There are so many great cars to be found, but few hold a torch as bright as this 1960 Mercury Parklane. With tremendous styling and presence, this sweet Merc has covered 70,000 miles in its lifetime and has been carefully tucked away since 1988. Capable of running and moving under its own power, this two door classic still needs some elbow grease to be a driver. Offered for $10,500, this stunning display of style can be seen here on craigslist out of Hartford, Connecticut. Thanks to Michael for submitting this sweet and stylish Merc!
Posh, plush, and downright luxurious, the interior of this Mercury has aged wonderfully. Whoever owned this car clearly took good care of it. While age can bring many things, I do not see any real condition concerns with this interior. There could be some minor signs of fading, but there are no rips or cracks to be seen. Although there are no photos of the 430 V8, it did receive a recent tune up, and is in running condition. The seller carefully phrased that the car “runs and moves” to which I would assume that the brake system could probably use some refreshing.
The styling is incredible on this Mercury, just look at that back window! The subtle fins are charming, and unique taillight housings are certainly interesting. Also the chrome trim along the rockers brings to mind other high end American cars of the time, but I was reminded of Cadillac by this styling detail. Certainly impressive, the rear window is of a unique design and I can’t even imagine wanting to touch it in the event of a full restoration. While this car is in great shape, the paint has aged and there is surface rust on the exterior. None of this surface rust looks threatening, and there is no evidence of rot. I am charmed by this Mercury, and I would be torn between restoring or preserving. The car comes with many NOS parts including bumpers and chrome, so this may very well be restoration project. Most certainly an uncommon car to see, this Mercury is a stunning example of American styling. Would you restore or preserve this beauty?
Another example of how American car companies use to know on how to make and style cars.This Merc is gorgeous even with the patina.
Well, my long-term memory just took a hit. I vaguely remember this year of Merc. This car looks like it was designed by the Big Three. Front bumper from ’57/ ’58 Plymouth, ’58 Impala below the ‘C’ pillar, Olds front windshield complete with the ‘knee knocker’ “A” pillar, the rear glass from a Dart Phoenix. This one would be a great “see how many cars it took to build it” contest. Caddy roof off an Eldo. Whaz with the dog-leg “C”? But it all fits.
I’ve been inside a few 430s, another one of those understressed engines. Lots of tq and power available.
Sure would like to see this one back on the road.
Absolutely gorgeous as a hardtop…or a convertible.
Wish I had the coins to give it the restoration it deserves.
Wow, what a gorgeous car! Would love to have this.
The only way I would believe a mileage claim is if the original owner that bought it new and then stored it could prove it.
The car was 28 years old when put into storage which means that it would have travelled 2500 miles a year.
That is a hard pill to swallow.
Contrary to popular opinion, most people bought their cars to drive, not to sit in a garage.
Actually, I could believe the mileage. People in the 60’s still didn’t put on many miles. For example, my grandfathers ’48 Packard, when he wrecked it in 1961, only had 40K miles on it. He, like many others, still walked or rode the bus to work. The car was for longer trips.
That is the exception, not the rule.
It seems the majority of the cars featured here are said to have under 100,000 miles because it shows that on the dash.
I doubt that is the case, but everybody is certainly going to claim that.
My Aunt Olga bought a brand new 1966 4 door Olds F-85.She sold it in 1979 and
purchased a 1979 Chevy Malibu.I do not remember the Olds having 10,000 miles on it.Her mechanics daughter got the Olds and drove it for about 5 years more.That is how people who were children during the great depression were back then. They had the mindset of “don’t drive it much” and it won’t need repairs as often,and instead of paying for car repairs,they can have food in the house.This was in Seymour,Ct.The first Muscle Car that “stopped my heart” back in the late 60’s was a 1966 Hemi Satellite a neighbor purchased brand new “just to race”and take it to “Dover Downs” dragstrip in Westcheaster county,NewYork. It was “slathered”with “kill stickers from Dover. I was only 11 years old back then.I was “back home” a couple of years ago and ran into the owner.The car is a survivor with less than 30,000 miles on it.I have pictures of it and it is for sale.It drives like new and even the mufflers are original.The car got parked in the late 70’s because Sunoco 260 got too expensive to fill up the tank.The owner stated that he was getting “screwed” by the gas companies because the 103 octane Sunoco 260 was the outrageous price of 65 cents a gallon.He was grumpy over the fact that he couldn’t get 2 gallons of gas for a buck anymore.In closing,you youngsters don’t know what you missed back then.And there were no Honda’s Hondas now are like the Model T was back then.They are everywheres
My father stopped driving his 1934 REO Flying Cloud Coupe in 1953 after running it into a ditch. It had 32,000 miles on it.
