Proper Mod Order

[Agent M79]

If you were to pre-plan your entire mods history for your MM, what order would you do things in to complement the entire build?

If I have my way, most everything will be tweaked up to provide a little more of everything. Here is the order I imagine:

Wheels (especially if you are going different sizes)
Brakes
Suspension
Rear Gears
Drive Shaft
Transmission
Engine

Any cosmetic/sound/video non-drivetrain mods can happen at any time in the process.

I am guessing the approach should be to prep the car to handle the power I expect to be producing from the engine.

Is this sound logic? Am I missing something?

[Ross]

Agent, I think a lot depends on how MUCH you plan to mod your car. For those who plan to stay NA, some of the brake, suspension, drive train upgrades might be good, but not necessary, and we could go straight to some engine mods. If you are talking about SC, especially some of the recent talk of really hot SC, then IMHO building up everything to be ready for that kind of power/speed is a good idea.

[TheDealer]

The first thing I would do would be gears!!!

[TripleG]

I did the Stage I Mod from Dennis, then next week I'm installing
Dennis's MMC Driveshaft, Sway Bar, Cobra Manifold, X pipe and high flow cats. If I the money comes in I'll be doing the Trilogy kit in the spring.

[Dr Caleb]

Proper order:

1) Buy Marauder
2) Modify it.
3) ???
4) Profit!

At least, according to the underwear gnomes.

[Agent M79]

I've also done the DR Stage I stuff which has highlighted a greater need for BRAKES. In fact, I'd venture to say I should have done brakes before the 1st oil change let alone the Stage I.

This is the first car that I've "modded" like this and I plan to do it right and make it last so I want to do it right and well.

P.S.: Dr Caleb, I think the underwear gnomes would steal the Marauder!

[Dr Caleb]

Originally posted by Agent M79

P.S.: Dr Caleb, I think the underwear gnomes would steal the Marauder!

No, I think they'd only steal the floormats :)

[Murader03]

If you feel you need brakes before Stage 1, then by all means do them. However, As I've had the stage 1 installed since Dec '02, I haven't felt the need for more brake although I do feel they are a weak link. The car is an open road runner, not a stop light to stop light. In town at a pace with the local traffic, they do fine by me. On the open road where the stage 1 does it's work, there is ample room to slow down. That being said, if money wasn't tight, I'd do it this way...

1. Stage 1 w/gears
2. Brakes
3. Drive shaft/sway bar
4. Transmission
5. Engine

[Haggis]

Originally posted by TripleG
I did the Stage I Mod from Dennis, then next week I'm installing
Dennis's MMC Driveshaft, Sway Bar, Cobra Manifold, X pipe and high flow cats. If I the money comes in I'll be doing the Trilogy kit in the spring.

Hey what did you do with George?? Give a man a ride in your car and he turns into Mr. Hyde. Ok, George you can slow down now, well maybe not just yet you should upgrade your braking power also. Go George go! :up:

[sailsmen]

The biggest bang for the buck is the REinhart CHip or a Jerry Dyno tune.

IMHO the next biggest bangs for the buck in order are;
gears
high stall convertor
Headers
UD Pulley
Denso.

[TripleG]

Haggis

Dreams can come true if you have the cash! On the right is the Trilogy and on the left is KB car #8. Tough chose!

[gonzo50]

The Stage I from Dennis is the platform to begin with, and with the go you need whoa, so the brakes would be the next for me.

Then you start to tweak the suspension to handle the go and the whoa, now you want to squeeze all the horse power from the naturally aspirated engine with an exhaust package from header to tail pipe first before doing the upper and lower intake.

That should bring you to atleast 300 + RWHP, "hopefully". :D
Thats my sequence of events, (MOD's). IMHO

[jgc61sr2002]

Originally posted by Haggis
Hey what did you do with George?? Give a man a ride in your car and he turns into Mr. Hyde. Ok, George you can slow down now, well maybe not just yet you should upgrade your braking power also. Go George go! :up: For a mild mannered guy he surely broke lose. Way to go George.:D :up:

[jgc61sr2002]

Originally posted by TheDealer
The first thing I would do would be gears!!! I agree other than a SC the gears will give you the most increase in performance. IMO.

[bob35222]

Well my MM is still brand new, less than a 1K miles and I think the first mod I need is laser jammers and a really good radar detector. I'm not trying to go fast all the time; it just happens and a few LEOs have looked me over pretty good even in the neighborhood. But maybe these would not be mods but add ons?? For the rest I'm still surveying all options so appreciate the thread. I think last modding took place in about 1970 rightg after I got out of the service so it has been a while! Bob

[bob35222]

While mod order is being discussed I would like to ask an ignorant question. The Lincoln Avaitor has virtually the same engine as the MM but has a five speed transmission. At this LINK (http://www.vibratesoftware.com/html_help/html/Ford/Ford_Transmissions_Main.htm#5% 20Auto) The gear ratios of most Ford transmissions are displayed. Given the much lower first gear, closer ratios throughout, and similar top end wouldn't the five speed be the perfect transmission for the Marauder? Seems it would offer the best of both worlds, low end grunt, comfortable cand economical cruising and great top end. Is this a feasible modification? Thanks to anyone who knows. Bob