Nice Price Survivor! 1968 Mercury Monterey
Normally, I wouldn’t bat an eyeball at a Mercury Monterey but as soon as I glimpsed this example, I remembered an almost identical version that my father owned between 1968 and 1972. Other than the color, his was white, it’s the same car, it even had the same blue, fabric/vinyl upholstery. So with that memory still intact, let’s take a look at this Baltimore, Maryland based ’68 Mercury Monterey that is available here on craigslist for $3,400. Thanks to Mitchell G. for this tip!
By ’68, Mercury was becoming more and more absorbed into Ford in terms of similarities; its individualness was seemingly more obscured. That said, there were still enough discernable differences between a Monterey and a Ford Galaxie for buyers to see the value in the more upscale Mercury. And Mercury covered many bases with the Brougham, Park Lane, Montclair, and Monterey models.
This Monterey, according to the seller, only has 51K miles on its clock and it looks it. It has been garage kept since new and shows no sign of rust, rot, deterioration or crash damage. The Caribbean Blue Metallic finish is showing some dullness but still possesses a sheen and is very presentable. The black vinyl roof covering, a very popular ’60s option, provides a nice contrast to the sea of blue covering the sizeable flanks of this big Merc. Mercury was so fond of vinyl tops in 1968 that they actually offered the option on their Colony Park station wagon. This Monterey does not appear to be minus any of its trim and the chrome plating still looks reasonably strong.
For power, a 390 CI-2V, “FE” V8 engine is in place. The horsepower ratings were either 265 or 280 gross, depending on the compression ratio – the seller does not disclose which version is in place. This edition of the 390, as I recall, is a strong torque producer with a touchy accelerator at tip-in. Not a world-beater, but this motor will move a sedan of this size in a more than adequate manner. The seller states that this Monterey, “runs good”, and with only 51K miles of use, the operation should be as intended. While a three-speed manual transmission was standard equipment on the 265 HP version of the 390 engine, a Cruise-O-Matic three-speed automatic is much more commonly found and that’s the case here. The seller mentions that this Mercury has a brake fluid leak at the front left wheel, it’s probably either a brake flex-line or the wheel-cylinder and should be an easy fix.
There is only one image of the interior provided but it looks fine. The combination light blue cloth/vinyl upholstery is bright and clean with no indications of rips or tears. Actually, the cleanliness of the front driver’s seat position is really surprising, it appears as if it as never encountered a bee-hind.
The seller lists this Mercury as original, and so it appears. And it’s a buy at $3,400. Other than the brake leak referenced, the seller suggests that new tires would be in order – that’s not much of an investment to make for a nice, old domestic cruiser. And being a Mercury, it gets a little bit of separation from the usual Chevrolet, Ford or Pontiac sedan. If you are in the market for a solid example of “Detroit Iron”, this Monterey is worth a closer look, don’t you think?
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Comments
I sure like this one better than the 1967 “one piece at a time” Monterey featured here:
https://barnfinds.com/one-piece-at-a-time-1967-mercury-monterey/
This one’s better looking with half the miles, at 1/4 of the price? What’s not to like?
What a sweet old car. If this is what these clean old sedans are worth, no wonder I still have my 1965 Delta lol. I think this is way underpriced, but I might be biased.
My parents had a 68 Montclair they bought new! Car I learned to drive in! Nice car!
Fords were land yahts..
Suspension to soft + mushy.
GM was firm.
I had a 65 dynamic 88
Beautiful ride 425 2v.
Great room + ride .
Brakes were drum but felt like air brakes..i miss the past…lol
Small dollar car, even after some expenditures for maintenance or repair items. Slightly upscale full-size car of its day, but still a basic Ford underneath, so pretty easy to keep running. A nice cruiser.
It has a recessed rear window. Is this a “Breezeway”?
Look at the driver’s seat upholstery; this is a well-kept unmolested vehicle! While this one isn’t my favorite classic vehicle it’s shockingly clean, and at the price of a 10 year crappy used commuter…? Great deal 👍
Unlike so many BF postings claiming “low miles”, this one is quite easy to believe. What a deal! Maybe four door sedans are the next to rise in value. Seems ridiculous now, but had someone said that 15 years ago about wagons, that would have also seemed ridiculous.
Every time I see one of these I think of
Jack Lord when he says “Book ‘im Danni”.
I’d also play the theme from Hawaii Five-O while at my local car show. And yeah, I’ve seen the vinyl roofs on the Colony
Park wagons too. What a lot of folks don’t know is that Ford offered the same thing on their LTD wagons as well. If they’re anything like the big Ford’s when it comes to the frames, put it on a lift and check for frame rot. It could look nice on
top, but you could have a nightmare underneath.
I had a 68 Mercury ParkLane , essentially same car with interior and some small exterior upgrades. Absolutely wonderful car to drive, parts are cheap and will last a long time. Plus lots of thumbs up when you drive it. Mine was off yellow with light gold interior
Brother had a Park Lane he bought from a buddies uncle that was pretty clean in the same color. After a year or two we rebuilt the 390 and I drove out of Dallas to Denver in 12 hrs about 1977 when he got station there….he kept it awhile until the family started growing – great ride of the times.
The Park Lane sedans offered the breezeway rear window still, it only retracted an inch or 2, that’s why the rear window is recessed to accommodate the track. Sedans only, not the pillarless hardtops, which I believe in 68 became Marquis model name instead of Park Lane.. In 67, the Marquis was the top 2 door hardtop, Park Lane was the top sedan model.
I have a 67 sales brochure still, so not leaving it all up to memory, lol
This car at that price, I’m just waiting for one of my Movie Car customers to call me to transport a 1968 Mercury from Baltimore to NYC
Somebody must have scooped this nice old Merc. There’s a 1955 Olds on the Craigslist site.
Am I the only one? When I click the Craigslist link, it takes me to a ’58 Olds 88.
Vince:
No, you are not the only one. the Mercury has probably been sold and the seller, who I think is the same one selling this ’55 Olds, seems to be using the same ad ID.
JO
I rarely believe craiglist cars for sale..its like people are testing the water to see what fish bites + price to put on car.
Now if you click add a 56 olds is in its place…
Barn finds should delete Craig list adds + stick with ebay auctions