S55 Exterior

[Bad_S55]

These past 10 months I've been working & trying to find a way to make my '05 Grand Marquis GS into a modern day S55. Aside from removing every "Grand Marquis" badge & replacing it with three S55 emblems on the fenders & decklid, I don't really know what else to do. What I've been thinking lately is putting the Marauder front bumper & fog lights, fender & door trim, and rear bumper on. I'd fill in where it says "Marauder" with body filler, which I know is completely criminal but it's not a Marauder & I don't want to say that it is.

On to the rest, a black grill is a must with the CAR motorsport emblems. Maybe the darker headlights too. I'll keep the stock taillights & rear panel. The only thing I don't plan on changing is the full top hat, I can't really ditch that anyway.

If this sounds too much like a Marauder clone somebody tell me & I'll think up something else! But I'd like to hear some thoughts & opinions, maybe get even more ideas.

[RubberCtyRauder]

Why put a rare and impossible to find rear marauder bumper cover on if you are going to fill in the Marauder? Put a CV bumper cover on it if you want to ditch the chrome trim. Front covers can be bought aftermarket so not a big deal. But I'm, not for putting a rare and impossible to find item on a non-marauder.

I'm all for personalizing a car, but if you want a faux marauder, save your money and buy a marauder and not spend it a Grand marquis.

Hate me if you want or call me harsh etc..I don't care

[Bad_S55]

Why put a rare and impossible to find rear marauder bumper cover on if you are going to fill in the Marauder? Put a CV bumper cover on it if you want to ditch the chrome trim. Front covers can be bought aftermarket so not a big deal. But I'm, not for putting a rare and impossible to find item on a non-marauder.

I'm all for personalizing a car, but if you want a faux marauder, save your money and buy a marauder and not spend it a Grand marquis.

Hate me if you want or call me harsh etc..I don't care

No, no, I get what you're saying. I'm not trying to make a faux Marauder though, more like what may've come after the Marauder. I plan to butcher this thing pretty hard though. Australian 5.4, ZF 6-speed, stuff I wouldn't DREAM of doing to a Marauder, that's why I'm sticking with the Grand Marquis.

The thing about the rear bumper though, is I find them pretty easily here in Detroit. Some poor car that was treated really bad gets totaled, and I can pick the bumper up for cheap. This is what I wanted to hear though, thoughts and opinions so I can get a clear idea.

[RubberCtyRauder]

If you can get bumper covers for the rear cheap, then buy them and sell them here..Every week someone is looking for a bumper cover. You can make a few dollars and put the towards your mods. Shipping is the hard part, but with a will there is a way..
I still don't like the idea of a marauder bumper cover on the rear of a GM or CV. The cover flexes so filling it in wont last and it will crack out etc..It's a waste to useone for that reason

[loud2004marquis]

You could always use a special autobody trim tape to cover the chrome on the bumpers to blend in with the paint color, or just paint the chrome pieces to match the car's paint color.

[Bad_S55]

You could always use a special autobody trim tape to cover the chrome on the bumpers to blend in with the paint color, or just paint the chrome pieces to match the car's paint color.

I've thought about that before, and it looks pretty good, if you black out dang near EVERY piece of exterior chrome. The thing is, this is supposed to look like something Mercury would've made if they kept on with a high performance model. Only instead of the Marauder the S55 had taken it's place like the original 60s Mercs. I don't think they would've downgraded to a bumper without fog lights instead of keeping what was already there from the previous year.

[slickster]

can you roll the rear bumper? mach1 chin. mm gril. mm front lights. s55 tail lights. cobra r rims you can get them cheap. lowerd?

[Guittard22]

I'm willing to sell you my black Mercury marauder bumper for 2500 lololol some day I will get that but not in 2015 !

[Bad_S55]

can you roll the rear bumper? mach1 chin. mm gril. mm front lights. s55 tail lights. cobra r rims you can get them cheap. lowerd?

