Barn Fresh

[teranfon]

Originally, I didn't intend to post this, but after a number of requests by a few people I have decided to. A couple of you have also asked me what to look for in regards to looking for a car to restore. I've been an enthusiast and collector of certain types of cars. Please do not ask me to post pics, as I'm reluctant to do so. A few members have seen pics privately as I've felt comfortable, and a couple have seen a car or two firsthand. The following is my latest barn find. It is a 1964 Mercury Marauder. It, along with the 1963.5/1964 Galaxie was created primarily for use in NASCAR. Back then, you had to race what you produced, including body, frame, and engine. The Marauder, compared to early Mercurys, had aerodynamic styling comprised of a very long deck lid, angled front windscreen, lowered roofline by 1.5 inches, and a highly swept rear window. It was also a hardtop. It, and the 1964 Galaxie, became known as the "fastback", and is considered by many to be one of the prettiest designs of the sixties. Engines in the American Marauders were all big block 390s or 427s. The first being a high torque 390 2V, then a slightly hotter 2V version, followed by a performance 390 4V commonly referred to as the "Super", and the final 390 version dubbed the "Interceptor" with mechanical lifters and high compression. The most common of the 390s was the Super. A number of 2Vs were also sold as well. Hardly any Interceptors were sold. There were fourty-two 427s sold, with eleven being 8V versions. The rest were 4V versions. The 406 6V tri-power from a year earlier wasn't advertised, although a minimum of two were produced and are accounted for. It's believed up to ten were manufactured. Canadian Marauders also offered a 352 version, of which most were sold. In 1964, the Marauders stormed their way to eight NASCAR wins. A Marauder, driven by Parnelli Jones, also won Pikes Peak. The Marauder also claimed the United States Auto Club (USAC) title that same year. This Marauder was discovered on a Canadian farm, about 1000 kilometers from my home. Time is unsure of exactly how long it sat undisturbed, but the best guess in twenty-seven years. It's colour is "Bittersweet", long faded to pink. Very few were painted this colour. It is actually the rarest colour produced that year. This Marauder was also ordered with competition suspension and steel wheels. Heavy duty cooling and electrical was also ordered. Along with the 3" drum brakes. It also retains it original Interceptor 390. I haven't received the exact numbers of Interceptor Maruaders produced in Canada, but it is most likely less than a few dozen. My sources tell me, however, that currently this car looks to be one of one manufactured with these particular options, colour, and engine. The car has sank up to the frame. More on this later. Where do these cars come from? Who puts them away? Why are they put away? And what happens to them? These questions are always asked by collectors. And will be for some time yet. This old girl belonged to a gentleman who loved it very much at one time. He knew what he ordered, and what the car was. Unfortunately, he was the first to pass, leaving his family and possessions behind. People have a hard time dealing with loss, and some deal with it by trying to remember as much as they can by way of moments passed. This extends to possessions. The Marauder was tucked away after his death. It wasn't quite ready to leave. This is where some people who try to acquire a rare and valuable car makes a fatal mistake. They see the car as nothing more than an object, not realizing it's value to the person currently caring for it. The people who often have these cars won't let them go because it represents a time and a place. Fond memories and good times. Whether the original owner is still alive or not, the car is much more than an object. It's a reflection of times gone by. And someone showing up with a checkbook isn't going to change that. These care don't need to be sold. They don't need to be given away. Instead, they need to find homes with someone they trust. Often the one with car is almost "interviewing" the purchaser. This interview can last years. I recall I spent three years cultivating a friendship with someone before he agreed to sell me his Shelby. By then I realized the history behind the car and the memories it held for the previous owner were just as important as the car itself. She peeks out of her resting place of almost three decades. The tires were completed rotted, but one held air for about a minute at a time before it burst. I had to replace the rear rims and tires with a set I usually carry for such adventures. The rear brakes had seized, and a large tractor had to pull the car onto my trailer. My trusty hauler getting ready to haul the big Mercury home. This was also a difficult time for the lady who sold it to me. I can't imagine what someone feels when they realize that something owned for so long, loved for almost as long, and identified with a loved one is leaving. I don't care what ANYONE says, cars eventually have a soul. As it was getting closer to leaving, the lady was crying while trying her best not to. I knew that this was very hard for her. I promised her that she would again hear that big Interceptor run again, as the car will have an exacting body-off restoration. I've made this promise to others, and have no intention of not honouring my promise to her. Driving out of her driveway, seeing her watching me in my rear view mirror while she clutched a kleenex, I almost felt as if I were doing something wrong. Take a look at the inner fenders. To those of you looking for a restorable car, whatever the type, look for such details as this. Make sure such things as the rad support and inner fenders are intact. If it has suspension towers, then inspect these as well. Look at the firewall. If rotted, these items can be very expensive to restore. It can be done, but it also takes away from the originality of the car. Mechanical things are far easier to rebuild, and parts are often plentiful. Also inspect to make sure most of the small stuff under the hood is also there. Items such as washer fluid bottles and accessories. Items such as air cleaners and valve covers can also be tough to find, and in many cases almost nonexistent. I had to pull over to look at that roofline again. This is the underside of the frame. To those of you looking for a car to restore, this is the most important item. It the frame is gone, whether it me unibody or separate, walk away from the car. A car with a bad frame is not worth the effort. And any car that has had it's underside rebuilt will never be worth one that still retains it's original platform. Period. Floorboards are a little more forgiving, and can generally be repaired. In this case the frame and floors, although dirty, are completely solid. Also look at the inside of the fenders, especially behind the wheels. Although rockers and inners can be repaired, it is generally expensive to do so. It is also very time consuming. In this case, all seem to be amazingly intact. Another shot of the undercarriage. And finally, inspect all chrome and trim pieces. Depending on the car, these trim pieces can be very expensive to repair or replate. In some cases, trim is not longer available, requiring a long and exhausting search through various vendors and wreckers. One little chrome piece, one tiny emblem, or one little badge can take months to locate. And usually very expensive to acquire. So that's it. The beginning of a restoration on a rare car. I know many of you have expressed in finding a car and doing a restoration. It doesn't need to be something what others would consider special, it only needs to be special to you. Hell, I know guys who have restored the most utilitarian of vehicles and they have turned out wonderful. My best advice to you is to familiarize yourself with the vehicle that interests you. Learn as much as you can. Investigate the availability of parts and familiarize yourself with different shop rates. And start with a car that is a good core. I always start with something that is numbers matching and historical, but everyone has their own interests. When you decided on a car, then begin an active search. No, they aren't generally in newspapers. They can often be found by word of mouth. There are, in fact, Cobras and split window Corvettes still sitting in garages, waiting to be discovered. Spend a weekend driving through back alleys, stopping to inquire about any old heap that interests you. The people you speak to are generally friendly and love to talk about their old cars. And even if that particular car doesn't interest you, the owner sometimes mentions about "that old Mustang sitting in Doris's garage". Doris being the lady three doors down. And always remember to treat these people with respect. They're not selling you a car, they're selling you memories of their lives. There is a tremendous difference. Terry

