Sept. 8th...the day my car will be complete...

[FiveO]

Well gang its been a long wait but I made the appointment today.

On September 5th at 10pm I'm leaving for Alternative Auto in Michigan. On the 6th, 7th and 8th....the owner of the shop there will be installing a 12psi roots style supercharger on my Marauder.

The supercharger kit comes from www.trilogymotorsports.com which is also in Michigan. The gents at Trilogy and www.alternativeauto.com came up with this kit which is specifically designed for the Marauder.

The owner of Alternative Auto, the one doing my install, also owns the fastest Marauder....14psi + 50 shot of NOS doing 11.5's @ 118 or so. He is one of the best in the custom tuning Mustang/Marauder business.

Three day install includes full install and dyno tune (custom chip burned for my specific mods). Its a spendy kit....don't ask But well worth it from what I've been reading.


Tomorrow my full custom bent Kooks header back exhaust system goes in...custom bent X pipe, high flow cats, 18" Magnaflow mufflers....along with a Precision Industries "Stallion" Torque Converter.

I just got the headers back from www.headercoatings.com . I sent them out a couple weeks ago to get coated....they're beautiful!







With these mods:

3.2 pulley with Trilogy Kit
Kooks full header back exhaust
2400 stall PI torque converter
Custom chip w/ car specific tune
4.10 gears
Metco ( www.metco-inc.com ) Carbon Fiber Intake Tube

She should pull 12.35-12.55 in good cooler weather. In warmer weather I should still be below 13.00. Only problem is traction.

Over the winter I'll be getting my rear rims widened by 1.5 inches each side....same company, www.alternativeauto.com . Nitto drag radials should help the hook up of 450 to the rear wheels.

I'll post the dyno sheet when I get back....but I had to share. This wait has been a long time coming and is totally UNXPCTD (my future MN personalized plate...on order! )

Now I can live up to my signature.....Two Tons of Fun!!!

[LX Sport]

man, that car is gonna be SICK!

[PHRANQUY]

Looks good, but a 2400 stall sounds a bit low. Then again, it's a roots blower, so it might be just right.

Might have to take my dad out for a ride when you get back, he's been looking for something to do with is '03 Marauder.

[FiveO]

Looks good, but a 2400 stall sounds a bit low. Then again, it's a roots blower, so it might be just right.

Might have to take my dad out for a ride when you get back, he's been looking for something to do with is '03 Marauder.

Two weeks ago I sent the TC back to Precision Industries to have the stall changed from 3000 to 2400 on the advise of the gent thats putting in the supercharger.

You said it...with the roots blower and the awesome low end torque it produces the 3000 stall isn't needed...2400 should be perfect. A N/A car needs the 3000 to get this two ton car off the line better.

Nice catch.

[Roast'em]

Kick ass dude! I know a guy who would absolutely drool over your car. Ya know, one of those crown vic dorks.

[Zinc]

Those are some VERY nice headers man!

Ryan

[FiveO]

Those are some VERY nice headers man!

Ryan

They're very nice...but they were a PITA to install.

Here's the story I posted at Mercury Marauder.net.....



Well gang.....I just walked in the door about a 1/2 hour ago. I'm absolutely beat. Worked (and watched) in the shop all day with the mechanic.

The shop I went has like 7-8 mechanics and they do general work....but they also do work on my departments squad cars so they're cutting me a break on labor and let me watch and even help out.

The guy working on my car is a self taught mechanic...26 years old...and he's a surgeon with his tools.

He is meticulous and complete.

He put in the PI Torque Converter in the morning....went in without any problems. Book says 4.8 hours and he had it done in like 3.

The headers were a pain...!!!! But we finally did get them both in.

Couple minor problems overcome with patience and expertise along with printouts from other threads on the Kooks install.

First off....let me say that these headers are tight....both in looks and fit.

They fit perfectly. They're isn't much room for anything else!

He did not take the battery out but did pull both leads and tape them off to make sure no connections were made (dealing with the starter, etc.).

