Rough but rare 63 Meteor Villager woody on Craigslist

This is NOT mine:
https://portland.craigslist.org/clc/cto/6044507793.html
1963 Meteor Woody Wagon - $3495 (Sandy)
1963 Mercury Meteor Woody Wagon,needs resto finished,all there 260 and 302 C4,all wood trim is there, over half the car stripped and bodywork done in DP90,Bumpers are rechromed,factory V8 with PS PB 5 factory wheels and new hubcaps,engine trans are out,have new battery side inner fender,good grille and trim,floors are fixed,little rust left,all glass good. $3495 OBO Call for more info Ron 5zero338zero1904

car has tires on wheels is a roller,tires were off to fix floor

 

Impossible to tell what a fair price for this would be. This model is too rare. My source is showing 1,485 produced. It was one year only model. I've never even seen one in person. In fact, the only pictures I've ever seen have been factory photos.

Technically, this is a Meteor Country Cruiser. In '63 the "Villager" name was only used on the woodgrained Comet wagon. I don't think it was applied to any other model until the 1970 Montego MX Villager.

Problems: Does it have a 302 or a 260? The 221 and the 260 (along with the 200 straight 6) were the original choices. The C4 is not the correct transmission for this model. It would have had either a manual or a two speed automatic (Merc-O-Matic?).

The price of entry doesn't seem too terribly high. Merc/Meteor only parts will probably be hard to get. Mechanicals will be and some other parts should be shared with the much more common Fairlane of the period.

I'd love it, but it is a project car and I have too many of those already. It does look like it's going to require considerable work. Whoever gets it and completes the resto, however, can be pretty well sure there won't be another one at any car show he (or she) takes it to.