Feature Article from Hemmings Classic Car July, 2008 - Jim Donnelly Perhaps the best way to appreciate what happened is to try to imagine yourself in a dealers showroom, peering critically at the 1938 Fords. The dealer could have been right in the business district of any American town, perfumed with the strong smell of freshly minted dollar bills as the country levered itself from Depression inertia to the preparation for total war. From the outset, the 1938 models had faces that were kind of pug-inspired compared to what Ford did before and thereafter. Somewhere down the street, where the trolleys clanged past, there were other spiffy showrooms, maybe with bevel-block glazing, selling cars with smoother rides, more in the way of comfiture, and, one could argue, more pleasing looks. And people were noticing, no question. In 1938, Ford cranked out 410,000 cars and change, less than half of 1937s total. Chevrolet was ahead by about 90,000 units, but more tellingly, Oldsmobile, embodying the emerging upscale car for the masses, barely missed 100,000 sales. That wet, smacking sound you mightve heard was General Motors devouring Fords lunch. Not that Henry, having toppled into immovable irascibility by the late 1930s, likely understood. To Ford the Elder, who was by then obsessed with turning legumes into car parts, his automobiles should be prized for their frugality and sturdiness--nothing else. He gripped that compulsive mindset as if it were a lifeline, while not only Oldsmobile, but also the likes of De Soto, Buick and Nash were altering buyers expectations of what an affordable car could be. It was left to Henry Fords only son, Edsel, to salvage the company; he rose to the challenge, pulling off a seemingly impossible, paradigm-shifting realignment of the vast companys product image during his abbreviated lifetime. True, the first Mercury 99-A of 1939 still had an archaic valve-in-block V-8 and a juddery beam front axle. But it also had a mouthwatering hardtop roofline, with no clunky B-pillar to interrupt its flow. Its beginnings, and evolution, stood Mercury as an ongoing lesson on what a Ford product could be in the eyes of the driving public. To no trifling numbers of his lionizers, Edsel Ford (and to an only fractionally lesser extent, his personally selected styling prodigy, E.T. Gregorie) is a deity in the company history because he yanked it into step with its competitors when it came to grace of lines. A more ethereal issue was the widening gap in Fords product lineup that Mercury plugged, a pedestal between the workaday blue-oval project and the Lincoln-Zephyr. Over the ensuing decades, Mercury occupied not only the interim step toward a Lincoln, but also an exciting alloy of all the best in Fords looks, appointment and straight-ahead performance. The definition of Mercury eventually became murkier than it should have been. Fords post-war reorganization, however, would have been far more difficult without it. For a brand that spent most of its life being spun rapidly off existing Ford-badged products, Mercury achieved an impressive degree of self-justification and worthiness. That first hardtop treatment was only the start. In the years bracketing the big war, Mercurys were distinguished from Fords not only by their elaborately delicate grilles and ample stainless side moldings, but also by their chassis. The wide-body Mercury models from 1941 through 1948 rode on 116-inch wheelbases, two inches longer than the corresponding Fords. A big deal? Probably not, but it still created Mercury exclusivity. The difference in wheelbase increased in 1949 to four inches, which was the least of Mercurys news that year. The 49 Mercury was an acclaimed, almost magical car. As a result, the 1949 and 1950 versions--regardless of body style--have been prime collector cars for a generation, at least. Lately, the 1951, a nearly identical spinoff despite its extended rear fenders and distinctive vertical taillamps, and an eternal kustomizer fave, has begun to catch up. Finally. You could say, then, that the 51 Mercs somewhat exemplify whats been happening in general with Mercurys from the Fifties on. They pushed the definition of what was affordable, fast and stylish, sometimes unmercifully so, in the Turnpike Cruiser context. You might be taken a little aback by how many Mercury products were built in comparatively miniscule numbers, and at their startling affordability today. That, we should add, is with a healthy universe of easily