1948 Mercury Convertible

[Matt Harwood]

Another cool flathead from the same collection as the wonderful 1936 Ford phaeton I listed a few days ago. This one was painted about a decade ago, but still shows well. There are a few signs of use here and there, since it was obviously built for driving, but overall it looks quite good. All the trim is also in good condition, with most of the chrome being refinished, including both bumpers and all the front grilles. Accessories include bumper ends (in the Buick world, we call them "elephant ears"), a spotlight, and retrofitted rear turn signals in separate housings discreetly tucked behind the bumper. And yes, that's some goofy Mercury's head ornament tacked on the nose, but I'm already searching for a correct hood ornament to replace it, although it doesn't look that bad.

The interior is more recently finished in maroon vinyl with black carpets, and it looks fantastic. The top is relatively new, and the hydraulics were overhauled two months ago, so it works as it should. It has been changed over to 12 volts, so the original gauges are sadly not functional, nor is the original clock and radio, but auxiliary gauges have been fitted below the dash, and there's a modern AM/FM/CD stereo in the glove box with speakers hidden under the dash and a remote control. The heater/defroster works, too.

The engine appears to be a '53 Mercury unit, with 255 cubic inches and EAC heads. It was neatly detailed when the car was restored, but has been driven quite a bit since, so it's not really show quality anymore. The 12V changeover was quite well done, with a black alternator mounted in the usual location, and tidy wiring on the firewall. It starts quickly and easily with just a turn of the key, and with a few upgrades like headers, dual exhaust, and a bigger camshaft, it has a snappy idle that sounds amazing. It drives quite well, with impressive power, clean shifts from the original 3-on-the-tree, and decent brakes for the vintage. The suspension is 100% stock, and it rides on correct 16-inch Firestone whitewalls. Only the dual exhaust pipes give it away on the road.

A handsome, clean, rust-free Mercury convertible that's a lot of fun to drive. Asking $37,900 and we're always open to reasonable offers. Thanks!

Edited February 28, 2012 by Matt Harwood
Engine information changed (see edit history)

[Matt Harwood]

Oh, I almost forgot, this car also includes a set of restored, matching steel fender skirts, which are not installed, but are in excellent condition.