As of late, we have covered quite a few Ford Fairlanes/Torinos from the late ’60s and early ’70s.  Not found often anymore is Mercury’s counterpart, the Montego and its performance variant, the Cyclone. Fortunately, one has turned up in Tampa, Florida and it is available here on craigslist for $24,000. Thanks to Matt R. for this tip!

If you assume that the muscle car era stretched the years between 1964 and 1972, the year 1969 was probably the pinnacle. You can argue that the Hudson Hornet or the Oldsmobile Rocket 88 from the ’50s were really the first muscle cars but I’m referencing a movement. By 1969, all domestic manufactures were involved with the exception of Cadillac and Lincoln. Even Chrysler kept a hand in it, in particular, with its ’70 Hurst inspired 300. That said, by 1969 Mercury was really starting to lose its identity as it had become a more nicely equipped Ford. Mercury would continue to sell well for quite a few years but the attrition and identity loss was slowly progressing. This Cyclone, the performance version of the mid-sized Montego, shows its Ford derived origins with its architecture, powertrain and basic exterior appearance.

This Cyclone is a special Dan Gurney model but not the Dan Gurney Spoiler II model which included an extended nose piece like its Ford Talladega cousin. The seller has a “Marti” report attesting to this Cyclone’s provenance and it is believed to be one of about 50 still in existence. This example is nice and straight with all of its body panels aligned as they should be but there is rust bubbling through both doors and the quarters. And it’s the type of rust that is usually more extensive than what initially appears. Though this Mercury calls Tampa, Florida home, it is supposedly a California car so it’s hard to say what exposure has helped to promulgate the rust. The rear spoiler and hood scoop are correct for this model while the finish is correct in white with black accents and it is aged as expected for a 51-year-old vehicle. The only thing that seems to be missing are the Dan Gurney fender decals.

Under the hood is a Ford 351 CI, “Windsor” V8, developing 290 gross HP and backed up by a four-speed manual transmission (not a great image but it is the only one included in the listing).  The manual transmission is a nice addition as so many Fords/Mercurys of this era are equipped with an automatic unit. One note of confusion is that the seller states this Cyclone was supposed to be equipped with an automatic transmission but I can’t follow that via the Marti report. Whatever the case, the seller states that this Cyclone, “Runs and drives well.” BTW, note what looks like new blue Ford engine paint. It may be indicative of recent engine work or just an attempt to pretty the mill up a bit to help with the sale.

All Dan Gurney models were equipped with blue vinyl upholstery and that’s exactly what this example possesses. The seat fabric looks surprisingly good though the dash, steering wheel and kick panels could use some assistance. The carpet, which is probably original, is in place but I would recommend, based on the exterior body panel rust, to examine the floors for similar style corrosion. The bench seat combined with the four-speed shifter creates a neat visual instead of the more commonly found bucket seat/center console combination.

While very similar to the fastback Ford Fairlane/Torino, this Cyclone stands out because it’s not a Fairlane or a Torino. It has all of the design benefits and mechanical bits of its Ford counterpart but it has its own identity and is a model frequently not seen any longer. The fact that this Cyclone is a Dan Gurney model just adds to its uniqueness and probably its value. If I were inclined to pursue a FoMoCo muscle car from that golden era, this Cyclone would be a nice substitute for a Torino, don’t you think?