual exhaust;

e) Crown Victoria Sport: Floor shifter, 3.27 gears, little more aggressive tuning, luxury features and more performance, SOHC 4.6L, dual exhaust;

e) Mercury Grand Marquis (LS or GS): Column shifter, 2.73 gears, more luxury features, less performance; single exhaust; SOHC 4.6L

f) Mercury Grand Marquis LSE; Floor shifter, 3.27 gears, luxury and performance features, slightly more aggressive tuning, dual exhaust, 4.6L engine;


and of course:

Mercury Marauder: Floor shifter, 3.55 gears, luxury and performance features, more aggressive tuning (by far), dual exhaust and the 32V DOHC 4.6L Mach 1 engine (by far the best engine of the whole panther line).

I'm sure other members will fill in other differences I may have missed.

Here are some links to get you started:

http://gdmjoe.com/marauder/documents/documents.html

http://mercurygrandmarquislse.com/

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forum...ad.php?t=72177

http://www.gdmjoe.com/gothvic/docume...t/lxsport.html

[FordNut]

This would be a good one

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forum...d.php?t=102753

[Bigslim1]

Wow, a "1944" Cutlass? You really do need a newer car seeing yours is over 70 years old. Anyway, good luck on finding a nice CV.

[Midnight Cruise]

Wow, a "1944" Cutlass? You really do need a newer car seeing yours is over 70 years old. Anyway, good luck on finding a nice CV.

Yeah, not great at proofreading, am I?

[Mr. Man]

Your going to get push back if you want to make a MM clone. Marauder specific parts are difficult to come by, can be pricey and are often horded by Marauder members.

Based on your description of what you are looking for I agree the Crown Vic Sport is very close to what you want. Getting gears and a tune for the Sport will give you the upgraded performance you are looking for.

If you have not already done so you might want to check out www.CrownVic.net as they are more geared towards what you might be looking for.

Good luck

[1Marauder]

Another welcome. You will love the panther platform, and the "apex prediter" Marauder, CvSport, And grandma keys LSE

[Ambitious1]

Your going to get push back if you want to make a MM clone. Marauder specific parts are difficult to come by, can be pricey and are often horded by Marauder members.

Based on your description of what you are looking for I agree the Crown Vic Sport is very close to what you want. Getting gears and a tune for the Sport will give you the upgraded performance you are looking for.

If you have not already done so you might want to check out www.CrownVic.net as they are more geared towards what you might be looking for.

Good luck

Yes, exactly. Do yourself a favor. Buy yourself a Crown Vic Sport and don't do a MM clone. What you will understand later is that the MM is more than just special wheels, exhaust tips and bumpers, it is the 32V DOHC Mach 1 engine that is the heart of the MM and what really separates the MM from the rest of the panther line. After spending too much time and money cloning a MM from a CV, you will figure out the hard way that the money spent on making a clone could have gone to buying the real MM. Your future self driving a MM in a few years will thank you.

[Midnight Cruise]

Just to be clear, I don't plan to clone a Marauder. Don't care about the wheels (like the Crown Victoria's better). Not interested in the engine (for the most part). Suspension and brakes can be modified as needed (probably don't since I'm not building a track car here) The only reason I mentioned the bumper is that I like the way the fog lights are integrated into it. And the part about the shifter is that I hope/guess that the dimensions, locations, and geometries are close enough between the two that ideas for one could be translated to the other. I do daydream about more extreme modifications but none of them are attempts to clone a Marauder.

On another note, I did consider crownvic.net but others threads on here led me to believe that just joining here is probably better and more helpful.

And yes, I do realize that a Crown Victoria LX Sport is what I'm looking for. I've seen some listed on Autotrader and ebay. I don't know if either is a good resource but it seems that I can get what I'm looking for in Crown Victoria cheaper and easier than I can in a Marauder, meaning mileage and color.

[RubberCtyRauder]

bumpers are obsolete from Ford, used ones if you find one willing to sell are $400 - 600 and generally need paint, so add $400 +. floor shifter with console $350 or so. crownvic.net will have a boatload of performance mods, we tend to use crown vic as beaters and not really mod them. there are exceptions as some have nice vics or marquis as daily drivers. good luck in whatever you choose

[FordNut]

An aftermarket MM rear bumper and exhaust tips on a CV sport or LSE would look ok. The aftermarket bumpers have the MM shape but not the letters.

[Mr. Man]

Not sure if the Sport has fog lights but I have seen Marquis' with integrated fog lights. Not sure of the model, might be the LSE version. Maybe the Marquis bumper could be used on a Sport. Probably lots of wreaked Marquis in the junkyards. Be cheaper too.

[DHS1776]

My brother is selling a pristine Silver Crown Victoria like you want. Isn't an LX but this one is primo. I personally borrowed it and drove it 1800 miles in a four day period. He could probably deliver or meet you, as he is in NC.

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/5843134612.html

[Joebug]

You should just buy my MGM LSE before I put anymore money into it. Its a great Rust free California then Florida car... the undercarriage is very very clean rust free. Never driven in the winter salt conditions...
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forum...d.php?t=102753