1964 Mercury Marauder

The 1964 Mercury Marauder was part of Mercury's 25th Anniversary. In recognition of this milestone, Mercury returned to its four-series big-car model group of the late 1950s, with price-leader Monterey, midrange Montclair, and posh Park Lane, plus a parallel Station Wagon line.

There were six Marauders, with a hardtop coupe and new hardtop sedan in each series. The 1964 Mercury Marauder styling evolved from 1963, a redesigned front end being the biggest change. The S-55 models took time off , but a new Sports Package option made two door Park Lanes, like the Marauder, into something similar.

Any 1964 Mercury Marauder could be a real rocket, as engine options expanded to include new big-block 427s with 410 or 425 horsepower. ( These were mainly for racing.) For most Mercury buyers, the smooth, durable 390V8, still offering from 250 up to 330 horses, was more than enough. A mild 390-cid Mercury Marauder could pull 0-60 mph in 8-9 seconds; the more potent 427 equipped model could lower that to about 7 seconds. Racing Marauders began asserting themselves in 1964, winning five NASCAR and seven USAC events. Of course, the Mercurys cost more than the Fords, though not a lot, but Marauders still cost no more than comparable competition models.

The 1963-1964 Mercurys featured tough construction, a great ride, decent handling, and strong, silent V-8 performance. Both 3 and 4 speed manual, 3 speed manual w/ overdrive , and Dual-Range Merc-O-Matic automatic were all available. They also featured upper and lower A-arms, coil spring front suspension, and a live axle on semi-elliptic leaf springs.

The Mercury Marauder story pretty much ends with 1964 and for two obvious reasons. Sporty full-size cars were fast giving way to mid-size muscle on both the street and track , and the all-new 1965 Mercurys  retreated from performance to luxury in the tradition of Lincoln Continentals.  After a token presence on 1965 Montclair and Park Lane hardtops, the Marauder name was later confined to Mercury engine compartments. Unfortunately, these cars don't get the collector recognition they deserve, but this usually is common with Mercurys versus Fords. Why is that?