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[Crazy Acura]

Terry. This has been the best thread I have read in a long time!

Thank you for taking the time to write it up! Also congrats on the new "Project".

[Bdog]

Thanks for the pics! What's your time-frame for this restoration?

[mrmako]

Nice find Terry. And an excellent "how to" for those of us that would even think of taking on such a task.

[paz840]

Good info. Thanks Terry.

[chill_dog]

Awesome read; will look at the pics at home when I get a chance.

[Crazy Acura]

Terry, any chance you would be able to keep up updated with this restoration? Love to see the process.

[SG81]

wow. great car to restore. good luck, can't wait to see its progress.

btw, what province did you find it in?

[teranfon]

Thanks everyone.

CA:
I was a little unsure I would post it.

I'll definitely post pics when the restoration starts.

Bdog:
Realistically, a couple years. It will actually be an easy restoration. I intend to start next year. There is another project I've been dragging my feet with and I really need to get it finished. The engine and gearbox will be removed before the actual restoration starts. I also plan to separate the body and frame this winter as well.

The car will be restored correctly except for modern shock absorbers and a Ford tri-power 6V (three carburetor and manifold) will be installed. The tri-power setup, however, is dated coded to 1964 as was actually sold over the counter at dealerships so it won't really detract from originality.

SG81:
The car was found in Saskatchewan.

Terry

[v6cord2k5]

Wow. Just reading this thread I could understand why people trust you to take over ownership of such collectibles.

Have fun with the restoration, I'm sure she'll be a beaut' when it's all said and done but post some pics for our enjoyment as well!

[cp3117]

Awesome post Terry.

Its nice to see someone here at Acurazine from the same province with such a desire for old cars from the Musclecar era.

Reading your post explained things very well.

I still have my very first car that I bought back in 1985 (1967 RS/SS"350" Camaro). I restored it back then but recently I am trying to bring it back to 100% original condition. I can relate how hard it is to find certain items as i just found the proper date coded heads two weekends ago at a swap meet in Turlock, CA.

My brother is much worse than me as he is restoring his 69 427 Back to Bloomington standards and has many other GTO's etc.

