What started out as a "barn find" of sorts regarding performance parts on a 2005 Ford Crown Victoria led me unknowingly down a path of automotive obsession. This is the story of my 2003 Mercury Marauder, and how it became known as one of the baddest Marauders around.
The Beginning
The madness began in the spring of 2015. I heard about some performance parts on a Marauder clone at the junkyard my stepfather owns. I found a totaled 2005 Crown Vic with some surprising upgrades:
- Addco sway bars
- Accufab plenum (Panther modded)
- BBK 75mm throttle body
- Heinous rear control arms
- Aftermarket Marauder-style rear spoiler
- StainlessWorks headers
- StainlessWorks cat-back dual exhaust
- BorlaPro XS mufflers
- 31-spline locking differential (3.73 geared)
I salvaged what I could, installed them, and learned the car needed a tune. Enter the MPT tune and SCT X4 tuner. That’s when I met Thomas Smith — the car’s original owner — who shared that it had been in a brutal crash and drove through a house.
Getting Serious
I later picked up the untouched exhaust and rear differential. The car sounded great and handled like it was on rails after installing Shelby GT500 SVT wheels. But visually, it still looked like something your grandfather drove.
I removed the landau top and chrome trim, discovering heavy rust underneath. After some DIY patching and a terrible home paint job, I learned some lessons the hard way. Still, the transformation had begun.
The 4V Build
Hungry for more, I started planning a 4V swap. I sourced a Teksid block — known for its strength — from my stepdad’s junkyard. It needed a full rebuild. I chased down DC heads from Utah, and gathered parts over months, including:
- ARP bolts (head studs, cam, crank, flywheel, etc.)
- Roller rockers & lash adjusters
- Marauder intake & gaskets
- 1998 Cobra cams
- Forged Eagle rods, Probe pistons, and crankshaft
- StainlessWorks 4V headers
With help from forum member “massacre” (Rob), the motor was timed and prepped. I started assembling the engine — valve covers, intake, headers, everything.
The Real Marauder
While browsing Facebook, I found a clean 2003 Marauder with a blown motor. I made the trip to Massachusetts, inspected the car under a foot of snow, and bought it. It came with:
- JLT CAI
- PHP spacers
- Kooks headers + cat-back
- Metco DSS
I hauled it back to Maine and started the next chapter.
The Swap
With help from friends, we pulled the old motor, stripped it, and diagnosed a failed oil pump. The Marauder-specific parts were salvaged or sold. Rob came up again to bolt the heads and degree the cams — an art in itself.
Eventually, the new motor was dropped in. I initially installed the torque converter incorrectly, destroying the trans pump. A rebuilt transmission solved the problem. The car was alive!
Dyno & Tuning
At Performance Dyno, Pete discovered the car had a 4R75W trans — not the stock 4R70W. After tuning, it made 344wtq on 87 octane, naturally aspirated. Not bad!
Eventually, I reverted to a previous tune from Injection Engineering, which worked best with my setup.
Car Shows & Coolant Gremlins
The car entered a few shows — Oxford Plains and OOB — with good feedback but no trophies. I continued driving into the fall until a check engine light revealed I’d skipped a thermostat.
Booooost & The Casey Legacy
In winter, I bought a full Eaton swap kit. While hunting parts, I reconnected with the Casey family — the car's former owners. Georgeann, Paul Casey’s widow, had lost track of the car and was thrilled to know it was loved. We planned to meet.
Supercharged Life
Local enthusiast James Nightingale helped me install the blower, fuel pump, and methanol kit — even taking gasoline to the face without flinching. The car ran strong with a Mo’s Speed Shop tune, despite a nagging electrical issue I traced to a bad battery cable.
We took the car to Provincetown, RI, and even reunited it with Georgeann for her birthday — leaving 50 feet of black rubber as a tribute to Paul.
Final Chapter
I showed the car at Oxford’s Wicked Pissah 2 and won first place in my class.
As of November 2017, I sold the Marauder to pursue a Lotus — closing the book on a dream build, but carrying its legacy with me.