When it comes to muscle cars, the Chevies, Pontiacs and Mopars seem to dominate the scene. But don’t forget that Mercury was in the mix, too, in the 1960s and theirs was called the Cyclone. If you wanted all-out performance, the CJ or Cobra Jet was available in the Cyclone with its 428 cubic inch, 335 hp V8 engine. Production numbers were never high for the CJ, with no more than 2,175 copies estimated for 1969, which would include this example finished in white and looking like more like a survivor than a restoration. Wearing Iowa plates but available in Stanley, Wisconsin, this car is offered here on Hemmings Classifieds for $34,950.

The Cyclone named appears on Mercury products between 1964-71. It was first found on the compact Comet before assuming its role as the performance arm of the mid-size Montego. Within the family hierarchy, the Cyclone was slotted between the Cougar (pony car) and the Marauder (full-size) models. The Cyclone would represent the Mercury brand in racing circles in the late 1960s. The third-generation cars (1968-69) were clocked at more than 189 mph going around the track at Daytona. The Cobra Jet 428 would appear in mid-1968 and be carried over into 1969. Besides the bigger engine than in other Cyclones, the CJ was identified by having a blacked-out grille, dual exhaust, 3:50:1 axle ratio, chromed engine parts, hood stripes, and a competition handling package.

This ’69 Cyclone CJ has not been a garage queen. It has more than 100,000 miles on the odometer but was treated to an older restoration. That includes redoing the paint, chrome and reupholstering the car’s seats. While a 4-speed was available, this CJ comes with an automatic transmission. There is no mention if the mechanical components are numbers-matching, but it’s being sold from a large, private collection based in Iowa. All-in-all, the car presents well, but it’s not perfect. There is a slight dent in the driver’s side rear quarter panel ahead of the wheel well that would not be worth messing with.

There is no shortage of photos provided for this car, with several of the undercarriage from under a lift. Everything looks good although there’s a small punch or scrape in the transmission housing that probably doesn’t present any issues. The resale value of a standard ’69 Cyclone looks to top out about $25,090, but the CJ 428 is at least double that. So, for a muscle car that is seen today far less than its more well-known contemporaries, this car may be reasonably priced. BTW, the seller offers a short video of his car doing its thing.