I guess I'm getting old...

[Zenmervolt]

This fortnight's rental car adventure is a Mercury Grand Marquis. And, um, I, uh, kinda like it.

Seriously, the big sled is kinda nice to cruise around in. With a serious engine it could be a damn cool car. As it is, it's kind of funny how many people look up, see a white Grand Marquis, mistake it for a Crown Vic, and then slow down and move into the right lane to let me by. :laugh:

Still, I can't shake the idea that with another 150-200 hp this car could be a LOT of fun.

ZV

 

[LTC8K6]

Well, they made the Marauder a little while ago...

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: LTC8K6
Well, they made the Marauder a little while ago...

The Marauder was a good start, but I was thinking more along the lines of dropping in the engine from one of the Terminator Cobras. Or the new supercharged 5.4 from the Shelby GT500 Cobras. You know, something that could light up the tires in 3rd gear.

The 4R75W is built to handle up to 750 ft-lbs of input torque, so there's headroom on the transmission side. It would be nice if you could at least special order something like that. You know, the way you could back in the 60's.

ZV

 

[bobdole369]

My grandparents had 94-96ish grand marquis AND a crown vic. I liked em both (I was 16 and those were the first v8 5.0l engines I got to drive.)

 

[franksta]

I inherited a 2004 from my grandfather's estate. I'm in love with the thing and my wife and I agree it's our best car. We're up to 4 cars between us, but how could I say no to this? I'm a very laid back driver anyway, even at the age of 29. Mine is Arizona Beige (Gold) so maybe it looks like the Sheriff's car. It seems like people race up behind you and then gather in a clump. Then as they realize you're not a police car they speed by.

Pic of it in my driveway with my dailer driver F-150 in the background.

 

[InflatableBuddha]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Still, I can't shake the idea that with another 150-200 hp, lowered and with spinners, this car could be a LOT of fun.

ZV

Now it's not a senior's car :laugh:.

 

[BassBomb]

Thats how I feel in the ES350... and how I felt in the i30 before

 

[JulesMaximus]

I honestly was thinking about getting one of those a few years ago. I was looking at one with about 14k miles on it, 1 year old, and I could have picked it up for about $11k (dealership pricing)! My wife nixed that though and we ended up with a Lexus instead.

 

[LordMorpheus]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: LTC8K6
Well, they made the Marauder a little while ago...

The Marauder was a good start, but I was thinking more along the lines of dropping in the engine from one of the Terminator Cobras. Or the new supercharged 5.4 from the Shelby GT500 Cobras. You know, something that could light up the tires in 3rd gear.

The 4R75W is built to handle up to 750 ft-lbs of input torque, so there's headroom on the transmission side. It would be nice if you could at least special order something like that. You know, the way you could back in the 60's.

ZV

I've got a 1997 Town Car ...

In the future it's gonna get about a 200 horsepower boost over stock.

Trickflow just released a set of aftermarket heads for the ford 2 valve V8 that are posting numbers competitive with the 4 valve heads. They weigh in around 2 grand.

So yeah, two grand for heads, two grand for a forged rotating assembly, probably a grand in work on the block, and another grand for a transmission rebuilt with stronger parts ...

Things add up.

What I'm trying to say is that I also enjoy the greatness of Ford's panther chassis, and I'd also love to see another 200 horsepower in one of them.

 

[LTC8K6]

Well, it was the modular DOHC 4.6L so presumably one could get quite a bit more out of it than the stock 302 horses.

 

[franksta]

Originally posted by: LTC8K6
Well, it was the modular DOHC 4.6L so presumably one could get quite a bit more out of it than the stock 302 horses.

The regular Grand Marquis has the SOHC motor. The Maruader was the only panther to get a 4 valve motor.

 

[LTC8K6]

That's what I said.

Well, they made the Marauder a little while ago...

 

[Bignate603]

The Kenny Brown modified Marauders could run a sub 12 second 1/4 mile. Those things could move for how big they were.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Bignate603
The Kenny Brown modified Marauders could run a sub 12 second 1/4 mile. Those things could move for how big they were.

That would be fun.

I'm still enjoying the sled. Damn thing is geared incredibly tall though. First is good until nearly 55 mph. All you'd need to make even a stock panther move is some 3.55 or 3.73 gears in the rear end. Highway mileage would go to shit, but hey, you've gotta make sacrifices somewhere, right?

ZV

 

[franksta]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

I'm still enjoying the sled. Damn thing is geared incredibly tall though. First is good until nearly 55 mph. All you'd need to make even a stock panther move is some 3.55 or 3.73 gears in the rear end. Highway mileage would go to shit, but hey, you've gotta make sacrifices somewhere, right?

