1946 Mercury M3 truck

[Matt Harwood]

After all the E-mails and calls about the 1950 Ford F6 we sold a few weeks ago, perhaps this handsome, rugged Mercury is a viable alternative. Many folks don't even realize Mercury sold trucks, mostly in Canada and not in very large numbers, but apparently the story is that Henry Ford didn't want the slightly more powerful, upscale Mercurys stealing Ford sales. Whatever the reason, only 4817 of these were built in 1946, and only a handful are in the US today.

This one offers a restoration that was done in the early '90s, collected a bunch of trophies, and has been driven and enjoyed as a hobby vehicle ever since. It still looks fantastic, starts quickly, and runs quite well, with a slightly larger flathead V8 than used in Fords, so performance is entertaining. It's been finished in correct Village Green with black fenders, giving it an honest old truck look that's familiar to us all, and please note the tidy yellow pinstripes that dress up the commercial vehicle. There's also quite a bit more chrome on the Mercury than on comparable Fords, including the grille and hood trim, which proudly calls out "Mercury 1-Ton." All the chrome is very good to excellent, with no damage and only light signs of age. The oak bed is beautifully refinished and has probably never carried any cargo since the restoration, and the matching stake sides are included.

The gray vinyl interior is spartan at best, but again the Mercury includes perks that weren't available on Fords, including the sliding rear window which is a fantastic way to ventilate the cabin--if you've never had a pickup with a sliding rear window, you'll be surprised by how effective it is. The gauges are all functional, as is the under-dash heater, and aftermarket turn signals and seat belts were added during the restoration. A full fiberboard headliner gives it a finished feel, and the rubber floor mat is like new and only a little dirty, but not ripped, dry, or cracked.

The engine is an aluminum-headed 239 cubic inch flathead V8 that runs superbly, with that great flathead sound and a near-silent idle. The engine bay is a bit grungy from use, but an afternoon spent detailing it will pay big dividends, since all the correct details are still there. It is completely stock, without any of the usual (and questionable) upgrades that flatheads often suffer, including 6V electricals with generator, the original distributor and factory carburetor. Connected to a 3-speed manual transmission, performance is lively out on the open road, and as a slightly larger model, it actually rides quite well despite its 1-ton rating. Braking is firm and positive, the steering tracks well, and while I don't personally like the wide whites on commercial vehicles, they kind of work with the upscale Mercury's look.

A rare, fun, useful hobby vehicle that will be the only one at the show. Asking $29,900 and we're always open to offers. Thanks!