1968 Mercury Montego MX

Description

What's a Mercury Montego? Well, aside from being an awesomely affordable V8-powered ragtop, it's the Mercury version of the Torino. This 1968 Montego convertible has a lot going for it, including a great color combination, 302 cubic inches of V8 power, and room for the whole family inside.

This is the car that spawned the awesome Mercury Eliminator, although this is its more user-friendly sibling which is a very handsome mid-sized convertible. The white paint would be called Wimbledon White if it were wearing a Ford badge, and it shines up beautifully. It was likely repainted not too long ago and it has a very correct look overall; no stripes, no add-ons, and all the original trim was retained so it looks right. The car's proportions are excellent and the bodywork disguises its size rather well, but make no mistake, this is a big, comfortable luxury car. It doesn't appear to have ever been rusty or wrecked, and replacement panels for this car are virtually non-existent, so you know the sheetmetal is OEM-grade. Factory trim includes big chrome bumpers that are in excellent shape, contrasting trim along the rockers, as well as a unique woodgrained insert on the trunk lid to make it stand out in a crowd.

The red interior is quite possibly original and shows extremely well. Bench seats mean there's plenty of room for everyone and details like the door panels and dash pad are in excellent condition, particularly for a car that's spent its life in the sun. It's possible that the carpets have been replaced, since they're in very good condition with no fading, and the upscale Mercury also includes a simulated burled walnut dash applique that warms things up a bit. Five round pods house the gauges, indicator lamps, and controls for the heater and defroster, and it's a cool look. Underneath, there are secondary controls as well as the original AM radio, which is due for an upgrade. If there's any single item showing its age, it's the steering wheel, which has a few cracks in the rim but is otherwise serviceable as-is. The black power convertible top is in good condition and offers a glass rear window and a matching red boot for when it's folded. The trunk is pretty original and could stand to be cleaned up a bit, but there's plenty of room as well as a full-sized spare tire.

The 302 cubic inch V8 under the hood is smooth, torquey, and ready to rumble. Recently rebuilt, it runs superbly with a great eight-cylinder sound and the easy competence that only full-sized American luxury cars can deliver. It was correctly detailed with Ford Blue paint, original air cleaner, and fresh decals, so it looks great against the satin black inner fenders. All the ancillaries are new, too, including plugs, wires, radiator, master cylinder, and a rebuilt carburetor. The front suspension was rebuilt, there are new springs and shocks all around, and the 3-speed automatic transmission was recently serviced so it shifts properly. 3.00 gears out back make it a great cruiser that never seems to work very hard and a fresh alignment ensures that the 225/70/14 BFGoodrich T/A radials track straight.

Look at the quality of the car and then the price and you'll have to admit that this is a heck of a lot of ragtop for not a lot of cash. Unusual, fun, and attractive, this Mercury offers a great alternative to the usual cars you see at the cruise night. Call today!