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That’s Some Patina: 1949 Mercury M68 Truck

They really don’t build vehicles like they use to. As cool as modern cars and trucks are, I don’t imagine we will see too many of them still around in 68 years. While this ’49 Mercury M68 is a bit rough and in need of a restoration, it’s amazing to think the windows still roll up smoothly, the doors shut nicely and the door handles still work great. That might not seem all that amazing, but considering it’s nearly 68 years old and likely lived a hard life, it really is. I doubt there will be too many modern cars that will still have working power windows 68 years from now. You can find this Canadian issue Mercury here on eBay in Cavalier, North Dakota with a current bid of $1,300 and no reserve.

This seller has clearly been busy buying old trucks up in Canada to resale here in the States, as we have seen quite a few from them. We are actually alright with it, they provide lots of info, good photos and help with all the paperwork to get a title. Plus, we didn’t get these Mercury trucks here in the States. They might just be rebadged Ford, but it’s always fun to have something a little different than everyone else! It would definitely be a fun conversation piece at car shows.

While this truck seems like a great starting point for a project, it definitely is going to need a ton of work. It has some rust spots and the engine is seized. You might be able to free up the engine, but chances are it will need to be rebuilt. It’s a flat head V8 and was commonly found in these work trucks, so you should be able to find a replacement out of a Ford truck. If you decided to go a more custom route, there are a lot of engine options that could give this truck some serious power. It will all come down to your budget and tastes, but there are a lot of possibilities.

Whether you fully restore this truck, restomod or get it running and leave it looking rough, it will be a cool rig. You definitely don’t see these trucks often on American roads. Finding most parts for it will be quite easy, considering it’s just a Ford. The trim and badges would be the only challenging to find bits, but they all look to be in good shape. So what route would you go with this truck?

Comments

  1. Avatar aw

    love the old vehicles with the door flap on heater core inside vehicle to control heat

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  2. Avatar Truck_Gal

    Cool truck. Has anyone ever really gotten an engine this old and rusty running?

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    • Avatar sebtown

      In the 60’s we got more than one seized flathead up and running with a bottle of marvel mystery oil, a piece of wood and a hammer. Add the oil through the spark plug hole and let sit. Come back a few weeks later remove the heads and give each cylinder a whack with the hammer, using the wood to distribute the whack.

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    • Avatar C Carl

      I had a motor that looked like this once. It came out of a San Diego sailboat. A guy offered me a gallon of paint trade for it. In the end it turned out to be more rust than metal.
      I wish I took the paint.

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  3. Avatar Sam

    What’s with all the Mercury pickups lately…secret Canadian stash?

    The next owner could stencil “Sanford et fils” on the door.

    Cool truck/nice patina!

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    • HoA Howard A Member

      Hi Sam, apparently, we’ve finally done run out of these in the US. Canada,,,the last frontier,,,,for old trucks, that is.

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      • Avatar Sam

        Thanks Howard…

        The next craze will be vintage GAZ pickups “discovered” on the Aleutian islands

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    • Avatar Matthew

      I’m thinking the next thing will be unique South American pickups such as 2nd generation Dodge Ramchargers, Crew Cab Ford Unibodies and Ford B Series SUV’s which are 70s/80s Ford F Series SUV’s similar to a Chevy Suburban. I’m sure there would be a place in the classic truck market for these interesting oddities.

