My Favorite Mercurys

All of us have that one favorite car our parents owned. Many of us find one like it and buy it. A friend of mine bought a beautiful Mercury Comet exactly like the one his mother drove when he was a little boy. When he brought the Comet to his mother's house to show her, she said, "I never liked that car." Apparently back in the day we were more excited about a new car than our parents were. Of course we were; we didn't have to make the payments.

My father owned some very attractive cars, but the prettiest car he ever owned was a Sea Foam Green 1967 Mercury Monterey. That car was magnificent. I think the 1967-'68 full-size Mercurys were the highlight of their styling. Clean lines, uncluttered grilles, cathedral taillamps and great proportions made these cars beautiful from any angle. They were advertised as "The Man's Car." So beautiful were these automobiles that Hawaii Five-O's Steve McGarrett drove a black Mercury Park Lane from 1968-'73, even while later model Fords and Mercurys were being used by his detectives on the islands.

In 1974, McGarrett was given a brand-new black Mercury Marquis, that more than three decades later, made an appearance on the first episode of the present Hawaii Five-O.

While I prefer the 1967-'68 models, I would be proud to drive any of the torque-box frame Big Mercs from 1965-'66 or 1969-'78, as well.

So, why are these cars considered underdogs? We rarely see them at shows or car club events. The equivalent Fords are always in abundance. Ironically, when one of these big Mercury four-door sedans (1966-'78) or four-door hardtops (1966-'74) pops up for sale, the price is usually much lower than a similar Ford. That is good news for you.

If you're in the market for a convertible, two-door hardtop or even a station wagon, the price shoots up beyond underdog range rather quickly, which is why anyone in the market for a vintage car should really take a serious look at four-door family cars. The same features and powertrains were available, and you can take five to seven of your friends, depending on their size, anywhere in style and in any weather.

The Marquis debuted in 1967 as the premiere model and would replace the Montclair and Park Lane in 1969 when the Monterey was firmly established as the "entry level" full-size Mercury. That is something you don't hear anymore--"entry level full-size car." The Marquis was essentially the Park Lane Brougham.

I'm surprised they discontinued that great name for a car, "Park Lane." Imagine standing outside a restaurant asking the valet to retrieve your car. "Yes, I drove the Wellington Blue, four-door Park Lane hardtop."

Sadly, the Monterey was laid to rest after the 1974 model year. I guess "entry level" could no longer be applied to a full-size car. Then, as performance took a back seat to luxury in the mid-1970s, the Grand Marquis joined the family in 1975. The grandest of Marquis was marketed firmly between the Marquis Brougham and Lincoln Continental.

With all their road-hugging weight, they lasted two additional seasons after GM downsized its full-size fleet and were replaced in 1979 by trimmer cars on the new Panther platform. Oddly, the smaller Marquis sold no better than its predecessor. I obviously place the Panther Mercs and Fords in a different underdog category.

There is one other fact about the last of the huge Fords and Mercurys you may not know unless you experienced it firsthand. My father traded the 1967 Monterey for a 1973 Ford LTD. Whenever it snowed, I always managed to be the one who was at work or somewhere far from the house in that LTD. Since 1978, I have driven all kinds of cars in the snow, from rear-wheel drive to front-wheel drive to four-wheel drive. No car was better in the snow than that 1973 Ford LTD, so I'll bet the equivalent Mercurys were just as good. I always joke that I will find an early 1970s full-size Mercury just to have something safe to drive in bad weather. I know I can get one at a good price. I recently spotted a nice, low-mileage base-model 1972 Monterey for less than $3,500. That's a steal!

In 1972, automatic transmission, power steering and power front-disc brakes became standard on the Monterey. I guess they were entry level if you could still get one with manual transmission, steering and brakes in 1971.

The 1969-'78 full-size Fords and Mercurys were Dearborn's second best-selling car platform--Model T being the first. More than 7.75 million were sold.

Engines, transmissions and just about every other mechanical part were shared with Fords, and with so many sold, keeping one in good running condition should be a piece of cake. As with any orphan car, trim parts may present an issue, but enough of these big Mercs were produced to make the hunt a little bit shorter than with some less popular land yachts from that era.

Turn your gaze from the convertibles, coupes and station wagons, and these full-size Mercury four-doors just may be what you want. Mercurys are cool. I don't understand why more people don't show up in them.