An alternative to the usual project candidates...

[DarkBuddha]

A car I've been lusting over for nearly 5 years is suddenly up for sale and I'm super tempted to take out a cash advance to buy it. It's a one-owner, all original, garage kept, driven by an old couple, 1970 Mercury Marauder X-100. It's got a 360hp 429, C6 auto, power front discs, etc. I hadn't seen the car around in the last year or so, and since their house is up for sale as well, I'm guessing one of 'em might've died. Anyway it's pretty clean with minimal body damage (just door dings really). So I'm thinking a nice tuxedo job, some wide 18s, and some fat tires... maybe like so:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://img474.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mauraderlettered6zy.jpg)

The lettering might be a bit much, but it adds flavor...

So, for $1500... whatcha think???

[DarkBuddha]

No lettering:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://img477.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mauraderfullcopy3tr.jpg)

[DarkBuddha]

Then again, simple is good:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://imageshack.us)

[DeepBlue68]

For $1500 that is freakin sweet! I really like the second pic (the black and white one with no lettering) - that would look killer!

[CAMAROBOY69]

I have also learned that "No lettering" is the way to go. Looks a lot better. Now you could find a way to put stripes there in place of the letters. Start with a big thick one the go to tiny in the rear.

[bnickel]

Then again, simple is good:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://imageshack.us)


dude, if you don't buy that car i will persoanlly drive all the way to seattle just to kick your ass.

i really like the solid black a lot, but i think a silver/charcoal laser stripe might be pretty bitchin too

[nancejd]

Buy it, and go all black. That would be a sweet ride. How would it look with the bumpers back as well, maybe roll pans instead?

[TonyL]

try and remove the side skirt. looks awsome though

[protour_chevelle]

Go without the lettering. With the lettering it looks like a Zebra missing half its stripes lol.

All black would look bad ass.

-Matt

[bnickel]

try and remove the side skirt. looks awsome though


no way the side skirts are one of the things that make that car unique. that is actually a very rare car, not many were ever built so i would leave the body and interior as stock as possible, but engine, trans, brakes suspension anything goes

[MrQuick]

You should try a bigger skirt to completly hide the rear wheels, and I think you might need a permit to put letters on the side of that beast... j/k : ) !

[Steve Chryssos]

BUY THAT COUCH!! It's gotta be all black. Ditch the horizontal brightwork behind the front bumper.

[DarkBuddha]

Thanks for all the replies. There is some middle man in the deal... a shop/dealer of some sort or some crap. He seems a bit flaky, but I'm supposed to meet him about the car this week. We'll just have to see...

Anwyay:

Ditch the horizontal brightwork behind the front bumper.
Good call:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://imageshack.us)



try and remove the side skirt. looks awsome though
I have to agree with bnickel on this one... the skirt "makes it" for me. Here it is without:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://img480.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mauraderskirtless8ci.jpg)

[bnickel]

DB, what if you were to add a side graphic similar to the boss 429 on the front fender but instead of saying boss 429 have it say X100 429 or marauder X100

[Steve1968LS2]

Sweet! and a deal for that $$$.. I personally like the two tone (no words)..

Buy it.. Build it.. it is your destiny!

[bnickel]

DB, does this one have the pop up headlights? i love those things, one of my favorite things about my old 70 cougar, that and the sequential turn signals. IIRC, the marauder had the pop up headlights and the sequential turn signals as well, correct?

[DarkBuddha]

DB, does this one have the pop up headlights? i love those things, one of my favorite things about my old 70 cougar, that and the sequential turn signals. IIRC, the marauder had the pop up headlights and the sequential turn signals as well, correct?
Yep, it's got the hide-away headlights... I don't know about the sequential taillights, but I think it's likely. I'll let you know after I look at it up close.

[DarkBuddha]

Well, good news-bad news...

The bad news: I got of the phone with the guy selling the car, and it's not the same one I've had my eye on all this time. This is a different car, previously owned by different old people, of which the husband died a couple years ago and the wife gave the car to her grandson. So, unfortunately, this car isn't as mint as the one I've been eyeing all these years. The grandson got this car and apparently started to "restore" it, which apparently means half-ass f'ing it up. He had some motor work done and primered the car, but otherwise ragged the crap out of it. He traded the car to the guy selling it for some mechanical work on some other car, which brings us to this point.

Anyway, it's still a potentially wicked cool car for reasonable cash, so I'm going to look at it on Wednesday night. I'll let ya'll know...

[Steve Chryssos]

The trim! Make sure all the trim is intact and in good condition. It is, for the most part, irreplaceable. The rest is all nuts, bolts, welders and spray guns.
Good luck

[DarkBuddha]

Well, I just got back from looking at it It is a legit X-100, 429 4v, C6, power front discs, power steering, bucket seats, console, a/c delete. Probably a very nice package when new... But it's current condition ain't good... it's actually worse than they indicated. It is rough in every sense of the word.

