The second-generation Mercury Marquis hit the streets in 1969, remaining in production for nine years, helping the carmaker increase its presence in the full-size market (before the nameplate switched to a mid-size architecture beginning with the 1983 model year).
Mercury tried to keep the Marquis fresh with every release, but the new model years often introduced subtle changes to the original design introduced in 1969.
For example, the 1974 version introduced a new grille design and changes enforced by the new government safety regulations, including new rear bumpers.
Someone on eBay has come up with one of the biggest surprises in the classic car market lately. Their 1974 Mercury Grand Marquis Brougham is a survivor with impressive mileage, as the car spent most of its life in storage – seller roseypink3 says this Mercury never slept outside, as the elderly gentleman that owned it always parked it inside.
The car is loaded with options, including air conditioning with automatic temperature control, cruise control, power windows and power door locks, tinted glass, and so on. The seller has the full list on eBay, but at first glance, this Mercury has everything available on the options list in 1974.
Its condition is impressive for a car this old. The dark copper metallic finish is the original paint that came with the car, and while it’s unlikely to be a perfect 10 (you can only see the small imperfections with an in-person inspection), it still survived the test of time really well. The interior also looks great, so this Mercury Grand Marquis feels almost like a new car.
The engine department does not disappoint, as the car comes fitted with a flawless 460 (7.5-liter). It was the only engine available on the 1974 Marquis, with Mercury introducing a new Ford 400 V8 a year later. The 460 developed 198 horsepower on the 1974 Grand Marquis (down from 202 horsepower on the previous model year) and was paired with a Ford C6 automatic transmission with three speeds.
Eventually, this Grand Marquis checks all the boxes for the perfect restoration candidate. First, it’s in tip-top shape. Then, it’s all original, unrestored, and unmolested. Third, the engine still runs. And fourth, the odometer indicates only a little over 11K miles (17,700 km), and they are all original.
If all of these tickle your fancy, you should be ready to spend more than $20,000 to buy the car. The owner listed the car on eBay as part of a no-reserve auction, so the price could go significantly higher if the battle attracts more bidders. Nobody joined the fight for the car at the time of writing, but it’s probably a matter of time until Mercury fans discover the listing
