When I took over my mother's '73 Mercury Montego GT (Nascar special body) with the 351 CJ motor, the licensed Virginia State safety inspector proceeded to lift it with the front lift arms under the header pipes -- with the sharp, narrow pegs of the lift arms raised. It took a long time to get the header pipes straightened again, but at least I started shouting from outside the shop door before he lifted it high enough to break a motor mount and send the motor through the air induction hood, which was also a rare special part for that model.

I once wrote an article for _Quicksilver_, the journal of the International Mercury Owners' Association, on "My Mother's Mercuries," detailing the modifications my Dad had done to their '50 sedan, their '57 Turnpike Cruiser with the 368 Lincoln Mexican Road Race package on the motor, their '65 Park Lane with Police package suspension and motor, and then this '73 Montego GT. These were my mother's daily drivers, since my father always needed a pickup for the farm and his work, but he sure was proud of his mods.