I think Mercury’s marketing team from 1963 deserves a pat on the back and an ‘atta boy, wherever they are. It was shaping up to be an exciting year, as Mercury was giving NASCAR a go and would soon win the stock car division of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with the fearless and talented Parnelli Jones at the wheel of a Marauder. Even the name radiates confidence: Marauder. A raider, an attacker, a plunderer. Calling your new sporty Monterey a roving bandit took more than a little chutzpah, but it was the right choice. Unfortunately, the car buyers of 1963 saw the Marauder for what it was, a trimmed-up Galaxie, and they only bought 2,317 of the swoopy fastbacks in S-55 trim, and this one is for sale on craigslist in Mertztown, Pennsylvania. Barn Finds reader Mitchell G. spotted it for us, and it has an asking price of $12,500, not bad for a fairly solid looking example of one of Mercury’s highlights.
The S-55 model gave the buyer some extra power and versatility for their extra $567 (!) over a basic Monterey Custom fastback. It had a standard four-barrel “Marauder Super” 390 V8, whose name was another example of marketing savvy; it was the same 390 that came in all shapes and sizes of Ford products, and it had the same 300 horsepower and 427 lb.-ft. of torque it always did. An interesting note about specifications: The early 1963 brochure listed the 390 at a 9.6:1 compression ratio, while the midyear Marauder brochure labels it at 10.8:1. I’d be surprised that any base 390 had a compression ratio of almost 11:1, and I can’t find any definitive mechanical reasons for the change in my materials or online. Perhaps there’s an engine builder that specializes in FEs in the crowd.
The seller, who is the third owner and knows the car’s history since day one, says that the engine and driveline are original. Aside from a “small leak” at the power steering pump, the car is ready to drive. It has new tires, too (but the radio and gas gauge don’t work).
Another reason to buy an S-55 in 1963 was the sporty “buckets and console” interior, which is a snappy shade of red in this example. A four-speed or Merc-O-Matic (OK, the marketing team could have workshopped that one a little more) was standard, your choice (no three speeds here!). This one has the automatic, in addition to power windows and power locks.
There is a little bit of rust, and I’d like to see a few more pictures of the undercarriage and the car as a whole, so it may be worth a visit to Mertztown before handing over the cash. The missing trim pieces will come with the car, which is good, because 1963 Mercury trim would involve some long days scouring the internet or the swap meets.
The car business was a tough place in 1963, as it was one of the single greatest years in American automotive history. Many would-be Mercury buyers were undoubtedly drawn to the equally handsome 63 1/2 Galaxie fastback, which was similar to if not cleaner than the Marauder, and let’s not even discuss what was going on across town at GM. That, however, leaves us with a rare and handsome Mercury today, with a reasonable asking price if the car’s as clean as I hope it is (it even appears to have the original wheel covers). You might not use it for any plundering, but it would be fine for cruising around town.
Those rear fins had to add at least 10MPH in downforce on the corners at Daytona..
An unexpected visit from a time when NASCAR competitors were driving very different/distinguishable cars, swapping paint didn’t cause a 15 lap yellow and the few fights that happened were legit not just some spoiled rich kid looking for more publicity.
Neat find, Mitchel G and good call Aaron RE: underside pics.
Prefer the Galaxie taillights. The addition of the midyear fastback boosted the appeal of the big Blue Oval car. Adding the Xl package was icing on the cake.
Love these old Mercs w the racing pedigree as you mentioned Toth.
Wonder if the bump in compression was for the s55 model and the 4-Barrel 390 vs the 2bbl version in the regular Maurader ? These were neat cars and Mercury meant business offering the wicked 427 also. 4.11 cogs were
standard on 4sp cars. The autoloader like this one came equipped with a lively 3.50 rearend, with a 3.00 optional for preference to the buyer with highway cruising intentions. 🏁
Pretty cool and not commonly seen. The $567 S-55 option is the equivalent of $6000 today, so it wasn’t cheap. There can’t be more than a couple hundred of these still around. I especially appreciate the interiors of upscale 60’s cars: bright colors, lots of chrome and stainless trim, and they were actually “styled.”
I remember those red-white-blue centers on the wheel covers.
Good job Aaron.
This looks like a very overall solid old Mercury. The S-55 option is very nice, and a shame they didn’t sell more of them. I agree with Bob too about the beautiful interiors with chrome. These were certainly upscale models for sure. Its something to think about the racing history Mercury had in the 60’s and 70’s. Hope it goes to a good new home.
As the song goes – “Lincoln Mercury Leads the Way”
Aw shuckins’, didn’t get much better than this, and Rambler got the CotY award? Okay,, This was, I believe, Mercurys rendition of the Galaxie 500 XL. ’63-’64 were banner years in racing for Mercury, as the 427 was included in ’64. Some big names drove Mercs. Parnelli Jones, of course, who died with very little fanfare, Darel Dieringer, and others, all Stroppe prepared, but NOBODY could beat the King in his Plymouth in 1963/64. Ford sure gave it a try with these cars.
As mentioned, Marauders were NOT very nice people, and the 390 here is no slouch. The 390 was probably Fords most popular motor. Not the fastest( 0-60 in 9.2, 1/4 mile in 17sec@81mph) and thirsty, single digits in the city, but Mercury was a road car, and boy howdy, get this out on the highway, not much else like it. Fantastic cars, period.
Spring 1963… 8th grade… Catholic school… we got a new priest who had one of these… champagne gold in and out. He was cool.. wore sport coats and went to the horse track…. true.
I met a divinity student who, when asked about celibacy, explained it thusly: “It means we don’t get married…”
…to expand a bit… the priest was probably late 30’s… maybe about 40… and was rumored to be from a moneyed family.
My best friend’s parents liked to play the ponies and he told me that his parents knew the priest from that. I couldn’t imagine that… Not that any of it matters…
Imagine seeing another one going the opposite direction or at the local show. Back when big cars were taken seriously.
A Mercury mullet…390 business up front, fastback party in the back. Great find!
Loving these 60s Mercury’s you have here lately, especially the S55s. You featured a 66 S55 last week. Amazing how many changes happened in just 3 years from this 63 to that 66. Love the bucket seats and console in this one too. I’m torn over the tail lights design. Kinda like the 66 better. Very fair price for this survivor 63.
I checked and Mertztown is only about 50 miles from me, near where I bought my 66 F-100 5.5 years ago before Covid. There was time to work out the bugs then after full retirement. What did I notice in this engine compartment? An old horn or maybe one from JC Whitney. I left a box of old horns like that in a barn in Mendocino County near Philo CA where I lived til the mill shut down in 1975. What happened to all that stuff? I have lots more to replace it now. A hoard.
Always thunk s55 had dual quad 406..