1973 MERCURY MONTEGO GT 429 528 BIG BLOCK RARE NASCAR RESTOMOD FORD PRO TOURING

1973 Mercury Montego GT - 23 Year Owned
Up for sale is my life-long project car. Well sorted, high performing, and extremely rare. One of 302 to come from the factory with a 429, and one of only 12 known to exist today. The engine block and transmission are numbers matching original to the chassis.
This car was built primarily for open road racing, 1/2 mile, and standing mile competitions, but runs on pump gas, and is street legal. I have driven it to and from many events, up to 6 hours away, without issue. Safety modifications are based on the Silver State Classic's rule book for the Grand Sport Division, which allows competitors to run up to a top speed of 165 mph. All modifications have been done within the framework of "factory configuration". It has competed in the Pikes Peak Airstrip Attack, the Colorado Mile, the PIT Rally in Colorado, the Sandhills Open Road Challenge, and was featured in Optima's Search for the Ultimate Street Car in MavTV. To date, the top speed achieved is 152 mph at the Colorado Mile. With the exception of the paint work, this car is 100% owner built, and the owner has professional experience as both a fabricator, and engine builder.
Chassis:

• PST Urethane suspension bushings throughout
• Adjustable shocks
• PST anti-roll bars
• Eaton lowering springs
• Stop Tech slotted rotors and HP pads in the front
• Stock rear drums with HP pads in the rear
• Black Rock 17" aluminum wheels
• Nitto NT555 255/50R17 W-rated tires
• Improved ratio steering box

Body

• Rust removed and repainted in 2014 by Rick's Hot Rods in Colorado Springs
• Paint scheme based on the cars Dick Trickle race in NASCAR back in the day
• All stripes are in the paint, but all lettering and numbers are vinyl, and can be removed

Engine

• 600+HP on pump gas (based on 1/4 mile speed, no dyno numbers available)
• Numbers matching 429 block bored and stroked to 528 cubic inches
• Eagle 4.300" stroke cast steel crankshaft with ESP armor
• Scat 6.800" 4340 I-beam connecting rods
• Icon 4.420" (+.060) forged pistons (11:1)
• AFR aluminum heads
• Crower "Beast" hyd flat tappet camshaft and lifters
• Lunati alum roller rockers and pushrods
• Edelbrock Torker II aluminum intake
• Holly carburetor with Proform 1050cfm center section and Quickfuel fuel bowls
• HEI distributor/ignition
• Fabricated aluminum valve covers
• 9 quart custom baffled oil pan with Canton windage tray

Transmission

• Numbers matching C6 automatic converted to manual
• Broader Performance full manual reverse valve body
• B&M ratchet/sequentialshifter
• Edge custom low stall converter (~1800 stall)

Rear End

• Factory original 9" rear with 3.25 gears and trac-loc
• trac-loc rebuilt with Ford Racing clutches in 2017

Misc

• Hooker headers, X-pipe, flow-packs, Warlock mufflers (with integrated dumps), and side exit exhaust
• Champion aluminum radiator
• Rear lower control arms welded and boxed
• 22 gallon fuel cell with bladder and foam
• Electric fuel pump with braided feed and return lines
• Trunk compartment sealed off from passenger compartment
• Kirkey Racing seats
• 5 point harnesses
• 6 point roll bar with seat trays
• Removable steering wheel
• Factory gauges bypassed in favor of aftermarket gauges, except oil pressure and speedo
• Aftermarket gauges include, tach, engine temp, volts, and air/fuel ratio
• Heater and A/C removed, but ventilation is still functional

Videos of the car in action:
Sandhills Open Road Challengehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOgSq8tfTxM
PIT Rallyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSS_-dEzs3g&t=5s
Colorado Milehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AasKb5igwbE&t=123s
Pikes Peak Airstrip Attackhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdAbzFBOneU

If you are interested in this car, it is highly advised you make arrangements to inspect it in person, or have an appraiser local to our area (Colorado Springs, CO) inspect it for you.
This is a one time listing. If it doesn't sell, I am happy to keep the car and continue enjoying itPlease ask questions before biddingIn fairness to all bidders, I will not discuss the reserve priceUSA sale only, lower 48 states onlyBuyer responsible for transportation of the vehicle and all costs associatedMust be removed from the seller's property within 30 days, or the sale is void, and deposit is forfeited$1000.00 deposit required within 48 hours of the end of auction, full payment within 14 days--deposit due via Paypal, remainder to be paid via cash or wire transfer only