For Sale: 1974 Mercury Marquis in Lavergne, Tennessee

Full-sized '70s luxury cars are heating up in the collector car market as the guys who knew them when they were younger are buying up the cars of their youth. For the guy whose family traveled with the Cat, this 1974 Mercury Marquis hardtop should be a neat throwback to a time when luxury meant big V8s, couch-like seating, and a pillow-soft ride.

If you like your coupes big and gothic, this Mercury is right for you. As long as a school bus and wearing period-perfect colors, it proudly stands as a monument to the excesses of the 1970s. We're pretty sure the paint is original and this car still looks great, suggesting that someone went the extra mile to take care of it even during the oil crisis in which it was born. The sheetmetal is in great shape, with sharp creases along the tops of the fenders, that hood that's probably six feet long all by itself, and long quarters that seem even longer thanks to trim-fitting fender skirts. There are a few thin spots, a bit of fading, but for a high-quality survivor, this car needs no apologies. The hidden headlights make it look a lot more like its big brother Lincoln and don't worry, there's plenty of bright chrome and stainless trim to make it look expensive, and it's all in very good shape. Even the tan vinyl top, which adds some great contrast, remains bright, clean, and with no clear issues underneath.

You got genuine 6-passenger comfort in your Marquis, and nobody will be complaining about the accommodations. The handsome gold brocade cloth upholstery remains in good condition and offers that kind of all-day comfort that you just can't buy anymore. Like the exterior, the interior appears to be mostly original, so there are a few very minor signs of use and age, but also like the paint, it would be a crime to change any of it. Gauges cover only the basics, housed in a very square and linear dashboard with lots of chrome, which was very much in fashion in 1974. For all-day cruising, nothing is better than a full-sized American luxury car and with factory A/C (needs to be charged) and an AM/FM radio, this car is ideal for road trips. Even better, both the back seat and the trunk are massive, with the trunk area expensively upholstered with original mats and a full-sized spare with jack assembly.

Mercury gave you plenty of horsepower to move all this sheetmetal in the form of a 460 cubic inch V8. This is surely the car's original engine, and it is indeed effortless in everything that it does. Smooth, torquey, and able to consume vast quantities of interstate in a single stretch, this is a fantastic cruiser. It's still wearing original Ford Blue paint on the major components and aside from routine maintenance items, it's quite original. It's backed by a C6 3-speed automatic transmission and a 9-inch rear end with towering highway gears inside. The underside is just as clean as you'd hope on a survivor like this, and includes a mellow-sounding single exhaust system with a recent muffler that just whispers along at speed and a brand new gas tank hanging out back. Factory steel wheels with Mercury hubcaps are the right choice, as are the 235/75/15 whitewall radials.

This clean, handsome Mercury Marquis is a great entry-level hobby car with a strong pedigree and a lot of character. Call today!