Text and Photography by Jon Mikelonis

Introduction
There is something very satisfying about sparing a car from the reaper,
especially when it's obvious the car is only months from reaching the far end of its' expected life. The rescue can also be dramatic. Dramatic in a way only "hands-on" car guys can comprehend. For us, resurrecting a wreck is like a soldier diving in after a fallen comrade. A decision that takes experience, discipline, and loyalty. Experience to perform the technical work, discipline to remain on course, and loyalty to make sure what you're diving in for is a Ford. Well? In this particular case, a Ford product.

When Project MX rolled in from Fresno, CA to the FM shop we were immediately thinking Cleveland-based 408 stroker, 1-1/2" drop, 16x8 torque thrusts, some minor bodywork, and paint. But reality quickly set in, reminding us of the practical direction we previously agreed to take our new project car. Not to mention that FordMuscle, nor many of our readers, have the utility, space, or cash to do what we really want to do with our cars. So we created a parts list, rolled up our sleeves, and got to work while remaining focused on our short-term project goal: Save a crippled Mercury and quickly turn it into a $2500 dependable ride that can be driven while it's being modified, reconditioned, or both.

It was clear the Montego failed to reach its' $500 Ebay reserve because of a bad head gasket or cracked head. In the name of reducing downtime, we dug these spare 351C 2V heads out of three feet of snow and sent them off for a stock rebuild one week before we began tearing down the top-end.		The previous owner had removed the vinyl top along with all the related moldings. Fortunately, everything was kept in good condition in the trunk. However, both the window and door seals were missing. We went ahead and ordered a pair of each from Concours Parts.
It was heartbreaking to put brand new window and door seals against the patina of a 32 year-old unrestored body.		We got over it knowing that balancing the needs of other projects was paramount. Tying up the garage with a car that could not be left outside was out of the question. As was pushing around 3500 lbs of iron.
Under the flouresecent lights we found an interesting note scribed into the hood. Look close, the message says..."$100 David for Door and Fender". From the included paperwork at purchase, "David" was a previous owner.		The existing dual exhaust was a pair of cracked stock manifolds, 2.5" pipe, and FlowMaster knock-offs. All hung with bailing wire. Needless to say, we chopped it out and added a new exhaust to our budget.
Hey, not bad. A previous owner was thinking. Breakless ignition included. We were lucky this feature wasn't a bulleted item during the Ebay auction. We might have lost her.		During the project we continually asked ourselves three questions: What can be re-used? What should be trashed? What should be replaced as a precaution while all accessories are removed? Here, we decided to re-use this ugly garden... oops....heater hose.