BF Auction: 1970 Mercury Marauder 390
- Seller: Fat Cat Auto Brokers
- Location: Terre Haute, Indiana
- Mileage: 52,087 Shown
- Chassis #: OZ60Y559482
- Title Status: Clean
Finding an affordable project candidate can be challenging, especially for an enthusiast seeking something that will stand out from the crowd. This 1970 Mercury Marauder ticks those boxes, and although it has sat for twelve years, it runs and drives. Returning it to a roadworthy state is an achievable short-term goal while the winning bidder contemplates their plans for this gentle giant. The current owner feels it deserves a second chance at life, listing the Mercury with us at Barn Finds Auctions.
Mercury introduced the Marauder to its model range in 1963, with production ending in 1965. It revived the badge for a Second Generation in 1969, but with the company again retiring the Marauder in 1970, it once again enjoyed only a brief period on showroom floors. This Mercury is from that second year, with its original owner ordering it in stunning Medium Bronze Metallic. The owner indicates it has spent most of the last twelve years in storage, and while the paint shows its age, the indications are it has not suffered unduly from the experience. The panels are surprisingly straight, with no issues beyond minor bumps and bruises. The trim is largely complete, with only a few small badges going AWOL. Most pieces should respond positively to old-fashioned work with a high-quality polish, while any remaining items, like the rear bumper, are restorable. The best news is this classic’s lack of significant rust. Small areas in the lower rear quarter panels, front fenders, and isolated spots in the driver’s door and rocker appear patchable without needing to perform wholesale steel replacement. The glass is in good order, and the Marauder rolls on a set of rare and desirable X-100 wheels.
The owner believes this Marauder’s engine bay houses a 390ci V8, which is consistent with the car’s VIN. This Y-Code variant produces 266hp and 390 ft/lbs of torque. Shifting duties fall to a three-speed automatic transmission, with the original owner adding power assistance for the steering and brakes to emphasize the Mercury’s luxury leanings. This classic tips the scales at 4,173 lbs, but the low-end torque delivery from that V8 makes it a surprisingly energetic performer that will handle heavy commuter traffic or cruise effortlessly all day at 70mph. The seller states this beauty runs and drives, but he has only undertaken a brief two-mile journey to confirm this. It features a new fuel tank and mufflers, with the previous owner performing a basic tune-up and brake work. It has seen little active service in twelve years, meaning a thorough inspection to confirm it is genuinely roadworthy would be wise. However, the indications are that returning the Marauder to its rightful place on our roads shouldn’t be complicated or expensive.
The surprise packet with this Marauder is its interior. It has no immediate needs and could easily be considered serviceable. Genuine faults are limited to seam separations in the headliner, a cracked dash pad, and slightly faded carpet. However, with a replacement headliner retailing for around $220 and a carpet set costing approximately the same, addressing those two flaws would be affordable and lift the presentation significantly. The pad might prove more challenging due to the car’s rarity, but good secondhand ones occasionally appear on the usual online auction sites. Spending $60 on a cover would be an excellent strategy to hide the fault from prying eyes. Otherwise, it needs very little. The upholstered surfaces are free from wear and physical damage, the dash looks excellent, and the faux woodgrain has avoided the typical deterioration that can plague this type of trim. The car retains its factory AM radio, and apart from a gauge near the driver’s left knee, there are no aftermarket additions.
The 1970 Mercury Marauder didn’t set showroom floors alight, with only 3,397 buyers handing over the cash to drive one out the door. However, the company’s demise in 2011 makes preserving rare classics like this critical. This car provides a window into an automotive era before emission and safety regulations deeply impacted vehicle design. Perhaps the greatest attraction of this car is that it will have no immediate needs once returned to a mechanically roadworthy state. That makes it ideal for an enthusiast on a limited budget because they can tackle each aspect of the restoration as their bank balance allows. The owner has set a modest reserve on this classic, making it genuinely tempting. Submitting a bid could be the first step to slipping behind the wheel of a classic guaranteed to turn heads.
