1948 Mercury

Wagon

8 - Cyl.

Manual

879A234I435

Gasoline

FINAL RELIST FOR THE YEAR. LOWER OPENING BID - MUCH LOWER RESERVE. MUST SELL THROUGH A PUBLIC AUCTION FORMAT. OPEN TO ALL QUESTIONS, BUT CANNOT ACCEPT OFFERS. PLEASE COME AND TAKE A LOOK AT THIS VEHICLE.This car was recently listed on eBay. While it did attract a great deal of interest and bidding, it did not meet its reserve. The AACA Museum really wants to sell this Mercury but we need to get its fair market value so we can put the funds back into our 1941 Ford restoration project, outlined below. It must also be sold in a public forum, such as eBay. We are relisting the car with a signifigantly lower reserve. We thank everyone who inquired about the car and/or bid last time out and encourage questions and personal inspections here at the Museum. Thanks for your interest!Up for auction is a true “barn find” 1948 Mercury Eight-Passenger Station Wagon. The Mercury was donated to the AACA (Antique Automobile Club of America) Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania (a nonprofit museum dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of transportation history) in 2003 along with a partially restored 1941 Ford Station Wagon. It was our hope to someday restore the 1941 Ford and the agreement we made with the donor called for us to sell the ’48 Mercury to help fund the project. Last year we finally began the restoration of the Ford. The 1948 Mercury is now being sold and all proceeds will benefit the Museum and help us cover the expenses associated with the work on the Ford. The car is not for sale outside of eBay and the auction will not be ended early. This vehicle was last registered for the road in 1973 according to the Pennsylvania inspection sticker still on the front windshield. It was removed by the Museum from long-term barn storage in Eastern, PA in the fall of 2003 and brought to our facility in Hershey. It has spent the last 8 years with us in our storage building. In terms of its condition, the photos really tell the story. The car seems to be almost 100 percent complete. It is equipped with the flathead V8 engine and manual transmission. Nothing appears to have been removed. Inside it has a radio, clock and heater. The exterior has turn signals, spare tire, bumper guards and all four wheel covers. There is also an extra upper tailgate that comes with the car. We do not know much about the car or its history prior to its donation. The donor’s father was a collector/restorer of Ford wagons and this one was put away for the future. It appears to be covered in some type of a brush-on sealer or protect ant, which has altered the exterior color. The frame and most of the body is solid. There are obvious holes and rust issues at the lower edge of some of the metal body panels. The wooden body is also in need of help, but is complete and intact. The car needs a complete restoration. It rolls freely and is easy to move but no attempt was made to start the engine. The new owner should count on having to address all areas of this car. If you are seriously considering such a project, you probably already know that this is a fairly rare vehicle. Mercury made only 1,889 wagons in 1948 as opposed to almost 9,000 comparable Fords. The Mercury is accurately represented in the photographs but interested parties are encouraged to ask questions and/or schedule a personal inspection. This vehicle is offered as is, where is, with no warranty expressed or implied. It has a valid Pennsylvania title which will be transferred to the new owner upon successful completion of the transaction. Shipping and transportation of the car are the responsibility of the new owner. We will gladly work with you or the shipper/transporter of your choice to coordinate the move. The new owner will have two weeks from the completion of the auction to pick up the vehicle unless other arrangements are made in advance. If the car is not picked up within this time frame (and other satisfactory arrangements are not made), the Museum reserves the right to charge a storage fee for the vehicle based on the local going rate. Payment may be in the form of cash, money order or cashier’s/bank check.