Hello from Neptune beach, FL

[jarrod13]

Hello everyone my name is Jarrod, I am 27 and I was born and raised in Jacksonville Florida. I live in Neptune beach now, which is in the jacksonville area just out at the beach, my house is about a block away from the sand, you can even see the water from our porch upstairs. I've been working as an automotive technician since I was 18 and just recently moved up to being a service manager. I've had a passion for cars since I was young but nobody I grew up around was in the biz so I couldn't get my hands dirty until I got my own car.

Growing up in the 90's didnt leave me a wide variety of cool cars to dream about like people growing up in other decades did, but one that I fell in love with at an early age was an impala SS. So when I finally started turning wrenches and making some real money, not just minimum wage high school jobs, I decided to find and purchase my dream car, a 1996 Chevy Impala SS. She has been my baby for the last 8 years and is still to this day one of my favorite cars of all time. A short while after I got my SS a friend of mines dad bought a MM, which obviously I was basically just as intrigued in as my SS. Within a few months he already supercharged it, shift kit, put a 3500 stall in, and a few other things I can't remember off the top of my head.

Fast forward to now... Long story short the owner of the MM recently got incarcerated, and the family had to sell the MM. They offered it to me because they knew I loved it and had a passion for muscle sedans. I purchased it for $4,500. In the few years I didn't see the car (I'm still really good friends with the daughter just haven't seen the parents in a while) it accumulated some exterior damage. Nothing horrible just some scratches and busted up front bumper. She still drives great and the interior is almost mint. I'm very excited to finally own a marauder and even more stoked about owning a impala SS and a marauder. I also own an 86 ford bronco. Ok enough bs, here is my big happy family :-)

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z466/grodm13/888BAF0F-2F95-4327-94DF-B93D1995A1C7_zpsfdchvuup.jpg (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/grodm13/media/888BAF0F-2F95-4327-94DF-B93D1995A1C7_zpsfdchvuup.jpg.h tml)

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z466/grodm13/4576E458-9927-43C7-AA08-0EB46E3DC58F_zpsubdkcibb.jpg (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/grodm13/media/4576E458-9927-43C7-AA08-0EB46E3DC58F_zpsubdkcibb.jpg.h tml)

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z466/grodm13/89F7CFF0-4EF4-497E-AAE8-0DEA6E0251C2_zpssa7s2fur.jpg (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/grodm13/media/89F7CFF0-4EF4-497E-AAE8-0DEA6E0251C2_zpssa7s2fur.jpg.h tml)

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z466/grodm13/83C88428-DE14-47B3-86B5-B7BE0912F7FD_zpscke9w3nw.jpg (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/grodm13/media/83C88428-DE14-47B3-86B5-B7BE0912F7FD_zpscke9w3nw.jpg.h tml)

[Cobra25]

The Impala SS & the Marauder look cool side by side in those pictures. Welcome too the site !!!!

[WhatsUpDOHC]

Welcome!!!
Nice rides.

[MMBLUE]

Nice. Welcome.

[Merc-O-matic]

ENJOY......the best of both world's!

Gotta Love It!:beatnik:

[CWright]

Good looking rides you have there. Welcome aboard! :beer:

[Jeffonebuck]

Welcome to the Family, She will eventually be the dominatrix of your Family !

[Gryphonzus]

Welcome! Good taste in Vehicles! Hope your new ride gives you great pleasure.

[L.Mark]

She went to Jarod...:D

Sorry, couldn't resist...awesome cars...Welcome to the bar!!!

[Duvalballer]

Awesome cars. I know that spot. I surf around there. What kind of mods do you have on the MM? Welcome to the forum.

[jarrod13]

Cobra25- thanks! I can't wait to have them side by side at the turkey run!

Whatsupdohc, MMblue, merc-o-matic, cwright, L.mark, gryphonzus- thanks for the welcome!

Jeffonebuck- I'm sure she will, it's my first car with a charger and it is fun to drive! The SS is more of a low key all original beauty.

[jarrod13]

Duvalballer- if you bring your MM out here you should swing by, I'd love to see yours and get some advice. As far as upgrades I don't have too many specifics yet, I'm waiting on the wife to find all the paperwork, I know it is supercharged, has a shift kit, a 3,500 stall converter, and that's all I can tell for sure. As soon as I found out I'll let y'all know.

