Gold rushes in the United States, particularly in the mid-1800s, created a frenzy of activity that spawned interest in wealth, trade and migration around the globe. I struck a bit of a gold mine myself when scrolling through the ClassicCars.com classifieds. More specifically, it’s a Gold Dust Metallic Mercury.
The Pick of the Day is a 1961 Mercury Monterey convertible listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Branford, Connecticut. (Click the link to view the listing)
“Monterey was the top series in the 1961 Mercury line,” the listing begins. “Boasting a new power convertible top, carefree driving is a finger-touch away.”
Gold and silver go hand in hand, so this gold-finished car is dressed in lots of chrome and stainless-steel trim – including (my personal favorite) a “gunsight” style emblem atop each of the front fenders. The exterior features a concave grille, a driver’s-side mirror, wide whitewall tires and wire wheels with knock-off center caps. The space-age rear end has chrome-laden tailfins and three taillights on either side.
“The beauty of a Mercury,” one advertisement for the car said, “is all this: exciting styling, famous Mercury room, economy, pep. And most beautiful of all … every Mercury is now in the popular-price range.” History-wise, the Monterey model was born in 1952 and lived for about two decades as a full-sized car in the Mercury family. During that time, it filled a vast number of roles (and price points). It was marketed in coupe, sedan, convertible, and station wagon variants. For 1961 through 1964, the Monterey was the Mercury equivalent of the Ford Galaxie (both of which had been downsized from the prior generation). The Monterey’s suspension employed what Mercury called a Cushion-Link ride system.
On the interior, the upholstery is done in a handsome two-tone vinyl with matching lap belts and newer carpet. It’s interesting to see how the aluminum trim across the dashboard matches the curved design of the car’s grille. A modern audio head unit has been mounted beneath the dash, but the materials otherwise appear to hold true to the cabin’s original appearance. Mercury emphasized the comfort of the Monterey by saying, “Mercury doesn’t just hold six people – it seats them all comfortably.”
Power comes from a rebuilt Marauder 352ci “FE” V8 that was rated at 220 horsepower, and the transmission is a Merc-O-Matic three-speed dual-range automatic transmission. Mechanical work under the seller’s ownership has included replacement of the exhaust system, tires, brakes, and brake booster.
Do you feel like adding some bling to your garage? The asking price for this solid gold piece of Americana is $35,000.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com