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Grandpa’s Car: 1963 Mercury Meteor

right front

In 1962 and 1963 the Meteor went from being a large car to an intermediate. It was the Mercury version of the Ford Fairmont. This Meteor features a V8 paired with an automatic and is claimed to have just 65,000 miles! There’s no word on how long it was stored or much else. It needs the typical carb and brake work as well as a gas tank.

inside

The inside looks original and and in decent condition. It just needs a horn button and a radio. Is the steering wheel rather worn for only 65,000 miles?

left front

It does look rather nice in the pictures but perhaps a bit lumpy on the right side and could that be rust here on the left side? It still has all the trim and hubcaps. So here’s a driver for you 2 door fans and it’s even a hardtop. It seems a bit overpriced, but perhaps it’s the 2 door hardtop price. With minimal work, this could be a nice driver. This likely has the smaller V8, the 221, 145 horsepower unit to go with the bench seat. You can find this Meteor listed on Craigslist in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Would you drive it as it is or would you want to update things like brakes and suspension a bit? As always, I look forward to seeing your comments.

Comments

  1. HoA Howard A Member

    $7500 DOLLARS!!! Good heavens. You know, it probably is worth it, it is a great example, but I just can’t help but think, years ago, these were $100 beaters. We we called these “winter cars”, and bought them strictly for the purpose of driving while our good cars sat inside. (my MGB for me) I had a car very similar to this, only a ’62, with a 6, bought it for $100, drove it until Spring, and junked it. That’s one of the reasons I have so much car knowledge, just because of the different cars I bought for that purpose over the years. While the 2 speed (?) automatic, would squelch any power the V-8 would deliver ( still better than the 6, automatic I had) it still would be a nice cruiser. Cool find, last year for the Meteor, but a little steep on the price.

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  2. Avatar David R.

    Nice car, I’ve always wanted a 1962. It was based of the Ford FairLANE, not Fairmont. Simple typo, I’m sure

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  3. Avatar John K

    nice design but that right front fender is absolutely wrinkled and that does look like something funky going on with the driver’s side rocker panel. Sure doesn’t seem like a $7,500 car, but maybe in person the issues really aren’t that bad?

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  4. Avatar piper62j

    Pig in a polk… The steering wheel and right fender lines are a dead giveaway that there are some underlying issues with this puppy.. Yep, nice driver, but it appears to hold some surprises,,,, Like the price for example.. This seller is inhaling that funny stuff..
    Nice find.. Good car..

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    • Avatar grant

      I’m confused. Is it a pig in a poke, or a nice find, good car?

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  5. Avatar The 'Schmitt Haus

    The Meteor might be based on the Fairlane of simular vintage except for the front suspension. The Meteor used a modified “normal” front suspension like the Falcon, Comet, Fairlane, and later the Mustang. This modified suspension had a second coil spring mounted on a stamped strut that replaced the round steel strut used on the other models I mentioned. This was the only vehicle Ford used this suspension on and the Meteor only lasted 2 model years.

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  6. Avatar Lee

    Whats rare bout an undesirable 260V8 ???/Lee

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  7. Avatar Paul B

    I cannot believe the asking prices for cars like this and the Rambler Rogue also posted today. They’re junkers, and don’t drive especially well. What’s the point of owning an older car at a high price that’s no fun to actually drive? I agree with anyone who says they’re pieces of history that should be preserved. I feel that way too. But at these prices, not even refurbished for the road? Wow. My kindergarten teacher had a Meteor. I thought it was cool. But that was five years after kindergarten so I was still pretty young. I still think the Fairlane and Meteor intermediates are cool — a step ahead of GM and its Chevelle, but more dowdy. Oh well.

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  8. Avatar gregg

    Paul B, I Couldn’t agree with you more. I’ve made the same kind of comment on BF in the past and was ripped a new @-hole. So you should expect to get blasted for it real soon.

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  9. Avatar piper62j

    Grant.. Belay your confusion.. Any of these older cars can be a great find if you know them like us older gearheads do.. It’s all in the eye of the beholder.. A fender out of alignment, a ripple in a quarter panel, rusty floor pans etc., are all indications of the pig in the polk when the exterior looks decent.. Many of these cars are written up to look and be great vehicles by the seller, only to have hidden issues..
    Hope this clears things up for you a little..

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  10. Avatar piper62j

    Grant.. Here’s another clarification for you.. It’s “polk” not “poke”..

    The English colloquialisms such as turn out to be a pig in a poke or buy a pig in a poke mean that something is sold or bought without the buyer knowing its true nature or value, especially when buying without inspecting the item beforehand.
    Pig in a poke – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig_in_a_pokeWikipedia

    “Poke” is when you use your index finger and touch someone to get their attention..
    No need to thank me.. Just want to eradicate your confusion in a friendly way.

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