This 1977 Mercury Marquis here on craigslist is one of the finer original cars I have seen listed anywhere. (Ok, I am partial to the color.) Located in Watervliet, Michigan, this car’s 45,000-mile odometer reading is easy to accept as actual mileage. The seller is asking $9950 or he will trade for “sports cars”. There is one hitch: the seller lists this as a Grand Marquis but I think it’s the downmarket Marquis instead. Tony Primo sent us this exceptional tip – thanks, Tony! The Marquis was launched in 1967 and production ran through 1983. This car belongs to the second generation, which extended into the Malaise Era. As the seller notes, the car “floats”, and that was its job: coddling occupants in style and comfort.
The engine is big, no doubt, but by ’77, government regulations were flogging the horsepower out of everything. The 460 cu. in. V8 produced just 197 hp by ’77, down from a still-miserable 224 rating in ’72. Still, torque hung in there at 353 lb-ft, actually a slight improvement over the years. A C6 automatic transmission takes the power to the rear wheels. Four-wheel disc brakes were an option. Mercury touted its “Ride Engineered” suspension, which reportedly pleased customers enough to rank it above other luxury makes.
This is the Media velour seating upholstery on a Flight Bench seat. The original buyer eschewed optional power windows – I think I see a window crank. Looks like maybe a vintage CB radio under the dash. Speaking of the dash, it’s nearly perfect. The trunk carpet has a few wrinkles for the new owner to iron out. Documentation, including a log of oil changes, accompanies the car.
This car is a two-door hardtop. A few popular styling cues of the day included hidden headlights (check) and a vinyl landau roof (check), usually white. The obligatory stand-up hood ornament announced the car’s luxe status. The seller indicates that the car has never been driven in winter (saved it from salty roads) and that it has no rust. Underside photos are missing from the listing, but the sills and wheel wells appear almost factory original. In terms of value, it’s hard to argue with a sub-$10k price on such a clean specimen, but we do note this is a down-market car missing some of the finer options offered by Mercury. This example, also a two-door, but a Grand Marquis with leather seats and power windows and in similar condition, sold for $9350. That price leads me to believe a discount could be in the offing before our subject car finds a new garage.
Nice example, body’s nice as the inside but someone yanked and unplugged the emissions setup thinking it would run better which is probably don’t. At least parts to bring it up to spec and better running are still easy to get and afordable
I had a 73 and got rid of all that emissions junk when the spacer under the carb burned and cracked. It DID Run Better
They always ran better when you removed that crap. Cut the catalytic converters off all my 70’s and 80’s cars, too!
Citizens band radio is a nice period correct addition.
Who Weber found this car thank you for finding my car
Your welcome Janelle, can you tell us all how you kept the car in such excellent condition?
Where’s the Landau roof?
John Candy (Uncle Buck) with a set of golf clubs in the trunk.
Barnaby Jones
Beautiful boat. Thought these marquis had the rear wheel covers. Love the big motor option.
This Marquis looks like a good car for the money if you can afford the gas.Better than a LTD but not quite a Lincoln.Pretty much the same panels and body lines.Nice color and a two door.I would buy it and drive it if I could.Last of the true quality automobiles right there.
My 73 got great mileage on the highway and when you got to where you were going you didn’t need a rest to recover. Love these BIG GIRLS
Neat car, with a 460, what’s not to love? I hope it finds a good home. I’d put dual exhaust on it and enjoy it for what it is.
My father had a 73 with a 429 bought it new in early 74 I was 6yrs old nvr seen another one with that color he had dark metallic blue 2dr with a white hard top sadly they stole it in 1978 we found it 2 days later they had burned it was no good anymore ill nvr 4get it was a beautiful car that’s why they stole it I think had the fender skirts too
These are fantastic cars. I had a 75 Colony Park wagon, it was white with tan tuck and roll vinyl interior, and all the correct woodgrain panels. Under hood was the mighty 460 cid, with a Motorcraft 4300 4 barrel carburetor. It had every available option including ATC. The system would automatically adjust the temperature and the fan to 8 different speeds. The entire system operates on engine vacuum. It made little ticking and weezing sounds coming from under the dash as the system adjusted its self. It was the most comfortable car I ever owned, the 460 was plenty powerful enough to handle anything it came across. It would get 10 mpg no matter what it was doing. It became part of the family,
and everyone loved it. IMO, the mid-70s Ford wagons were great looking. They were very popular and reliable, without a doubt Ford made the best cars of the 70s. That can’t be said about any other of the Big Three during that era. FYI, Barnaby Jones drove the Ford LTD Landeau 2 door. I wish I still had my Colony Park.