I dont know much about Ford's but i can sure appreciate the work ahead of you and also the reward of the finished product.......The hunt can also be the most fun part of the experience and im sure there are many more barn finds here in the Prairies.

What town in Saskatchewan did you find your car and as others have said, please posts pictures of the restoration process if you can??

PS.. Does Ford Canada have a archive department like GM where you can send in the VIN to confirm what the car is through their historical section??

[nokiaman]

Great thread Terry, it had been awhile since we had a quality thread in AZ. Very beautiful Marauder, it's just waiting for you to polish her and put her back on the road. I've wanted a 60's Shelby or Mustang forever, hopefully I'll be able to realize that dream one day.

[teranfon]

Originally Posted by cp3117

Awesome post Terry.

Its nice to see someone here at Acurazine from the same province with such a desire for old cars from the Musclecar era.

Reading your post explained things very well.

I still have my very first car that I bought back in 1985 (1967 RS/SS"350" Camaro). I restored it back then but recently I am trying to bring it back to 100% original condition. I can relate how hard it is to find certain items as i just found the proper date coded heads two weekends ago at a swap meet in Turlock, CA.

My brother is much worse than me as he is restoring his 69 427 Back to Bloomington standards and has many other GTO's etc.

I dont know much about Ford's but i can sure appreciate the work ahead of you and also the reward of the finished product.......The hunt can also be the most fun part of the experience and im sure there are many more barn finds here in the Prairies.

What town in Saskatchewan did you find your car and as others have said, please posts pictures of the restoration process if you can??

PS.. Does Ford Canada have a archive department like GM where you can send in the VIN to confirm what the car is through their historical section??

Nice to meet a fellow Albertan.

The car was located on a farm just off of sixteen, close to the Manitoba border. I know I passed several small towns on the way out there.

FoMoCo has a limited archive, but I think private individuals have kept better records including data and build quantities. I'm sure you have heard of the Marti Report, but even then it's my understanding it's somewhat limited to cars built later than the late sixties. Most of my domestic automotive interests have been Ford or Ford powered interests, and I've managed to meet a number of people with similar interests who keep a fairly good record of production figures. Throughout the years I've seen some pretty oddball stuff, such as 427 hi-risers and cammers installed in various Ford products with no documentation other than original receipts. The build sheets are fairly easy to locate, and if under the seat cushion, generally in good shape. A tough thing about some Canadian Fords is they carried a data plate displaying the build codes. With US cars, most information can be gotten off the serial number.

I absolutely love the hunt and the accompanying stories. Throughout the years I've followed quite a few, with most end up being dead ends. Once in awhile, however, something comes up. I think most people don't realize what's sitting around and forgotten, or if they do, don't bother to pursue it.

Has your brother been able to find information about his GTOs with PHS?

Good luck with the Camaro. Very nice cars. I always get confused with the SS/RS and what package was what. And which one was available with what and vice versa.

Terry

[fsttyms1]

Awesome. I love stuff like this.

[teh CL]

great story..

can't wait to restore an old classic one day..

[The Dougler]

Awesome story Terry. Words can't describe my jealousy.

[KaMLuNg]

awesome find Terry... best of luck with the project... please keep us posted with the progress

[Whiskers]

That's a funny looking goat...

[CLtotheTL32]

Awesome story! I'm really excited to see the progress of the restoration

[Shoofin]

Oy, i'm reminiscing of when I did all that metal work on my '66 Rustang....You got a lottttttttta work ahead of you, good luck!

[gypsygirl]

She's a beauty, Terry. Thanks for posting so the rest of us can share the excitment. Wow!

[I Go To Costco]

Great thread, pretty touching story too words cannot describe...

Sounds like it was a great find. Have fun with it!

[S A CHO]

Fantastic post Terry, that car will be nothing short of spectacular once it's complete.

[Yumchah]

[mrmako]

One question Terry; No modern brakes? I know it breaks away from tradition, but if the suspension is going to be somewhat modern, why not?

[Stapler]

Originally Posted by mrmako

One question Terry; No modern brakes? I know it breaks away from tradition, but if the suspension is going to be somewhat modern, why not?

Modern shocks hardly make the suspension somewhat modern, They just swap in place of the old ones. Putting disk brakes on a old car requires quite a bit of modification and probably doesn't fit with keeping the car original.

Also, Drum brakes work fairly well if you know what to expect.

[AMGala]

Awesome project! Can't wait to see the progress and final results!

[CocheseUGA]

Originally Posted by teranfon

Originally, I didn't intend to post this, but after a number of requests by a few people I have decided to.
~
Please do not ask me to post pics, as I'm reluctant to do so.

I'm not quite sure I understand the privacy aspect. Elaborate?

