For Sale: 1953 Mercury Monterey in Columbus, Ohio

$24,995

Cruisin Classics is pleased to present this 1953 Mercury Monterey. This Mercury comes to us with a two-tone paint job - yellow body and a black roof. The yellow paint looks like a recent respray in original color and it's in good driver-quality condition. Up front on the hood is a very large chrome jet-style ornament with faux vent, a colorful Mercury crest, and "MERCURY" lettering across the forward lip. A toothy chrome grill and a bright wrap-around bumper with bullets and integrated turn signal lights rests beneath. As you come around to the side, many more bright elements come into view - windshield surround, drip rail molding, window trim, body side molding, rear quarter trim, door handles, and dual swan-neck side mirrors. The brightwork is eye-catching, but there is some pitting and fading in selected areas. The fender and rear quarter badging is correct and in good condition. Both rear wheels are partly obscured by fender skirts that add to the classy look. The wheel and tire choice is just perfect for this ride - body-color steel wheels with Mercury hubcaps all wrapped in BF Goodrich Silvertown bias-ply wide white wall tires. Around back, stylish design and bright elements continue with cool vertical taillight towers, a chrome decklid ornament with Mercury head logo, a "Merc-O-Matic" badge, another chrome bumper with guards, and a single chrome exhaust tip. The gas fill is hidden behind the license plate holder and the gas tank below is new. Overall, it's a very presentable exterior with a lot of style and '50's flair.

Under the large bulbous hood is a tidy stock-looking engine bay with a green 255ci Flathead V-8 at the center. The engine is topped off with a two-barrel carburetor and a correct oil-bath air cleaner. This Monterey is equipped with power steering, but the main pulley is only a 1-belt style that does not allow for power steering. In the trunk is a correct 2-belt pulley that will need to be installed to revive the power steering. This '53 still retains its original 6-volt electrical system, but it appears to have a newer distributor and coil. Also original is the glass washer fluid jar mounted on the firewall. The V-8 is mated up to what we believe is the original 3-speed Merc-O-Matic automatic transmission. The single exhaust flows through a muffler before exiting the rear chrome tip and stopping power is provided by manual drum brakes with a single reservoir. The car starts easily, runs well, stops well, and is still pretty easy to steer even without the power steering hooked up.

When you open the driver's door, the underdash courtesy lights pop on to illuminate an original-looking black and yellow interior. The door panels are a mix of black and yellow vinyl with swooping bright trim and correct handles and window cranks. The comfortable front and rear bench seats are also dressed in black and yellow vinyl and they offer seatbelts all around. The seats and the door panels both show some age and patina, with some mild stains, loose stitching, and other small imperfections that are to be expected considering their age. Overhead is a tight yellow vinyl headliner with some staining and underfoot is non-original black hook & loop carpeting. An aftermarket cupholder/caddy sits on the transmission tunnel ahead of the front seat. Ahead of the driver is the original two-spoke steering wheel with a working horn ring. The wheel frames an arching 110 mph speedometer with gauges for temp, oil, fuel, and battery - all of which seem to work. The odometer reads 47,566 miles. The speedometer is flanked by heater and vent control levers set on a plane perpendicular to the dash, giving them an aircraft-inspired look. Below those controls are knobs for the lights and working wipers as well as the ignition and push-button start. In the center of the dash is a non-working clock and what appears to be the original AM radio. The radio fires up and you can hear a buzz in the dash speaker, but it doesn't seem to pick up any stations. Ahead of the passenger is a glovebox with working courtesy light and a Mercury-head badge above it. Around back in the trunk you'll find a car cover, a full non-matching spare tire, a jack, a fire extinguisher, some new replacement gaskets still in their packaging, and the aforementioned 2-belt pulley.

If you're looking for a cool '50's classic that won't break the bank - you're going to want to take a hard look at this Monterey. It looks great, runs and drives well, and is ready to cruise to a car show today! Give our friendly staff a call before someone else beats you to it!

ENGINE
255ci Flathead V-8
2-Barrel Carburetor
Oil-Bath Air Cleaner
Power Steering (needs Pulley and Belt installed)
6-Volt Electrical System
Glass Washer Fluid Jar
Single Exhaust
New Gas Tank

TRANSMISSION
3-Speed Merc-O-Matic Automatic

BRAKES
Manual Drum Brakes
Single Reservoir

EXTERIOR
Yellow Body and Black Top - Respray in Original Colors
Abundant Chrome and Brightwork in Good Overall Condition
Fender Skirts
Correct Badging
Dual Swan-Neck Side Mirrors
Body-Color Steel Wheels with Mercury Hubcaps
BF Goodrich Silvertown Bias-Ply Wide White Wall Tires
Chrome Exhaust Tip

INTERIOR
Largely Original Black and Yellow Interior
Lightly Patina'd Black and Yellow Vinyl Bench Seats with Seatbelts
Tight Yellow Vinyl Headliner
Black Hook and Loop Carpet
Working Underdash Courtesy Lights
Original Steering Wheel with Working Horn Ring
Original Speedometer with Integrated Gauges
Aircraft-Inspired Lever Controls for Heat and Fan
Push-Button Start
Working Wipers
Original AM Radio and Clock - Both Inop.
Glovebox with Courtesy Light
Full Spare with Jack
Car Cover
Fire Extinguisher
2-Belt Pulley for Power Steering

If you have any additional questions, please call one of our friendly sales staff. We will be glad to help in any way with questions on financing, shipping the vehicle, or perhaps an interest in our sell-your-car brokerage program. We've been in business since 1996 and have sold cars all over the world, and we insist on giving the best personal service in the industry.
The sale is subject to the following conditions and representations. This vehicle is being sold as-is, where-is, with no warranty in connection therewith. The seller shall not be responsible for the correct description, authenticity, genuineness, or defects herein, and makes no warranty in connection therewith. No allowances or set aside will be made on account of any incorrectness, imperfection, defect, or damage. Any descriptions or representations are for identification purposes only and are not to be construed as a warranty of any type. It is the responsibility of the buyer to have thoroughly inspected the vehicle and to have satisfied oneself as to the condition and value based upon that judgment solely. The seller assumes no responsibility for any repairs, regardless of any oral statements about the vehicle.
Thank you from all of us at Cruisin Classics.