It was bought in a scrap yard in Madeira, around 14 years ago. His condition was pitiful, and all torn up. He completed the restoration of the car in two years, making it appear today as if it had left the factory. The Mercury Montclair is a series of large sedans that were manufactured and marketed over five generations by Ford's Mercury division. The nameplate was used by the division twice, from the model years 1955 to 1960 and 1964 to 1968. The model was offered with a two- and four-door hardtop, a four-door pillared sedan, and a two-door convertible. During its production, the Montclair typically served as the mid-range Mercury sedan; always placed above the Monterey, the Montclair was placed at various times below the Turnpike Cruiser and Park Lane on the Mercury line. Although the nameplate's true origins are unknown to Ford historians, the consensus is that it derives from Montclair, New Jersey, a wealthy community located near its then-new Mahwah Assembly facility. In 1969, Mercury discontinued the Montclair, repackaging the vehicle as the Mercury Monterey Custom, which was marketed until 1974. For 1955, Mercury redesigned its model lineup, adding the Montclair as a premium sedan line above the Monterey. Alongside a four-door sedan (sharing a different roofline from the Monterey), the Montclair was introduced in a two-door hardtop and two-door convertible configuration. As a styling feature, the Montclair received a colour contrast panel below the window line (typically colour coordinated with the roof). A 292-cubic-inch V8 adopted from the new Ford Thunderbird roadster produced 195 hp; along with a 3-speed manual transmission, a 3-speed automatic was offered as an option. Standard equipment included cloth and vinyl upholstery, full interior carpeting, and chrome window surrounds; among the options were heaters and windshield defogger, radio, electrically adjustable front seat, electric windows, power steering, power brakes and auxiliary headlights. In 1956, Mercury sedans underwent an exterior overhaul. Side trim has been revised to a full-length multi-layer chrome spear, with two types of two-tone paint combinations, offering the traditional approach of a roof colour over a different body colour, and "Flo-tone" where the roof and lower part of the body were painted one colour and the upper part of the body was painted another colour. There was a total of 31 2-tone combinations and 28 "Flo-tone" combinations. The Montclair offered a special paint appearance where the area immediately below the side windows was painted the same colour as the roof or, if the "Flo-tone" appearance was used, the colour of the roof and lower body panels. On the hood, the emblem was replaced with a "Big M". The update brought several functional revisions, including a 12-volt electrical system, which allowed the installation of electrical accessories, such as air conditioning, standard dual exhaust to improve engine performance and an automatic self-lubrication system (for steering and front suspension). Mercury added its own version of the Ford Lifeguard safety system; a deep steering wheel was standard, along with safety door latches, tubeless tires, and a removable safety glass rearview mirror. Additionally, child-resistant rear door locks, seat belts and padded dashboards were introduced as stand-alone options. The 292 cubic inch V8 was replaced by a 225 hp 312. From 1956, an optional 4-barrel dual carburettor version provided 260 hp (190 kW). The 3-speed manual transmission or optional 3-speed Merc-O-Matic automatic transmission continued, while an additional Touch-O-Matic overdrive was offered separately. After the 1968 model year, Mercury discontinued the Montclair nameplate for a second time. In line with its strategy in the early 1960s, Mercury consolidated its full-size lineup in the Monterey and the newly introduced Marquis was expanded to a full range of body styles, replacing the Park Lane/Park Lane Brougham. To fill the Montclair's price range, Mercury introduced the Monterey Custom trim level for 1969, which lasted until 1974.
Datasheet Year: 1955 Brand: Mercury Model: Montclair Convertible Country: USA Number plate: GE-21-74 Engine: 4.700 cc Gearbox: 3