Fast Panther: 2004 Mercury Marauder

Some cars have a cool back story and others are just plain cool.  I'm not sure what is the backstory behind Mercury's Marauder, but it was a bit more than just a hot rod version of the Mercury Grand Marquis, which was really just a fancified version of the Ford Crown Victoria. Regardless, somehow, some product planner at Mercury in the early 2000s Mercury's managed to convince the normally shortsighted bean counters at Mercury to let them shove the 302 horsepower Ford Mustang Mach 1 DOHC 4-valve engine into the full-sized Panther platform sedan and the rest is tire burning hot rod history.  Find this 2004 Mercury Marauder offered for $6500 with those 22" blingy wheels and, mercifully, $5000 with stock 17" steelies located in Phoenix, AZ via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Son Of A Donk: 1998 Lincoln Town Car Cartier

The third and final generation Lincoln Town Car was sold from 1998 until 2011.  Panther platform fans, taxi companies, and police departments all over the US bemoaned the eventual death knell of body of frame Town Car, Crown Vic, and Grand Marquis.  Town Cars came stock with 16" wheels fitted with tall smooth riding 60 series tires.  Today's feature goes way in the opposite direction by fitting a absolutely bananas set of 26" wheels and rubber band tires to donk out this poor TC.   Find this 1998 Lincoln Town Car for sale in Orange, NJ for $4,495 or B/O via eBay.

Criminal Shifting: 2004 Ford Crown Victoria 5 Speed

It is safe to say that the Ford Crown Vic could be the easiest car in the country to keep on the road.  Police, taxi, and livery fleets kept these cars running for years.  You could find a mechanic is most any town in the USA to fix one of these cars.  The Ford panther car may not be as reliable as a Civic, but is arguably one of the most durable cars on the road. Today's feature car has had a 5 speed manual swap from a same year Mustang GT along with a Ford racing 3.73 posi rear and a impressive list of maintenance.   Find this 2004 Ford Crown Victoria for sale in Keene, NH for $4,400 via craigslist.

Don't Call Me Marquis- 2004 Mercury Marauder

The Chevy Caprice SS made quite a statement when it was introduced in 1994.  It was a old school muscle sedan for the 90's that got rid of lot of the chrome styling, fitted steamroller 17" tires, and had a proper V8 drivetrain.  Why I am writing about the Caprice you may ask?  Ford decided to answer the car seven years after the Caprice left the streets for 2003 Mercury Marauder.  The Marauder was a luke warm effort that could get beat at the stop light Grand Prix by a same year Accord V6.  However, there are too many engine mods to count to right that wrong. It seems half of these models you see for sale have been supercharged.  Find this stock 2004 Mercury Marauder for sale in Granby, CT for $3,000 via craigslist.

Corvette Guts: 1964 Kellison J-6 Panther

I've never been a big fan of listings with only one photo the car in question, particularly if that image is a picture of an old print photo and the seller describes the car as "looks better now".  If you can take and digitize a picture of the old photo...why not just take a picture of the car...? However...when the price is right, we can forgive some bad pictures. Find this 1964 Kellison J-6 Panther offered for $16,000 in Albuquerque, NM via craigslist.  Tip from FuelTruck.

Family truckster- 1990 Ford Country Squire Wagon

Nothing exudes class more than simulated wood grain down the side of a 216" long car.  The introduction of 1984 Chrysler Minivans took out the breed of full sized American made wagons like an asteroid hit did to the dinosaurs.  The panther based Ford Country Squire wagon had its final curtain call in 1990.  Ford only found 6419 buyers this year, making this a pretty rare car. Find this 1990 Ford Country Squire for sale in Stamford, CT for $1200 via craigslist.

Rotary Powered Snowmobile: 1972 Arctic Cat Panther 303

First, it was the rotary powered bikes.  Those were strange.   I'm not a 2-wheel guy, but the Hercules W-2000 was a make/model I'd never heard about and the RE-5 was only something I was vaguely aware of -- so imagine my surprise when a link to a rotary powered snowmobile lands in my lap.  Find this 1972 Arctic Cat Panther 303 here on eBay with starting bid of $299 and $700 buy-it-now located in Perry Hall, MD.  Tip from Hugh.