Sporty full-size cars were fast giving way to mid-size muscle on street and track alike, and the all-new big 1965 Mercurys abruptly retreated from overt performance toward a luxury orientation "in the Lincoln Continental tradition." After a token presence on 1965 Montclair and Park Lane hardtops, the Marauder name was again confined to Mercury engine compartments. The Mercury Marauder story pretty much ends with 1964 and for two obvious reasons. A pity these cars don't get the collector recognition they deserve, but it is often thus with Mercurys versus Fords. Chief among these are robust construction, superb ride, competent handling, and strong, silent V-8 performance.Įven a mild 390-cid Mercury Marauder could pull 0-60 mph in 8-9 seconds the 427 could lower that to near seven seconds - thrilling even today. Though long overshadowed by contemporary big Fords, the full-size 1963-1964 Mercurys exhibit similar sterling qualities (no surprise, as all used the same basic platform). Of course, the Mercurys cost more than the Fords, though not a lot, but Marauders still cost no more than comparable Breezeways. The Ford garnered nearly 73,000 sales compared to less than 34,000 for Marauder. But again, the slantback Fords did better still, both on the track (30 victories in NASCAR alone) and in the showroom. Racing Marauders began asserting themselves in 1964, winning five NASCAR and seven USAC events. For most Mercury buyers, the smooth, durable 390, still offering from 250 up to 330 horses, was more than adequate. But, of course, these were mainly for racing. For more information on cars, see:Īny 1964 Mercury Marauder could be a real rocket, as engine options expanded to include new big-block 427s with 410 or 425 horsepower. On the next page, learn about the continued inspiration brought to the 1964 Mercury Marauder. Sales were respectable for a half-year model at just under 7,300, though Ford did far better with over 135,000 Sports Hardtop Galaxies. Like its sister division, Mercury initially fielded a bench-seat Marauder, in the Monterey Custom line, and a buckets-and-console version, in sporty S-55 trim. Though undoubtedly conceived after the fact, the Mercury Marauder's semi-fastback roof mated handsomely with the big 1963 Mercury's reskinned lower body, marked by an attractive full-width concave grille, Lincolnesque chrome-edged beltline, and a reshaped tail with triple lamp clusters. However, there was no mistaking the fastback Marauder with its "lesser kin," as other models wore the "Breezeway" roof, a fling with the retractable, reverse-slant rear window first seen on 1958-1960 Continental Marks. Mercury must have thought so, too, for it nailed bold name-script onto its cars' front fenders. Better still, it looked racy, yet somehow "formal" enough to appeal to Mercury's usual clientele.Ĭompared to Ford's prosaic Sports Hardtop handle, Marauder seemed a more appropriate title for this slicked-down hardtop coupe. The result wasn't quite as smooth or slick as the Starliner, but it made a big difference on the track. Taking a cue from their own 1960-1961 Ford Starliner, Dearborn designers sliced the old boxy superstructure from their big hardtop body, raked the windshield to lower overall height about 1.5 inches, then applied a new roofline sloped more gradually to the rear deck. Significantly, that was the last year Mercury won a major stock-car race until 1963, when Parnelli Jones drove a new Marauder fastback to victory, launching a string of Mercury triumphs in NASCAR that would run well into the 1970s.Īnd racing - or rather improved aerodynamics for higher top speed - was the main reason behind the 1963 Mercury Marauder and its new-for-1963 Ford cousin, the Galaxie 500 Sports Hardtop.Īfter several years of a self-imposed truce, the Big Three had resumed open track warfare, and Dearborn's blocky period rooflines were a decided disadvantage in long-distance events on newer high-speed supertracks like Daytona. The company's apparent goal was to recapture a performance image more or less abandoned after 1956.
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