Although it’s little more than a footnote in Ford Motor Company history, the “Breezeway” roof and opening rear window shown on this ’63 Mercury Monterey Custom didn’t suffer from a lack of trying. In terms of production cars, Mercury first put it to the test on the ’57 Turnpike Cruiser; then, Lincoln gave it a go on their big unibody 1958 to 1960 models before Mercury gave it one last try in 1963. Although the Breezeway window would continue to be sold through 1968, the reverse-canted roofline would only last through 1966, and it would never gain the popularity that Mercury might have hoped for. That’s too bad, because I for one love Breezeways; I test drove a really rough ’64 when I was in my early 20s, but I could see daylight through any number of panels, so I gave it a hard pass. Polarizing as the styling may be, I know there are plenty of enthusiasts who side with me, and this one’s for them. Our tireless Barn Finder T.J. spotted it on Marketplace in Ponca, Nebraska, for $12,500; it’s claimed to be a 50,000-mile original.

Mercury offered the Breezeway roof on its two- and four-door full-size cars in 1963, this Monterey Custom being a four-door sedan (one of 39,542 built, the highest sales for a single bodystyle of all Breezeway production). The benefits of the roof were better interior ventilation (you could roll the back window down while driving to extract your cigar smoke) and a cleaner rear window on rainy or frosty days. The seller describes this Monterey as having a “near mint interior and exterior,” but the dash pad has clearly seen better days. The seats look as if they’ve been reupholstered in generic vinyl upholstery, which wouldn’t bother me as a buyer (but it might bother you). A “gotta go” item might be the “leather” steering wheel cover.

The standard engine in the full-size Mercury was Ford’s 390 FE two barrel, which produced 250 horsepower; the 300-horsepower four-barrel 390 was optional. The seller doesn’t mention which version powers this Monterey, but I’d guess it’s the two barrel based on the red valve covers. The ’63 four-barrel engine typically had gold valve covers and air cleaner, but please share your experiences with 1963 FEs in the comment section (I have a ’63 Thunderbird, which is where my experience comes from).

It was also the first year of the alternator for the Mercury line, and it appears that this one has power brakes and power steering. There’s plenty of room to work under the hood of this big Mercury, even with the substantial 390 under the hood.

The seller says that this Monterey is an “amazing amazing original car” and that it “runs and drives like a top”; it’s certainly nicer than the ’64 I tried out back in 2000 or so. These Breezeway Mercs come up for sale far more often than one might expect for a car that didn’t exactly set the sales charts on fire, and that might say something about their quality. That so many have lasted is a good sign, and if you like the styling as much as I do, maybe this one will fulfill your “five windows down” dreams.