[jarrod13]

I realized I forgot to mention it's a 03 300A.

I have a few questions on what I think are common problems that I'd like to get some quick easy answers to.

1. What's up with replacing the headlights? I need a pass. side headlamp and driver side corner lamp, I figured I'd just replace all 4. What's the best ones to get? Sucks they are discontinued!

2. The center console shifter seems loose, you can wiggle it back and forth, is that normal and can it be tightened?

3. What's the deal with the radio losing signal? I read something about replacing it with one out of a edge, or is it better to try and fix it? If not what year edge do you get one out of?

4. The gauges in the center console for oil and volts are the same brand and model but they look completely different, are they supposed to be like that?

5. Fuel door doesn't work, is that a common problem?

6. Overhead display doesn't work either, again is there a common problem with those?

7. The armrests on the door panel are peeling up, anything can be done about that?

8. This thing sits up pretty high and I havent seen any lowered ones, do most people keep the stock air suspension?

Sorry for all the questions just figured I'd ask about them before I go chasing my ass for a common problem that somebody could just easily tell me what's the best choice.

Here's a pic of the motor, anybody got any idea what model this vortech is? Also I thought I read somewhere the 300A's came with black valve covers, this one has silver ones and I'm pretty sure it's because he had to swap the motor.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z466/grodm13/B0DABCC0-0AB8-44BA-9F08-7E475B33F2E7_zpsy5i3g5sb.jpg (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/grodm13/media/B0DABCC0-0AB8-44BA-9F08-7E475B33F2E7_zpsy5i3g5sb.jpg.h tml)

[Mr. Man]

Welcome to MM.net.

If it's an '04 they came with plain aluminum cam covers.

There is a screw on the side of the shifter that sometimes comes loose. Avoid the temptation to see what makes the shifter tick as it's a pain to put back together. Just tighten the screw and walk away.

The oil gauge is fake (more of an idiot lite) unless someone replaced it with a real working one. Volt gauge is real, but used more as guide than actual. Use a hand held meter for an accurate reading.


Side lights may still be available from Ford. As for the headlights, drivers side may still be available from Ford but the passenger side is gone. Aftermarket like E-bay sells them or try RockAuto, fit is supposed to be pretty good.

You can lower the rear with the ride height adjuster which is located on the Watt's link. I forget which way lowers. Be careful when loosening the bolts as they can break if they are rusty. Two different size wrenches too, if I recall. Might want to shoot the nuts with some rust penetrate a day or so before you try adjusting.

Display not working is not too common, but I have read on here about it. Probably a loose connection or a bad solder job. Chinese solderers are not that good. If your door LED's don't work or flash this is the reason most likely why.

Spend some time hunting around in the Shop Talk section for threads pertaining to some of the issues you are having as there might be Stickys on the fixes. The search function is pretty useless.


Don't know about question 5 or 7 but someone here does. Might want to start a thread about the issue specifically.

[jarrod13]

Oil light must have been replaced then because it's different than the volt gauge. The volt gauge has the actual numbers and hash marks illuminated and the oil just has a regular backlight and it also matches the boost and fuel pressure gauge which were added when the charger was installed so I guess it was replaced at the same time.

As far as the lights is the a aftermarket brand that is the best and most original looking?

[sflrainmaker01]

Welcome! Great buy! That is a nice set of rides you have!;)

[rayjay]

Welcome. $4500 for SC MM? I'd say ya done good even considering the minor everyday problems... Back in the day that blower and install was $4500. I've been tempted for years to SC mine, but could never justify the cost. Maybe I should just buy one that way if they are selling that cheap. :rolleyes:

[Jeffonebuck]

^^^^^^^^^Yes, what he said ^^, All the questions you have are pretty minor and annoying, but you will have have those fixed in no time

[jarrod13]

Thanks guys! Ya it was a steal deal at 4500, but if it wasn't going to me they would have asked for quite a bit more money, it's only because of the situation that I got it so cheap.

I took the compass apart and it is the common problem with the solder, so that will be fixed in no time. I was able to tighten the shifter with the screws, thanks for the tip.