(first posted 7/5/2017) It’s not uncommon to see Craigslist ads with improperly identified vehicles, but this one’s sitting in front of one of the mid-sized used car dealers in a town near us, and they oughtta know better…
Because it’s definitely not a Marauder. This Monterey four-door sedan would be one of 20,234 sold in 1964, around 18% of the total number of Mercurys sold that year. Hopefully I correctly identified it, as it’s missing its name badges from the rear fender, but it looks like it has minimal trim on the sides, consistent with the lower Monterey trim level.
Is it possible that the dealer misidentified this as a “Marauder” from the engine valve cover (interwebs photo, not from the subject car)?
I couldn’t confirm whether all Mercury V8s got a Marauder decal or not, though. The 390 cu.in. (6.4l) Ford FE V8 was made standard as of 1963, so every full-size 1964 Mercury had a “Marauder V8” under the hood and the brochure referred to them all this way. Given this car has the Merc-O-Matic, I’ll hazard a guess that the 266 hp/378 lb.ft. variant is fitted.
Most reviewers agree that this year’s styling was quite effective, and I would be in agreement. Many of the design details seem to have been lifted from or influenced by the 1958-1960 Lincoln Continental, including the breezeway rear window.
The interior prescribes to the “solid wall of chrome” school of instrument panel design. That “Athenian Cord” seat fabric looks to be original and has held up relatively well over the years.
Here’s a closeup of the electrically-retractable rear window that gave this feature its name. Interestingly, Monterey was raised and lowered in the Mercury lineup from 1961-64 almost as often as that rear window might have been. 1961 saw the elimination of the Montclair and Park Lane trims. The new Meteor slotted in at the bottom of the range, which put Monterey in the top slot. Meteor became a intermediate trim in 1962 so a Monterey 6 (with a straight six engine) took over the bottom rung. 1963 saw a mid-year introduction of the fastback roofed Marauder. Monterey was the entry-level trim for 1964, with Park Lane and Montclair being re-introduced alongside the Marauder.
I can just imagine hearing the burble of the big 390 through the open rear window, as I cruise through town with Hang on Sloopy crackling from the radio on a sultry July evening…
Related reading: CC For Sale: 1964 Mercury Montclair – Care For A Breezy Car? PN
Seems like a 1990s pricetag on this one.
I like that Breezeway roof a lot more now than I did when these cars were more common. Or let’s just say less rare. The 4 door hardtops with that semi-fastback roof was my pick of the 64 Mercs, which were really nicely done cars, IMHO.
$3500? Wow, the rare reasonably priced old car! How often does that happen any more?
The dealer will take less if he wants to move that car off the lot. A four door sedan where many say it has two too many doors. Then the breezeway window which is not all that popular. I like Mercury, have two, but never cared for the breezeway look. Then only 55,000 miles, hmm. That means my Park Lane has 53,000 miles although glove box receipts show 153,000 miles and in great shape. You don’t want to know what the Park Lane 4 dr. hrtp. cost to buy as it would make this car severely overpriced.
A couple of technical questions here…
I am not sure why there is a tiny difference between 427 and Super 427 engines beside the slightly different compression ratios (11.5 and 11.2) and carburettors (4V and dual 4bbl). I sort of expected the dual 4bbl carburettors would greatly increase horsepower and torque, but the difference is only 15 horsepowers and 4 pounds-feet of torque at higher speed for the latter.
Can anyone enlighten me in that regard? Any difference between ‘4-V’ and ‘4bbl’?
Another question: what are the benefits of hydraulic and mechanical lifters?
Mechanical lifters won’t float at higher rpms like the old hydraulic lifters did and they permit some more aggressive cam profiles. Always seemed kind of pointless on big block Ford V8s though.
I can’t say why, but Ford always referred to a “barrel” on a carburetor as a “venturi”, which is probably a more accurate engineering term. Thus, everyone elses “4 bbl” was a “4v” in Fordspeak.
My understanding was that the purpose for the dual quad 427 (and in fact all of the solid lifter 427s) was to make the engine legal for NASCAR racing. I don’t think I ever saw a FoMoCo car with a gen-u-wine 427 under the hood back then, while 390s and 428s were common as dirt.
I always wondered how come ‘barrel’ gets abbreviated to ‘bbl’ – why the second ‘b’? Any ideas?
Looks like nobody really knows. See this page and scroll down to the Standard Oil “Blue Barrel” Myth section. However, this seems as close as we’re likely to get to a real explanation.
Thanks Daniel. I should’ve guessed you’d have some good leads on the answer.
Indeed, interesting explanations. Never thought about the extra letter denoting the plural.
Thanks, Daniel, too.
If you look up what the abbreviation BL stands for, you will find a long list. The list for bbl is much shorter. bbl was used long before the so called blue barrel.
Back in late 70s a neighbor had a 1972 Mustang with huge side stripes written: 351 – 4V… I always wondered about the “4V”… until today…
Thank you very much
Same here. And also didn’t know about the origins of “bbl”. Another weird quirk of the use of abbreviations in the English language, that gave us “oz.” for ounces, “lbs” for pounds and “d.” for pennies.
All quite logical compared to some of the other/obsolete measurements we learnt at school but which my parents remembered, like chains for distance, gills for volume, crowns or guineas for price. I grew up in the days of pounds shillings and pence, and was nine when Australia changed over. A lot of confusing stuff got swept away with metrification.
A little late I know, but a 10 penny nail is written “10d”, the d referring to Denarius, the basic Roman currency. Ditto for pennies in the UK.
You mean other than the lovely tick and the need for adjusting valve lash? A true car nut lives for that so why need anything more.
Nonetheless, the solid is a simple foolproof system with no moving parts in the lifter. Solids would benefit a high rpm race engine as there wouldn’t be issues with a hydraulic pumping up or bleeding down.
The Ford 427 was a race designed engine appearing in 1963 which explains the solid lifters for a 7000 rpm and up engine. Most all standard FE engines, on the street, came with hydraulic from the factory.
Yes, solid lifters are good for maximum performance. Little known fact, every Studebaker V8 ever made was a solid lifter engine.
There is obviously some difference in tuning, otherwise the peak torque would likely be at about the same engine speed. However, the torque is dropping off rapidly above 5500 RPM’s with the 427 down to 80% of the peak at 5600 RPM’s, while the super 427 is down to 77.5% at 6000 RPM’s, so the horsepower difference is not much. If one could get 80% at 6000, the horsepower would be nearly 440 HP. With two carbs the engine can breath in more air/fuel than with a single carb, but no matter how many carbs you have, the engine can only get so much air/fuel through the intake manifold.
” I sort of expected the dual 4bbl carburettors would greatly increase horsepower and torque, but the difference is only 15 horsepowers and 4 pounds-feet of torque at higher speed for the latter.”
There are some reasons for this very modest increase:
Horsepower ratings back then were often not accurate. They were altered for marketing reasons. You might assume they would be inflated, which sometimes happened. But often they were down- graded, especially for the highest -power engines. Some manufacturers did not want bad press for high power ratings, sometimes senior executives discouraged this, and sometimes insurance companies would put surcharges on these highly – rated cars.
A dual 4-bbl set up is highly specialized and expensive. The target buyer usually knew they were getting an ultra -high performance engine and knew the power ratings were conservative. They knew the 15 hp increase was under-rated, especially if the car was set up and tuned for maximum output.
Next, engines are limited in flow by manifolds, cams, ports, valves and the displacement. This means that, if a single 4bbl carb flows enough air to suit the engine, adding more carburetor will not produce any power increase. It’s likely one 4bbl carb was close to optimum flow for this engine, hence adding more carb may not make much difference.
