Bought/Rebuilt my first Marauder

[Zeph78]

Well, I got my car a little over 3 months ago, and finally got it back on the road last Friday. I picked up the car off CL with a bad transmission, and a "good motor." After trailering it home and getting my turbo car back together, I did a compression test to find 0 on #6 hole. I went ahead and pulled the transmission and rebuilt it (my first time building an auto). I did the J-mod, a few other tricks, and added a 2800 stall FTI converter. I then proceeded to pull the motor out to find one of the exhaust valves on #6 burnt and the rest of the exhaust valves pitted real bad. I had the heads milled to flat, valve job, and all new exhaust valves. I honed the short block, and added new rings, bearings, oil pump, gaskets, bolts, ud crank pulley, cooling mod, and a set of SW headers. I put an Xcal-4 on it with a MartyO tune, and swapped out the 3.55's for some 4.10's I had laying around from an old project. I cut out the stock exhaust and built a 2-1/2" full exhaust with an x-pipe from a 01 Cobra.

Overall I really like this car and would like to upgrade the suspension next. I've found several threads on here that have been very helpful for the build.

[RubberCtyRauder]

Congrats and welcome! Post up some pics when you have a chance. Addco and Metco and CHE thru vendor Sparta Performance on here are the main suspension upgrade makers.

[martyo]

Good to see it running Michael!

[Zeph78]

Good to see it running Michael!

Me too! Thanks for all of your help. The IAC pulled the idle down to where it needed to be.


Congrats and welcome! Post up some pics when you have a chance. Addco and Metco and CHE thru vendor Sparta Performance on here are the main suspension upgrade makers.

Thanks! I've been looking at the vendors you've listed. Hopefully I can get them this Christmas. I just ended up spending way more money just getting the car going that I had anticipated based on the sellers dishonesty.

[RubberCtyRauder]

Car is in good hands with MO's..I've been there twice and I live 680 miles away..Modding the Marauder is half the fun, but addicting and expensive..LOL..Plenty of answers and advice thru the site as well as Marty O..He gots MO info about Marauders. Not uncommon to have 4-6 marauders floating around his shop at the same time.

[justbob]

I trailered mine over four states to have Mo and Jeff to work their magic on my last build. Your in great hands!


Builder Of Badassery

[Zeph78]

Car is in good hands with MO's..I've been there twice and I live 680 miles away..Modding the Marauder is half the fun, but addicting and expensive..LOL..Plenty of answers and advice thru the site as well as Marty O..He gots MO info about Marauders. Not uncommon to have 4-6 marauders floating around his shop at the same time.

Yeah Marty is a nice guy. I got the headers, cooling mod, and Xcal-4 from him. I stopped by his shop once to pick up the cooling mod fittings. He did have several Marauders laying around.

Here's a picture of the car the day I got it.

[burt ragio]

To bad you can't always count on the sellers word when it comes to condition of vehicles. Buyer be ware. Either way sounds like you have done a great job in putting your ride back together. Happy motoring.

[Spectragod]

I trailered mine over four states to have Mo and Jeff to work their magic on my last build. Marty has great hands!


Builder Of Badassery

Fixed it for you.....

[justbob]

Fixed it for you.....


Forgot Jeff has a purty mouf.


Builder Of Badassery

[Zeph78]

To bad you can't always count on the sellers word when it comes to condition of vehicles. Buyer be ware. Either way sounds like you have done a great job in putting your ride back together. Happy motoring.

Yeah, it sucks you can't trust anyone anymore. I was wanting to do FI on it, but after all the money I had to spend just to get it drivable it wasn't an option. At least my other four door is a turbo car for when I want to go fast.

I was able to sell some of my old nitrous SBF parts over the weekend, so I was able to order my sway bars!