Marauder at '05 Convention

New 7/25/05

I am wondering how the Marauder did on the track at the convention, seems to me to be a whole lot a car (curb weight) for the HP and suspension to manage. But driving in bumper to bumper traffic every day makes me think Et's and G forces are not everything?

Pax
Buford

Glen was running 14.9's all day long at the drags. He won the bracket racing too. Did quite well at Putnam too. - Ian

Tim,

I never got to follow or lead the Marauder at Putnam, but it seemed to do just fine. The 4100 pound 540 was a fun car, sure you could feel the weight in a slalom (Gateway infield) but it was fun anyway.

Of course at the track the Marauder took King of the Hill. So I guess it did pretty good there.

Don Mallinson

Et's like that demand my respect. What was the Marauder like in the zigs & zags?

Is 14.9 with or without boost?

Price of gas recently has made me appreciated my tiny 3.4L V8.

Buford

I rode with Glen last session at Putnam, the car does plenty fine for it's weight on the road course. Since it is "correct" wheel drive the car is much more fun on the edge as you have more control over the final consequences at the edge with RWD. We went out near the back of the starting pack in Intermediate class, and after the first lap there was never anyone in his way or anyone in his mirror and it was probably a 25 minute session, so it is fair to say that the car and Glen's driving was up to the task of the intermediate class of SHO's. Many probably pitted early and called it a day as it was H-O-T with a session that went on forever! None of the people that stayed out ever lapped him however.

He has made some minor rear suspension changes and put in a different rear end gear set (410's I believe he said). No boost for his ET's, but he has the kit on order.

Scott

I know I beat him in one pass down the strip.

Carter Fuji

(editor's note: Carter has boost)

Boosted Marauders run 12s.

Glen can chime in, but he has a few significant mods to the car.

Ron Porter

Looks like Marauders take well to mods. I raced one bone stock one day at an 1/8th mile strip. He beat me by a thousandth or two, basically because his car was longer. We were right next to each other the entire way down the track, not even inching.

Mike Gillespie
97 ES

Mike:

He didn't beat you because his car was longer, the timing lights are barely off of the pavement, so even if you have a bumper that is 20 feet in front of the front tires, the timing lights (and staging lights) still trigger as the front tires roll by.

Scott

Oops bad attempt at sarcasm. That is true of course, I just meant that for all practical purposes the race was a tie, but by a very narrow margin the marauder had me. But for a car with 70hp on me, I was not expecting to keep up with him so well, yes he’s heavier, but for the race to be so close that only a computer could have determined the winner…well, I was surprised.

Mike

I don't know guys, I am told I come in last because of my big rear end and I believe it.

;-)

Buford

7/28/05

Here are my times from IRP.

Time Dial R/T 60' 330' 1/8 mile MPH 1/4 mile MPH
0.991 2.385 6.454 9.724 75.96 14.959 91.91
10:47 0.012 2.459 6.534 9.813 75.72 15.046 23.20
11:01 0.459 2.502 6.599 9.895 75.15 15.165 91.27
11:18 0.376 2.452 6.537 9.833 75.13 15.080 91.58
11:30 0.129 2.421 6.505 9.802 75.26 15.045 91.71
11:43 0.188 2.430 6.525 9.827 75.26 15.076 93.26
11:52 0.024 2.492 6.588 9.874 75.54 15.116 91.67
12:02 0.110 2.470 6.582 9.885 75.10 15.154 91.25
12:34 0.101 2.413 6.503 9.785 75.66 14.996 93.98
12:38 0.038 2.390 6.474 9.750 75.85 14.950 94.27
12:42 0.186 2.365 6.449 9.728 75.90 14.942 94.08
12:46 0.129 2.407 6.498 9.782 75.72 14.999 92.44
12:49 0.122 2.380 6.455 9.732 75.91 14.942 93.98
12:52 0.141 2.383 6.460 9.735 75.88 14.945 92.72
12:55 0.143 2.380 6.447 9.718 75.82 14.902 93.02
12:59 0.230 2.359 6.426 9.710 75.66 14.905 94.43
2:11 14.91 0.145 2.383 6.450 9.715 76.16 14.917 94.08
2:21 14.91 0.161 2.408 6.480 9.744 76.15 14.981 88.98
2:27 14.91 0.028 2.378 6.469 9.756 75.50 14.988 93.43
2:41 14.94 0.047 2.384 6.470 9.757 75.66 14.998 93.47

The mod that probably made a difference was the gear change from 3:55 to 4:10. I don't really know since this is the first time that I've had the car at a track. Other mods that may have made a difference are 2 range colder plugs, 180 deg thermostat vs 188, Meziere electric water pump, K&N Filtercharger kit, and a custom SCT Xcalibrator tune. The Xcal mainly changes the funky factory transmission shifting. I'm not sure what changes were done to fuel and timing.

In all the excitement I didn't put the stock tune back in to see if there is any real difference in the way the car runs. Also, half the time I forgot to turn the traction control off. I need a tune with the T/C disabled.

At Putnam and IRP, considering that I haven't been on a track in 2 years, I was very satisfied with the way the car ran and handled.

Glen Murdock

Glen,

I would have expected the 60' times to be quicker. RWD, big tires, etc. But that engine isn't much on big torque, still, it should launch better. Is the computer really backing off from a start? When I drove a new one (had it on order, and turned it down) I was quite disappointed in the off-the-line performance. Heard that Ford really backed off the timing from a dead stop to let the tranny live...maybe?

Don Mallinson

I don't know if the computer backs off timing. The tires are truck tire size, 245/55-18.

The 04 models have modified transmission, 4R75W, that is stronger than the 4R70W used in the 03's.

I've heard a lot of people were disappointed with the initial acceleration. 4:10 gears seem to help that.

Glen Murdock

Glen, were you staging deep? You're reaction times lead me to believe you were. I shallow staged and it cost me in the brackets. - Ian

No, normal staging.

Glen Murdock

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