The interior is in tatters, headliner falling down, seats in shreads, dash cracked, and it's missing the driver's door panel. Worse yet, no driver side window... it's rained in the car recently. The good news is that the console was intact and the lights all worked. Oh, and every bit of weatherstripping needs replacing (and currently isn't available).

The body is really rough. Rear quarters are rusted badly; passenger side is so bad it isn't attached to the car at the bottom... it just flaps in the wind. Someone did a bad bondo job on the door dings (and never sanded it), but the rest of the car is metal. Floors seemed solid, though I didn't climb underneath. The trim is banged up (but mostly there), and it's missing the fender skirts. Several of the light lenses were cracked. At least all the lights worked, including the hide-away headlights.

That said, the car is mechanically sound, and downright powerful. The 429 has had a recent top end rebuild, including a Crane cam, timing chain, Edelbrock intake and double pumper Holley. It's got tons of torque, doesn't smoke, idles really evenly at a nice low 800rpm, and moved quite well. Not suprising since it's essentially the same motor as the legendary 429CJ motor with a better cam and intake.

The tranny shifted fine. The suspension is all original, but rode ok. The brakes stop ok for a car that weighs 4300 lbs.

All of that said, I really wanted to bring it home very badly. As I looked the car over, all I could think is how much fun it would be to work on... but only if I had a garage and it was cheaper. $1500 is just plain too much. $800, maybe. Maybe $1000 if it had the window, skirts, door panel. As it sits, it ain't for me.

I will say this... I do want one for sure now... these cars actually look better in person than in pictures (even my photochops). The engine bay made the 429 look downright small. Heck there was litterall 10" of space between the sparkplugs and the inner fender, on both sides. The trunk is volumous and could easily house all the gear for an AirRide system, plus 5 dead bodies. The interior has real style and class.

Anyway, the guy is gonna put out some feelers for the door panel and window and check about getting the rear quarter "fixed". I told him I'd call him on Friday, but I still think I'll be letting it go.

[bnickel]

i've always loved the old mobster analogy about trunk space. i had a friend who had a 73 olds delta 98, i sweat you could haul ten dead bodies in the trunk of that thing it was huge.

ok, enough of that i guess. anyway, if the guy comes up with the missing parts and you can talk him down to a grand, it might still be worth buying.

[bnickel]

hey DB you do know the X-100 got the 360hp 429 right? i think it's basically a 429 cj or at least close to one anyway.

[DarkBuddha]

hey DB you do know the X-100 got the 360hp 429 right? i think it's basically a 429 cj or at least close to one anyway.
Yeah, I mentioned that in my previous post... except this one had a hotter Crane cam and a brand new Edelbrock RPM intake with a Holley double pumper. 360hp sounds about right from my S.O.P.M. (seat of pants meter).

BTW, guy couldn't scare up a window or door panel, and I haven't had any luck yet either... maybe I'll let it sit with 'em a while longer and if comes down to the $600 range, I'll just put a piece of plexi in driver's window and put cardboard over the door shell.

[bnickel]

check here for parts and info

http://www.mercurymarauder.org

[DarkBuddha]

check here for parts and info

http://www.mercurymarauder.org
Thanks for the heads-up, but I joined and put in a classified ad there last week.

[DJ Mabe]

DB, did you see the X100 for sale on ebay? Looks like a fairly solid car. Plus it's a two for one deal.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/69-1969-Mercury-Marauder-X100-429-1970-X100-part-car_W0QQitemZ4586155297QQcategoryZ6882QQrdZ1QQcmdZ ViewItem

[DarkBuddha]

DB, did you see the X100 for sale on ebay? Looks like a fairly solid car. Plus it's a two for one deal.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/69-1969-Mercury-Marauder-X100-429-1970-X100-part-car_W0QQitemZ4586155297QQcategoryZ6882QQrdZ1QQcmdZ ViewItem
I hadn't see those, so thanks... They both look great compared to the piece of crap I looked at locally. These are a bit pricey for me, but I think they're a good deal for someone out there.... heck, two 429CJ motors are worth decent coin on their own. I do think I'd be extra tempted if they were local though.

[bnickel]

DB, you know since these cars are supposerd to have the KH magstars, how about a set of 17 or 18"er's?

http://207.201.148.65/pdfs/billet_002.pdf

[DarkBuddha]

Yeah, the Magstars was one of the first things I noticed about the first local Marauder I saw. And I absolutely love those NewStalgia wheels! When I was looking wheels for the Mach, I seriously considered both the Magnums and Marodders, but they're just too pricey. You're dead right that they'd look killer on an X-100.

[bnickel]

well my thoughts were if you can find a nice x-100 for not a lot of dough, then whatever upgrade money that gets spent on the car should go to the wheels and tires. maybe some engine detailing and some extra performance goodies, but mostly just wheels and tires.