What caught my attention about this 1963 Mercury Monterey Custom, with its “Breezeway” rear window, is that it’s a two-door hardtop; every Breezeway-equipped Merc I can recall encountering was a four-door. No, this two-door subject isn’t rare, it just escaped my attention over all these many years. And this is one defining feature that set a Mercury apart from a Ford back in this era. Today’s topic is not a “convertable” as the seller has claimed, twice, in the listing – not sure what that’s all about, but it is a very original and clean example with a mileage reading of only 60K miles. Los Angeles, California, is where you’ll find this “breezy” cruiser, and it’s listed here on craigslist for $22,500.
The seller opens the listing with, “Super rare vehicle, especially in this condition.” Well, maybe in this condition it’s rare, but this is not exactly a rare car. Mercury built about 13K Monterey/Monterey Custom two-door hardtops in ’63. OK, maybe not real common, but not rare either. Other body styles included four-door sedans and hardtops, as well as a two-door sedan and a four-door Colony Park station wagon. Sporty chores were handled by the S-55 performance model, available as a two-door hardtop and convertible as well as a four-door hardtop. One exception to the Breezeway treatment was the S-55 “Marauder” two-door hardtop, which featured a fastback roofline like the ‘63.5 Ford Galaxie and XL500. This Monterey Custom is exceedingly clean; the seller believes the finish is 100% original; unfortunately, the images aren’t the clearest. The only objection I find is the “Fiesta” wheel covers, which, to my eye, look completely out of place.
A 390 CI V8 powerplant occupies the engine room, and I’ll run with the assumption that it’s the base 250 gross HP version. The engine compartment shows no signs of modification other than a chrome-plated power brake booster (maybe it shaves a few feet off the 60 to 0 stopping distance?) No surprise is the deployment of a Merc-O-Matic automatic transmission. The seller doesn’t elaborate on this Monterey’s running and driving characteristics, but he does include a long list of engine/mechanical services recently performed.
The seller claims the interior is original, and while the upholstery pattern is similar to what I could find for both the Monterey and Monterey Custom, it’s not exact, and it is certainly very spritely for a 63-year-old environment. So maybe it’s original, and maybe it’s not; regardless, it looks great. Ditto the chrome, aluminum, and stainless steel festooned instrument panel – it’s beautifully elaborate for ’63 and appears to be in like-new condition. This is not an A/C equipped car.
The breezeway concept was really ingenious. I remember as a youngster seeing these Mercurys out and about (four-door versions only, as I stated at the outset), and thought, “How cool is that!”, literally, I guess. Mercury did go its own way for many years before it got mired in being nothing more than just a slightly more expensive Ford. How sad the ultimate result!
The seller concludes with, “You will have a very hard time finding another 63′ Mercury this original for sale.” That may be true, but I’m not sure it fits the ask. At $22,500, what’s your thought: priced right or not quite?
I always thought that rear window is so cool, and today i still do.
https://www.craigslist.org/view/d/arnold-yamaha-terrapro-1988-amazing/a5JmwKupMYvey7PD3j2LDy
I don’t know how to refer anything to the authors but somebody should write about this. I know Scotty did one a year ago
What does that have to do with the price of beans in China?
Zach,
Here is a page with a form you fill out to submit an item for review. https://barnfinds.com/tips/
The easiest way is to drag and drop the link to your bookmarks bar, like it explains on that page. With that method, it takes only a few seconds to submit. Just click on the bookmark when on the page you want send in and the form will mostly be filled out already.
These look especially nice as a two-door, with that longer rear deck. The Breezeway first appeared on the ’57-’59 Turnpike Cruiser, then disappeared until the ’63 in the Monterey line. It carried on into ’65. It’s a nice feature unless your little kids aren’t belted in and decide to wander outside the back, while the car is motorvating down the freeway. The seller here is a bit optimistic on the price, since his car isn’t exactly rare or concourse. Now if this car was an S55…
A friend had one like this around 1977 i was just 17 dating my wife at the time remember going to a drive in movie we were in the back and him and his girlfriend were in the front. I think i remember it so much because that back window was down we got a nice breeze on a nice summer night.
There is one known 1963 Marauder Breezeway 427/425 remaining of a couple ever made..I love Breezeways and would donate my left kidney for the 427 one :D
Believe there was an S55 version also.. I had the above car in the 80s in convertible form.. The base 390 with a two barrel was very capable..
In 64 my mother was driving a 62 Newport convertible. The lease was up and she wanted another convertible. Dad wanted her to drive 4 door family car. As they did many times, they debated and found a compromise. Mother got a 64 Mercury Parklane breezeway in maroon with beige interior. I was only 5 but thought that car was beautiful.
Suzies mom had a breezeway when she (Suz) was in high school circa 1966. Mom went into a store while Suz sat in the car (shotgun). Noticing a movement outside the closed window she looked up to find mom’s little dog looking at her a few inches away. The dog had climbed out the breezeway window and walked along the rather pronounced body side ledge. :-) Terry J
Those spinner hubcaps were popular in 1958 or so… my older brother put that exact set on his 53 Plymouth coupe.. changed the look completely…
JC Whitney ’55 Olds knockoffs. Every kid with a car had them.
These are really cool.
that back window was 1 of the best options to come out of the 60s. shame more companies never used them.
Price aggressive $22.5, sold my 64 Monterey Breezeway in 2002 & have been looking at prices as a hobby. there is almost same one in N.Y. C.L for the last year drop from $19,999 to now $16,999 if interested. but regular Mercury’s is hard sell at these $$$
The chrome plated power booster is also attached to a dual chamber master cylinder, which was not available in this car at the time. Big plus for this heavy beautiful beast.
Good point!
JO
This is a good looking car that I wouldn’t normally look at twice. A friend of mine had a 4-door around 1982 that we rode around in, mostly at night. Although not rare, sixty years later they’re far from common.
My boss traded a 2 door jeep for a maroon 1963 mercury monterey breezeway a couple of years ago same engine and transmission with white wall tires with 57,000 original miles. My bosses car also has dual exhaust. The used car lot gave him $13,000 for his jeep and he had to give them $1,000 to get the car. He got his car for $14,000. His car is just as nice as this car in the add. The $22,000 is pretty close to being right. Im not a member so I cant post pictures of his car on here.
Also a week after my boss bought his car some guy offered him $28,000 for it and my boss told the guy its not for sale.