Smoky > 1969 Mercury Marquis
1969 Mercury Marquis
| Owner: |
Smoky (All of this user's registries on SuperMotors) |
| From: |
Grand River, OH, U.S.A. (Other registries in OH) |
| Year, Make, & Model: |
1969 Mercury Marquis (Other Mercury Marquiss in this club) |
| Avatar: |
 |
| Clubs: |
SuperFord.org (Other vehicles in this club)
|
| Nickname: |
Topaz |
| Mileage: |
41750 |
| Engine: |
429 Thunderjet. 2V autolite carb. This is a TORQUE MONSTER! 460 pd-ft. @2200. 320 bhp with single exhaust, but mine has dual exhaust, so I reckon 335 bhp. (see Drivetrain below.) Compression test done Feb. 2022 results:
#1-200
#2-190
#3-200
#4-190
#5-205
#6-210
#7-190
#8-200 |
| Drivetrain: |
429-2V engine Dual exhaust, automatic c-6 transmission, 2.75:1 rear axle ratio. 15 inch wheels and riding on Toyo Extensa A/S radial tires size P235/75 R15 that I keep inflated to 28-30 psi per mfg. With a single exhaust it is rated at 320 bhp, but with performance dual exhaust on this car, I estimate 335 bhp! (The 4 bbl carb. version is rated at 360 bhp.) But the 2 bbl version of the 429 with 10.5:1 compression and running premium fuel is no slouch by any means.
The only upgrade to the original factory setup is a Pertronix electronic ignition, which makes the points and condenser unnecessary. I also upgraded the standard suspension to the heavy duty, by adding HD Moog springs and Monroe load leveling shocks. I like the added height, plus a car of this size can benefit from the improved ride too. It's still surprisingly floaty. |
| Notes: |
This car was ordered in November of 1968, from Parkview Mercury in Windsor, Ontario, and was delivered in March, 1969. The original purchaser kept this car up until his passing in 2010. The car was appraised on 9/14/2010 with 35,811 miles on the clock and presumably sold by the first owner's wife. (Her name appears on the appraisal as the owner.) A second Canadian owner bought the car, and kept it until 2015. Then the car was sold to the first Florida owner who had it shipped from Ontario to Florida, where it was registered with Historical Plates. He kept the car until 2018, and may be responsible for adding the dual exhaust, new tires (Toyo, 2016) and a new top. The second Florida owner (with whom I spoke) bought the car in 2018, and kept it less than a year. He had a devil of a time with the brakes. (see my log on how I eventually worked out the brake problem.) He then traded in the car to Sunrise Ford in Florida, where it apparently got auctioned off to the 2nd dealer, Auto Sensations (from whom I bought the car in August of 2019.) The current mileage is all documented with a 3 ring binder of repairs, maintenance, and other work going back to the original purchase contract. I bought the car in August of 2019 and had it shipped up North to Mentor Ohio, where the lack of AC is not so bad. By then it had 40,419 miles when I took delivery. In all, just under 5,000 miles racked up in the last 10 years! It runs great, and the mechanic that did the initial safety check and maintenance agreed that it was in very sound mechanical order. (But that was the same mechanic that was unable to fix the brakes -see log.)
I like this car because it is the first of the Marquise on the new (and largest ever) frame for 1969, which continued to be used until 1978. It is also just the 3rd Marquis ever, as the first two years; 67-68 were strictly 2 door luxury coupes. By most accounts, it is considered a 2nd generation Marquis. In '69 the Park Lane was discontinued and the Marquis was now the top of the Line full size Mercury with all body styles including 2 dr. and 4 dr. hardtops and sedans, the Convertible, the Colony Park Wagon, and even the Marauder was revived again with the Marquis front end, but using Ford's wheelbase and frame. Finally, Mercury had a car that would successfully compete with the Olds 98 and Buick Electra. And lastly, I like really big convertibles! At 224 inches long, and 124 inch Wheel base, even the '69 Caddy is barely bigger! The Marquis along with its sibling, the Monterey, were the largest convertibles available from Ford or Lincoln/Mercury in 1969, or indeed, since 1967, with the loss of the Lincoln 4 Dr convertible.
The color combination must be pretty good too, as Mercury used this same combo in all of its 1969 sales literature showing the convertible. It is simply called dark blue metallic, with the dk. blue vinyl interior and white pinpoint vinyl top with a glass window.