found reproduction parts and some enthusiastic club support. Lets move a couple of years ahead. Hot rodders have always bragged about using Mercury flatheads, so lets check out the last Mercurys to actually have them, the 1953 models. Want a presentable, drivable 1953 Monterey hardtop, sans the custom treatment, with a 255-cu.in. flathead V-8? Be flexible on condition, and you can easily find one for somewhere between $15,000 and $18,000. Step another two years closer to the present, and we come to the 1955 and 1956 lineup at Mercury, the Montclair and the Monterey, with very big, rangy styling, upright taillamps and strong distinction. If perfection is a must, $40,000 or so will buy it, with a steel roof. As you move from show to driver, the downward slope of cost is nearly linear. None of them boast astronomical, Chevrolet-ish production numbers--for instance, just barely more than 50,000 Montclair hardtops were made in 1956--and their survival rates are a fraction that of mid-Fifties products from Chevrolet, which became highly collectible long before any Mercury did. Most of us whove been seriously active in this hobby for any length to time dont need a delivery from a passenger pigeon to be aware that, as a rule, Ford products are undervalued when weighed against their counterparts from GM. The same axiom applies to Mercury. A full-size Mercury from either side of 1960, in fully functional condition and with nice cosmetics, has long been and still remains a rational buy. Big Mercs, even the likes of a 1964 Marauder fastback hardtop with chest-thumping FE horsepower, will run you around $15,000 for a presentable car--less than the common full-size Bel Air with a 327/Powerglide combo has been delivering of late. We recently spotted a Z-code 1964 Park Lane four-door hardtop with fewer than 20,000 miles, heavily optioned, seeking a negotiable $17,000. Naturally, an especially interesting and desirable car is any biggie Mercury from this era that features the retractable Breezeway rear window, with its unconventional reverse-raked roofline; the Breezeway option was offered from 1962 to 1966. If you want something really rare, try a 1961 Meteor 600 (total build of 18,117) or Meteor 800 (35,005). The only really large 1960s-era models from Mercury that can consistently pull in significant dollars today are the performance S-55 optioned hardtops, also produced between 1962 and 1966. About two years ago at Carlisle, we even spotted a 1970 Marauder X-100 hardtop with 429/360 power--one of 9,031 ever built--in fine shape, marked down to less than $9,000. Doubtful that it costs very much more right now. In many cases, youve got to consider that Mercurys smaller cars can be more fascinating than its larger, more powerful ones. In less common instances, you can find one packing the same sort of big-block V-8, displacing 390 or 428 cubic inches, as its bigger brethren. When it comes to a Comet, a Montego or a Cougar, even a more typically plebian OHV Ford straight-six, or a little-displacement V-8, is totally worthy. In the Comets case, the larger issue is that Mercury was trying to generate a slightly smaller car with full-size styling, trim and appointments when it debuted its new compact for 1960. Although they share the same Ford chassis, suspension, and driveline, the Comet projects a drastically different profile than a Ford Falcon. Comets, the pre-Maverick kind, are inexpensive, with a 289-cu.in. V-8, four-speed Caliente convertible checking in at $10,000 or so in most cases. A straight-six Comet sedan can usually be had for less than $5,000. The Mercury Cyclone stepped up from being a hot compact to a mid-size muscle car in 1966, still as a Comet, then made the leap to being a premium performance version of the renamed Montego midsize line in 1968. Cheap muscle all but vanished a long time ago, but a Montego-based Cyclone, even a NASCAR-inspired Spoiler variant with big-block motivation and a four-speed, still demands a trifling percentage of the money, conditions equal, of the Big Mac-common SS Chevelle. Makes zero sense, but its fortuitous for prospective muscle bidders and buyers. Well just graze it here, but Mercury has also periodically enjoyed trans-oceanic spiciness. These days, theyre tough to find free of either rust or wreck wrinkling, but Mercury sold a substantial quantity of European-built Ford Capris through its dealer network during the 1970s and, a decade later, sold two versions of the Sierra from Ford of