Marauder Resurection Story

[Greg]

It has been awhile since posting but I have an update to my Marauder story.

It started this last winter after I purchased the Marauder. First was the inspection - suspension issues and missing front cats.

- replaced the entire front suspension including nearly new take off OEM springs (Joe Walsh)- figured why not just do it all.

- parking brake did not work - replaced rear brakes

- Aftermarket Radio would go in and out - turned out it was the unit so replaced

- Installed OEM front cats (thanks Joe Walsh)

- Posted that I had a ticking sound in the engine. Couldn't figure it out so decided to send it to Marty for a look see.

- Just before sending it to Marty steering, started going in and out. Couldn't figure it out and frustrated by this point so put it on the list for Marty.

- Wife complained about smell since previous owner smoked in the car. I can't smell that well so missed how bad it was.

BREAK ______________________________ _

- Got it to Marty.

-Turns out the #4 cylinder had a small hole in it. So, rebuild by Marty.

- Steering turned out to be a bad steering shaft

- Marty convinced me to go to 4.10 gears with tune. He also knew I would eventually get the big brake kit done as well. I did.

- Hood had the pop out/cut issue so Marty had that painted along with some other sections painted for me.

Flew down with my son and picked up the practicaly new Marauder. Very nice drive home big smiles

Break _______________________

Deal with smell next. Decided to just strip the whole interior except the dash.

- New head liner (bought one from a member and had it covered)
-bought some used visors
-bought a used overhead console
-replacement carpet
-lots of ozone treatments (works wonders)

While it was stripped, I decided to go all out and installed dynamat and dynaliner throughout the interior and trunk. This was a lot of work.

Nearly done. Just need a little more material for the trunk.

Just as I got it all back together and could drive again, the blower for AC/heater stopped working. Very frustrated at that point as I have been going at this car for a long time. Took fuse out and switched with another and it worked. Put the original back in and still works - don't know.

So, I am now basically done and enjoying my new very quite daily driver Marauder.

Thanks to Marty and all those that got me to this point.

Now that it is so quite I hear a whistle sound coming from the engine. Will post seperatly that issue.

Tried to keep it short - but I am really enjoying it now. As I said to Marty during this whole process, I went down the Marauder rabbit hole. But, I am coming out happy.

[Joe Walsh]

Awesome Greg!
Glad to hear that your Marauder is back in tip top shape.
It must be quiet as a tomb with that DynaMat.
What was wrong with the #4 cylinder?

[Greg]

The piston had a small small hole near an edge if I remmember correctly.

[Chi Stallion]

Glad to hear you got it running again !!!!

[crownvic97]

I have really enjoyed following your progress, you never gave up on the car and hopefully now you will be rewarded with many miles of trouble free performance!

[Invective]

Originally Posted by Greg

Tried to keep it short - but I am really enjoying it now. As I said to Marty during this whole process, I went down the Marauder rabbit hole. But, I am coming out happy.

I'm an ex-smoker so a faint smell wouldn't bother me. The odor will go away eventually when using Febreeze or something similar on a regular basis. I burned a breakfast biscuit in my microwave a few months back - took a month to get the odor out of the house and another month to get it out of the microwave!

Previous owner of my car was a smoker but he never smoked in it as far as I could tell. He had been using the OEM ash cup in another vehicle and handed it to me during the sale - I washed it out with Ajax Lemon Fresh Dish Detergent not long after arriving home - looks and smells new.

Care to share with us your spending? In general terms of course.

[Turbov6Bryan]

My DTR was used as a ashtray from the previous owner, i used tea bags and a friend gave me some oil spray to get rid of smoke smell "for weed users i guess they know everything".. I just used the spray once and tea bags are still in it.

The smell is gone.

Good to hear yours is back on the road. FUN cars!

[ChiTownMaraud3r]

Looks great, do you know how much dynamat was necessary for interior and trunk?

[NorthShoreChiMM]

Originally Posted by ChiTownMaraud3r

Looks great, do you know how much dynamat was necessary for interior and trunk?

Interested as well, I commute everyday 90+ miles and the noise is much more noticeable at highway speeds, drowns out the great sound of the sound system

[Greg]

I bought three of the dynamat mega packs.

http://www.dynamat.com/dynamat-xtreme-mega-pak/

That should be enough to do the roof, interior, doors (outside and inside skin) and trunk. I came up just barley short. If I was more efficient I would have made it.

I also did dynaliner on the roof, door panels (took off the felt because it smelled), behind the seats, transmission tunnel, etc. It took a lot of boxes to do it all. I had to use the liner behind the back seats because the existing felt/rubber matt smelled.

If you don't have the smell issue, I would probably just put the 1/4" liner on the roof on top of the dynamat. It made a big difference there.

The stereo does sound a lot better.

Took me many hours to complete. But, I know how to take all the interior apart now. Hopefully will never do it again.

[Greg]

For those that are wondering about the carpet. Everybody gets them from the same place (Auto Custom Carpets - ACC). It is not OEM.

Stock Interiors (distributer)
ORDER DETAILS:
Item: 13232
Quantity: 1
Description: '03-'06 Mercury Marauder Molded Carpet 4 Door, With heelpad
Color: 8945-Ebony Plush Cut Pile
Backing: MassBack - 58.00
13232 - 137.95
Price (each): 195.95
Item Total: 195.95

No complaints on carpet. Slightly darker but very close. I used some additional dynapad under the foot areas and 1/2" dynaliner in other areas. The OEM has more felt (jute) then the replacement. Got it in less than 2 weeks.

If you just want to dynamat, you can reuse your carpet. It comes right out - not glued.

[Taemian]

Originally Posted by Greg

I bought three of the dynamat mega packs.

http://www.dynamat.com/dynamat-xtreme-mega-pak/

That should be enough to do the roof, interior, doors (outside and inside skin) and trunk. I came up just barley short. If I was more efficient I would have made it.

I also did dynaliner on the roof, door panels (took off the felt because it smelled), behind the seats, transmission tunnel, etc. It took a lot of boxes to do it all. I had to use the liner behind the back seats because the existing felt/rubber matt smelled.

If you don't have the smell issue, I would probably just put the 1/4" liner on the roof on top of the dynamat. It made a big difference there.

The stereo does sound a lot better.

Took me many hours to complete. But, I know how to take all the interior apart now. Hopefully will never do it again.

Wow, that's quite an investment with 3 packs. Hope it's very quiet now!

[Greg]

It is quiet and the stereo sounds better. Finished the trunk this weekend. Done

The carpet is from a crown vic. Removed the CD changer (don't use with new radio). Fits pretty well. But, the right side has a bulge that I don't know what it is there for.

The sound material investment is only a small part of me going way over what I should have spent. I shouldn't be anybodys financial advisor.

[Greg]

Local car show - new and old

Bonus GTR Nismo

[Joe Walsh]

Originally Posted by Greg

Local car show - new and old

Nice! ...Your Marauder is looking great!

Burtonsville 'Church of the Holy Donut'.
I saw that 428 4 speed S55 over there a few years ago....what a sweet survivor!