Vehicle Description
1968 Mercury Comet Montego
A parish in Jamaica named St. James and its capital Montego Bay was
FORD'S inspiration to name its 1968 version of the Mercury
division's Comet. With only a tick over 16 thousand units built,
most of them 6 cylinders, manual transmission and a tree shifter,
it was basic transportation for the upscale brand of Mercury from
the blue oval in 1968.
Our consignment started life as a very basic car with
aforementioned 6 cylinder and automatic tranny. As to options just
go down the list and delete all of them including the carpeting. A
friend of our consigner had the car and it was hit in the right
quarter panel and was going to be scrapped in 1993. The consigner
swooped in and decided to fix it, using a rust free donor 1969
Montego. It retained its original 6 cylinder automatic setup until
2002, and then....ZAP! read on.
Exterior
Save for the Gulfstream Aqua paint it appears as your mild mannered
grocery getter made for the masses in 1968, and provided affordable
transportation for its owners. Dual horizontal headlights flank a
horizontal ribbed grille which undulates in a squared off V format,
and a shiny bumper hangs below. Stainless trimmings surround this
grille. The hood emulates this shape and has a small central bump.
Quarter panels have the running light and on their backs toward the
doors, the beginnings of a shiny trim spear. This spear runs
rearward through the doors which maintain well minded gaps, and
shiny trimmings with their glass surrounds and handles. The metal
hardtop and B pillars are bathed in the Gulfstream Aqua and the
rear quarters have a slight bump up as they move to the rear of
this car. The trim spear ends just before mid rear wheel well and
the long steel panel takes over to form the sides of the trunk. On
the back, squared off vertical triangle tail lights are on either
side and float just above a shiny rear bumper. Nice MERCURY badging
and a horizontal trimming are one the rear deck of the trunk which
is nearly as spacious as a typical NYC 1 bedroom flat. 14-inch
Gulfstream painted wheels have a center shiny cap, and are wrapped
in thin whites just like your father's tire from 1968.
Interior
A swing of the doors reveals some upgrades for the original factory
ordered strip down version. We see black panels for the doors with
an insert in dark silver with some flourishes stitched within it.
The armrest is showing some cracking in the padded black vinyl.
Inside is a front split back bench with gray broadcloth that
appears and feels like suede, but alas is broadcloth. Smooth shiny
black vinyl bolsters surround the inserts and black piping provides
the borders between the two. Black carpeting is now installed and
is very clean and non faded. To the dash where some wood burl
applique surrounds round black faced instrumentation and lower thin
horizontal panel for the knobs and pulls. A Sun Super Tachometer is
mounted on the steering column which has the original wood applique
centered steering wheel fronting the dash. No radio and a wide
shiny vinyl dash top is above this horizontal metal strip on the
passenger's side. The rear bench retains the original tuck and roll
insert in silver brick pattern inserts and black vinyl surrounding
bolsters. The headliner is slightly textured black vinyl and a
small tear is noted in a seam, but otherwise clean and tight.
Drivetrain
Here we go with the ZAP!, in the form of a blue block and valve
covering painted 390ci V8. It has Comp Cams ( .490i/494E lift with
a 218 duration @.050). The carburetor is an Edelbrock 4-barrel and
sports a factory aluminum intake. There is now a 4 speed manual
Toploader tranny, and power goes to the back taken by a Ford 28
spline,9 inch 3.50 rear axle. Fully restored and looking swift
under this hood. Headers and a Flowmaster are in for the big
exhale.
Undercarriage
Black undercoated surfaces somewhat patina'd abound with just a
touch of surface rust spattered about. New mechanicals, brake
lines, etc are noted and are much more shinier than the surrounding
metal. Drum braking is on all 4 corners, and independent coil
springs are up front and leaf springs on back. Exhaust is nice and
shiny with no rust.
Drive-Ability
She fires right up and runs smoothly. Off to the test track where
nice acceleration and smooth shifting abounds. Suspension groans a
bit when pushed and braking has a slight pull to the left. All else
was working like an afternoon swim in the bay.
This car has some history starting out with humble beginnings now
restored and souped up a bit on the mill front, some newly covered
front seats, and that Toploader 4 speed tranny. The 4bbl is nothing
to sneeze at, and it goes forward with Gulfstream Aqua style and
plenty of 1968 polished bling. Decidedly Mercury.
8H01T552266
8-1968
H-Lorain, OH Assy Plant
01-Comet Montego Sports Coupe
T-200ci I6
552266-Sequential Unit Number
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special
interest automobile showroom, featuring over 650 vehicles for sale
with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle
barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia
on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is
www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914.
Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the
vehicle in person.
