How’s this for a name: Mercury Marauder Montclair. Sure beats modern coinages like “C-Class” for having a ring to it. The car is even cooler than the name, this 1964 Marauder, available here on ebay. And the price, well, that’s not too bad, either. It’s just past ten grand in an auction that goes until Sunday. If you like this car well enough to win the bid, plan to get to Cincinnati, OH, to pick it up.
What’s a Marauder? You might recall that the name, which debuted in the 1960s, reappeared in the 2003-04 era to showcase a menacing black four-door that was built on the platform that the Grand Marquis grandad car (average buyer age: 69) was built on. It came in the long shadow of the mid-1990s Chevrolet Impala SS, which featured a Corvette engine. But when the Marauder in question came out in the second year of the first (1963-65) generation, that was all the distant future. What was right here, right now was a car built on any of the three trim levels of Monterey, Montclair, or Parklane. This one, obviously, hits at the second level. In this year, Marauders were available as four-doors as well as two-door models like the Bittersweet one pictured here.
What’s not to love? The car is equipped with a thumping 390-CID engine with a four-barrel carb, plenty of power to motivate it. The seller claims that it runs well and even smells good inside its original interior. The finish, which looks good from a distance, is said to have been professionally redone at some point in the past, and the car has registered a supposedly authentic 39,680 miles. None of this is proved with documentation, but the seller is up front about the fact that he buys and sells cars. Is this really a one-family owned car? Probably, but in truth, that doesn’t matter, if it is, as he says “a blast to drive” and if it looks as good from a foot as it does in a photo.
Sure, you can buy a lot of cars for where this is going to end up selling. But how many are going to have that sawtooth grille and chrome side spears? The semi-fastback roofline? An engine with bits painted gold? A trunk big enough to put the Christmas tree in? All of that is going to make you happy, and be the basis for many good memories over your years of ownership. So while there might be some subtle pressure involved in the “come see it” and “we might sell it short of finishing the auction” language in the ad, if you’re anywhere near Cinci, go have a look at this car and report back as to its true condition.
I’m going to bet that Elwood Engle had already designed this car before he left Ford and went to Chrysler around 1963. Then in ’65 his New Yorker came out.
Here, again, is mine. I looks very similar to this Merc.
65 New Yorker one of my favorite cars of all time. Love the long edgy lines and does yours have those translucent taillights? I think that’s a cool feature.
Yes, I totally agree Rex. Lots of similarities between the two. I personally like the look of the 64 Mercs over the 63s.
Interesting Marauder. I like the styling; it has character and ample trim but doesn’t look gaudy. The color is certainly not for everyone, but if you want a car like this, seems to me you want people to notice; no one else on the road is going to have anything like it. Might turn out to be not very much money to get into a great 60’s cruiser.
The name debuted in 1958 on the Mercury engines.This car is one of the best ways to get into the hobby for not much money…so undervalued unless it has the 427…even then undervalued.Stunning work of art.
True Thunder. Mercury used the name ‘Marauder’ to distinguish their 3-duece set-up on the 368 V8’s! It was the first car to establish a 400HP rating. It was an option, rather than a seperate model. And it lasted only one year. The unique air cleaner for the tri-carbs are virtually non-existent today, but someone was reproducing them.
Nice car.Looks honest and ready for a new home.glwts
I’m partial to 60s Mercury Marauders and have been bring my 65 survivor back for the last 5 years. Mine had 22,000 miles on it when I bought it, but had sat idle for many years. After updating top half of engine, carb, ignition electronics, and front disc brakes, it now has 32k miles on it. She loves running and to be driven. This 64 is in similar condition to when I first got my 65. Good find.
Still prefer the 64 Ford Galaxie 500.
Since the name is in the banner headline, nobody called out what a Marauder actually was. Marauders were not very nice people. I think it’s comical the “board” approved the name Marauder because it sounds mighty and strong, when in fact, Marauders roamed haplessly, and raped and pillaged their way across Europe. Somehow “C-Class” has a bit more civility to it.
Okay then, getting that unpleasantness out of the way, nobody mentioned Mercurys racing history around this time. Some of the best drivers drove ,64 Mercury Marauders, if you want to talk “names”. Parnelli Jones probably the most famous, but several won with Bill Stroppe prepared cars. They were the cars to beat and translated directly to the showroom. This car right here wasn’t much different than the race cars, and these guys were our heroes. They were beautiful cars and I will never forgive Ford for discontinuing them.
Excellent supplement re racing history. Thanks for this.
I thought about that as an angle for this story. Next time there’s a Marauder to write up, I’ll go that direction.
PS what if the C in C-class stands for something very, very bad? This is a possibility we cannot discount :).
The Gen 2 versions were also unknown. But they looked good and with the 429, weren’t any slouch. I’m biased but I like mine.
Bill, is that an X-100?
There is a Robin egg blue one of these in the classic row as they call it at the local u pull it. It has either been scrapped or is nearing it shelf life,”haven’t been in over a month” end. Sadly many odd balls have passed through this place and except for the emblem grabbers and the small Ebay hounds, nothing goes off these cars. At last walk through not a single piece had been removed from the Mercury. I have suggested they advertise a little more on some of these older units and leave them on the lot when they are complete but as the junk business goes, what’s one “OLD” car when you process thousands. I always liked these and Mercury’s don’t get the attention they should.
In 1985 I bought a Pacific Blue ’64 Monterey fastback coupe from the original owner. I was 16.130,000 miles on the 390 Marauder engine. Mercury was all over the place with their naming. For the ’63 1/2 fastbacks, they were Mercury Marauders, full stop. In ’64, the engines were Marauder engines, hence the cool flag and badge on the fender. So you really just bought whichever model with a 390 Marauder or a 427 Super Marauder. No sixes or 289’s in full size Mercuries. Mine was a 266 hp 2bbl 390 Marauder with a Merc-O-Matic.