We decided to start with the right side....as it looked much more difficult. It seemingly was until the left side showed its ugly head with the dipstick problem...and one tough nut to tighten.

Couple things....

He took the starter out altogether. Also both front wheels were taken off. The right for a bolt or two and the left for the EGR bolt. Mine was a bit tight and he needed more room...worked out well.

The engine was loosened from the motor mounts and was jacked up here and there to make the fit....much easier.

We re-used the gaskets...on both sides. He even put a Permatex Copper gasket high temp sealant on each gasket to assure the fit. Came out perfectly.

The right bolts were a PITA...but he got at them all....no major problems. We did end up shaving the end off of one stud on the right side.

The left was much easier except the damn dipstick tube. He ended up cutting about 1/4 inch off the bottom of the dipstick tube (not the dipstick) and it fit...with a little bending. Took about 1/2 hour total to get it back into the OEM bolt slots.

The only thing on the left side we didn't use thats OEM is a bracket for a wire that goes from the engine bay to the transmission...(shifting cable???). The cable is tight and went right around the headers.

The mechanic took out the top of the airbox and the tube, right up to the intake, and it really helped.

There was one nasty bolt that was I believe the 2nd from the front and on the bottom....(left side still)...that was again....a PITA!

The mechanic took the oil filter off and actually took a wrench and bent it! Much easier...took a couple minutes but it was tightened. The bent wrench was a Craftsman...not a Snap On

Two studs on the left side needed to be shaved off. Both the 2nd from the back I believe...top and bottom. Again...not a major problem as we learned from the right side where 1 that needed to be cut off.

The steering shaft does NOT need to be shaved...just moved for the install and replaced when done.


Once the headers were one things got easier.

The cat tubes went on no problem with and the X-pipe was ok...but only one minor concern. We could not get the X-pipe perfectly measured on each side of the driveshaft. The left side has about 1/4 inch more room than the right. Not a huge deal as neither is that close to the driveshaft...and the only way anyone would notice is by actually being under the car and measuring.

The mechanic ended up taking about 1/4 inch off of the X-pipe (both sides) by the mufflers for a better fit. Worked well.

The only other thing he did was open up or "stretch" the pipes at the end of the X-pipe and mufflers so they would fit. I watched him do it...just stretched a mm or so. Worked perfectly.

At the end of the day we set up the tailpipes and he welded everything in place to include the muffler brackets and the tailpipes.


Tomorrow morning its the O2 sensors reinstalled, airbox reinstall and fluid check....then we'll be starting her up


A long day...but hopefully well worth it.

Labor, with their break, should come out to about $350....not bad for a PI TC install and full Kooks setup. I never could have done either myself at home.


Pics to follow....gotta upload some.

[FiveO]

Pics all turned out crappy...I'll take some better ones tomorrow.


Mark...

[SVT5LITER]

Geezus... what a transformation! :eek3:
It's like Marauderstein!

Sounds baddass Mark
Was that a before and after pic of the headers?
What'd it run to coat 'em?

[FiveO]

Geezus... what a transformation! :eek3:
It's like Marauderstein!

Sounds baddass Mark
Was that a before and after pic of the headers?
What'd it run to coat 'em?

Thats definitely an after pic.

They're stainless...as is the entire setup....except the 18" Magnaflow mufflers.

The stainless is nice...but turns a dark color with heat.

These should stay this color for years....gotta love the coating.

I had to pay shipping to Georgia...about $20 each way...plus $185 for the coating.

Well worth it...once you actually see them in person...they're pretty impressive. Its an incredibly tight fit for them though.

[FiveO]

Part 1 is done.

Car sounds amazing.









Part 2 is coming in a few weeks....

[SVT5LITER]

Damn that is tight. Zero clearance! Almost had to ding the header there.

[FiveO]

Its horribly tight.

Even had to bend the dipstick tube to get it to fit.

Wait til you hear it....only word is....unbelievable.