Mercury Gold Portfolio 1947-1966

Book excerpt: Mercury has always been something of an enigma in the Ford portfolio as for most of the time they were little more than rebadged and chromed-up Fords at first. This changed as new generation models were introduced, particularly in the 50s and culminated in the gargantuan and infamous Turn Pike Cruiser that, for the time, was something else. It featured a huge V8 engine, Merc-O-Matic automatic transmission with Chrysler-like push button operation, Seat-P-Matic automatic front seat adjustment, dual air intakes for the interior ventilation system at the top of the windscreen and its piece de resistance, the famous reverse-raked retracting rear window. How collectible are these cars today? Throughout the period covered in this book American auto manufacturers were engaged in a process of competing for excess and the designers and engineers at Mercury were fully committed. Each new model year was greeted with excitement as engines became ever-larger in capacity and therefore more powerful, the cars were longer-wider-lower and the styling in many cases was quite outlandish. We look back with all of our acquired wisdom and mock them today, but look at the marvelous legacy that has been left to us.