Finally, there’s a wide range of 4bbl carburetors out there. Too much carburetor flow may decrease overall performance. It’s possible Ford specified different carburetors for the 4 bbl set up. They did not simply add a second carb. Instead they offered 2 smaller 4bbl carbs to prevent ‘over-carburetion and its associated drivability problems.
All good points. Although the stock dual four-barrel engines may not have breathed well enough to take full advantage of the second carb, drag and stock car racers knew how to. And that was of course the main purpose in offering them, to certify them for NASCAR and NHRA.
NASCAR generally didn’t allow multiple carburetors after 1957. Supercharging, FI, and multiple carburetors were banned to avoid an arms race of exotic “production” parts. NASCAR sometimes allowed dual quads on Ford 427s after 1965 while they tried to keep Ford and Chrysler happy at the same time.
For 1963, ACCUS/FIA members NHRA, NASCAR, and USAC agreed on 427 ci (7 liters) as a maximum for production based race cars to minimize limited production engines. The hard cap on displacement was lifted later. USAC stock car racing was a big deal at the time because it was big in northern states where the money was and had the Indy 500 drivers in all of its races.
Yes, I should have kept my comment to NHRA. In fact, that’s the reason Ford offered two versions: a single 4 barrel carb for NASCAR and the dual four barrels for NHRA. That was also the case with a number of other hi-po V8s at the time.
Thanks, everyone, for the answers. I’ve learnt something new today.
Just as air-conditioning was becoming common, Mercury tries to make a trademark feature out of a design that is pretty well useless with air-conditioning.
As a salesman, I’d say the market timing was a wee bit off. A strategy of offering something as standard that might discourage prospective buyers from wanting extra cost air-conditioning is also a curious marketing decision.
Beginning in ’63, Mercury finally had their A/C outlets integrated into the dash design. That suggested at least someone saw A/C coming. The breezeway feature for improving flow through ventilation suggests someone else might not have been so sure about A/C’s future.
Interestingly, Ford kept tinkering with improving flow through ventilation for another decade. The 70’s T-birds may have had some of the best power ventilation systems of any car ever built. Too bad for Ford that factory A/C had by then taken the market as the clear choice of most car buyers.
“… breezeway feature for improving flow through ventilation…”
Ventilation systems were also used to move cigarette smoke out of a car. Back in the “Mad Med” days of smoke filled rooms/cars.
The smoke would waft past the kiddos on it’s way out the “breezeway.”
My father once told me that they had taken me and my brother to the countryside for some fresh air and communion with the nature many times. However, my parents smoked in the car during the drive so it sort of defeated the purpose of driving to the countryside…
I know this is late, and no one will probably see it, but Mercury was playing around with the Breezeway window concept in the mid-50’s:
I would imagine that this was just another one of Mercury’s attempts to differentiate itself from Ford by using one of Lincolns cast off ideas and hoping to gain some prestige by the connection.
$3,500 is just the buy-in cost. To properly restore this beauty would take about 8-10 more assuming some of the trim isn’t unobtanium. If only I had a garage and more money!
I don’t think that would be the point of someone buying a car like this, Marc.
There is a growing number of old car enthusiasts that would appreciate a well preserved vehicle just like this Mercury. And who would not care it has four doors instead of two.
Yep. If I were considering this I would figure on spending an additional $2,500-$3,500 (assuming the body is sound) to get into daily driver condition. Then I would drive it for a few years and sell it for enough to break even.
One of my favorite uncles had a Mercury like this, only his Monterey was a ’63 and it was 2-tone white and red. If I remember correctly he only had it for a few years (I think it was 1988-90). Just like the car in this ad, he paid $3500 for it (in the late 80’s to boot), and managed to sell it for the same amount.
I like it too. Good price if it runs and the underside is solid.
Might be a good 2nd old car for me to drive to the next CC gathering in….
