There is a great deal of attraction in buying a project car that can be driven and enjoyed immediately. This 1970 Mercury Montego MX Brougham is a case in point. It needs some rust repairs and a repaint, but it is in sound mechanical health. The owner has demonstrated this recently, which means that this is a classic that is ready to be driven and enjoyed. Located in Macedon, New York, you will find the Mercury listed for sale here on craigslist. This piece of motoring magnificence can be yours for a mere $12,500. A big thank you has to go out to Barn Finder Mike P for spotting this beauty for us.
The Montego is finished in Medium Ivy Green Poly, and there is evidence that it also once featured a Dark Green vinyl top. The vinyl is gone, and the paint looks pretty sad, but there is no reason why it couldn’t be made to pop once again. The panels have a few ripples and dings, with the worst damage visible on the driver’s side rear quarter panel. There is also some rust in this panel’s lower reaches, so a replacement might be the best option. There is matching rust in the other quarter panel, but this could be addressed with a patch. There is no additional visible rust, and the owner doesn’t mention any further problems in either his listing or in the walk-around video that I have included at the bottom of this article. One “interesting” addition is the rear spoiler. A previous owner fabricated this, and it is slightly rough around the edges. Removing it would be simple, although there is also a chance that the buyer might want to tweak it a little to improve the finish before undertaking a repaint. The Mercury features covered headlamps and the vacuum covers function exactly as they should. The glass looks good, but it has an aftermarket tint film, which the next owner could remove. One addition that I do like is the wheels. These are 15″ x 8″ with Baby Moon hubcaps. These give the Montego a tough and purposeful appearance and are a feature that I probably wouldn’t touch.
Mercury offerings always brought a touch of luxury to the table, and the Montego MX was no exception. You can see splashes of woodgrain trim, although the interior does need some work. The first thing to catch your eye is the dash pad. This has obviously looked quite sad at some point, so new vinyl has been glued over the top of the imperfections. It looks pretty rough and ready and will need to be replaced. The carpet is looking tired, so a replacement set should go on the shopping list. We don’t get a look at the state of the seats, but the remaining trim seems to be in good order. The Mercury was ordered with factory air conditioning, and while the system appears to be complete, it isn’t clear whether it functions properly.
While the owner doesn’t state it outright, I believe that the Montego may have started life with a 351ci V8 under the hood. That is what we find here today, and it is in excellent health. It has been treated to an upgraded camshaft, along with an Edelbrock intake and a Holley carburetor. In its original form, this engine would have delivered around 300hp. It would be a safe bet that this work has unleashed a few additional ponies. Power finds its way from the engine to the 9″ rear end via a C4 transmission, while the Mercury also features power steering and power brakes. The owner has recently fitted a new Flowmaster exhaust, and as you will hear in the video below, the 351 sounds sweet. The owner has just completed a 1,500-mile road trip with no issues. That would tend to confirm that the car is in sound mechanical health. It seems that this classic is ready to hit the road for a bit of fun.
There’s always a tinge of sadness when you look back at some of the great car brands that are now nothing more than a distant memory. One of the saddest of these losses was Mercury. This company brought an additional level of flair, style, and luxury to many different models developed by Ford. However, dwindling sales saw the brand finally retired in 2010, and you can’t help but wonder whether there will ever be the sales volumes to justify reviving the brand. I tend to think that economic rationalism will mean that it will probably remain a pipe dream, although we should never say never to such ideas. In the meantime, I hope that someone gives this Montego a bit of a birthday. It is cars like this that will keep the brand’s memory alive for future generations.
Put the money into the interior. Make the car safe and comfortable while leaving the well-aged exterior alone.
I’m guessing you are under 30. “Patina” is a recent trend that need to die. NOBODY thought rust was cool “back in the day”. That is neglect. Needs paint WAY before interior. Who cares what inside looks like when the outside is so horrible?
Look its the Mercury Comets BIG brother!!
I like it… and it’s green! Hmm!?
