Introduction And Request

[autotronic]

Hello everyone. My name is Richard Truesdell and I'm an automotive journalist based in Southern California.

Although I do not currently own a 2003 Marauder, I do feel a kinship to your group and would like to explain that, and then ask you for your help.

Back in 1997 I was the editor of the magazine Car Audio and Electronics and like most magazines, we were always trying to come up with unique ideas to present to the OEMs for project vehicles. That summer I had built up an AMT model of the 1964 Marauder just after finishing up a story on a reader's Impala SS and thought to myself just how cool it would be to do a Grand Marquis up in the same style as the recently discontinued Impala SS, and what a great idea it would be for Mercury to offer such a package.

I wrote up a very formal proposal to Ford's local PR manager, asking for a black Grand Marquis with all the Crown Victoria police package components, a set of gauges and front seats from a Mustang GT along with aftermarket 18-inch wheels, high performance tires and some additional go-fast parts and presented it to Ford's public relations representative in Southern California who promptly told me that it was a terrible idea, that it would go no where.

Fast-forward about 14 months later. I've left the magazine and have set out as an independent photojournalist (sounds so much better than freelancer, doesn't it?) and am covering the 1998 SEMA Show when my mobile phone rings. It's one of Motor Trend's editors, someone who knew of my plans from the previous year and he said something to the effect that I wouldn't want to come over to the north hall as it looked like the Mercury product team had built virtually the same car I specified.

I walked over and saw the prototype for the first time and while one side of me was quite angry, the other side of me was quite pleased and all I could do was ask how long it was going to take to get it into production? The rest, as they say, is history.

Now I do realize that many of you will say that this is just a tall tail, and in reality, it's not really important since I know it to be 100% true and there are a handful of people out there, including the unnamed Ford PR manager that knows the truth. What is much more important is what I'm about to ask the members of this forum.

Over the years the car audio magazines have featured more than a dozen high-profile mobile electronics installations in a variety of Impala SS vehicles...I feel that the time is right, if someone has installed a full bore multimedia system in a new Marauder, to do a similar feature. I already have a commitment from a magazine to do such a feature as soon as I can find a suitable vehicle and arrange for photography.

The bigger and more comprehensive the system, the easier it will be to convince the editor that your Marauder is "the one" to feature. This editor, who knows me and how hard I work to find the right vehicle to meet his requirements, will expect a car with a full multimedia system, including an in-dash monitor, multiple amplifiers, upgraded speakers, a subwoofer or subwoofers and a system that not only is professionally executed and installed but sounds top-notch as well.

If you think this sounds like you or a Marauder owner you know, I invite you to contact me ASAP at autotroniic@aol.com, as I would like to move forward on this before the holidays. If the car selected is in Southern California, I'll shoot it myself. If it is in the NY/NJ metro area, there's a good possibility that I can shoot it there when I visit my family in NJ for the holidays. Since I will be in Detroit to cover the North American International Automobile Show in January, that's another opportunity and right after that I'll be in Las Vegas to cover the Consumer Electronics show that's another possibility. If not, then I will assist in making arrangements with you to secure publication-quality images as the need arises.

If you have any questions or think you can fill my requirements, please drop me a line and I'll explain the project in deeper detail.

I hope that this better establishes my credentials within your community. And here's something that I just realized that I shot last week at this year's SEMA Show.

http://www.richtruesdell.com/SEMA_Show_2002/Mercury_Marauder_S55_front.jpg
http://www.richtruesdell.com/SEMA_Show_2002/Mercury_Marauder_S55_engine.jp g

Thanks for reading my request. I look forward to hearing back from many of you.

Sincerely,

Richard Truesdell
Yorba Linda, CA

[RCSignals]

Well, yes, not to be rude, but your story does sound pretty incredible.
If it is true, it is possible that Ford already had the project in mind, or concept. Are you familiar with the Car and Driver "Lounge Lizard" car? Ford was very receptive to that project.

I did a cursory search, and there are three Richard Truesdell returned for CA. none are in Yorba Linda. two are well over 50, and one over 70.
Which are you?
Quite frankly, I find AOL email addresses for professionals suspicious, but that's just me.

[autotronic]

Originally posted by RCSignals
Well, yes, not to be rude, but your story does sound pretty incredible.
If it is true, it is possible that Ford already had the project in mind, or concept. Are you familiar with the Car and Driver "Lounge Lizard" car? Ford was very receptive to that project.

I did a cursory search, and there are three Richard Truesdell returned for CA. none are in Yorba Linda. two are well over 50, and one over 70.
Which are you?
Quite frankly, I find AOL email addresses for professionals suspicious, but that's just me.

