We’ve been saying it for years: the cars are out there, you just have to go looking for them. And some flexibility is needed when looking. There’s a reason why a rusted, rolling shell of a Barracuda is nearly five figures on eBay: it’s because everybody wants a Hemi’Cuda of their own. A little legwork and a wide net cast can bring up some interesting options, some that you might not have considered even a few years ago. Growing up, this 1973 Mercury Montego would only have been kept because it was an oddball that was super-clean and could produce good mileage…once it’s usefulness was moot, it would have been flipped as fast as it appeared, or worse, would’ve become the victim of a V8 swap, then sent on it’s way because the likelihood of selling a straight-six powered Mercury coupe that big was nearly nil.
Nowadays, that’s still a clean car, even with the small amounts of basic rust in areas like the trunk floor and the corners of the doors, but the 250ci six is a surprise simply because it’s managed to escape both the crusher and hot-rodders alike, and the Aunt Mary gold paint with the funky roof treatment is unique enough to be kept. Doesn’t hurt that this Mercury is sporting it’s metal dealership tag on the trunk, either. This Montego has been lucky enough to escape forty-three years’ worth of potential neglect, hacked hot rodding and general bad luck. All we would do is check safety items, find replacement caps for the Magnum 500 wheels, and enjoy the Mercury for what it is. What say you?
Craigslist Link: 1973 Mercury Montego
Ya gotta love it! Hell, there’s even a tape in the cassette deck!
There is one much like it in a friends neighborhood. No split roof and I’m sure it’s a V8 because this is the first straight six I have seen in one of these. I’m hoping to get it and go David Pearson tribute on it .
Tune the Hell out of that straight six and maybe even add a turbo or better still swap in a roaring 600hp plus J2Z and you have the ultimate sleeper.
Money no object…Supercharged Coyote and take everyone’s money
Money huge object…Nice tuned FE….and roll….love it…..
Aussies have all the answers for this car….either a 250 2V (pre crossflow engine, same as it has now, but with Aust only removeable 2v intake manifold head, around 170 hp stock) or any of the later Ford Australia 6’s… single OHC 4.0 six, DOHC six from the later cars, or an XR6T turbo motor – an F6 is good for 310 kw stock, around 415 hp…