Germany, rebadged with the short-lived, stutter-tongued Merkur nameplate. There is, truly, a Mercury for all tastes, with broad selection in body design and era-themed styling flair, nearly always for diminished money. Its hard to have a beef with that long-ago slogan, because, indeed, Mercurys got it. 1939 99-A The original Flash: Edsel Fords vision and E.T. Gregories boundless creativity with the pedestrian Ford components on hand created the original Mercury in 1939, giving the firm an upward presence its enjoyed ever since. The basic outline of this 99-A shouts out that its a 1939 Ford, but the remarkably sanitary hardtop roofline changed everything. A basic 21-stud Ford flathead V-8 provided the motivation. With just 8,254 of them produced, this coupe stands as a low-production classic of the immediate pre-war years, and as a certifiable landmark of design at Ford. Mercury has endured for 59 years. 1946 Convertible Some very intelligent, judicious use of chromium and light castings transformed the seen-it-everyplace-you-look broad-shouldered cars from Ford into a magical Mercury from 1941 on, with this convertible representing the last of those models, produced in 1948. Despite an older design, it was a boom year at Mercury, which managed 50,000-plus unit sales, including 7,586 convertibles. Each one of them was powered by the 239-cu.in., 100hp flathead V-8 that was already in the foundation of Ford folklore. The hair-thin vertical grille elements are delicate and timeless. 1949 Sport Sedan Collectively, in the jaded 21st century, we still sometimes have difficult getting a hold of the sensation and thrill that enveloped the real post-war Mercury lineup when it crashed into Americas consciousness for 1949. Calling it game-breaking is a reckless understatement. Immortalized on both celluloid and vinyl, the reborn cars included this 1950 Sport Sedan, powered by a longer-stroke, 255-cu.in. flathead. This unforgettable generation of Mercury existed from the 1949 through 1951 model years. They were able to push Mercury past its 1 millionth sale. 1954 Sun Valley The 1954 Mercury Sun Valley gave sunroof a literal connotation. The smoked, see-through roof panel was pretty dramatic on its own, but Mercury also got a brand-new OHV V-8 engine to replace the aged flathead, displacing 256 cubic inches. Despite its obvious uniqueness, the Sun Valley actually outsold its model-name stable mate, the Monterey convertible, in 1954. Sun Valley hardtops were built to the tune of 9,761 units, easily outstripping soft-top sales that year by close to 2,500, a substantial margin. 1958 Turnpike Cruiser Compared to its immediate predecessor, the 1958 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser was relatively conservative, its front parking lights conventionally relocated below its quad headlamps. For all its extravagant looks, this was an exceptionally potent car: 430 cubic inches, 360hp, moving more than 4,200 pounds. The visual cues to a Turnpike Cruiser are its dual air inlets above the windshield and its retractable rear window. About 3,500 were built. 1963 1/2 Comet S-22 At Mercury, unlike a lot of the American automobile industry, compact was not a throwaway synonym for cheap. The 1963 Comet line, and in particular, this example of a Comet Special S-22 hardtop, stands as all the evidence anyone should need. This was the performance Comet, with strong visual appeal and 164hp worth of legitimacy from its 260-cu.in. V-8, a precursor of the forthcoming Cougar. It sold decently, to the tune of 5,800 plus, as the notion of performance in every size began gaining serious momentum. A 1963 cue was the wraparound side trim that enhanced the Comets character lines. 1964 Colony Park When it came to station wagons in 1964, the Mercury Colony Park, with your choice of seating for either six or nine, was unsurpassed in comfort and appointments. The defining visual feature, as you might guess, was the imitation woodgrain trim on either side. As outfitted for nine, the more popular (5,624) of the Colony Park wagons approached 4,300 pounds. It rolled strongly with the urging of a four-barrel, 390-cu.in. V-8 that packed 266hp and was restricted to Mercury wagons. A luggage rack cost $64.35 on the factory option list, and led the available extras in popularity. These were very dressy, elegant wagons. 