1954 Mercury Monterey

Description

It's far less commonly seen than many of its counterparts and as chock-full of modded mid-'50s style as you're likely to find. This 1954 Mercury Monterey offers the opportunity to own a rare vintage cruiser that ably combines modern components upping its dependability factor to go along with some great custom touches blending perfectly with its nostalgia-inducing aesthetics.

Sporting a great array of exterior fittings, this is one very stylish ride. It so thoroughly represents its era that you can easily picture it cruising down the main thoroughfare of Anytown USA, passing by a theater whose marquee displays "On the Waterfront" as pedestrians give it an admiring nod. Its black paint is looking solid - this car has been thoroughly configured for driving, as opposed to being gawked at while at a standstill, so you will find some subtle signs of real world use, though certainly nothing to diminish your enthusiasm. Very much in keeping with the styling sensibilities of its time, body trim is in abundance here, surrounding the windshield and side windows and running the lengths of the sides, starting with a pair of great looking Mercury badges just above the front wheels - all of it in nice shape. The Mercuries of this era sported some seriously beefy, rugged bumpers both fore and aft, and the examples here are absolutely awesome, table straight and well finished, with the rear bumper displaying its scripted "Mercury" badging that looms over a pair of perfectly positioned tailpipes. Just above, the spare tire cover features subtle but dramatic pinstriping, a great finishing touch.

Inside the doors, custom elements have been added to the interior features this Mercury began life with to make for a seriously inspired driving environment. The seating mixes vinyl and cloth to good effect, with buckets up front that are plushly padded for comfort while straddling a sizable fold-down armrest, with a custom center console just in front that carries an AM/FM/CD/Cassette stereo - there'll be no shortage of audio options here - as well as a modern navigation system. The dash area is a show-stopper, featuring an assortment of gold-rimmed AutoMeter gauges with parchment colored backgrounds and a suitably classic-looking font that sit in a distinctive, textured instrument cluster just behind a group of custom controls in back of the steering wheel. Modern air conditioning has been added in the form of a Vintage Air system with underdash vents to keep you and your passengers comfortable on the road. The trunk area in back is substantial, lined with tan carpeting to match the interior, with a period-correct jack recessed into the floor.

Below the hood, a 302 cubic inch V8 sits in place of the original powerplant, carrying a 4-barrel Edelbrock carb that's covered by a chrome air cleaner. Long tube headers have been added to the mix to reduce back pressure while providing a nice, authoritative tone out of the dual exhaust. Things are nice and tidy inside the engine compartment and the recently added brake booster provides an extra measure of dependability. It comes to a stop promptly and power steering makes it easy to navigate on its 15" stock Buick wheels that have been outfitted with Coker Classic whitewalls for a great vintage look. Below, the undercarriage appears unusually solid for a car of this age - even one considerably newer, for that matter - sporting straight suspension components and floor pans showing no issues.

This 1954 Mercury Monterey will afford its next lucky owner the chance to get behind the wheel of a great-looking classic, that's been equipped with some modern upgrades for enhanced drivability. Call today!