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| Last Updated: |
4/19/2022 |
| Hits: |
2319 |
 hldoor servo 005.JPG
11 hits | 45.54 KB | Posted: 3/21/22
looking down through the slots in the top radiator brace showing the top of the servo for the headlight doors.
 hldoor servo 003.JPG
12 hits | 83.82 KB | Posted: 3/21/22
This view shows the servo for the headlight doors right behind the license plate.
 hldoor servo 002.JPG
13 hits | 66.83 KB | Posted: 3/21/22
another view showing the servo looking up toward the hood latch. You can see the bar that connects the two headlight doors which the servo turns.
 hldoor servo 001.JPG
5 hits | 71.38 KB | Posted: 3/21/22
looking from undeneath the car, showing the bottom of the headlight door servo
 headlight-vacuum-shutoff.JPG
7 hits | 30.83 KB | Posted: 3/21/22
This is the headlight door vacuum shutoff switch, which is used when you want the headlight doors to stay open while you change or aim the headlights.
 owners manual 005.JPG
7 hits | 65.57 KB | Posted: 3/16/22
starting the engine continued in the owners manual.
 owners manual 003.JPG
7 hits | 67.74 KB | Posted: 3/16/22
Procedure to start the car as described in the owners manual
 owners manual 002.JPG
7 hits | 56.19 KB | Posted: 3/16/22
Inside first page of owners manual showing the name etc. of the first owner, and other key info.
 owners manual 001.JPG
7 hits | 55.29 KB | Posted: 3/16/22
The original owners manual that came with the new car.
 9Z65K586097-1.jpg
521 hits | 81.75 KB | Posted: 10/2/19
Dk. Blue with White top and blue vinyl interior
 9Z65K586097-42.jpg
217 hits | 83.4 KB | Posted: 10/5/19
The top down with matching boot
 DSC06773.JPG
190 hits | 96.82 KB | Posted: 10/5/19
Steering wheel with wood-tone
 DSC06777.JPG
166 hits | 103.44 KB | Posted: 10/5/19
The "thunderjet" engine with a 2 barrel Autolite (the original one) carb. If I ever decide to rebuild this engine, I might convert it to a Super Cobra-jet!
 DSC06775.JPG
165 hits | 85.66 KB | Posted: 10/5/19
Still has the original insulation in the hood and a previous owner made a very slick front license plate.
 9Z65K586097-10.jpg
163 hits | 46.68 KB | Posted: 10/5/19
Actual documented mileage.
 DSC06858.JPG
163 hits | 81.62 KB | Posted: 10/5/19
All carpeted trunk. I don't think this was either standard or original, but put in perhaps by the first owner.
 DSC06821.JPG
163 hits | 90.02 KB | Posted: 10/5/19
This is one BIG car! 224.3" long, which is about the size of a '69 Cadillac! Marquis Convertibles produced in '69: 2,319 (out of about 100,000 total Marquise.)
 DSC06804.JPG
148 hits | 75.49 KB | Posted: 10/5/19
The hood emblem was a one year only. It is unobtanium at this point. The topaz jewels in it are what gives this car its nickname! I found one shabby used one just in case as a backup.
Maintenance & Modification Logs
| Date | Type | Mileage | Title / Description | $ Amount | | 04/19/22 | Maintenance | 41743 | Hood stops
Ever since I bought this car I have had to REALLY slam the hood to close it. I mean, from about 1-2 ft. open, then push down with all my might to close it. Posted a question on Reddit, which was answered by saying check the hood stops (duh!) Why didn't I think of that?? After playing with the adjustment, I found that to make it easier to close, I had to lower them too far, so that the hood was to low when closed. Then I remembered I had bought the whole hood bumper kit from Dennis Carpenter. I still had 2 brand new hood stops with new rubber! Put them on the car, adjusted them, and now it works much better. From just 6-7 inches open, I can slam the hood shut no problem! I put the old stops (marked old) in the kit. | 0.00 | | 04/17/22 | Miscellaneous | 41743 | Another G. P. cruise
Because it was 8 days since my last cruise, I did squirt a shot of starting fluid into the carb before starting. A partly sunny day of only 38* with dry roads. Smooth sailing the whole trip. Put the heat on for a while, which always warms the car up real good and fast. Traffic was not all that bad today, Easter Sunday. | 0.00 | | 04/09/22 | Miscellaneous | 41728 | Another G. P. cruise
Left on Saturday afternoon about 3:15pm on sunny but chilly day (in the high 40's) All went smoothly. I checked tires before I left and two are at 31 and two are at 29.5 diagonally. This should have been a good run for the car on freeway at 70mph. Returned in about half an hour. Some small easily avoided puddles here and there. | 0.00 | | Total | 0.00 |
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