It’s been 15 years since Mercury dropped off the face of the Earth. It was originally part of Ford Motor Company’s quest to offer a car in a price class between Ford and Lincoln-Zephyr, though Mercury seems to have played different roles throughout its lifetime. Our Pick of the Day is a mid-year build that added some much-needed presence for the brand. This 1963½ Mercury Marauder S-55 is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Clearwater, Florida.
In past articles, we’ve written about Mercury’s challenging time in the early 1960s. Once a competitor to Oldsmobile/Buick and DeSoto/Chrysler, Mercury moved down-market in the 1960s after a disastrous end of the 1950s. This was due to Mercury’s eyes being bigger than its stomach, as Ford Motor Company eyed competing toe-to-toe against General Motors — the Edsel was a disaster, the Continental did not work out, and Mercury was hit severely by the 1958 recession. By 1960, the medium-priced brand offered a cheap compact (Comet) based on the Ford Falcon. It was a portent of things to come as the Mercury brand migrated down-market.
Nineteen sixty-two was a year of improvement thanks to the mid-year introduction of the Monterey S-55. Written as S-Fifty-Five in the brochure, this sporty full-size hardtop and convertible came equipped with standard contoured bucket seats and console. It was joined by the mid-size Meteor S-33, with both joining the Comet S-22 that had been introduced the year before. The Monterey S-55 featured nothing special under the hood as standard, though 390 and 406 big-blocks were available. Mercury was on its way up!
For 1963, Mercury introduced Breezeway styling, a design originating from 1957 that featured an unusual roofline with a retractable backlite. A Monterey S-55 was available as Breezeway or convertible, though the Breezeway appeared somewhat counter to the sportiness of the S-55. However, the S-55 was now equipped with a superior standard engine, the Marauder Super 390 V-8 with 300 horsepower via a four-barrel carburetor (regular Montereys came standard with a two-barrel). A pair of Marauder 406s were available as options.
A lot happened through the 1963 model year, including several updates that would add more luster to the Mercury brand and give it a much-needed shot in the arm. In March 1963, Mercury introduced a pair of Marauder 427 V-8s to replace the 406. The other update was the introduction of Marauder styling. Just like Ford introduced the sleek Sports Hardtop, Mercury introduced the Marauder for the Monterey Custom and S-55 (really, Monterey S-55, though the brochure just called it “Marauder S-55”). The difference between the two was that Ford ditched the Thunderbird-inspired roofline for 1964, while Mercury continued to offer both the Breezeway and Marauder.
This Sultana White 1963½ Mercury Marauder S-55 is one of just 2,317 built. It features the standard Marauder Super 390 V-8 with dual exhaust backed by Multi-Drive Merc-O-Matic automatic and conventional 3.00 gears. Looking at the data plate, we can see it was scheduled to be built on July 29, 1963, and delivered to the Philadelphia district. Aside from the black vinyl top (which gives the impression it’s a raised convertible top), this Mercury features power steering and brakes, full wheelcovers, driver-side mirror, padded dashboard, and AM radio. “Solid body, original sheet metal, one repaint in the 1990’s. Possibly one of the nicest surviving examples,” says the seller. “Believed to be 70,357 miles due to this car’s incredible condition but not documented.”
Mercury continued its upward trajectory to fulfillment in the 1960s, featuring a full line of models along with strong racing participation. Cars like this Marauder S-55 paved the way for Mercury to reclaim its mojo. For you to become Mr. Mojo Ridin’, you’ll have to shell out $42,900.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
