Jay Leno tells it like it is (unfortunately)

[Vortex]

http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/extras/articles/jay-leno-its-time-to-let-mercury-go---article/

[Black Dynamite]

Yes, unfortunately, he's 100% correct. :alone:

"The 2003 Mercury Marauder is one of the few modern Mercury's Jay Leno would be happy to have in his garage."

:stupid:At least that put a smile on my face!

[dgi]

i've always felt the same way about mercury...

but other car companies seem to get away with such smoke and mirrors.

Look at Toyota/Lexus. Camry vs. ES300.... sure, the present model is a tad bit more upscale, but the previous model was basically a bumper switch and upgraded interior... but it sold like crazy....

[Egon Spengler]

My dream car is a 50 merc all lowered and chopped with air bag suspension. Don't care if it is in primer or has an awesome paint job, those things look sweet!

[Joe Walsh]

i've always felt the same way about mercury...

but other car companies seem to get away with such smoke and mirrors.

Look at Toyota/Lexus. Camry vs. ES300.... sure, the present model is a tad bit more upscale, but the previous model was basically a bumper switch and upgraded interior... but it sold like crazy....

Yep, but let's remember that the Toyota/Lexus buyer doesn't know squat about cars...they like to buy "roadgoing appliances".
It's easy to fool them with a few different trim pieces.

"Oh NO! I don't own a Camry...I own a Lexus!"
:puke:

[TAKEDOWN]

:alone: Oh Mercury... Jay Leno forgot to mention the ol' sk00L MARAUDERS, and Bandit I totally agree with you the old led sleds were definitely cool.

[ctrlraven]

I wonder why Jay Leno doesn't own a Marauder? It would be very easy for his garage to upgrade the car to his liking.

[Egon Spengler]

I wonder why Jay Leno doesn't own a Marauder? It would be very easy for his garage to upgrade the car to his liking.
That would be cool! He can buy mine and restore it to mint!

He would probably want 100% original though for that collection of his...

[Blk Mamba]

I thought Leno did own a MM, and Bandit, Stalone's Merc. in "Cobra" was the "****it".

[jerrym3]

I'm surprised that he links the Cyclone GT with the 390 instead of the 428. I also thought that the 390 hp figure was 335, not 320, but maybe the difference is manual vs automatic cars, or 1967 vs 1968 models.

390's were bullet proof, but not noted for real high performance. Quick, but not up to GTO, 442, SS 396 standards.

[massacre]

I'm still pissed about this, whether Jay Leno says it's OK or not.

[Vortex]

I'm surprised that he links the Cyclone GT with the 390 instead of the 428. I also thought that the 390 hp figure was 335, not 320, but maybe the difference is manual vs automatic cars, or 1967 vs 1968 models.

390's were bullet proof, but not noted for real high performance. Quick, but not up to GTO, 442, SS 396 standards.

In the late 60's I think the biggest engine you could get was the 390 for the Cyclone. In 71 they started using the 429.

[ImpalaSlayer]

i couldn't care less really.

[GAMike]

Its kind of a nice validation of the Marauder, from a guy who not only owns alot of American mucsle, and European performance cars, but is a real car guy in the truest sense of the word.

For all his fame and fortune, he still participates in the common mans cruise in So Cal car culture as well as the Concours @ Monterry type events.

A nice acknowledgement for the model. Not so much for Eleanor, and the brand as a whole......:burnout:

[jerrym3]

Vortex

You are overlooking the 1969 CJ 428 Cyclone. (I still have a Motor Trend magazine where they compared the CJ 428 with other musclecars including the Torino with the same motor but a slightly higher rear end ratio.)

Can't remember if the 428 was available in 1968. I know it wasn't when I bought my 1968 Cyclone GT in Jan 1968. Maybe late year addition?

In 1970, I think the car became the Cyclone Spoiler with the 429.

[Vortex]

Forgot about the 428. Wasnt the 428 a derivative of the 252/390 block? I know the 429 was a new engine altogether and is "related" to the 460 somehow. Regardless, I like Leno, his website and the article.

[Red91LX]

Forgot about the 428. Wasnt the 428 a derivative of the 352/390 block? I know the 429 was a new engine altogether and is "related" to the 460 somehow. Regardless, I like Leno, his website and the article.

Yes...the F-E engines are a "big block" design that replaced the earlier Ford "Y Block" series. There were 352, 390, 406, 427, and 428 inch versions available over the years.

The 427 was a very rare but available option on the 1967 Mercury Comets, but the 390 version is far more common. The 427 was available in two versions: the W Code with a single 4 bbl carburetor, and the R Code with the dual quad setup.

[jerrym3]

I have the FE 352 4V in my 64 Galaxie 500XL convert. Only 250 hp, regular gas, Holley 4 barrel, duals, 3:50 rear.

Not a performer in stock condition, but still running strong after 110,000 miles.

[jonroe]

The 429 was only out for 4 years, I think, 1968 - 1971. The 460 is a stroked 429. Both are part of the Ford "385" engine family.

[Joe Walsh]

Vortex

You are overlooking the 1969 CJ 428 Cyclone. (I still have a Motor Trend magazine where they compared the CJ 428 with other musclecars including the Torino with the same motor but a slightly higher rear end ratio.)

Can't remember if the 428 was available in 1968. I know it wasn't when I bought my 1968 Cyclone GT in Jan 1968. Maybe late year addition?

In 1970, I think the car became the Cyclone Spoiler with the 429.

68-1/2 (April '68) was when they offered the 428 Cobra Jet.
One of the best FE engines ever made!....:burn:

[jerrym3]

Little memory lane here, but wasn't there a 66 Ford big model called the Seven Litre, and didn't it have the 428?