Try a different search engine (using Google with Richard+Truesdell+Yorba+Linda returned many valid replies) but to save you time, here's a link to my online CV:

www.richtruesdell.com/background1.html

Here's another link:

www.motortrend.com/autoshows/coverage/112_0209_paris02/

Yes I am familiar with the Lounge Lizard car as I worked with C&D's Phil Berg on three major mobile electronics special sections in 1990 and 1991 for C&D. It's no secret that he came up with essentially the same idea two months later and while I was exiting Car Audio and Electronics, he was in a position at C&D to make his idea into a reality. And I realize that this was about the same time the SVT guys got the same good idea. I'm not saying that I was the first with the concept of doing a Marauder or the only one, but I am looking at the '64 Marauder model that I built back in August of 1997...it's on a shelf with more than two dozen other 1/25th scale muscle car models.

As for the professionalism of my AOL address, I've had that address since 1992, long before most people were using E-mail as a primary means of business communications. Since several hundred industry professionals have this address in their files, it's never been practical to try to change it. Besides, unlike those of you using Yahoo or Hotmail, there's no restriction on the size of inbound messages. Since I routinely receive image files in excess of 5 MB in size, I rarely have problems with my AOL E-mail; the same can't be said of my secondary Yahoo account.

As for you believing me, I said that I figured that some here would be skeptical and it really doesn't bother me -- unfortunately when I left Car Audio and Electronics in December, 1997, the proposal was on my McMullen Argus desktop computer, not my personal laptop. Would I like to have a dated copy of my proposal to Ford PR? Sure but it is probably never going to happen and I have to be satisfied that a few close friends and the editors that worked for me at car Audio and Electronics know the truth.

The real issue is that the car finally saw the light of production but I still find it really hard to believe that it took five years to make it happen. And now I'm looking for an owner who has one that's been equipped with a suitable multimedia system for the story I'm working on.

I forgot to mention one thing in my first post. If you or anyone here has a suitable 2003 Marauder, I'd like to photograph it with a vintage Marauder, preferable a 1963 or 1964, which are my favorites so getting the two cars together may present some additional logistical obstacles.

I hope that clarifies things a bit for you, with regard to my credentials. I also went back up to my original post, and edited it by adding a few photos that I tool last week at the 2002 SEMA Show of the S55.

Have a great weekend,

Richard Truesdell
Yorba Linda, CA

[MAD-3R]

I think one of the biggest problems with what youyr looking to do, is most of the people on this form are more interested with the performance side then the mutimedia side. The sound system in the Marauder is decent, if uninsired. It has some thump, but we seem to perfer the rumble of the pipes. :)

[autotronic]

Originally posted by MAD-3R
I think one of the biggest problems with what youyr looking to do, is most of the people on this form are more interested with the performance side then the mutimedia side. The sound system in the Marauder is decent, if uninsired. It has some thump, but we seem to perfer the rumble of the pipes. :)

I went into this with my eyes open, that most owners would have no interest in this but the same was true initially with the Impala SS. Given the relatively small number of Impala SS models were built, for a long time it was a very popular platform for mobile electronics demo vehicles. The combination of stealth looks, combined with lots of space, especially in the trunk, gave installers lots of flexibility.

I just figured that here, with the concentration of Marauder owners, I was increasing my chances with coming up with a suitable vehicle for my story, plus finding a vintage Marauder to shoot with it.

Thanks for your response.

Richard Truesdell
Yorba Linda, CA

[Logan]

Hi Richard,

I'm not aware of anyone who's gone ape installing a system into their marauder yet, but if I hear of someone, I'll let you know...

It'd be a killer platform for it...

Part of the problem is the overall "newness" of the car, with it being on the street less than 6 months and all...

Will keep our eyes and ears open though...

[autotronic]

Originally posted by Logan
Hi Richard,

I'm not aware of anyone who's gone ape installing a system into their marauder yet, but if I hear of someone, I'll let you know...

It'd be a killer platform for it...

Part of the problem is the overall "newness" of the car, with it being on the street less than 6 months and all...

Will keep our eyes and ears open though...

Really appreciate it Logan. Actually if you can think of any one interested in having me help them design a system, I invite them to contact me. Between my 25 years in the industry, first as a retailer, and now as a journalist, along with my connections with most of the major manufacturers, I'm certain that I can even get the vendors to give someone a great deal on the components, typically dealer price or even less.

Thanks again for your offer of help,

Richard Truesdell
Yorba Linda, CA

[Donald]

Richard

I work in San Bernardino. My '87 T-Bird has an all Alpine electronics system. 12 CD changer in trunk, separate equalizer, 3 amps, 8 speakers including 2 14" woofers firing through the back seat.

I would entertain doing something in my '03 Marauder.

[LincMercLover]

Don't want a system... but you're more than welcom to have at mine if all the stuff's free! :D