Since FoMoCo in the name of fresh air not only smogged these Big Motors down with bolt on junk for fresher air but they in 1972 advanced the crankshaft 8 degree’s for better emissions! Doing so made them up to 4 mpg more thirsty on the Hwy but also robbed over 40 hp and almost 50 lbs of torque! All you have to do to wake it up is put either a 68-71 timing chain on it or get a roller chain for the PRE-71 429/460 and it’ll zero out the Cam/Crank timing! If you want it to really run like the HiPo it was originally built for you just put a pair of 68-71 Cylinder Heads on it (DOVE-C style) and get it back to the 365 Horsies it had in 1970.
I had a 1974 back in 1984. Loved the car, although I’m not a big fan of FoMoCo, except maybe Lincolns and Thunderbirds.
It does float, as it’s supposed to. I sold mine to buy a ’84 Camaro.
Don’t ask what processed me. Temporary lack of judgment.
This is definitely not a Grand Marquis. They came with all the amenities of p/w, p/l, rear skirts, etc.
Love this color, but would still have to pass as it’s just not luxury enough for me.
When I was a kid, my mom’s friend drove a 4 door 1973 Mercury Marquis. It was very close to this color. It may have been sightly redder than this, but I remember it being about this color. It had a white leather interor and a white vinyl top. It was a great riding car and made quite an impression on me at the time.
Really nice looking Mercury. I love the base trim big motor combo and rarely seen tilt wheel (at least where I’m from). CB is a reminder that we did communicate in our cars before cell phones.
How come in all the years they offered Mecury Marquis they never offered a deSADE EDITION??
For the same reason Dodge had to change the name of the Demon to Sport.
Too many people (religious ones) complained.
Sadly no option car, AM radio, no power windows, doors, tilt, why buy a Luxo boat with no options
I almost forgot about this: Back when I was a college freshman in 1980, the live-in landlady where I rented a room had one of these, light blue IIRC. She would lend it to me to get to campus when my Barracuda wouldn’t start on cold winter mornings.
This memory brought back remembrances of this unique woman. Easily in her 70’s, she smoked those long, dark colored cigarettes (More? something like that) and mowed the lawn with one of those mechanical reel push mowers. She refused every offer of help.
You forgot the Original Classic TV Series Hawaii Five-5 Jack Lord “Commissioner Steve McGarrett’s” Ride a 1967 Mercury Grand Marquis 2Dr Hardtop in the pilot episode, from then on he was given a 4Dr 1968 Mercury Marquis Park Lane from seasons 1-7, and a 4Dr 1974 Mercury Marquis Brougham, then on as the series progressed he was given a 4Dr 1975 Mercury Marquis Brougham to a down sized 1980 Mercury Marquis Brougham. The only time I’ve seen Mercury Marquis’s were on Private Detective Shows were Cannon and Barnaby Jones.
Frank Cannon Drove Continental Mark’s III & Continentals Mark IV.
The criminals were seen driving in either Lincoln Continentals or Mercury Marquis Broughams.
Barnaby Jones was driving a Brown 2Dr 73 Ford LTD Coups as years progressed he was seen driving Brown 2Dr LTD Coupe with Landau Roofs and the assailants were seen driving in Lincoln Continentals and Mercury Marquis’s.
When I was a teenager our dad 👴🏾 brought a 1975 Mercury Grand Marquis Colony Park LS Park Lane Beach Wagon/Station Wagon Fully Equipped, Fully Loaded and Fully Powered with a Big Block 460 4BBL V8 Power Plant under the Hood with Power Steering, Brakes, Doors, Windows, Front Drivers and Passenger Seats 💺💺 Cruise Control, Tilt Steering Wheel, Electric ⚡️ Power Tailgate Glass with Electric⚡️Rear Defogger/Defroster, Factory Installed Roof Rack with Rear Window Deflector attached and bolted to the Roof Rack to help keep the Tailgate Glass Clean 🧼🧽 from Dirt,Dust and Debris with Chrome Highly Buffed,Polished Stainless Steel Custom Deluxe Wheel Covers with 2 and 1quarter Inch Steel Belted All Terrain All Weather Tires.
It was a Light Yellow Cream Puff but what a smooth ride it was. It drove, handled and road like a dream 🛌 😴 💭.