In the seventies, for the Ford person who was above an LTD, but couldn’t afford a Lincoln Continental Town Car, there was the Mercury Marquis. It was the “just right” car. All the full-size products of Ford from 1975 to 1978 shared a similar domed hood, peaked fenders with parking lights, and concealed headlights (for Ford on the LTD Landau only), although they are shown open in this picture. While the LTD favored a Thunderbird look, the Marquis favored the Lincoln from the front. Here is a 1978 Mercury Marquis Brougham for sale here on Craigslist in Lakeville, Minnesota for $4,000. Thanks to Barnfinds reader Jonathan M. who brought this car to our attention.
While the Lincoln of the time sported upright vertical taillights, the Marquis had horizontal taillights on the slanted rear. The seller often refers to this as a Grand Marquis in the ad, but it is actually a Marquis Brougham as described in the heading. Even this model is the “just right” vehicle. In 1978 Mercury produced the regular Marquis line and the Grand Marquis. This Marquis Brougham fits right in the middle. In black, it really favors the Town Car.
Mercury described this as a Flight Bench seat covered in Willshire cloth. Accessories found on this Marquis Brougham include the original AM/FM radio, air conditioning, cruise control, power locks, and power brakes which are all working. On the floor is thick, 18-ounce Tiffany spun nylon carpeting. The interior appears to be in excellent condition.
The standard engine found in this Marquis Brougham is the 351 cubic inch V-8. That’s probably a little strained pulling this heavy car that stretches 229.0 inches, or 19 feet long (the seller has incorrect figures for length in the ad). But the car has only been driven 27,644 miles.
The only flaw I can see in the car is that it appears the vinyl top is wrinkled on the right rear C pillar. The $4,000 price seems very reasonable for a car in this condition with such low mileage. If this car is for you, measure your garage before purchase.
These cars are well built, reliable and with so few miles this one is ready to float you across the US in a road trip you’ll never forget. Just bring plenty of gas money.
About $4000 should cover the gas costs.
And now, the obligatory; Book’em Dano!
Ugly car, but the good colors make it. That ad copy is weird, it’s all internet swipe and says nothing about the actual vehicle for sale. Doesn’t sound like an owner wrote it. Wonder if it’s a scam.
Good question
Very good
I doubt Very Much it weighs 3,700 pounds…
What a lovely old barge. Absolutely glorious, but sadly unsuitable for our narrow roads here in the UK.
Wow, driven 1200 miles in 27 years. That’s less than 4 miles a month….only driven down the street to church on Sunday?
No way that behemoth weighs a trim 3725 lb. It’s bound to be every bit of 4500.
Sounds about right. My parents owned a 1972 Ford LTD with the 400 cubic inch engine and it weighed about 4400 pounds
Last year of the true land yachts, definitely a bargain. Kind of surprised it isn’t packing a 400, but this was a time when they were cutting back and focusing on economy.
The 400 was I think more typical, but the 351 was the base engine. Neither would set the world on fire. The 460 was the only thing that would move the big beasts at a speed not best described as slow.
I think the 351 only managed a couple mpg better than the 460.
Had the wagon with a 460
This Merc exudes syle, & elegance. Beautiful car at a bargain price. Many more years of miles & smiles await her new owner
Their should be a “Brougham” insignia on or near that wrinkle of the vinyl top, also on on the right side of the deck. AND a body side moulding in the middle along the entire side of the car. The Grand Marquis had a 2 inch (wide) body side moulding lower, along the entire length of the car. I used to work at a L-M Dealership, and I owned one of these cars.
There is a brougham insingia on the trunk deck under the Marquis script.
I had one of these, mine was a regular Marquis, black with blue cloth. These rode real nice, a true land yacht.
I took my driver’s test exam in a 1976 version of this car. My father had driven Desotos, big Ford’s, and Mercs, so he had years of driving some of the biggest Detroit had to offer. He taught me how to use your side mirror aligned with the rear bumper to parallel park. When finished, I was about an inch away from the curb. The DMV employee smiled and said you have passed. The memory is priceless.
Funny story , I worked for my uncle when the sales manager of the Lincoln/ Mercury dealership called to tell him his new Lincoln was in, you cant miss it Mr G we put it on the show room floor for you to inspect and approve . He ask me to take him down there if the car was to his liking he would sign and bring it home . We got to the dealership and low and behold there were two identical Lincolns on the show room floor, we started inspecting the first one and we were impressed with everything about it . The sales manager came up and ask how we liked the car , reply was its great no disappointments here his reply was yes Mercury has really stepped it up with this years Marquis , but your Lincoln is over here ,boy were we red faced . He did come home with the Lincoln .
any land yacht, Mustang, VW or certain foreign makes from the 1950’s-1980’s is desirable to me. Including buses. Always liked this generation of Fords.
Learned how to drive in a ’76 Marquis Colony Park station wagon WITH the 460 engine. Looking at this dash brought back a lot of memories.
Left front fender has been repaired/replaced. The paint on that panel has no gloss compared to the rest of the car.
Yeah, I saw that too. It took a couple glances. Still, I don’t think that would deter me in the least. Black is easy; paint and buff.
Just to correct the write up, the covered headlights were also used on Country Squire wagons from 1975 to 1978.
I had a 1977 model of same car color and all except the interior Mine a black cloth interior But I had a 460 V8 !!! That is the best engine for it !!! I was getting 13 miles to the gallon !!! Then I did a couple modifications to it and I was getting 19 miles to the gallon with the same 460 V8 !!!! It was a great car but when I was getting over 100,000 miles on her then I started having electrical problems underneath the hood!!! The engine ran great it was all the huge wiring wire looms that were giving me issues but other than that she was a great car I would still like to have one just like her!!! With a 460 V-8!!!!
Sounds about right. My parents owned a 1972 Ford LTD with the 400 cubic inch engine and it weighed about 4400 pounds