1964 Marauder Its easy to see that Mercury took one nameplate very seriously in 1964. Marauder. That was a big player in performance on the NASCAR and USAC stock car circuits, offered with two versions of the wild 427-cu.in. muscle V-8 with up to 425 ripping horsepower. The Marauder was a sub-range in the Montclair series for 1964, with a brawny, ballistic front-fender theme. Its key to note that two Marauder styles were produced that year: A fastback two-door hardtop, and also a fastback hardtop with four doors, a highly unusual body style. 1965 Comet Mercurys Comet confidently maintained its big-looks, small-package formula when 1965 rolled around, copying big-car chic by adopting vertically stacked headlamps that year. Its a stretch to call the six-passenger 1965 Comet station wagon a roaring success, since just 4,814 of them were produced, but the cars visual and prestige impacts were both well beyond its sales from the standpoint of proportionality. The majority of these Comet wagons, sans the Villagers faux wood, received the simple, all-but-unbreakable OHV straight-six, displacing 200 cubic inches and delivering a reasonable 120hp. Front seat belts were newly standard. 1967 Cougar XR-7 The U.S. auto industry produced some memorable cars with enduringly attractive design work in 1967, and the Mercury Cougar still stands proudly near the top of that list. Its easy, and misleading, to simply call it a rebodied Ford Mustang. The Cougar, and especially this Cougar XR-7, reframed the notion of a compact coupe, its highly stylized interior presenting an inviting environment. A four-barrel, 320hp 390 V-8 upheld its muscle credibility. 1968 Park Lane Convertible In 1968, you could even get a vinyl roof on a Colony Park wagon. For those wanting still more, Mercury offered imitation wood side trim on the sedan, hardtop and convertible models in the premium Park Lane series. Today, this eye-busting appearance goodie is commonly called the yacht, package, though authentic examples of it are anything but commonplace. A 1968 Park Lane convertible is already a rare car, just 1,112 produced. As you can imagine, a wood-trimmed version with documentation is extremely scarce. 1968 Cyclone Fastback Dramatic right off the showroom floor, the 1968 Mercury Cyclone gained enormous attention from its successes in NASCAR, driven by Cale Yarborough and Lee Roy Yarbrough; lesser so on the drag strip, where Al Batman Joniec campaigned one. It didnt necessarily mean big sales, though, as Cyclone fastback production totaled 12,260. A majority of todays survivors are fitted with the 390 four-barrel V-8, rated at 335hp. The Cyclone was just one element of Fords restyled and redubbed midsize line that year. Want a super-rare Mercury? Go find one of the 1,368 non-fastback Cyclone hardtops that the division built in 1968. 1970 Cougar Eliminator Mercury, and a lot of other car manufacturers, reached the apogee of the first great performance era in 1970. The Cougar Eliminator, a package designed by Larry Shinoda, entered its second, and last, year in 1970. Looks-wise, it groups a satin-finish hood scoop, blackout grille and rear wing, along with stripes. Power choices in 1970 ranged from the Boss 302 up to an R-code, ram-air 428. A 351 Cleveland was offered in 1970 only. The luxury interior, combined with rock-hard muscle, only produced a moderate seller, with 1970 Eliminator production limited to 2,267. It remains, however, an instantly recognizable and desirable Mercury. 1972 Montego GT The really big horsepower numbers were gone and dead - the best was a 429 worth only 201hp - but in 1972, the Montego GT epitomized what remained of enthusiastic driving at Mercury. Still, the imitation performance hood and wind-shaped mirrors caught the eye, and the fastback body did most of the running and blocking for Ford in NASCAR that year, so people did notice the Montego GT. It sold just over 5,800 units, which is why restored Montego GTs from 1972 are seen so seldom at shows 36 years after they were initially produced. 1980 Bobcat Sport All right, enough. Mercurys version of the Ford Pinto got a new sloped front end in 1980, the first (and only) restyling of the Bobcats lifespan. The Bobcat wagon was available in both base and wood-sided Villager editions that year, with available Ford V-6 power. The one depicted has the Sport option group. More than 9,000 people decided to buy 1980 Bobcat wagons. So there. This article originally appeared in the July, 2008 issue of Hemmings Classic Car.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 10:38:55 +0000
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