Bid On This Auction
Nic bid $4,050.00 2023-12-21 09:11:53
Bovey bid $3,800.00 2023-12-21 07:39:52- Nic bid $3,600.00 2023-12-21 06:47:39
- Bovey bid $3,200.00 2023-12-21 05:12:58
- Nic bid $2,400.00 2023-12-21 02:46:17
Dave bid $2,000.00 2023-12-20 08:57:17
Obie bid $1,400.00 2023-12-16 10:56:17- Nic bid $1,300.00 2023-12-16 05:32:08
- Obie bid $950.00 2023-12-16 04:40:50
Stanley bid $800.00 2023-12-15 21:36:03- Obie bid $500.00 2023-12-15 03:39:49
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Comments
Nice to see a car like this restored. 1970 was the final year for the “sumo” sized performance Mercury. I wish there was a way back machine to go back to 1970. I like to have a car like that but with bucket seats.
Gonna need lots of rust repair
Over 4,000 lbs & no room for back seat passengers. That always got to me with these huge cars. And they wonder why they can only sell 3300 copies.
The backseats in these cars (I had the 1969 Ford XL equivalent) had a ton of room. Ingress/egress was more challenging than with a 4-door, but once you were in it was spacious.
Agreed, I had a few gm large body 2 doors from the 70s. I remember being very proud to lend my grand ville to my parents so they could take a total of six to a wedding a couple hours away. Yes, a 2 door. I sort of miss the luxury coupe.
Yeah, but you gotta love the Lazyboy recliners in the front.
Can anyone make out the paint code on the VIN tag??
It shows code Y Medium Bronze Metallic. Similar to 69’s Indian Fire/Burnt Orange Metallic. Looking at the paint on the nice fender skirts, it appears to be a beautiful color.
Big ugly old car. Junk it.
Oh, Hell no!
IDK, would the front clip from a same year Lincoln Continental fit? That Mercury grill does nothing for me. On the other hand, that interior is nice. I’m going to say it, make it a low rider. Then it’s styling.
This Mercury looks pretty low optioned. I see no A/C base interior and no body side moulding. The absence of all these gives a sparse look that most of these did not have. Then again the lack of a vinyl top may be what saved it from rusting. If I were to restore it, I would carry on this bare bones theme and make it a Hot Rod Mercury and finish it off with bare steelies vs. the X100 wheels.
🤮
No 1. That ride was made to keep what I would call certain kinds of the riffraff out of the back seat of the ride.
No 2. That rear seating area was not made for tall people only short people and small children. Not to hurt or insult anyone in particular.
No 3. That front bench seat should’ve been chose lounge split seats or chase lounge bucket seats.
No 4. Instead of column 3 speed shift I would have ordered a 5 speed manual/standard shift with gauge cluster middle console or automatic with gauge cluster middle console with a/c and fully equipped, loaded and powered with am/fm stereo radio with 8-track or cassette deck power steering wheel tilt if it has automatic transmission i would have cruise control, dual luxury or sport mirrors mounted on driver & passenger side doors. If I wanted a convertible it would be the same for all the options that I would have ordered and installed in it from the dealership.
But looking at what i’m seeing that ride is not only asking, begging but crying for a full body off the frame restoration including frame restoration as well. That’s the only way I would handle that if I had the money to do it and a place to store it with the rest of my car collection. I don’t know guess I just call what crazy, greedy or a gluten take your pick in a good way.
“That rear seating area was not made for tall people only short people and small children. Not to hurt or insult anyone in particular.”
Ok, this is a really obscure reference, but there’s an episode of CHiPs where Ponch and Jon interact with a group of wheelchair bound guys who are obnoxiously irresponsible drivers. Two of the three have coupes – a Cadillac and a Chrysler Cordoba. And they somehow manage to get into those cars from their wheelchairs, then fold them up and put them behind the driver seat – not on the rear seat, but in the space between the seat back and the rear cushion.