But, I think that originally the 428 wasn't really fast until they did some head changes which resulted in the CJ (CobraJet) 428.

I wouldn't bet on it, but I thought that they put the 427 heads on the CJ 428.

[Joe Walsh]

IIRC: TASCA Ford dealeship in Rhode Island started to put 427 Medium riser heads onto 428 blocks for customers who wanted more than the standard passenger car 390s & 428s.
They essentially invented the 428 CJ for the FORD Motor company

428 FE engine:
Due to its 4.235" bore size, the 427 block was impractical to manufacture economically for street use; it required tighter tolerances during casting than Ford's regular engine plants could deliver at that time. Therefore, Ford combined attributes that had worked well in previous incarnations of the FE: a 3.985 inches (101.22 mm) stroke and a 4.135 inches (105.03 mm) bore, creating an easier-to-make engine with nearly identical displacement. The 428 cu in (7 L) engine used a cast nodular iron crankshaft and was externally balanced.

428 FE engines were fitted to Galaxies (badged simply as '7 Litre') and Thunderbirds in the 1966 and 1967 model years. It was also found in Mustangs, Mercury Cougars, some AC(Shelby)Cobras and various other Fords. This engine was also available as standard equipment in 1966 and 1967 in the Mercury S-55

The 428 Engine is said to be more tractable and usable than its more famous and noted brother, the 427. This is due to the smaller bore size in ratio to compression stroke.

The 428 Cobra Jet, launched in April 1968, was a version of the 428 FE engine built for performance rather than cruising smoothness. The 428 Cobra Jet could be made on a regular production line, not requiring the exacting tolerances required by the 427. The 428CJ used special cylinder head casting # C8OE-6090-N. This casting had larger intake ports and valves than production FE. The Cobra Jet used a strengthened version of the 428 block with an extra main bearing webbing and thicker main caps than the standard block. The CJ used heavier connecting rods with a 13/32 rod bolt and a nodular iron crankshaft casting # 1UB. The engine was rated at 335 horsepower (250 kW) at 5200 rpm, but true output approached 410 horsepower, particularly in engines equipped with a functional hood scoop and unrestricted cold air induction. The low rating reflected management concerns with rapidly escalating insurance surcharges, which were hurting sales of high-powered muscle cars. The low rating also inspired the NHRA to factor Cobra Jet mustangs to 360 horsepower for drag racing match ups.

[Vortex]

When I was in high school my Dad had a 71 Country Sedan exactly like the one in the pic with the 429 4v. Chiltons said it had 365 hp if I remember correctly, what I do know is being the idiot I was back then our giant sized wagon beat my buddies 64 GTO 4 speed twice in a drag race, would powerslide like Junior Johnson running them backroads and would absolutely bury the speedometer over 120. How I didnt wreck that thing is beyond me, it was truly a hell of an engine.

http://www.lovefords.org/71bic/images/1971_ford_ranch_bic_001.jpg

[LIGHTNIN1]

Yep, but let's remember that the Toyota/Lexus buyer doesn't know squat about cars...they like to buy "roadgoing appliances".
It's easy to fool them with a few different trim pieces.

"Oh NO! I don't own a Camry...I own a Lexus!"
:puke:

Lexus all looked a like basically and seemed to only be in two colors. I think people thought they were buying a Buick, like upgrading from a Chevy to a Buick. They were so plain that is what we referred to them as.

[massacre]

No mention of the Comet, either:

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/4362/20gate20job20mercury20c.jpg (http://img52.imageshack.us/i/20gate20job20mercury20c.jpg/)

[jonroe]

When I was in high school my Dad had a 71 Country Sedan exactly like the one in the pic with the 429 4v. Chiltons said it had 365 hp if I remember correctly, what I do know is being the idiot I was back then our giant sized wagon beat my buddies 64 GTO 4 speed twice in a drag race, would powerslide like Junior Johnson running them backroads and would absolutely bury the speedometer over 120. How I didnt wreck that thing is beyond me, it was truly a hell of an engine.

I had the 1970 TBird with the stock 429 (from my Dad) and it was a screamer even with the porky weight. Never touched the engine internals in 220K miles - solid as a rock along with the C6 transmission.

[jerrym3]

Interesting info on the history of the 428. Too bad I didn't wait a few months back in 68 before buying my Cyclone.

My Cyclone had the 302 4V. I don't remember why I didn't get the 390 (probably because of the bad rep the 390 had when compared to other late 60's musclecars), and, unfortunately, there was no 351 version yet.

I really wanted a GTO, but I didn't like the 68 GTO style compared to the 67. The Cyclone fastback just caught my eye, and, I worked in a Ford parts depot.

Not that I'd do it, because the car's got too many other issues. but would a 428 be a fairly easy engine swap for the 352 in my Galaxie?

[Bluerauder]

If Jay would like to have a Blue MM, I know where he might be able to get one ...... for a price of course. ;) :bandit:

[Rockettman]

:hijack: *************

[LSp8]

It's all Fords fault for not supporting their brands like they should. It really pissses me off when people ask me what kind of car I drive. "That's a nice Grand Marquis:mad2:. American companies can't advertise S___ they need to take notes from Toyota when it comes to advertising, look at how their Scion cars are marketed. They don't need me working in Dearborn because some people would be fired:flamer:quickly.

[Ozark Marauder]

Little memory lane here, but wasn't there a 66 Ford big model called the Seven Litre, and didn't it have the 428?

But, I think that originally the 428 wasn't really fast until they did some head changes which resulted in the CJ (CobraJet) 428.

I wouldn't bet on it, but I thought that they put the 427 heads on the CJ 428.


http://www.7litre.org/whatisa7litre.html