Mercury Monterey (2nd gen) 1955-1956

[henk4]

here are 55 and 56 wagon.

[Timothy (in VA)]

Thanks for all the new Mercury pictures!

[Revo]

Mercury Monterey #2

[f6fhellcat13]

Hood ornament from the '55.

[Man of Steel]

The Mercury Monterey is a series of full-size cars that were manufactured and marketed by the Mercury division of Ford from 1952 to 1974. Deriving its name from Monterey Bay, the Mercury Monterey served as the upscale version of the Mercury Custom which replaced the Mercury Eight, the debut model line of the Mercury division. During its production, the Monterey would be offered in multiple body styles, ranging from coupes, convertibles, sedans, hardtops, and station wagons.

Over its 22 years of production, the Monterey served as the flagship, mid-range, and entry-level offering of the full-size Mercury product range. The only Mercury nameplate to be in continuous production throughout the 1960s, the Monterey was positioned above the Medalist, Custom, and Meteor; later, it was positioned below the Turnpike Cruiser, Montclair, Park Lane, and finally the Marquis.

Following the 1974 model year, Mercury discontinued the Monterey, consolidating its full-size range down to the Marquis and Colony Park station wagon. For 2004, the Monterey nameplate was revived, becoming the counterpart of the Ford Freestar minivan; it was produced through the 2007 model year.

Second generation (1955-1956)
For 1955 the car lost its status as Mercury's top model, replaced by the Montclair. The same year, it gained the 292 cu in (4.8 L) Y-block from the Thunderbird, producing 188 hp (140 kW) with the standard transmission or 198 with the Merc-O-Matic. It used independent ball-joint front suspension. Brake size was increased. The Monterey was positioned above the base model Custom series for the 1955 model year. Optionally available was a dual 4-barrel carburetor setup that provided 260 hp (190 kW) starting in 1956. All Mercury's for 1955 offered a canted hood over the headlights previously introduced on the Mercury XM-800 concept car from 1954. The 1955 four-door sedan was US$2,400 ($26,218 in 2022 dollars) and sold 70,392.

1956 brought another new engine, the 235 hp (175 kW) 312 cu. in and all Mercury sedans underwent an exterior revision, trading its crest badge for a "Big M" emblem. The side trim was revised to a full-length multi-tier chrome spear, with two types of two-tone paint combinations, offering the traditional approach of a roof color over a different body color, and "Flo-tone" where the roof and lower body were painted in one color and the upper body painted in another color. There were a total of thirty-one two-tone combinations and twenty-eight "Flo-tone" combinations.

The update brought several functional revisions, including a 12-volt electric system which allowed the installation of power operated accessories to be installed including air conditioning, standard dual exhaust to improve engine performance, and an automatic self-lubrication system (for the steering and front suspension). Mercury added its own version of the Ford Lifeguard safety system; a deep-dish steering wheel was standard, along with safety door locks, tubeless tires, and a breakaway safety glass rearview mirror. In addition, childproof rear door locks, seatbelts, and a padded dashboards were introduced as free-standing options. The 292 V8 was replaced by a 312 cubic-inch V8, producing 225 hp.

Source: Wikipedia