I Just Saw A 2001 Marauder !!!!

[revereamg]

Im a cop and last night i was doing a road detail in my 2003 mercury marauder.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/nothingsafe/DSC00425.jpg

Then this older guy (about 70) in a MM drivng by stopped, and came over and started talking to me. He told me he had one of the six prototype marauders that they were showing in the 2001 car shows. he showed me the registration and sure enough it said 2001. He said he got it because he was friends with jack rousch, and jack sold it to him after it was done in the car shows. He said it the motor has 500 hp STOCK because of a big throttle body, injecters, etc. he said it had a 5 speed double overdrive transmission, 2.60 rear end gears. he said said it does the quarter mile in low 12's - high 11's at 137 miles per hour and he showed me the timeslips. he said he beats vipers and c6's all the time. I guess rousch went way overboard with the prototypes and that may be why MM's have such a bad-ass reputation. He is a retired mass state trooper so i believe what he says.

[KillJoy]

Humph. I guess I didn't know the Prototypes were ever registered a cars, and were street legal.

If so...pics???

KillJoy

[Hack Goby]

Your buddy is so wrong.Roush had nothing to do with the Marauder.I have a pic of a proto type and it`s all Ford with a MFG. plate.

[Hack Goby]

Thet did make the Bounderant "Cobra Vic`s" but they wern`t no 500h.p.

[Hack Goby]

Your post is so wrong in so many ways.Hmmmm......:shake:

[revereamg]

I didnt take pics cause it pretty much looked identical to mine except for pockets on the front of the front seats, different front seats, a clock in the aluminum trim under the radio, and a different radio, and maybe some other small things i did't notice. the motor looked identical. he said he had a ***** of a time registering it because ford actually denied making them in 2001. he never said how he got it registered, buy apparently he did.

[revereamg]

Im just telling you what i saw

[Hack Goby]

I don`t think Ford had a 5spd. tranny in `01.Im not calling you a liar but things are not adding up.

[Zack]

137mph=9 Sec Quarter Mile!

[Hack Goby]

OK,I think Roush was a part of the early devlopment but what your buddy says don`t add up.:beer:

[MM03MOK]

Did you tell him about this website? Did he leave you his name and number? Maybe it's time to plan another Massachusetts meet and invite him along! How about Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline - http://www.mot.org/index_flash.html

[chader]

Pictures....i Believe It........and I Know Santa Is Bring Me A Trilogy This Christmas.

[wchain]

Hmmm...in late 2000, Ford had a "Blackhawk Concept" that led the way for project 5Pass, which was the LX sport, IIRC that paved the way for the MM Project....


Usually Ford is very secretive about project/prototype cars and after they are done with them, they go back and get destroyed. DId it have the 03+ Frame? What about the front and rear fascias? Some early concept MMs I saw had CV noses, weird wheels, and tiny exhaust pipes.

[DeadVic]

Did this guy have really big feet, was hairy, and smelled kinda musty?

[Drock96Marquis]

Was probably one of the Bondurant "Cobra Vics"
They had a Cobra power plant, and a 5-speed in a 98-02 car
The Marauder concepts still had an auto (at least most/all the ones
I saw)

[Marauder_Santa]

Pictures....i Believe It........and I Know Santa Is Bring Me A Trilogy This Christmas.

Only if you ask nice and stay on the good boy list.

[MarauderMarc]

...................

[2003 MIB]

Did this guy have really big feet, was hairy, and smelled kinda musty?

-OR-

Did this guy have really big sideburns, wearing a white jumpsuit, and smelled kinda musty?

[RF Overlord]

He said it the motor has 500 hp STOCK because of a big throttle body, injecters, etc. he said it had a 5 speed double overdrive transmission, 2.60 rear end gears. he said said it does the quarter mile in low 12's - high 11's at 137 miles per hour and he showed me the timeslips.I'm not disputing you, because, after all, you're only reporting what the guy claimed, but 500 HP from just a bigger TB and injectors sounds a wee bit high. Also, high 11's with 2.60 gears? Um...