ZV

Mine has 2.73s and I'm getting 24 miles per gallon around town and 30 on the highway. From what I've read on the forums the hit with shorter gears is only a few MPG. I think the police interceptors and Crown Vic LX Sport had 3.55s from the factory.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

a few years before the marauder, either c&d or r&t built the grand marquis de sade. it had an electric supercharger.

 

[kalrith]

Originally posted by: franksta

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

I'm still enjoying the sled. Damn thing is geared incredibly tall though. First is good until nearly 55 mph. All you'd need to make even a stock panther move is some 3.55 or 3.73 gears in the rear end. Highway mileage would go to shit, but hey, you've gotta make sacrifices somewhere, right?

ZV

Mine has 2.73s and I'm getting 24 miles per gallon around town and 30 on the highway. From what I've read on the forums the hit with shorter gears is only a few MPG. I think the police interceptors and Crown Vic LX Sport had 3.55s from the factory.

:shocked: Now those are some low gears!

 

[nakedfrog]

I enjoyed driving around in my 77 Grand Marquis, too. 460 V8 :Q
But it was like sitting on my couch.

Originally posted by: franksta
Mine has 2.73s and I'm getting 24 miles per gallon around town and 30 on the highway.

That's better than I expected. Definitely much better than mine got

 

[HannibalX]

2:73 is a nice gear for the Panther, 3:27s are better, 3:55s are about perfect. These cars have something their V6 conterparts don't - torque. You don't have to rev the nuts off them to get moving so a taller gear is fine - plus, you get awesome highway mileage. I have achieved 30 mpg highway with 3:27 gears and 28 mpg with 3:55s. Like I said the 3:55s are about perfect for the Panther with the 2v 4.6. You are pretty much in the power band all the time.

I've owned several Crown Vics. There are plenty of people who mod these cars. Crownvic.Net is a good place to look around. There are guys there with V10 cars, Supercharged 5.4 cars, turbo setups, etc.

People think of Panthers as barge like vehicles that don't handle. Well, from the factory they can be that way (unless you opt for the HPP pack) but for less than $500 you can toss on some Bilstein shocks and front/rear Addco sway bars. These cars are RWD and they are very capable in the twistiest.

 

[MovingTarget]

Welcome to having a real car, one of the last of its kind: RWD, full-size, v8. People complain that American auto manufacturers have lost their touch...but building these is something they couldn't forget if they tried.

If you ever get ahold of one yourself, remember that you can add true dual exhaust and a supercharger.... Those things make it a real beast when you step on the gas pedal, provided you have anything left in the tank...

 

[HannibalX]

All Lincoln Town Cars come with "true" dual exhaust which consists of two cats per side, an H pipe and one muffler per side. All P71s (Police Package Crown Vics) and all Marauders come with duals as well. Standard Crown Vics and Grand Marqs come with single exhaust but if you opt for the HPP pack you get duals.

They really are great cars and very, very reliable and durable.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Originally posted by: iFX
All Lincoln Town Cars come with "true" dual exhaust which consists of two cats per side, an H pipe and one muffler per side. All P71s (Police Package Crown Vics) and all Marauders come with duals as well. Standard Crown Vics and Grand Marqs come with single exhaust but if you opt for the HPP pack you get duals.

They really are great cars and very, very reliable and durable.

2 cats per side? Geez....

 

[HannibalX]

Most cars actually have two cats per side these days. Usually one is hidden in the engine compartment right after the exhaust manifold and is vertical facing.

 

[Pocatello]

I rented a Lincoln Town Car about 10 years ago, excellent car for traveling long distance I thought. Extremely comfortable.

 

[Bignate603]

Originally posted by: kalrith

Originally posted by: franksta

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

I'm still enjoying the sled. Damn thing is geared incredibly tall though. First is good until nearly 55 mph. All you'd need to make even a stock panther move is some 3.55 or 3.73 gears in the rear end. Highway mileage would go to shit, but hey, you've gotta make sacrifices somewhere, right?

ZV

Mine has 2.73s and I'm getting 24 miles per gallon around town and 30 on the highway. From what I've read on the forums the hit with shorter gears is only a few MPG. I think the police interceptors and Crown Vic LX Sport had 3.55s from the factory.

:shocked: Now those are some low gears!

Not too low, I've got 4.88s in my jeep.

If I put it in low gear on the transfer case and 1st on the transmission I'll be going all of 3 mph with the engine at redline.