[teranfon]

Originally Posted by mrmako

One question Terry; No modern brakes? I know it breaks away from tradition, but if the suspension is going to be somewhat modern, why not?

Stapler is correct. The modern shocks are readily available, and make a noticeable difference in the handling of the car. The car will still have it's drum brakes, and the tires used will be a reproduction Firestone bias-ply from the sixties.


Terry

[teranfon]

Originally Posted by CocheseUGA

I'm not quite sure I understand the privacy aspect. Elaborate?

PM sent.


Terry

[RaviNJCLs]

Looks like it will be a great project. Keep us posted.

[neuronbob]

What an enjoyable post. I wish I had the time and talent (and $$$$$) to do this. Thank you so much for sharing!

[Shoofin]

Originally Posted by Stapler

Putting disk brakes on a old car requires quite a bit of modification and probably doesn't fit with keeping the car original.

Also, Drum brakes work fairly well if you know what to expect.

I had drums all around on my '66 Ford...I converted the fronts to disc with very little effort. Eventually I'll be doing the rears as well. As for shocks, I went with KYB Gas-A-just, and the Springs are from Maier Racing (with a subtle drop). Problem is, I did all this so long ago, it's almost as if everything I did has been antiquated real quick, I may upgrade to a better braking system and I might re-do the suspension to include upgraded front suspension components..

[teranfon]

Started ripping out the rear seat and front carpets today. I'm amazed at how solid the floors are. I'm not happy, however, about all the mice shit underneath everything. After nearly three decades of storage I guess it's to be expected.

I was kind of expecting a small treasure once I got the trunk opened (it's been jammed closed since it went into storage) but nothing of the sort. The two heavy duty Kelsey-Hayes stamped steel wheels were a nice surprise however.


Terry

[Stapler]

Other than being kinda pitted the trim on that car looks very straight. Is it as good as it looks in the pictures?

[cp3117]

Originally Posted by teranfon

Nice to meet a fellow Albertan.

The car was located on a farm just off of sixteen, close to the Manitoba border. I know I passed several small towns on the way out there.

It sure is a small world as i grew up very close to where you probably found your Marauder.

Originally Posted by teranfon

I absolutely love the hunt and the accompanying stories. Throughout the years I've followed quite a few, with most end up being dead ends. Once in awhile, however, something comes up. I think most people don't realize what's sitting around and forgotten, or if they do, don't bother to pursue it.

Or they dont know what it is!!!

I know i guy once who saw an add in the Calgary Herald for a 59 Chev and was asking $3000 for the car. When he called her it was her husbands car and that he passed away and it was taking up space. After talking to her on the phone she said it was a 2DR and only had 2 seats in the car which made it useless for her to use . He then realised it was a complete original 59 Corvette and was basically at her door before she even hung up the phone.

Originally Posted by teranfon

Has your brother been able to find information about his GTOs with PHS?

Yes, he uses them for all his GTO documentation/verifications. The corvettes are a different story as not many people realise that GM lost all of there Crovette records years ago up to aprox the early 80's (could be wrong on the years) which makes it really easy to make fakes and research on the car is very important in order make sure its authentic or not.

As stapler just stated, the chrome looks very complete and straight. Actually im very amazed at how comlpete the car is and i know this will sure help in keeping costs down. I also see it has PS and PB, was that common on those as i know it was not that common on many GM products in that era???

Since your removing the carpet and seats let us know if you found the build sheet. I know GM would put them there too along with gluing them to the top of the gas tanks before installing them.

Damn im getting excited about YOUR restoration project. I always loved the hunt and the dismantling as it was like going through a time capsule if it is a true barn find like yours.

[TheMirror]

Nice find! Its great that all the chrome trim seems to be intact save for one headlight nacelle. Any info on indicated mileage? Maybe I missed that in previous posts.

[teranfon]

cp3117:

Yeah, it seems to be that many people don't really know what they have, or if they do, they don't care.

PS and PB was offered with the 390 4V Interceptor, but not with the 427s. The 427s weren't available power steering/brakes.

The build sheet will be on one of two places on the car. I just hope that the mice over the years haven't eaten it.


mirror:

The car as an original 70300 miles. The headlight bezel and hood ornament seems to be the only chrome/stainless pieces missing.


Terry

[PortlandRL]

Terry...I'm so glad you chose to post this! Thanks for sharing us in your adventure and I look forward to future updates.

[dom]

Good luck with the restore Terry.

Hopefully you'll be able to keep us updated and of course provide some pics of the finished product.

Although I never had any interest in old cars I'm always fascinated to see and hear about these restorations. And of course Terry does it right. Hopefully the woman you bought it from will have a smile on her face when its all said and done.