[Mike Poore]

Only a few folks know what was going on at the "skunk-works". I hold up the stories by Lee Laura concerning the Feature Car project, as examples. I'll see Jack Roush this summer, and broach the question, meanwhile, someone may want to ask Steve Babcock, who by now wouldn't have anything to lose if he spilled the beans. The interior you describe seems consistent with the '03A, and it's my guess is the transmission he's talking about was the one they used in the Aviator. It was/is a silky smooth 5sp that works very nicely with the quad motor. Remember the convertible test mule? That one went on the block and was so poorly constructed it's never been titled for the road. It isn't improbable, to my way of thinking, there were others that got sold, to high rollers like Jack.
As far as stories about ridiculous ET's and top speeds, this ain't philosophy 101 and a single false premise doesn't make the whole story a lie. It's an interesting tale, let's check it out.:twocents:

Meanwhile, :welcome1: welcome to MM.net.sorry your story was met with so much skepticism; it's funny how we tend to think we know everything.;)

[2003 MIB]

I googled "quarter mile calculator" and it says a 3800lbs vehicle needs 905hp at the wheels to net a 137 mph trap speed. There wasn't a spot to enter the 2.60 gears.

[Mike Poore]

I googled "quarter mile calculator" and it says a 3800lbs vehicle needs 905hp at the wheels to net a 137 mph trap speed. There wasn't a spot to enter the 2.60 gears.

Yeah, that was my point Dan. What if he said it turned 12 sec trap speeds, and would go 137MPH? The rear gears seem very tall to me, but the old guy could have gotten his figures a little confused. You know how we get. :geezer:

Anyway, so the story goes, unlike the cobbled together convertible, there were a few test mules that were road worthy, and Jack Roush got one of 'em. It shouldn't be all that hard to check out.

Who's in a position to ask Steve Babcock?

So...how's Coli & the kids? :)

[2003 MIB]

So...how's Coli & the kids? :)

Awesome Mike- Thanks for asking!!
I hope you can say the same about your brood.

[Vortech347]

Did you look in the car to see if it was a stick? I think the guy is full of crap and its a typo. I've talked to plently of officers that think their vic's are 300hp.

[94_302]

I didnt take pics cause it pretty much looked identical to mine except for pockets on the front of the front seats, different front seats, a clock in the aluminum trim under the radio, and a different radio, and maybe some other small things i did't notice. the motor looked identical. he said he had a ***** of a time registering it because ford actually denied making them in 2001. he never said how he got it registered, buy apparently he did.

Thats when you should have noticed he was pulling your chain a bit. If it did look just like your motor, so no blower or turbo or spray. There is no way he is hitting 11's let alone trapping 137. Also I'm pretty sure Manufacturers have to destory their prototypes but if they actually do sell them they can not be driven on the street or titled no matter who he knows.

Sorry but I'm going to need to see some pics before I can believe that.

[Motorhead350]

137mph=9 Sec Quarter Mile!

Ya I was about to say....

[Blackened300a]

Then this older guy (about 70) in a MM drivng by stopped, and came over and started talking to me. He told me he had one of the six prototype marauders that they were showing in the 2001 car shows. he showed me the registration and sure enough it said 2001. He said he got it because he was friends with jack rousch, and jack sold it to him after it was done in the car shows. He said it the motor has 500 hp STOCK because of a big throttle body, injecters, etc. he said it had a 5 speed double overdrive transmission, 2.60 rear end gears. he said said it does the quarter mile in low 12's - high 11's at 137 miles per hour and he showed me the timeslips. he said he beats vipers and c6's all the time. I guess rousch went way overboard with the prototypes and that may be why MM's have such a bad-ass reputation. He is a retired mass state trooper so i believe what he says.

As far as I know, Roush designed the intake. 500HP Stock seems rather impossible out of a 4.6 N/A. and what is a 5spd double overdrive transmission?? He must mistaking T/C lockup for another gear and thats where hes getting its a 5spd. If you saw the timeslips, What kind of 60ft times is this beast pulling?

[ezratty]

manufacturers destroy their prototypes or make them unregisterable - the legal BS they would enocounter from 1 idiot in a prototype will cost a fortune

several General Motors cars were sold at Barrett Jackson a coupple of years ago and they cam with titiles that could not be registered

[RCSignals]

Pictures....i Believe It........and I Know Santa Is Bring Me A Trilogy This Christmas.

Why not he brought me one

[DEFYANT]

Big deal, my Marauder has a Quantum Warp Drive. With a well placed sling shot around the sun, I can travel back in time!

