After the dramatic 1965 restyle of its full-size line helped set a sales record, Mercury basically carries over its models for 1966. Their front end is slightly modified though, with a new die-cast grille and small wraparound turn signals, which replace the tall, slim ones seen last year. Two-door models see their roofs redesigned with an original concave rear window.
Mercury Monterey
The style of the Monterey is angular, and clearly related to the Lincoln Continental. The Monterey’s range includes six models, among them the original Breezeway sedan with its reverse-slant retractable backlight. The more conventional semi-fastback sedans have become the norm though, and lose their “Marauder” name this year. The high-powered “427” engines also disappear, to be replaced by similarly sized but more reasonable “428” V-8s.
● Introduction: 1964. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.4-litre, 265 hp, mounted at the front. With automatic: V-8, 6.4-litre, 275 hp standard. Optional engines: V-8, 6.7-litre, 330 hp; and V-8, 7.0-litre, 345 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Four-speed manual and three-speed automatic gearboxes optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Discs on front wheels, drums on rear wheels with servo optional. Length: 555 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: two-door sedan, four-door sedan, four-door “Breezeway” sedan, two-door hardtop coupe, four-door hardtop sedan, two-door convertible coupe.
Mercury Commuter
The Commuter, the station wagon version of the Monterey, has to content itself with a shorter platform borrowed from the Fords. Thanks to its pleasing style, high volume and extremely smooth ride, it is one of the most popular station wagons in its price range.
● Introduction: 1964. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.4-litre, 265 hp, mounted at the front. With automatic: V-8, 6.4-litre, 275 hp standard. Optional engines: V-8, 6.7-litre, 330 hp; and V-8, 7.0-litre, 345 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Three-speed automatic gearbox optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Discs on front wheels, drums on rear wheels with servo optional. Length: n/a. Top speed: n/a. Range: four-door station wagon.
Mercury S-55
The S-55 is back! Available only with two-door bodies, this performance-oriented Mercury benefits from bucket seats separated by a centre console with floor-mounted gear selector, and the largest V-8 available coupled with dual exhausts.
● Introduction: 1964 for this generation of Mercury full-sizes, 1965 for the S-55. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 7.0-litre, 345 hp, mounted at the front. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox. Three-speed automatic gearbox available at no extra cost. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Discs on front wheels, drums on rear wheels with servo optional. Length: 555 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: two-door hardtop coupe, two-door convertible coupe.
Mercury Montclair
The Montclair is somewhat plusher than the Monterey, proposing more chrome, wheelcovers and an electric clock.
● Introduction: 1964. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.4-litre, 265 hp, mounted at the front. With automatic: V-8, 6.4-litre, 275 hp standard. Optional engines: V-8, 6.7-litre, 330 hp; and V-8, 7.0-litre, 345 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Four-speed manual and three-speed automatic gearboxes optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Discs on front wheels, drums on rear wheels with servo optional. Length: 555 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: four-door, two-door hardtop coupe, four-door hardtop sedan.
Mercury Park Lane
The Park Lane is a posh version of the lesser Monterey and Montclair, loaded with chrome and powered by the “410” four-barrel V-8.
● Introduction: 1964. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.7-litre, 330 hp, mounted at the front. Optional engine: V-8, 7.0-litre, 345 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Four-speed manual and three-speed automatic gearboxes optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Discs on front wheels, drums on rear wheels with servo optional. Length: 555 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: four-door “Breezeway” sedan, two-door hardtop coupe, four-door hardtop sedan, two-door convertible coupe.
Mercury Colony Park
The Colony Park station wagon is a spacious and well-appointed vehicle that can be distinguished by its side woodgrain panels.
● Introduction: 1964. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.4-litre, 265 hp, mounted at the front. With automatic: V-8, 6.4-litre, 275 hp standard. Optional engines: V-8, 6.7-litre, 330 hp; and V-8, 7.0-litre, 345 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Three-speed automatic gearbox optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Discs on front wheels, drums on rear wheels with servo optional. Length: 545 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: four-door station wagon.
Any mistake you’ve just spotted? A detail to add? A suggestion? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment!
Click to jump to another model year of the same car: 1965 – 1966 – 1967 – 1968
Click here to return to a list of all Mercury vehicles presented on this blog.
Click here to return to this blog’s initial post, featuring a list of all brands already presented.
