
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.
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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. |
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It was heartbreaking to put brand new window and door
seals against the patina of a 32 year-old unrestored
body.
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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. |
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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.
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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. |
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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.
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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. |
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