Never seen this model before. Like it much more than the Ford version of that year. Hope it gets a complete restoration.
Last year for the true “big” Mercs before they downsized to a more Ford like platform. I remember as a kid, there was a grey one this year abandoned in a field near my home and I used to play in it for a time until it got towed away.
Ran around with a gradeschool friend of
mine whose parents used one of these
for transport at their summer place in
Wisconsin. Theirs was a 4-door and man!…what a car! Acres of chrome,
acres of glass and room to stretch
out on those long road trips! Brian,
you were right when you said these cars
had presence, and you weren’t kidding.
I remember seeing this car and it was a monster! Built in a time when bigger was
better.
Brings back a lot of memories.
When I was a kid I used to haunt the used car lots via my bike.
Especially on Sundays when the lot was closed.
There was a 60 Mercury Monterey four door sedan in the same color in the used car section of Bonneville Motors in Tooele UT, where we lived at the time.
Cars weren’t locked back then, so I was able to sit in it, savor that Mercury head in the center of the steering wheel and admire the chrome.
It’s been fifty years, but I still remember that Mercury, even having known it for only a few minutes.
One of my favorite Mercurys. It ranks up there with the 66 Montclair my parents owned [and purchased at the above mentioned dealer], 67, 65 and 61.
I still have a 60 Mercury hardtop AMT model circa 1970 that I built sitting on a bookshelf right now because of that same car.
Such a shame Ford took Mercury down market in 61, but still love that model as well.
I would love this for myself, but my practical side says 60 Comet, just because of the gas mileage.
Yes, it’s sick, but frugality is long hardwired in my heads.
That radio has always interested me.
It was nothing Ford had in any other car, I think.,
I hated it in the Citations though.
Sorry. No Mercury head in the steering wheel, but a “Big M”.
That was our 66.
It has been 50 years
With thousands of dollars of NOS parts sold with the car, I’m betting this is going to disappear pretty quick. What a grand old dame.
We have a local here in ABQ with a restored station wagon version of this car in I think the same colors. That wagon is gorgeous and this car is too.
Both the Commuter and Colony Park wagons were hardtops as well.
Check this link for a couple of nice shots:
http://oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Mercury/1960%20Mercury/1960%20Mercury%20Brochure/image7.html
So refreshing to see a ’60 Mercury. The styling is so different, so unique. Mercury really had a leg up in styling 1956-1960, in my opinion. I’d take this over any other brand of its time because it is so seldom seen. Almost guaranteed your would be the only one at any given car show!
I used to think that these were ugly, now I would consider it… interesting. Not as nice as a ’63 Ford Starliner though. That simulated front fender is similar to those on early 1960s Ford trucks. I thought that those were ugly too, until 10-15 years ago when I bought one. Those trucks were full of great styling details. Those front fenders, the ducktail rear roof, and the “cruiser” like rear wheel openings. This Mercury has a tremendous presence. I wouldn’t mind owning it.
My mother use to own on just like this one even same color.
Really cool, stylish car. Appears to have been some repairs/paint a couple of times, but that won’t matter if a restoration is considered.
I’s think that sourcing the glass (especially the rear) if ever needed would not be easy!
I would fix any problems and drive it while saving up money for that 10,000 paint job!
Amazing details in the design… first time I’ve ever seen this body style. Growing up Dad drove a ’66 Park Lane breezeway, but I think the ’60 is now my favourite… despite the fixed rear glass.
Wow! I just want to put on my BanLon shirt, get inside, roll down all the windows, light up a Parliament with the car lighter and then push the pedal to the floor with total impunity……
What most have said….nice example of styling….glad it survived.
Friends of my family drove a ‘60 Park Lane except they had a beautiful dove gray 4Door hardtop. We had a ‘54 Monterey coupe at the time and I used to beg my dad to trade it in on one just like theirs. Like Deeezilaz above, I too crused car lots on Sundays on my bike and remember sitting in more than few unlocked future classics. Of the two I remember best, one was a beautiful green ‘60 Olds 98 Holiday SceniCoupe, and the other a white ‘49 Packard Super 8, 7-passenger Limousine. In those days every dealership would introduce their new models in the fall with ‘open house’ parties complete with refreshments, music, balloons and of course giant Klieg lights sweeping the heavens – a highly anticipated event in small California towns
If I paid the ten grand, I wouldn’t be able to afford the petrol to move the damned thing.