Vehicle Description
A holdover from the 1950s, this 1964 Mercury Park Lane sedan fits
neatly into the "dare to be different category." From the smooth
390 cubic inch V8 to the cool roll-down rear window to the stately
black bodywork, this car generates attention not because it's
flashy but because it marches to the beat of its own drummer.
That was the great thing about the 1960s: automakers were still
doing their own thing and not being shy about it. This Mercury has
a distinctive look that's quite handsome in a full-sized, grown-up
sort of way. For a car in this price range, the black paint is in
outstanding condition and if you want to take it up a notch, have
your local body shop give it a professional cut and buff. Then
you'll see some shine! All four doors open and close with the
precision that suggests a car that has never been wrecked or
disassembled and the funky roofline makes it stand out in a crowd.
In fact, the stainless and chrome trim makes this Park Lane look
well-dressed indeed, starting with the strip of chrome that
stretches from nose to tail and adding the shiny stainless window
trim and ornate rear panel with six taillights. You should expect a
lot of questions about this car when you're out driving, but you
can see echoes of the Torino that would come later in its grille
and visions of the late, great Turnpike Cruiser in the roll-down
rear window. The pointed bumpers don't hurt, either.
The handsome black brocade fabric interior is the ideal '60s blend
of style and functionality. Automakers were starting to experiment
with faux wood on the inside of cars, so the door panels have some
of the stuff to warm things up a bit while the dash keeps its
brushed metal finish. A big three -spoke steering wheel has a
leather wrap that's not quite appropriate but does help you grab
the skinny plastic wheel. The gauges are in four round pods with
secondary controls underneath, and you can see that there was still
plenty of opportunity for designers to try out new ideas. The
original AM radio is still in the dash, but perhaps that's a place
you start your upgrades, but otherwise everything works. The back
seat is positively massive and comes with a fold-down armrest and
with that rear window rolled down, it's remarkably comfortable
inside without being too windy. There's also a mammoth trunk with a
full-sized spare, but good luck reaching it!
Ford's 390 cubic inch V8 provides plenty of easy torque to get this
big sedan moving without any fuss. There are plenty of signs of
proper maintenance under the hood and it runs superbly thanks to a
newer Holley 4-barrel carburetor. Gold paint on the air cleaner and
valve covers makes the Mercury motors look a bit different than
their Ford cousins, especially with the embossed valve covers.
Power steering is probably mandatory on a car this size, and it's
easy enough to manage that you can drive this car with little more
than your fingertips. The 3-speed automatic transmission shifts
almost imperceptibly and while there is a dual exhaust system, the
mufflers are big enough to keep things nice and quiet. It's quite
clean underneath thanks to a fresh dusting of undercoating and with
215/75/14 whitewalls and factory-issue hubcaps, it looks just about
how it might have back in the '60s.
For big car comfort, a little style, and rarity, this awesome
Mercury is a fantastic choice. Call today!