In 1959, the fourth generation Monterey made its debut and was produced for a brief period of time. It was available in five different body styles: 2-door sedan, hardtop, convertible, and 4-door sedan with hardtop.
There wasn’t much of an option in the engine choices; the 312 Ford Y-block V8 or the 383 with 280 horsepower were the two options. A 3-speed manual transmission was standard on the 312; however, a 3-speed automatic transmission was standard on the 383 and offered as an option on this engine.
The second and last year of this generation didn’t bring many changes. The 1960 Monterey sported new headlights integrated into the grille, serving as the easiest way to distinguish the new model from its predecessor.
A 1960 Monterey convertible that has been sitting for decades and appears to be ready to be driven again is looking for a new owner online.
The car was left at a shop in 1993 and has been there ever since. It is presently in a condition that is unusual for a car of age. Although the Mercury appears to be largely original, you will need to ask the vendor for more details. Although the car has already had a number of repairs, such as a new convertible top, floor mats, and carpet kit, the door panels are the original ones.
It’s unclear if the paint is original, but if it is, hats off to Mercury for spraying a finish that survived the test of time. If it’s not, whoever resprayed the car did a professional job, with only minor fading now visible in photos.
Says the engine under the hood starts and runs correctly with gas poured directly into the carburetor. It’s a sign it’ll require a new gas tank (or you can clean the existing one). Other repairs, including rebuilding the carburetor, new brakes, and inspecting some minor exhaust leaks, should be at the top of your agenda should you purchase the Monterey.
I won’t press for this particular detail too much because the mileage information is ambiguous, but you should still talk to the seller about such specifics. They say the mileage on the odometer is 16,674 miles, however it’s not clear if this is accurate. It’s exceedingly unlikely, so either the odometer has rolled over or the engine has been reconditioned. In any case, this cannot be the original mileage because if it were, the Monterey would have been a low-mileage marvel valued far higher.
If you want to see the car in person you’ll have to go to Bonsall, California.