The Mach 1 chin spoiler I might go with. Black grill is on my list already, & I have something better than Cobra R rims; 2008 GT500 rims with Nitto tires. I'm just waiting 'till spring to put them on. For lowering, I'm putting springs 1/2" lower than stock Marauder springs up front, and stock height Marauder air bag replacement springs in the rear (I just hope they'll fit!!!!) I'm sticking with the original taillights & panel. The headlights I'll go with if I can find 'em.

[whitey]

I thought ive heard of a aftermarket company that made the marauder rear bumpers, however(and to your advantage) they are not allowed to say marauder, so they are not embossed, or what not.

[Bad_S55]

I thought ive heard of a aftermarket company that made the marauder rear bumpers, however(and to your advantage) they are not allowed to say marauder, so they are not embossed, or what not.

So after a quick search on the good 'ol innerweb, I found two replacement rear bumper covers (http://www.carid.com/2003-mercury-marauder-bumpers/replace-rear-bumper-cover-9962399.html & http://www.carid.com/2003-mercury-marauder-bumpers/sherman-bumper-covers-34300854.html) I don't know how different these would be from factory, but they're cheap enough that I could experiment with letter filling if I can't find one that isn't embossed.

[RubberCtyRauder]

So after a quick search on the good 'ol innerweb, I found two replacement rear bumper covers (http://www.carid.com/2003-mercury-marauder-bumpers/replace-rear-bumper-cover-9962399.html & http://www.carid.com/2003-mercury-marauder-bumpers/sherman-bumper-covers-34300854.html) I don't know how different these would be from factory, but they're cheap enough that I could experiment with letter filling if I can't find one that isn't embossed.

both show out of stock. I just read in another thread that the ones from Summit Racing show marauder embossed in the pic, but when it arrived it was smooth, not sure how true or if they still sell them. Prolly wont find any aftermarket rear covers with Marauder embossed as FORD would not release the marauder copyright

[Bad_S55]

both show out of stock. I just read in another thread that the ones from Summit Racing show marauder embossed in the pic, but when it arrived it was smooth, not sure how true or if they still sell them. Prolly wont find any aftermarket rear covers with Marauder embossed as FORD would not release the marauder copyright

I imagine this is what you were talkin' about (http://www.summitracing.com/parts/shi-548-89-2) Summit shows it smooth, which is perfect:banana2:

[RF Overlord]

Why put a rare and impossible to find rear marauder bumper cover on if you are going to fill in the Marauder? I'm, not for putting a rare and impossible to find item on a non-marauder.Agreed 100%.

Yes, it's his car. Yes, he can do what he wants. Yes, I have the right to hate him if he does it.

[crownvic97]

You have a few options to change up the look of your back end.

You could body color your stock trunk panel and use your gmq lights:http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv45/Markd20000/2008%20Grand%20Marquis/20141114_094706_zpshy7rhhb_edi t_1416194519431_zpsbtzltlos.jp g (http://s668.photobucket.com/user/Markd20000/media/2008%20Grand%20Marquis/20141114_094706_zpshy7rhhb_edi t_1416194519431_zpsbtzltlos.jp g.html)

You could color match the panel and use CV tails:http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv45/Markd20000/2008%20Grand%20Marquis/2015-01-05%2012.17.01_zpsr2wm8ccr.jpg (http://s668.photobucket.com/user/Markd20000/media/2008%20Grand%20Marquis/2015-01-05%2012.17.01_zpsr2wm8ccr.jpg. html)

You could switch to a full CV setup:http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv45/Markd20000/2008%20Grand%20Marquis/20140807_171200_zpso5ukizcz.jp g (http://s668.photobucket.com/user/Markd20000/media/2008%20Grand%20Marquis/20140807_171200_zpso5ukizcz.jp g.html)

Notice if you use a CV tail panel you will have a gap with the bumper. You could swap to a CV bumper to eliminate the gap.

Also, all the option use easy to find, non-Marauder specific parts so you won't be hated on for that.