Looks like the previous owner may have had some vision problems. Like my ex-wife who “ Drove by Ear” when she hit something she turned the wheel. To me this looks like a decent $5k fixer upper. I love that it’s fairly solid mechanically and the body isn’t completely rusted off the frame and that someone hasn’t already loaded it with bondo yet but 4 me I’d need a Hurst and exhaust to the rear bumper. No problem with the Glasspacks. Sounds cool. Puke 🤮 Green just proves it was a product of the Muscle car Era ( Deduct 10%) and the green cloth… well it’s what I call the “ Kiss of Death, Deduct another 5%. $4,250- anyone?? You know this thing has to have more rust than it appears as the Video shows the owner has no problem with showing it’s from the North and driven in Salt and sand laced states.Ugliest grill with hide away headlights I’ve ever seen. Not sure why but it just doesn’t look right. Maybe with the headlights open it looks better? Still pretty cool 😎, because you know your ole lady would absolutely hate it and hate you even more just for paying 💰 for the sound of it.🤣😂.Hope it’s got a big trunk cuz that’s where my mattress would have to fit if I spent my ( Her) money on it.
No way in hell I’d pay $12,500 for a car in this condition.
No way in hell I’d pay $12,500 for car in this condition.
Boy you can say that again.
It’s a nice $2500 car.
25 years ago it was $2,500…..today a DD that runs decent and is a classic is at LEAST $5,000 or so.
This, IMO is among Ford’s worst design efforts. The lines are awkward as well as a horrendous front end. Hard pass for me.
Overall a cool car, but I don’t think the condition merits more than $4K-$5K for me. I’d proceed to spend $$ before I’d consider it worthy of the current asking price. Clearly a new dash and sprucing up the interior, plus a repaint would be my opportunity (excuse) to ditch the vinyl roof anyway. I know some like the dog-dish wheels, not me so a few $$ there also.
Not sure why you’d take off the vinyl roof if it came with a vinyl roof.
Try living on the sea coast with a vinyl top for 10 years. Vinyl tops, for me, means fake convertible.
Personal preference, I just HATE vinyl roofs with a passion. I know some people like them and certainly don’t begrudge that, I just don’t see the point.
Last month my brother in law sold his springtime yellow 1970 Mercury Cyclone with the 429 engine which he had received from his parents new as a college graduation present in 1970. He kept it and garaged it all these years and took great care of it. It only had 47,000 miles, and looked new to me. Was always in Southern California. He sold it to his cousin for $15,000. I think his cousin got a great deal, and is a very lucky man!!
$12,500??? What has the seller been smoking?
If there ever was a car that need a set of 1969 -1972 Cougar tail lights, it’s this one.
It is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. I am dumb enough to do it if I had $12,000 burning a hole in my butt cheek
I suspect that this car originally had a smaller engine. If I’m not mistaken, with a 351 this would have come with a C6 versus a C4? Also the top end of that engine is too clean compared to the rest of the car. Way too high $ ask.
Maybe some knowledgeable person can advise, but is that an original radiator ?
It seems to have aged with the car, but it is the more modern cross flow type.
The 351 Cleveland came with only two automatics. The FMX which became the AOD and the C6. Two barrel carb 351 Clevelands were paired with the FMX and Four barrel carb 351C came with the C6.
Just a fun old Mercury, built to have fun with and that’s about it. It’s a throw back to what many of us did to older cars and trucks years ago, not a nut and bolt numbers matching showroom restoration. Like the 351 Cleveland engine all nice and clean here…..and no,
the C6 was not used on the small block 351 Cleveland as it wouldn’t fit,,.. the 351M solved that problem using the taller 400 block. All were part of the 335 series engines. FMX transmission was in my Cleveland powered Cyclone, leaking everywhere.
I have to admit much of the appeal of this here Montego comes from not being some cherry of a car but more of a rough, ratty appearance as it sits….especially with those wheels.
I usually don’t beat people up,but some wondered why the removal of the vinyl top,it’s on the dash!
This car does have appeal to me. It is tempting. I have too much stuff now. Still, I enjoyed reading about it and hearing it.
I love that it is a basic mid size Ford with a big small block under the hood. As noted probably not original but who cares? It’s in there now.
Asking price is a bit high. Maybe 5,000. On a good day.
As a project would love to have the keys and regy to this one. 1st thing if do, besides finding a quiet road and flooring it, would be to swap that nose for a 70 fairlane/torino and eliminate 3rd taillight on each side of rear valance. Thdn dimp the ac. Personally in my mind that’s always been the first hot rodders move.
Don’t mind the paint or lack of it. More important would be swapping in a 4 or 5 spd manual trans and front disk brakes from a granada.
Time for a couple saturday afternoons at the local I-pull-it!
Everything about this car says it was definitely used to run shine.