Naples, Florida?
https://revsinstitute.org/
“I can just imagine hearing the burble of the big 390 through the open rear window”
–You would smell it too. It’s amazing how modern fuel injection in conjunction with catalytic converters have made car exhaust virtually odorless. Whenever I drive a carburetor equipped car without catcons I am amazed how much it stinks.
“I love the smell of unburned hydrocarbons in the morning.”
cough, cough….
“I love the smell of unburned hydrocarbons in the morning.”
It smells like………VICTORY
I would have to imagine that with the exhaust pipes exiting so much further back than the rear window, that any odors would be minimal.
I do agree about the carbed/no converter cars. I went to look at a house a couple of weeks ago, the owner parked his restored 65 Mustang in the garage. It was amazing to me how much gasoline odor hung around the car.
Interesting. I’ve got the ’63 parked in the main garage and never have a gasoline smell. A definite twinge of exhaust after shutoff with the door down, but no gasoline.
A neighbor of my foster grandmother had a succession of Mercurys that started in the early 50s and ended in the 70s (by which time she had passed and he was in his late 70s). All were nice looking cars, 4 door sedans, but of the half dozen or so that I remember he never owned a breezeway. Chalk it up to his being a conservative dairy farmer.
The interior of this car was almost exactly like the interior of my folks 64 Country Squire, though with less fancy seat upholstery and door panels.
Can’ t say why, but this car reminds me the Wacky Racers’ grotesque models.
Well, the ‘for sale’ sign could mean –
“1964 Mercury Monterey (with a) 390 Marauder engine”.
As far as the breezeway with air-conditioning, I think it would be an excellent way to quickly exhaust the hot air from the cabin after being parked in the sun all day.
Like how I use my Nissan Altima’s sunroof to let out the hot air before I switch on the AC.
Happy Motoring, Mark
Yeah, Paul and I discussed that. My guess is that they simply ran out of room for “Mercury Marauder” and it ended up on two lines; then they added “390 V-8” in the leftover space. “Mercury 390 Marauder V-8” is an odd way to construct the name of the car…
Ed, what I think you’re underestimating the seller’s desire to add a bit of pizzazz to his sign, and car. Obviously it’s not a Marauder, and anyone loking at the car can instantly tell; no Marauder badges. But it’s got a genuwine Marauder 390 V8, even if it’s just a two barrel. It’s called “eye catching”.
“Monterey” just doesn’t have the pizzazz of Marauder. I’ve seen similar ads. I’m quite certain that’s what he was getting at.
I suspect that you’re projecting a designer’s sense of order and structure to the actual sign that simply does not exist in 99.3% of the population.
“I suspect that you’re projecting a designer’s sense of order and structure to the actual sign”
LOL, that could certainly be the case!
Who is aware corners were cut in the design…The doors or straight off the 63 Ford Galaxie, the beltline caps were separate pieces, bolted on to give a continuity of line and to look different enough form the Ford. Look at that header panel on the front of the hood. another bolt on to a stock 63 Mercury hood, and another bolt on extension to the deck lid as well. Great use of economy of scale and some bits stamped out to change the look….As for the look, Anyone aware that as originally designed, what you see was foirst thought design for the 64 Galaxie and what became the Galaxie was originally to be the 64 mercury. but with wider spaced headlights, another Mercury design meme form just a few years earlier.
I beg to differ on some of these points.
The front door (minus the skin) might interchange but the skin is definitely different. Same for the rear door with the addition of the window frame being shaped differently between the two.
As far as economy of scale, I agree. This practice wasn’t unique as GM did it for years during this same time period.
Whenever I see these ’63-’64 Mercurys, I marvel at how much Chrysler copied them for the 1965-68 Chryslers. If they had had the money, I dare say they may even have went with their own version of the Breezeway rear window.
It seems like I read somewhere that Ford found out that it was too expensive and difficult to stamp out the concave sheetmetal, and then here’s Chrysler doing the same thing (and, presumably, having the same issues).
