1964 Mercury Park Lane

Description

A holdover from the 1950s, this 1964 Mercury Park Lane sedan fits neatly into the "dare to be different category." From the smooth 390 cubic inch V8 to the cool roll-down rear window to the stately black bodywork, this car generates attention not because it's flashy but because it marches to the beat of its own drummer.

That was the great thing about the 1960s: automakers were still doing their own thing and not being shy about it. This Mercury has a distinctive look that's quite handsome in a full-sized, grown-up sort of way. For a car in this price range, the black paint is in outstanding condition and if you want to take it up a notch, have your local body shop give it a professional cut and buff. Then you'll see some shine! All four doors open and close with the precision that suggests a car that has never been wrecked or disassembled and the funky roofline makes it stand out in a crowd. In fact, the stainless and chrome trim makes this Park Lane look well-dressed indeed, starting with the strip of chrome that stretches from nose to tail and adding the shiny stainless window trim and ornate rear panel with six taillights. You should expect a lot of questions about this car when you're out driving, but you can see echoes of the Torino that would come later in its grille and visions of the late, great Turnpike Cruiser in the roll-down rear window. The pointed bumpers don't hurt, either.

The handsome black brocade fabric interior is the ideal '60s blend of style and functionality. Automakers were starting to experiment with faux wood on the inside of cars, so the door panels have some of the stuff to warm things up a bit while the dash keeps its brushed metal finish. A big three –spoke steering wheel has a leather wrap that's not quite appropriate but does help you grab the skinny plastic wheel. The gauges are in four round pods with secondary controls underneath, and you can see that there was still plenty of opportunity for designers to try out new ideas. The original AM radio is still in the dash, but perhaps that's a place you start your upgrades, but otherwise everything works. The back seat is positively massive and comes with a fold-down armrest and with that rear window rolled down, it's remarkably comfortable inside without being too windy. There's also a mammoth trunk with a full-sized spare, but good luck reaching it!

Ford's 390 cubic inch V8 provides plenty of easy torque to get this big sedan moving without any fuss. There are plenty of signs of proper maintenance under the hood and it runs superbly thanks to a newer Holley 4-barrel carburetor. Gold paint on the air cleaner and valve covers makes the Mercury motors look a bit different than their Ford cousins, especially with the embossed valve covers. Power steering is probably mandatory on a car this size, and it's easy enough to manage that you can drive this car with little more than your fingertips. The 3-speed automatic transmission shifts almost imperceptibly and while there is a dual exhaust system, the mufflers are big enough to keep things nice and quiet. It's quite clean underneath thanks to a fresh dusting of undercoating and with 215/75/14 whitewalls and factory-issue hubcaps, it looks just about how it might have back in the '60s.

For big car comfort, a little style, and rarity, this awesome Mercury is a fantastic choice. Call today!