The argument over who built the first muscle cars will never be settled, but here is a sports classic from the early 1960s with all the style and performance that defines the species. And check out that roofline.
The Pick of the Day, a 1963 Mercury Marauder two-door hardtop, is a 59,000-mile survivor powered by a 390 cid V8 rated at 300 horsepower, according to the seller’s listing on ClassicCars.com.
The Marauder is largely forgotten today, other than the attempt to bring it back as a performance model in this century with less-than stellar results, and shortly before the Mercury brand disappeared altogether.
But in 1963, Mercury was still the hotter sister of Ford. Marauder was a derivation of the full-size Galaxie, with added luxury trim and big-block power. Mercury’s styling mojo was in full bloom and the mighty Marauder looked like it was ready to mix it up. The profile is especially impressive with its short cabin and extremely long rear deck.
The seller, a classic car dealer in Lillington, North Carolina, is effusive about the condition of this low-mileage hardtop.
“Painted Black Cherry, this car is slick and beautiful,” the dealer says. “All the trim looks great, windshield trim is great. The door handles and all the glass look good. Antenna, remote driver’s side mirror are like new. The wiper arms are polished. The front and rear bumpers are good, tail lights and trim look good. The grille, headlight trim, and emblems are all good. The original hubcaps look great. Tires are like new. Beautiful and a real good looker.”
The Mercury boasts all its original styling features, including an all-white sports interior with bucket seats, air conditioning and factory gauges that include a tachometer under the dashboard.
The car has a three-speed Merc-O-Matic automatic transmission with a floor shifter, 9-inch rear, power steering and brakes and dual exhaust with chrome tips. Engine performance has been enhanced with a modern Petronix electronic ignition.
This is a rare find in such low-mileage original condition, and the asking price is a modest $19,500. For that, you can impress the local Ford club with your cut-above hot hardtop.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day
great looking forgotten classic of the 60:s / these were being ran at daytona in its day / excellent price / more costly to restore then galaxies because of repo parts available/ should be priced higher than the galaxie xl:s