Even more intriguing is how Engel’s time at Ford may have played into Chrysler styling. Did he know about the upcoming Mercury styling trend prior to departing for Chrysler and just couldn’t get it into the pipeline before 1965 due to Chrysler’s diminished budget? It seems way too coincidental.
From the research I have done, I am sure that Chrysler’s 63 cars were done under Exner’s leadership. When Engel took over he was able to do some fiddling around the edges with most everything, giving most of his effort to the 64 Imperial. The 65s were the first that were all his because of timing, not cost.
Also Lynn Townsend had made the point that Chrysler’s attempts at styling leadership had been costly, and that under his management Chrysler would follow trends, not set them. Which they did.
$3500 here in Canada would buy you a well used Malibu/Taurus sedan with the personality of a doorstop. I’d rather spend the $3500 on this and drive the wheels off it !
This is a great looking car. I’ve never been a huge fan of Mercs, but there’s something about the roofline on this and the breezeway rear window that’s distinctively a capsule in time. I don’t care if it’s a 4 door…….this is a straight up cool cruiser. I have the money, oddly enough, but not the storage space/ time for this……if I did, I might buy it. I’m not a big expert on what these Mercs go for, but $3500 seems like a good price for this……compared to some of the big dollar cars that go for big money on Barrett Jackson and whatnot. You might not get the enthusiast thumbs up, but generally, they’re hard to please, anyways…….you’d get a boatload of compliments and attention for something like this, just driving it in traffic. And the bonus–because it’s not absolutely perfect–is that you could just drive it without having to worry too much. In a lot of ways, it reminds me a fair bit of a Thunderbird of the same general era.
i still prefer 2 doors myself. And I never used to like these at all, but the breezeway rear window has grown on me.
I wouldn’t restore it. I’d preserve what’s good and fix what isn’t, then drive it!
I’m guessing that the engine might be one of the 4v 390’s, purely based on dual exhausts. Back in the day, it was a pretty strong correlation… a 4v car might have a single pipe, but a 2v rarely had duals.
Since when do car salesman know anything about cars?
True, dat, but this dealer always seems to have at least one CC available on the lot, usually ’60s vintage.
I think I’d like the styling better if the C pillar was buttressed to give a more conventional shape in profile, kinda like a Fiero GT without the pointless window.
One of our high school shop teachers had a beautiful red ’63 Mercury. We changed the oil in it one day. Jeff was my classmate, but we called him “Pruitt”, after the tall, goofy character on Don Rickles’s CPO Sharkey TV series. Anyway, Pruitt was proudly backing the Merc out of the shop and a giant pool of oil was spreading under the car. Everyone shouted, “shut it off!” We refilled it and tightened the oil plug with no apparent harm done.
I remember that guy. PETER ISAACKSEN played ‘Seaman Pruitt’. I don’t think he’s in show biz anymore; haven’t seen him in anything since the ’80s.
He has been working behind the scenes as a producer, although recently he has had a few bit parts in front of the camera.
The car’s not listed at their website–if sold, I hope it found a happy and loving owner. (Yes, I was getting tempted myself!)
http://www.finishlinecars.net
CC effect: I literally just saw one of these parked on Haight Street and Webster in SF as I was looking for parking. Nice!
Back in 2017 I would have dismissed this car with the pejorative “More Door” epithet. Now I appreciate an original, well preserved car, especially at this price. There is enough Space Age styling on display to make it cool just as it is.
The Marauder name gave some glitz to all Mercs, sort of like the “Thunderbird V8” badges on Fords. An older widow in my neighborhood showed me her late husband’s Two door XL hardtop. It was white with red buckets /console interior. She proudly pointed out the 390 Thunderbird engine call outs. The Thunderbird name conveyed a lot of magic in the early ’60’s.
I agree that preservation, not restoration, is what this car deserves.
Much nicer as a two-door.
“Marauder” definitely goes with “2 doors”. It’s like “current day, Chargers”. Meh.
Ed, where is that car located, if available Im interested. 9036817443