[hwy73]

To bad you didn't grab the VIN, if it had one. Bet that would've lit up the old OASIS computer, eh Brian ?

:revenge:

[X369]

hot rod lincoln - Mercurymarauder.net Gallery - MercuryMarauder.net hot rod lincoln motor - Mercurymarauder.net Gallery - MercuryMarauder.net
I was told that this Lincoln was rescued from the crusher by Tasca Ford in Rhode Island - who knows???

Ron

[jgc61sr2002]

Big deal, my Marauder has a Quantum Warp Drive. With a well placed sling shot around the sun, I can travel back in time!

Charlie - Can you get back to 1961.:D :rofl: :lol:

[X369]

hot rod lincoln motor - Mercurymarauder.net Gallery - MercuryMarauder.net
hot rod lincoln - Mercurymarauder.net Gallery - MercuryMarauder.net

[whd507]

every now and then a prototype slips through. I had two 1951 Fraziers that were prototypes, and they were legal, and a little more recent there is a 1970 mercury cyclone II super bird-style nascar prototype found in a barn that is legal now (even with no VIN)

often VINless cars get donated to schools and such, and "become" street legal and disappear into the woodwork as well.

[paul hersom]

Hey guys - I met the Same guy!!! I met him last fall at a Cruise in Framingham , MA. I had already sold my MM and what really caught my eye was as I walked by the open hood I said Hey!! why do the heads on this look bigger than mine were.? He explained that engine was specially balanced, special ported heads, upgraded trans etc. And it certaily had all the MM trim , wheels, rear air susp etc. and he told the same Roush story and power story. Roush - Bonderant - MM were progressive links.

[94_302]

Hey guys - I met the Same guy!!! I met him last fall at a Cruise in Framingham , MA. I had already sold my MM and what really caught my eye was as I walked by the open hood I said Hey!! why do the heads on this look bigger than mine were.? He explained that engine was specially balanced, special ported heads, upgraded trans etc. And it certaily had all the MM trim , wheels, rear air susp etc. and he told the same Roush story and power story. Roush - Bonderant - MM were progressive links.

Porting the heads will not make them look any bigger. I'm sorry but this whole car sounds like :bs:

I give props to this guy for feeding a story like this in what must be a very believable fashion.

[MENINBLK]

Hmmm...in late 2000, Ford had a "Blackhawk Concept" that led the way for project 5Pass, which was the LX sport, IIRC that paved the way for the MM Project.....

Wes,

The Blackhawk project started in 1998.
The cars were on the AutoShow circuit.
I wish I had kept all of the newspaper clippings I had.
I had so much information on this car, and I threw it all away
once the Blackhawk became a Mercury.

The Cars that traveled the circuit were put together with parts that were modified over time.
When you looked up close at the cars, you could see the differences in the paint color from panel to panel.
No one at the New York Auto shows knew as much about the car as I did,
and I felt really bad that these people did not know what they were displaying.


At least it solidified that JOB #1 is not vehicles for Ford !!!

[BigMerc]

Some of you guys are being had

[SID210SA]

Big deal, my Marauder has a Quantum Warp Drive. With a well placed sling shot around the sun, I can travel back in time!

Charlie....I suggest you get the Flux-capasitor instead...that way you dont have to use so many miles getting around the sun.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=c8Rngy90Q14&mode=related&search=
:D

[wchain]

Wes,

The Blackhawk project started in 1998.
The cars were on the AutoShow circuit.
I wish I had kept all of the newspaper clippings I had.
I had so much information on this car, and I threw it all away
once the Blackhawk became a Mercury.

The Cars that traveled the circuit were put together with parts that were modified over time.
When you looked up close at the cars, you could see the differences in the paint color from panel to panel.
No one at the New York Auto shows knew as much about the car as I did,
and I felt really bad that these people did not know what they were displaying.


At least it solidified that JOB #1 is not vehicles for Ford !!!
Funny, I guess nobody really did any news stories on it until 2000/2001, which was about the time that Motor Trend did a news story on it. I was looking at them at the time, as I was getting close to graduate school, and I ended up with a F250 instead.