Mercury Monterey
The style of the Monterey is angular, and clearly related to the Lincoln Continental. The Monterey’s range includes six models, among them the original Breezeway sedan with its reverse-slant retractable backlight. The more conventional semi-fastback sedans have become the norm though, and lose their “Marauder” name this year. The high-powered “427” engines also disappear, to be replaced by similarly sized but more reasonable “428” V-8s.
● Introduction: 1964. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.4-litre, 265 hp, mounted at the front. With automatic: V-8, 6.4-litre, 275 hp standard. Optional engines: V-8, 6.7-litre, 330 hp; and V-8, 7.0-litre, 345 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Four-speed manual and three-speed automatic gearboxes optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Discs on front wheels, drums on rear wheels with servo optional. Length: 555 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: two-door sedan, four-door sedan, four-door “Breezeway” sedan, two-door hardtop coupe, four-door hardtop sedan, two-door convertible coupe.
Mercury Commuter
The Commuter, the station wagon version of the Monterey, has to content itself with a shorter platform borrowed from the Fords. Thanks to its pleasing style, high volume and extremely smooth ride, it is one of the most popular station wagons in its price range.
● Introduction: 1964. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.4-litre, 265 hp, mounted at the front. With automatic: V-8, 6.4-litre, 275 hp standard. Optional engines: V-8, 6.7-litre, 330 hp; and V-8, 7.0-litre, 345 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Three-speed automatic gearbox optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Discs on front wheels, drums on rear wheels with servo optional. Length: n/a. Top speed: n/a. Range: four-door station wagon.
Mercury S-55
The S-55 is back! Available only with two-door bodies, this performance-oriented Mercury benefits from bucket seats separated by a centre console with floor-mounted gear selector, and the largest V-8 available coupled with dual exhausts.
● Introduction: 1964 for this generation of Mercury full-sizes, 1965 for the S-55. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 7.0-litre, 345 hp, mounted at the front. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox. Three-speed automatic gearbox available at no extra cost. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Discs on front wheels, drums on rear wheels with servo optional. Length: 555 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: two-door hardtop coupe, two-door convertible coupe.
Mercury Montclair
The Montclair is somewhat plusher than the Monterey, proposing more chrome, wheelcovers and an electric clock.
● Introduction: 1964. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.4-litre, 265 hp, mounted at the front. With automatic: V-8, 6.4-litre, 275 hp standard. Optional engines: V-8, 6.7-litre, 330 hp; and V-8, 7.0-litre, 345 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Four-speed manual and three-speed automatic gearboxes optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Discs on front wheels, drums on rear wheels with servo optional. Length: 555 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: four-door, two-door hardtop coupe, four-door hardtop sedan.
Mercury Park Lane
The Park Lane is a posh version of the lesser Monterey and Montclair, loaded with chrome and powered by the “410” four-barrel V-8.
● Introduction: 1964. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.7-litre, 330 hp, mounted at the front. Optional engine: V-8, 7.0-litre, 345 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Four-speed manual and three-speed automatic gearboxes optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Discs on front wheels, drums on rear wheels with servo optional. Length: 555 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: four-door “Breezeway” sedan, two-door hardtop coupe, four-door hardtop sedan, two-door convertible coupe.
Mercury Colony Park
The Colony Park station wagon is a spacious and well-appointed vehicle that can be distinguished by its side woodgrain panels.
● Introduction: 1964. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.4-litre, 265 hp, mounted at the front. With automatic: V-8, 6.4-litre, 275 hp standard. Optional engines: V-8, 6.7-litre, 330 hp; and V-8, 7.0-litre, 345 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Three-speed automatic gearbox optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Discs on front wheels, drums on rear wheels with servo optional. Length: 545 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: four-door station wagon.
Any mistake you’ve just spotted? A detail to add? A suggestion? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment!
Click to jump to another model year of the same car: 1965 – 1966 – 1967 – 1968
Click here to return to a list of all Mercury vehicles presented on this blog.
Click here to return to this blog’s initial post, featuring a list of all brands already presented.
Hello from Norway
ReplyDeleteI am the lucky owner of a 1966 Mercury Park Lane Convertible. This is a very rare car, because it has a 428 cid , manual 4 speed gear and bucket seats. I know that 2546 convertibles were produced, and 69 with manuel gear regardless of engine(mostly 390 and 410). I am not sure how many of my car that was produced, but the last owner says it was 5. Do you know where i can find info about that, or do you know if that is correct.
rgs Per Morten
pefham@online.no