In 1963, Mercury added a novel roof line and retractable back window on eight models and body styles. Marketed as the Breezeway, the interesting concept would soon find itself superseded by more orders for factory air conditioning, so the design was discontinued after 1968. The seller has owned this ’63 2-door Monterey hardtop for 20 years and it’s going to need some tinkering to get back on the road. From Angola, Indiana, this Merc is available here on eBay where the starting bid of $2,000 has yet to be cast.
The retractable rear window wasn’t new to FOMOCO when Mercury included it as a body style in 1963. Though other automakers had tinkered with it, Mercury deployed the window on a concept car in 1955, the D-528 (which survives to this day). It was used for one year on the 1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser, but the car wasn’t a success and quickly disappeared. It then moved over to Lincoln for three years on the Continental. But the Breezeway Ventilation name wasn’t coined until the 1963-68 run at Mercury. There, the window could be lowered and raised by a control switch in the driver’s armrest.
As we understand it, the seller’s 2-door hardtop was one of 3,879 built in 1963, though seven other versions of the division’s senior cars had it. This one is the Monterey, which was a Mercury staple from 1952 to 1974, and the company’s equivalent of a Ford Galaxie 500. This car has just 63,000 miles and that may have been the case when the seller bought the automobile in 2002 as there is no indication if the Merc runs. But it may not take a lot to change that.
Under the hood resides a 390 cubic inch V8 with a 4-barrel carburetor, which would have produced 330 hp with a 3-speed Merc-O-Matic transmission. The car is going to need the starter installed that’s in the trunk, and a new exhaust system will be needed as well. The body looks mostly okay though we’re told there is some rust in the rear on the driver’s side and the rear bumper. On the other hand, the floors and trunk are reported to be in good shape. Other than a tear in the driver’s side of the front seat, the seller reports the interior is okay. A new power booster for the Breezeway window needs to be hooked up, but it’s included. You don’t see these cars very often nowadays, so what a cool conversation piece this auto would make at Cars & Coffee!
Seriously in this day and age can’t we figure out how to “orient” the pictures?? Landscape/portrait? Lol
Very annoying. These people can do wonderful things with their cellphones, tablets etc. except take decent LANDSCAPE pictures. When taking a side on pic of a car why would anybody take a portrait picture of it? If taking a head on pic then maybe, otherwise it’s LANDSCAPE!
At least they didn’t post a bunch of cellphone sceen shots in potrait with wide black nothing top and bottom. Lots of younger generation do this and you wonder who ties their shoes in the morning. Just plain stupid!
About the car, it’s a love hate thing. Love the concept, never cared for much of any Ford styling.
Amazing..2nd Breezeway this week.This on needs some work though.
I remember Bart Starr throwing a football through the back window of a Merc in one of their TV ads.
Yeah, I’m old.
Not completely sure, but I think those wheels are from an 80s Chrysler 5th Avenue.
Wheels on the car are 1981 era Imperial.
Seller does state originals are included.
Why can’t people take better pictures these pictures are some is the absolutely the worst.
Wasn’t this car featured yesterday?
Believe it or not, this is ’63 Breezeway #2 featured here in just as many days – the first one is a much nicer one though in a not-so-desirable pink hue…
Weren’t these, (this roofline) called a “notchback”?
This has to be the worst set of pictures I have ever seen. That’s too bad because this is an interesting car.
I don’t think Annie Liebovitz took these pics.
“New norm” 😂 that’s the way pics.are taken now.
It looks like the owner was standing on his head during some of those screwball shots………………..maybe I should be in awe of him?
The clown who took the pictures would say that they are “Artistic” photographs, not “pictures.” Whatever he calls them they are still crap!