Vintage Mercurys

Sat., Dec. 23, 2006

Greg Zyla King Features Syndicate

Q: Greg, I have two Mercurys. The first is a 1960 Park Lane two-door hardtop. It has full powers, including windows and seat, but no air conditioning. It is all original, no rust, and it runs and drives well. It could stand a paint job, but it is still presentable. The interior is good, and I have new carpet for it.

My second Mercury is a 1966 Montclair two-door hardtop fastback with 49,000 original miles. It has the 410 V-8 motor, and the car is a very strong number “3” condition (“1” is worst; “5” is pristine).

These cars seem rare, as I never see any at car shows or cruises. How rare are they, and what is their value? I don’t want to sell, I’m just curious. — Butch B., Frostburg, Md.

A: Butch, your 1960 Park Lane seems like a real nice piece, especially in a non-rusted condition, regardless of paint quality. Of the 271,331 Mercurys built in 1960, only 2,974 were Park Lane two-door hardtops. No wonder you don’t see any!

The current book prices range from $9,450 in No. 3 condition to a high of $21,000 for a fully restored (No. 5 condition) Park Lane. Bringing the car up to No. 4 status might be prudent, as the price moves up to $14,700.

Your 1966 Montclair two-door hardtop fastback had a run of 11,290 of the 343,149 Mercurys assembled that year, so it too is rare. The No. 3 price is currently around $5,400, with a restored No. 5 condition Montclair carrying a price of $12,000, so the Montclair isn’t as in demand as the Park Lane.

I’d lean toward the 1960 Park Lane if you were planning to invest money.

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