My Forever Car...Marauder X100. Don't Laugh.

Multiple ways to relate this word to my new-to-me car. 

Back Story: We had one of these when I was a young sprout (5-11 maybe), and it made a huge impression on me, and not just because it's huge. It was cool. It was fast. It was red. I was heartbroken and angry when it left. I stole the emblem off the back and vowed to find it and make it mine someday.

I did not. I have searched for that car for my entire adult life. Seems like FOREVER. I think it may still be found someday. But then I found the perfect stand-in a couple of hours away.

Presenting the 1969 Mercury Marauder X100

This is not my car. This great picture is from Hagerty Insurance's write-up about these cars. But it is EXACTLY how mine should and will look. Same color, same interior, same wheels.

This is my car, the day it was delivered, with a very excited young driver behind the wheel. 

The Good: Original Crust

54,204 original miles. Rare-ish car, 5639 X100s made that year, out of 14 thousand Marauders. Only made for 2 years, 1969 and 70. X100 is the top model, netting the new 429 ThunderJet engine, rear fender skirts, and some other goodies. Interior is in great shape. Engine bay has, as far as I can tell, ONE wire out of place. Still has the lifting bracket bolted on. Original Kelsey-Hayes MagStar wheels. These were only for this car, I believe. My car is better optioned than ours was, with bucket seats and console, with the cool horseshoe shifter. And A/C,but it must have been dealer installed, its not on the Marti Report. Yes, I bought the Marti Report. Deluxe.

Edit: Oh, and it has power steering and power disc brakes! Ours was all drum

Awesome! Congrats on your forever car..

BBC

Great score looking forward to this

Thanks guys! I'm excited.

Performance of these was relatively good, with the 429 making 360 hp and 480 torks. Backed by a C6 Select-Shift automatic, and 2.80:1 gears in the 9 inch rear, it could do 0-60 in 7.2 seconds and the quarter mile in 14.8, if reports are to be believed. Has 10.5:1 compression, so I guess it will drink premium 93 octane ok? We'll see.

I think I'll swap the rear gears for a 3.55 set with a locker eventually. Should liven it up a little, and still be cruise-able

Love it!

The Bad: Death by 1,000 Cuts

Bunch of little things need addressed, mainly some rust underneath (nothing bigger than a couple fingers). Not bad for a 53 yo midwest car, but will need cleaned up.

No keys came with it. Not a big deal, but would have been nice. I actually don't have keys for any of my 3 project cars. I need a locksmith.

Exterior trim needs cleaned up and straightened in a few spots.

No idea when it last ran. It traded hands several times lately, and the seller had no idea. I have 2 previous owners names, so I'll try to get some history on it.

Missing the wiper knob, but that's easy.

It's older than I am, so I'm sure I'll get called a geezer just for owning it. Oh well, more converts to make.

Edit: obviously it will get painted

Love it!  My Dad was a Mercury guy. 
 

My eyes immediately went to those wheels. The only other cars that I've ever seen them on were 1967 Shelby Mustangs. Very cool. 

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

Good catch, I stand corrected, they were on the Shelby and maybe others. I had only seen the 10 spokes on those. Although the back is cut out more on the Shelby, probably for brake cooling. And they are chromed, maybe. More research required.

Oh my. 

Im in lust. God bless giant 60s performance caes!!!

Awesome Mercury!   Love it and am looking forward to updates.  

Thanks guys!

And I'm following your Cougar story very closely. Love it 

Updates will be slow for a bit. I'm building a new shop for shenanigans like this. It probably needs a thread. It's gonna be cool

I would never laugh at that car. It is amazing. I love love love old mauraders. 

Very cool.  Didn't Steve McGarrett rock a black one around Hawaii?

Love it!

Now if everyone would just save one old car from certain doom wouldn't the world just be a better place.

Side Bar: Schrodinger's Trunk

No keys means this box is a mystery. Could be something good, could be empty. Who knows

What I hope to find inside:

Rear fender skirts

Jack and bumper hook

Spare wheel and tire

What I hope not to find:

Dead body

I dig it! The interior is surprisingly nice. 

My dad had a '68 Olds "98" with rear fender skirts.  Then they rusted out and hung in our garage until he sold it.  Those skirts were a big deal to my dad.  

That's a really nice car.   I've not seen many of them.  Kudos!

In reply to llysgennad :

Once upon a time, I needed something(?) from the trunk of a '65 Mustang in a junkyard and I was able to remove the rear seat, crawl through the framework and open the trunk lid with a screwdriver. 

I don't know what your plans may be for this beast but I wanted to let you know I've seen 17" versions of the Magstar wheels in the past.   

I'm not sure what I would do with it, but I want to get a car from that era at some point.  They seem actually fun to work on rather than complicated and annoying like anything from the last 20-25 years.

that thing is awesome! I'm looking forward to seeing more of it. 

And then what happened...???

Update?

I love those Marauders.

Wife's '70 Continental shares the family styling. 

In reply to a_florida_man :

Thanks for asking! Sorry for lack of updates.

Not much has happened. Collected a few parts that cost way too much. Rubbed on the valve covers/air cleaner a little to clean them up. I'm looking for front fenders to replace these before paint, but they are a one year only from a rare car, so not easy to find. I thought at least the 1970 fenders would match, but no. The lower side light housing/trim is completely different, and the antenna switched sides. Figures.

I did hook a battery up and didn't let any smoke out, so that's good, but I did not try to fire it yet.

Red tape. Not registered yet because I'm caught in a loop of needing on-site vin inspection/ not drivable/ no keys. Locksmith won't do keys until it's registered. I don't want just anybody coming out here either, there is a local theft ring making the rounds for these kinds of cars. including one of these recently. Bastards.