How many miles per day are you comfortable driving on a long-haul trip?
As someone who recently drove 1,000 miles in one day from Dallas to Phoenix, I know how exhausting a non-stop stint on the road can be.
The Mercury Park Lane was promoted as a comfy interstate cruiser: The manufacturer said it was built to make “long trips shorter.” The car was advertised as being easy to steer, comfortable to stretch out in, and free of any harsh vibrations. It was the kind of vehicle “planned for people who like to put 500 easy miles on between dawn and dusk.”
Maybe I should have swapped my NSX sports car for a plush Merc?
Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1959 Mercury Park Lane Hardtop. The car is being sold by a dealer in North Andover, Massachusetts, and the auction will end tomorrow, Tuesday, November 26.
When it was introduced in 1958, the Park Lane was ranked at the top of the Mercury lineup. It shared a chassis with the Colony Park station wagon.
The two-tone burgundy and white exterior of this car is graced with lots of chrome, right down to the wheel skirts and Cragar wheels. According to the trim tag, its official paint color was Canyon Red (code 45). One of the television commercials for the 1959 Mercury touted the car’s “Super Enamel” finish that allegedly never needed waxing. To further demonstrate the durability of the paint, they even set fire to it to show that it wouldn’t blister. Automotive advertising has changed a little in the last 65 years or so!
The car has remained with one owner for the past 35 years. It has only been driven about 2,000 miles since a repaint, interior refurbishment, and mechanical rebuild. Power comes from a rebuilt 430ci MEL V8 mated to a three-speed Merc-O-Matic automatic transmission, and Mercury rated it at 345 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque when new. The listing says that the engine has been bored .020 over and is fed via a Holley four-barrel carburetor.
Whether your travel plans include a drive around the block or across the country, you will be hard-pressed to find a classic car as “friendly” to drive as the first-generation Park Lane. Place your bid today!
The auction for this 1959 Mercury Park Lane Hardtop will end Tuesday, November 26, 2024 at 11:45 a.m. (MST)
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery