It’s wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to call the 1958-60 models the “Lost Mercury”; after all, how many do you see these days? How many did you see back then? They didn’t sell terribly well, partially because the market for medium-priced cars was a little soft in that three-year period (even stalwart Buick was suffering from poor sales). But we shouldn’t let that grim fact take away from these rare Mercs today, because they’re beautiful (in the context of the late ’50s/early ’60s) cars, especially when they look like this bright red 1960 Colony Park, brought to us by our faithful classified-comber T.J. It’s being sold on Marketplace in Landrum, South Carolina, with an asking price of $49,500, but there is a question or two about the car that might go unanswered.
The first question regards the powertrain. The seller presents the car as having a 383 “Marauder,” which is exactly what the car was listed as having when it sold at Mecum’s Dallas/Fort Worth Auction on October 31, 2025. However, the Colony Park came standard with a 310-horsepower 430 two-barrel. Additionally, the 383 had red valve covers and air cleaner (according to the examples I can find), while the 430 had gold equipment as shown above. I would imagine then that this is a 430, but unless someone in the reading audience has extensive experience telling a 383 and a 430 apart by way of a single picture, this one may remain a mystery.
Of course, the other mystery is why the car is up for sale so soon after the auction. The Mecum selling price (which you can find simply by signing up for Mecum’s website) was $41,800, so the seller’s looking for a little profit. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that, but this doesn’t look like the kind of car you buy to flip right away on Marketplace. It seems like a very nice car, and the seller says that the car has excellent paint and body work and doesn’t appear to have had any rust repaired.
All Mercury station wagons had four-door hardtop architecture in 1960, and the Colony Park is truly midcentury stunning. The Colony Park wasn’t especially rare when new, as 7,411 were sold. That’s actually not too bad for a mid-priced wagon.
The interior looks extremely well-preserved or well-restored, probably the latter.
The upholstery doesn’t quite match the few examples of other Colony Parks I found online, and the sales material is inconclusive when it comes to Colony Parks. It’s little matter. It looks great, and it looks era-appropriate. By the way, the dashboard is exactly as you’d hope it would look: optimistic in a spaceship manner.
From what I can gather online, this car has been sold several times over the course of the last seven years or so. It’s so nice that I can’t imagine there’s something significant wrong with it, but who knows. If you’re interested, a few questions to the seller just might solve a lot of mysteries.
Absolutely stunning!!! I have no clue either as to why its being sold so quickly. Theres no way you could restore this car for what they’re asking. Whats really nice here is that, it’s not a “Me Too” car. This is something you just don’t see very often. Its absolutely beautifully restored. It would be nice to know whats under the hood. I knew about the Mercury 430 bit didn’t know they had a 383. This is just really nice, hope it goes to a good new home. Thanks Aaron, enjoyed this one too!!!
Wow, this thing seems to be changing hands at an alarming rate. Howard?
Unbelievable. $49,000 for a 1960 Mercury? Don’t get me wrong, I love them old Mercs, I was brought home from the hospital when I was 2 days old in my dad’s 1950 4-door Mercury. A 1960 Mercury anything was not a beautiful piece of work, look at those taillights for Pete’s sake. Dam! The 1964 Marauder on BF today is a beautiful automobile. My dad hauled us kids around in a 1961 Mercury Colony Park in 1962 and that was a pretty good looking wagon, the taillights were flat and sloped down in the ends of a chrome piece across the tailgate. And I have never heard of a 383 engine in a Mercury, should be a 332 or a 352, as far as I know.
The 1960 Mercury had the old 312 Y-Block as standard in the Monterey with an optional 383; the 383 was based on the same MEL architecture as the 430, but instead of a 3.7″ stroke it was 3.3″. The 332 and 352 were unavailable in the Mercury for 1960; in fact, 1959 was the final year for the 332 in Fords.
According to the VIN posted on Mecum, 0W57M525401, the M indicates this car was built with a 430ci motor.
Like Dave says, very sharp car, not commonly seen, couldn’t restore it for the asking price. Spaceship dashboard, good line Aaron. I guess some cars just end up in the world of the “flip.”
I think i’m not alone.saying ” a 383 ? “. Never knew that was part of the Ford line up. Now correct me.but am i seing a pcv valve setup. An add on ( good one ) or was pcv in effect, i always thought that these arrived in 63 or 64. This baby is a beauty
Yep, it definitely appears to have an aftermarket PCV system, which didn’t really start to appear on factory installations until around 1963. You can see that the top of the air cleaner has evidence that someone had installed one at some time in the past, which seems to have been common when an engine got some miles on it and started pushing blowby out of the breather and the draft tube.
It seems like PCV became mandatory in California on 1961 models, and most vehicles in the remaining 49 States got it in 1963. However, I had a ’63 and a ’64 Ford Falcon, and dad had a ’65 Falcon, all with the inline 6 and they all still had road draft tubes.
Maybe 352 or 430?
According to the VIN posted on Mecum, 0W57M525401, the M indicates this car was built with a 430ci motor.
Mecum usually charges a 10% buyers fee so when you add that to the auction sales price and then factor in a transport fee from Dallas to South Carolina this seller is not making much money at all. Maybe he didn’t have prior permission from his wife to buy it so it had to go pronto
Exactly right, let’s not forget to add sales tax, and other misc fees. This maybe a break even price, if that.
“doesn’t appear to have had any rust repaired.” Got to love that claim. It could mean no rust to fix, or, it could mean the rust wasn’t repaired (just hidden?).
I thought Mecum’s published results included the 10% buyers fee. That would mean this car was bid to $38,000 and the fee brings it to the $41,800 listed in the article.
AI Overview
Mecum does not include the buyer’s premium (commission) in the displayed auction price (hammer price); it’s an additional percentage added to the winning bid, varying by bid method (e.g., 10% in-person, 12% online/phone for cars), and paid by the buyer on top of the hammer price, along with any applicable sales tax.
@Mrtinwoodie
You guys keep marrying the wrong women. If you need her permission to buy a classic car, she’s the wrong one IMO.
Redheads…
You got right Angel!
My current used to drive XKEs, Corvette and ’36 Ford PUs with small black Chevies. And didn’t get a license to drive cars until she was 25. Drove motorcycles all over the state of CA. Until switching to 4 wheels. Currently building her a V8 Ford Ranger with 4 wheel discs, 4 wheel ABS, power rack and pinion steering and leather seats. And a powered bed slide. Of coarse it has to be purple!
That’s right, Angel! My wife loves it when I bring a car home, and gets sad when I sell one. I think I’ll keep her.
I was at a car show yesterday, and a very young chap (under 30) had a nice Citroen 2CV, exactly like the one pictured. The chap was friendly and we talked about the car, and he told me he got the car from a friend of his in California. He went on to tell me that his friend’s wife did not like the car, and told the friend that the car had to go. “So, you bought if from your friend”?, I inquired. “No,” he replied, “he just gave me the car”.
There is no way in he!! I’d do that even if my wife were Sofia Vergara!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👍
Imagine pulling up to the country club in that! Stunning.
Nice car. It would be a blast to own. Those taillights are HUGE. I wonder what they weigh. Putting them on looks like a two man job.
What a beautifully, restored Mercury wagon. Previous owners certainly spent some serious coin restoring it to this level. The engine is probably a 430 painted the wrong colors. It is kind of strange that it’s changed hands so many times in a short period of time.
There’s something awesomely breathtaking about ANY hardtop station wagon (2 doors and 4 doors – especially the 4 door variety). Beautiful car!
Another nice 60 Merc with correct interior and a 430 which is painted to match the exterior color.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1017357316395210
Thank you for sharing that what a beautiful station wagon and that color with the two tone white roof. The more you look at it the more amazing details you can see.
383, 410, 430, 462 MEL series engines were in Mercs, Edsels, Lincolns, thus the MEL designation,, beginning with the 410 in Edsels in 58. ( Just to confuse things Ford also offered a 410 in the FE series that was used in Mercs in 66 and 67.) The MEL series was a unique design with the combustion chamber in the cylinder instead of the head, similar to the W series 348, 409 and 427 Z11 Chevy engines.
The 332 and 352 are FE engines offered in Fords and Edsels beginning in 58. There was no FE offered in a Merc until 1961 with the 352 and 390 being options.
wow, memories, fond memories. My Dad was into merc wagons started out with a brand new 1956 woodie wagon that ne hauled mom and three kids from Pennsylvania to LA California, and back. Then a slightly used 1958 colony wagon that he traded in for a spanking new 1960 white colony park. That merc made cross country trips three times before my family settled once and for all in Calif. That big merc had the 430 two barrel and the only thing it really needed was a few hundred more horsepower to push around a mega tonnage land cruiser that it was. That big boy took every bit of that motor to get moving and every bit of those big drums to stop it. That Colony was actually my first car stuffed with surfboards and a bunch of yahoos heading to the beach. It ended up retired in the back yard. Eventually that old girl was given away and ended life in demolition derbys.
Body off, Toth. Think about it.
This is a 9 passenger wagon with the third row seat which faces forward. On this car, in order to fold down the seating area to have a flat loading area, the seat cushions needed to be removed. The third row area is not shown in the pictures provided but in the picture of the middle, second row, area it appears that the back cushion for the third row is placed backwards and resting against the back of the middle row. Possibly the back area is folded down flat and they have just placed the cushions in the back and not in the seating position. A better picture of that area would help, better yet the cushions should be installed in the seating position, especially if the seller is trying to get his top dollar.
I have a 1957 Mercury Voyager and I can confirm that the third row of seats folds down, but you have to remove the backrest and seat cushion. And store them… somewhere! An improvement from 1959 onwards is that the cushions can be stored under the rear floor. But not in 1957, so mine were stored somewhere and have therefore disappeared from the car!
3rd row seat 1960 Merc
https://www.ebay.com/itm/277279654617
My guess is the winning Mecum bidder had a few (too many) drinks and bit off more than he can chew! Momma wasn’t happy when he got back home to S.C.
The quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten.
Isn’t this car incredible? Wow is written all over it! Nothing Ford ‘assembles’ today compares to this. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
Nice!
59 and 60 colonies were on 126 wheelbase . earlier and later wagons were on the country squire 119.wheelbase learned on a 59, even spacier looking.
I can’t even imagine a frame off restoration, what work it entails and costs to remove that huge body off its frame, on a 4 Dr wagon like this. It would cost every penny what he’s asking, so if you buy it you’re gonna have to really want this and keep it. No more flips at this price point. Probably a 430 MEL engine that’s painted in correct colors. Only wagon I like better is the Mercury Commuter early to mid 1960s.
I can’t imagine all the labor and cost removing this wagon body from the frame and doing just everything needed. Mind boggling, I also love the 1950s-60s Mercury Commuters
The listing on Mecum for this car, under highlights, claims it was a Body on restoration.
https://www.mecum.com/lots/1155516/1960-mercury-colony-park-wagon/
I know where a twin to this car sits. It’s not restored but sits in a shed on a farm in Nebraska
Not restored? Shed? Farm? Dry Nebraska? Sign me up, I’ll take it!!
Of course, it would all depend on how those conditions have effected its condition.
I’d love to have this car
Thank you, Shuttle Guy
😘
sharp wagon but no money to made here only money to be lost. expensive lesson whatever it may be for the buyer
Hey Phil from France, this is Phil from California. I didn’t know that Ford made that seat storage change in 59. I have a 56 Merc 9 passenger wagon that requires the inconvenient cushion removal. I saw that third row cushion behind the second row seat in the picture provide for this car and just assumed Ford was still using the same system in 1960. Found an old Hemmings link that explains how it all worked.
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/dispatches-from-detroit-1960-mercury-commuter/
Now knowing this, it makes me wonder why that seat back cushion on this car is detached from its back support.
Hi Phil, I have some photos of a 1959 Colony Park where you can see the two cushions stored in the rear “trunk,” here they are: https://www.amerisud.fr/images/59colony.jpg
However, I also have photos of a 1955 9-seater Country Squire, and the cushions are too wide (like on Mercurys up to 1958) to fit in the trunk, especially since the spare tire is located there! On the 1959-60 Colony Parks, the spare tire is mounted vertically on the right.
I literally just bought one of these last week for $80. It sits in a clear box and came in a box that says Goldvarg on it. A nicely done diecast model 😉