i like the older, box-style design much more than what we see today where pretty much everything is looking the same with this egg-shaped crap! very nice!
I agree wholeheartedly. Cars should be designed with a pencil and ruler. Not something scribbled on a napkin by drunken CEO’s in a karaoke bar late on a Friday evening.
Most badass Grand Marquis I've seen, it looks so menacing in black. Congratulations dude, it was definitely worth the hard work you put into this project👏
Those 2-doors were rare back then, so now, it's like finding a unicorn. She's a beauty! Keep it forever, those body-on-frame cars will never be back. As a mechanical engineer, I know you just can't beat the solidity, heft and isolation that those frames provide (my dad had an '87 when new-smooth as silk)...good luck!
I just acquired one of these, an LS, with 8,023 one owner miles. 302. The car has documentation of the "refresh", costing about $3400: belt, hoses, gaskets, ALL rubber bits, including, but not limited to, caliper & rear piston rebuild, new tranny mount, motor mounts, rear main seal (you know, just to make sure). Auto temp A/C pressure checked, and converted to 134A, radiator pressure checked, cleaned. New fuel system, with a clean tank. Dual power seats (a $665 option), power antenna, premium sound with 6 speakers, turbine wheels. Pewter Metallic, with pewter crinkly, wrinckly, velour interior. Never smoked in, and the car STILL has the "new car smell". Perfect in all aspects. A WONDERFUL car to drive ! 145 HP isn't that great, but I can live with it. It's a weekend cruiser, as well as a LONG distance mobile. I plan to drive it to see my Dad next year. I live in Indiana, and he lives in Bakersfield, CA. A perfect candidate for a compfy interstate experience. I can really appreciate the work that you did on this 2 door. Damn, you must spent a LOT of money & time, and creativity on making this Marquis YOUR car. That being said, the Marquis was on the "Panther:" platform, shared by the Town Car, the Crown Vic, and the Marquis. Not sure when the name "Panther" moniker came into play, but they were certainly of the same ilk. I don't think I've ever seen a coupe; and, personally, I think it looks like an over sized Granada. To me, the Marquis (LS) was a car that emitted a feeling of stature, success, and luxury. Yeah, I think it would be fun to get around 400 HP out of my 302 (mine wouldn't turn the tires if it were up on blocks), but that's the way things were back in 1985. Mine puts out a meager 145 hp. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that my daily driver is a CV Sport. Next best thing to a Marauder. I really like the LED headlights, and I looked into replacing my incandescent headlights, but $600 for headlights is out of my range today. I WOULD, however, be interested in the sequential turn signal mod. I'm easily amused, and I get a kick from watching the blink, blink, blink... Nonetheless, you've created a really nice looking Merc, and I wish you the best of driving her. A nice looking beast.
I'm not a Ford guy, but I love it when a car is done right. And you did justice to this Grand Marquis. Not many of them left, glad to see this one getting a new life. Terrific job on the resto mod.
I'm not a ford guy but this car is beautiful and the Marauder is the prettiest 4 door muscle car they made I was hoping I could hear this beauty run and do a couple donuts lol plzzz keep us posted
Very cool and hot rod like. The MGMs make really good hot rods. I had an 02 that I got for free from my great aunt. It was mainly stock, but it was already a hot rod in itself so it’s not like I had to overhaul anything. It was Spruce Green Metallic with a Medium Parchment interior. That’s the beige tan interior, so had some color. It was a GS model with keyless entry, electronically adjustable foot pedals, dual sun visors, and leather seats with the Mercury logo embroidered on the seat backs. Those features are hard to find on a GS model. It also had traction control. The car took off easily. I would always get held up by slow pokes because the thing was such a torque monster. By the time the bot in the 2016 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee reaches 25mph, I’m already at 40mph. The was low miles and in really nice shape. Everyone loved it. Even other people knew it was a hot rod. I totaled the car recently and that’s why I was saying had instead of have. I crashed into a small suv during rush hour
I remember seeing your updates on one of the Panther platforms years back when I had my first Panther - and also my first ever cars, a '98 CVLX. Over a decade later, and now I have a very low mileage 07 Grand Marquis despite having owned several other very nice low mileage cars - an MKS EcoBoost, Charger SRT Super Bee, and a practically brand new '00 Continental. I'm a millennial - 28 y.o. - and despite whatever nice new fast unibody, turboed cars I have owned and/or are in reach for me, I always end up missing the body-on-frame V8 simplicity of the Panthers (and other earlier causalities, especially Chevy's B body). When I was born in 1990 I was driven home from the maternity ward in a white 1990 Lincoln Town Car (my dad had bought it new and even had an aftermarket sunroof installed) so I honestly think this cemented my love of body-on-frame full-size "American" sedans; unfortunately, I can't imagine this type of car ever being produced again. I wholeheartedly believe the mass realization that this staple of affordable American luxury is lost to history is why so many people cherish the Panther platform including so many other American marque body-on-frame coupes and sedans. I'm not even the age demographic to be a fan of these types of cars; but I promise anyone reading this that all these American body-on-frame luxury cars will see a rise in value and in a couple decades or so will become highly sought after collector cars.
Initially skeptical, I watched your video in its entirety and was pleasantly pleased with your work. Nice to see someone thinking outside the box and giving an Merc a sweet, new lease on life.
that is one of the best builds I have ever seen it looks amazing I have been on love with those cars all my life and that build blew me away man thanks for sharing
Awesome ride man, we had a dark blue Gran Marquis 2-door when I was a kid. Called it the couch. Loved that car. Also had a 83 LTD wagon with true dual exhaust from the factory, wish I both still
Wow. Very impressive. You must be proud of that. I wish I could complete a project as in depth and perfect as that. It looks amazing man. Job well done!
This is exactly what I want done to my one owner (me) 1986 Mustang GT. Car is garage kept. Beautiful condition. Some rust inside of doors. Never been in an accident. After 30 years she needs to be upgraded just like this one only my car will start out in much better condition then this one. I wish I had the wedge to get it done. Anyone looking to do a story? I've got 30 years of history in this car. Good times.
That's awesome! Not my personal choice for the wheels but a real inspiration, I own a two door 85 GM and this makes me want to get working on it even though it's midnight, and it's winter, and I have no garage haha.
Amazing! The modern day marauder rims with the red calibers combine with all black interior and exterior it's just breathtaking I love it. You have excellent taste in cars I would love to see your watch collection because it's probably just as good
This car is awesome. Just bought my 15 year old daughter a 84 white 2 door. Not going to do a body swap but will be putting a 4.6 from a one owner donor with only 60,000 miles on it. From my understanding the 4.6 will bolt in with certain year mounts. Still doing my homework
'85 Grand Marquis 2 door was a beautiful car right off the showroom floor. If you were driving one of those brand new, you had good taste and a few monies.
Thats what i call dedication and hard work, all done with what you had at your disposal, wow, just awesome if i had the cash i would certainly make you an offer, its awesome, im speechless, wow
I absolutely love this!!I'm a big fan of that body style! only thing I would have liked to see would have been a carriage top with lights on down frame!!
looks awesome.. although I would black out some of the window and lower body trim and grille to make it look more like what a Marauder would have looked like back then