On Edit: http://www.cars.com/carsapp/boston/?srv=parser&act=display&mknm=Mercury&mdnm=Marauder&tf=/features/2002overview/mercury/marauder.tmpl

Ford didnt put a press release out about it until 2000.....
http://media.ford.com/products/press_article_display.cfm?arti cle_id=6456&vehicle_id=1443&make_id=92&CFID=15138232&CFTOKEN=7a576c649d419071-5BB2AA7E-1185-6933-5D8F1695B3FBEB4D&jsessionid=583024ab414c$17$5Eb $

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 30, 2000 - If you crave the taut handling and performance of a sports sedan, but you're not quite ready to give up the rush of a hot V-8 under the hood, the car folks at Ford have built the car for you - the Crown Victoria "Blackhawk." The core of the Blackhawk's personality lies in its monochromatic exterior treatment, with a black-out, color keyed grille, window opening trim, front and rear bumpers, deck lid trim and ornamentation, tail lamp trim and door handles. A tinted rear window and backlight complete the sleek, yet sinister look.
Inside, the Crown Victoria show car features front bucket seats trimmed in supple black leather, split by a center console with a floor shifter in a bright chromed baseplate. The instrument panel trim continues the blackout theme. The console incorporates a large storage bin with a padded armrest, concealed power point, dual cup holders and a center stack mini-storage bin with cigar lighter. The rear leather seats also include a center armrest with dual cupholders.
The suspension system on the Blackhawk is a lowered version of the Crown Victoria handling package and features monotube shock absorbers for lateral stability and precise handling. The tires are 255/45R18 mounted on 18 x 8-inch spoke alloy wheels for a very aggressive stance.
The basic Ford full-size platform used for the Blackhawk concept is a 2000 Crown Victoria, with V-8 power and rear-wheel-drive - a combination sure to stir the souls of the traditional American hot-rod enthusiasts. Under the hood lies the spirited 4.6-liter SOHC sequential electronic fuel injected V-8 engine. A big performance boost comes from the addition of a tuned 2.25-inch dual exhaust system, exiting through a pair of straight, exposed and polished 3-inch MEGS exhaust tips. The Blackhawk's exhaust note speaks performance, yet keeps the throaty V-8 rumble for everyday driving.
Ford's concept Crown Victoria Blackhawk represents a taste of the hot-rod past, but proves that, with a little creative ingenuity, big luxury cars can be a kick to drive.
I guess the NY auto show had the blackhawk and we didnt. *shrug*

[BigMerc]

I'll bet if the admins check the IP's of the two "NEW" posters you'll find out it's one of our resident members who is either having fun or seeing how many of you they could hook.

[SMOKE]

Seems to be just now coming together for me...

I always thought that Ford got a "Blackhawk" or "Firehawk" or something, could've sworn I saw one on a dealer lot back in the day. Probably was only seeing a CV sport.

Always new there was the Marauder. I remember in my minds eye what the page in Motor Trend looked like.

Now I got one...happy ending;)

JWM

[KillJoy]

I'll bet if the admins check the IP's of the two "NEW" posters you'll find out it's one of our resident members who is either having fun or seeing how many of you they could hook.

DUH! Big Red Truck!

:D

KillJoy

[RCSignals]

Wes,

The Blackhawk project started in 1998.
The cars were on the AutoShow circuit.
I wish I had kept all of the newspaper clippings I had.
I had so much information on this car, and I threw it all away
once the Blackhawk became a Mercury.

The Cars that traveled the circuit were put together with parts that were modified over time.
When you looked up close at the cars, you could see the differences in the paint color from panel to panel.
No one at the New York Auto shows knew as much about the car as I did,
and I felt really bad that these people did not know what they were displaying.


At least it solidified that JOB #1 is not vehicles for Ford !!!

didn't it start with the car Kenny Brown supercharged?

[RCSignals]

I'll bet if the admins check the IP's of the two "NEW" posters you'll find out it's one of our resident members who is either having fun or seeing how many of you they could hook.

did you see that?

Black Helicopter, it was there...it was...

[BigMerc]

Yes I not only saw it, I got a picture of it.

http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/RANCHO/POLITICS/black.jpg

[Ryans PI]

Crown Victoria Blackhawk concept

http://www.iceposter.com/posters/cars/Ford/Ford_Crown_Victoria_LX_Blackha wk_Concept_2001/

http://www.motortrend.com/future/concept_cars/112_0101_ford_crown_victoria_b lackhawk/