I mean, c’mon guys, how about some realism!? (sarcasm).
Back to the topic…I love Marauders but they have to have buckets, console and the 429 to be really live up to the name. Bonus points for the blackout treatment too.
I had a friend in high school his dad had this year marauder with the 429. I convinced him to race it once and he revved it so high all fan belts turned wrong side out.
So basically, Ivan, you want a completely different car.
I’m 6’1” and fit in the back seat of my 1969 XL with plenty of room to spare. I do agree with your point on the front seats, though. Mine had buckets, console, and that beautiful horseshoe shifter.
So I think you own the rare X100 …
A big, ugly, hulking beast with a surprisingly good interior and fantastic looking (paint-wise) fender skirts. The clothes pins seem to be holding that RH window in place. If it were mine, I’d be getting the hood latched properly and install the fender skirts so folks can see the potential. I wouldn’t want it, but somebody’s dad might have had one and sonny will want it for nostalgia, at least until the body repairs start. Hopefully the lower body areas aren’t worse than they look. Big doors like that tend to sag after they age, so hopefully the hinges are still good.
Five speed manuals weren’t offered in 1970, at least on this car and most others. This would make a nice X100 tribute come to think of it.
In 1970, if a five speed manual was offered in anything, it had to have not been made in the states.
Wondering if the headlights covers still work…
I’m not sure a four-speed was offered either. And the console didn’t have gauges that I recall. These in X-100 trim were cool cars. Big, but cool. This one is kind of plain, but I’d still like to see it restored. Keep it this color.
Don’t think a “tribute” would be possible as a Marauder is a Marauder body-wise. You couldn’t get a Marquis and stick X-100/Marauder badges on it and have it be believable. The roofline only comes on this car.
Mercury also built 2,646 Marauder X-100 models for 1970.
Is the seller’s name Uncle Buck?
You would have ordered a 5-speed in 1970? You’d still be waiting on it, mate.
It’s time to call ‘the crusher’ for this one!
Oh, heck no. But if someone did, they could make about eleventeen imports out of it.
I owned one of these in Arizona, I am 6’3″ and all my friends were just as big or bigger and we all fit wearing cowboy boots and hats. I won’t mention that we ran out of gas and pushed it past a cop who had someone pulled over and we didn’t say a word. The cop was speechless and all 6 of us laughed out asses off once we got to the bar. I miss that car.
Old Mercs are hard to come by, especially Marauder’s. I had a 63 S-55 w/ a 410 and my dad had a 69 X-100 w/ a 429 & floor shift auto. Regardless of the “big boat” image these cars would float down the highway @ 70-80 mph getting excellent gas mileage with 5 people in them!!! Wish we still had these 2 rides!!!
I collect a 69 Marauder X100, original and bought from the 1. owner. Love this car !
Wonder what number he’s looking to get for this… 10-11?? Not a doubt he probably WANTS 19.
Mercury made a third iteration.of the Marauder from 2003-05 that was basically a badge-engineered Gran Marquis 4 Dr with performance upgrades.
Not a badge engineered car in the strict sense at all. It had the DOHC 4.6L V8 out of some Mustangs and Lincolns. Badge engineered to me means making a Lincoln Versailles out of a Ford Granada.
A demo derby champion car right here. ..This car would crush them all. 😂
Bad ass car. What I learned to drive on. Monster-sized, like piloting a boat.
Needs more ash trays and lighters.
This has the 2bbl 390,needs headers,cam,4bbl…the typical 390 upgrades.only if it was a 429 car….
I’ve tried to register to bid multiple times today and the site says “you’ve been identified as spam”….Have been a member for years.
Thanks, got the new project
Congratulations Nic! Your red Marauder is spectacular, and I have no doubt this very worthy one is in good hands.
has arrived well in the new home and I have to say, the Marauder is worth every penny