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  4. Avatar Jim

    I have a fresh 49 flatie sitting in my shop that would fit nicely and I would leave the rest alone

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  5. Avatar geomechs Member

    I don’t think you can accurately refer to the Mercury trucks as rebadged Fords; they shared a lot of parts but Mercury trucks had an edge over the Fords. Mercury came out of the chute with a deluxe cab which included two-tone paint. There was more bright trim; dual sun-visors; heater/defroster; ash tray and lighter; sliding rear window. You could get that stuff on a Ford but they were optional. If you wanted a basic Mercury you took advantage of the ‘Delete’ options. The engine choices were varied as well. If you ordered a Mercury Tonner you automatically got the 255 (Mercury) motor. You could get a 255 in the Ford Tonner but you had to order it. The ’49 and ’50 Mercury 1/2 tons had a different motor than the Fords; they were both 239 CID but the Mercury had aluminum heads with higher compression and an extra 5 hp; it was essentially the same motor that powered the ’49 Meteor Mainline, and was painted a light shade of green instead of red. Beginning midway through the 1950 model year you could actually finagle a 255 in a Mercury 1/2 ton. It wasn’t on the option list but if you ordered it, you would get it. The engine information I got from a couple of guys who worked for a Mercury dealer just north of the border in Canada. The one mechanic is gone now but the other is still around although getting slower.

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    • Avatar TBall

      geomechs – I couldn’t agree more. I grew up near Detroit and went into Canada a lot – loved the Mercury trucks there – not rebadging as you pointed out, but a truck to its own. Fords were much more basic than the Merc’s. Attached is a photo of my ’48 F1. Wish it had a heater/defrost box. Mine has a repurposed 351C / C6 combo out of a ’70 Torino GT. Much easier to get parts for and power out of than the original flat 6. Also wish I had a flat 8 to put in it…

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  6. Avatar Todd Zuercher

    Wasn’t this one written up here just a few days ago?

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    • Avatar Matthew

      No it wasn’t.

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      • Avatar packrat

        We just have that many featured on Barnfinds. The newly opened Mer-Can pipeline is a-gushin’.

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  7. Avatar Jack Couch

    These pickups have huge engine bays, had one in the early 70’s, we put a 312 y block in it, later a 289, and finally a 440 Dodge engine in it. Only had to move the battery box. The straight axle in front makes for a stiff ride, but the big heavy frames makes it easy to change the front end for just about anything now days.

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    • Avatar Rocco

      I’ll probably regret this, but why the 440? Just because it’s bigger?

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  8. Avatar Ron D.

    I can just imagine what it would cost to get that truck Tennessee.

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    • Avatar James

      $1,000.

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  9. Avatar Bob

    Tball- that sure is a sharp truck ! That’s the shape I’m looking for. Yours is beautiful !

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  10. Avatar Big Mike

    In my 55 years on this planet, I had never seen a Mercury Pickup, heard and read about them but never saw one until this last weekend, the Wifey and I took a cruise to Winterset Iowa to see the new John Wayne museum and on the way came upon a small car show in Chillicothe, Missouri, at the Local Wal-Mart Supercenter, so as the Wife went in to get a couple of things, I walked around it and talked to the different car owners, and there it set a 53 Mercury, matte black and really looked sharp, the owner had bought it from a dealer in upstate Michigan about 12 years ago, and he at first was thinking it was a Ford until he got up close to it and discovered it to be a Mercury, even though it had a Ford tailgate on it. After talking with him for over an hour, about how hard it was to put everything Mercury to put back on it, he liked to never found a proper for it, tailgate it let alone one that was not roached out and beyond using, he told me he found the one in Mississippi of all places. Well as it was time to head back out on the road. Wife was not that upset for me standing around and talking, she knows how I am, besides she ran in to a old College buddy up there and went to her house for coffee, while I stayed and talked.
    Never did make it to Winterset, going this weekend I hope, even though it is her weekend to pick.

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    • Avatar RJ

      Goodguys car show is this weekend at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. That’s only about a 40 minute drive from Winterset. Just saying.

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  11. Avatar GP Member

    Paint it.

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  12. Avatar Jim

    To state a 68 year old truck will outlast todays modern pickups is incorrect. With modern technology in rust preventive methods, engines requiring a fraction of the maintenance yet able to go 200000 plus miles without any major rebuilding required and superior build quality and not to mention the safety aspect of modern vehicles there is not comparison.

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