Many wagons of the 1950’s and 1960’s offered great looks comparable to the coupes and sedans of the same make. As time progressed the wagons got a bit bigger and cheesier, somehow making them as cool as ever. Very original with faded wood applique, this massive ’69 Mercury Colony Park wagon is a factory equipped air conditioning street boat. Ready to drive and with minimal issues, this wagon seems like a fair deal for the opening bid of $3,000. Take a look at it here on ebay out of Englewood, Colorado.
Packing a stock 390, I am thinking this V8 could use a little more “umph” dragging around this massive machine. The carb and fuel system have been serviced and rebuilt, and the transmission has been serviced as well. The air conditioning system is in place, as is the cruise control system, but sadly neither features are currently functional. I would imagine the air conditioning system needs to be rebuilt, cleaned, sealed, and recharged at this point. There does not appear to be any major corrosion or damage under the hood. In fact, I would bet that this engine compartment would clean up quite nicely with a solid detailing.
Inside you are greeted buy harmonious colors and an interior that has aged nicely. The driver side of the bench has a split at a seam, but overall the interior is in nice shape. Far in the back of the cargo area, the folding side by side seats are still present and in fair condition. Even the Mercury rubber mats for the front and rear floors are with the car and in fair shape!
With loads of space at your disposal, this wagon is incredibly diverse with the options it gives you on a daily bases. Take the entire family on an outing or to the local car event, and the following day head back to the car event to pick up all of the parts you bought on the sly without your spouse finding out. One issue with this wagon is that while the rear door opens, the rear glass does not roll down, and the rear door does not drop down to work in the tailgate position. I would think that with some tinkering that these issues could be resolved.
Although the exterior is weathered, it is still quite charming. The wood applique has succumbed to sun exposure, but you can still see the wood grain. Overall the body appears very straight and without any severe flaws. Rust looks to be of a minimal concern on this clean station wagon. A little polishing and perhaps a trip to the local vinyl shop could revive the wood grain appearance, and really give this wagon a sharp overall appearance. Personally I would leave the appearance as is, and focus more on the drive train, air conditioning, and some other minor cosmetic concerns like the broken driver side taillight. Otherwise I would leave this big green family hauling machine as is, and prepared for the local swap meets and Saturday car shows at the local ice cream joint. Are you a fan of this green giant?
Big thanks to Josh and my bride of 38 years for getting my posting problem fixed. As I suspected it was operator error on my side,will try harder in the future. This big old Merc really caught my eye this morning. Exact same color and wood grain condition as our 72 Colony Park. I had spotted ours at least 10 years ago setting in an oil field yard setting next to a 63 Breezeway 4 door already prepped for Demolition Derby, so I knew what was in store .Tried numerous times to make contact with the residents in a very nice house in the yard with no luck. One day last winter while at an indoor auction I was talking to a friend and of course the subject was old cars, asked him if he knew any thing about these two. Sure he said,want his number? Lets just say I got a good deal. 429 4V needed carb kit , gas tank flush and new water pump. Wood grain was brought back to an acceptable level with a spray on rubber and vinyl restoration product. We received best unrestored original award at the local car show this fall. It was quite popular at the Christmas parade as well. Who ever buys this one , a word of warning,get ready for the Clark Griswald ,christmas vacation comments. Will try to post a picture later.
Great to hear you saved not one, but TWO of my all-time favorite Mercs .. a CP, & BW!
I have great memories of Moms 1969 CP .. a massive 10p behemoth she needed to haul around her brood of 6. Hers was Gold, with dark tan vinyl seating. I have been wanting one of these for a long time. Each time one comes on the market, it’s too far away to justify the costs. Hoping someone saves this one, and returns it back to her former glamour
Hah, I get the Griswold comments just about everywhere I go in my Squire and it’s Alabaster white and a ’91. Those movies are forever aligned with how the non-car person relates to woody wagons (especially the Merc and Ford) and it cracks me up to hear people’s reactions to it. Maybe I’ll start keeping a sandwich in there in case a lady in a Ferrari shows up. “Vacation” rules. And as always: wagons rule.
Here’s our Colony Park ready for this year’s Christmas Parade.
Nice Colony Park. I dig it. Nice to see an old station wagon being used (eye spy a Christmas tree) to tote things around.
If these wagons could talk I believe they’d say: “Use us; we didn’t survive this long just to be another Pretty Face! We want to work for you!”
As for the ’69 above I like that, too.
Opinion: Working wagons are happy wagons. :D
Bright Green-Gold metallic factory color? Very nice!
When I was in HS, our auto shop crew used to go race at the High School Drags at Bremerton Raceway. They threw the high schoolers together in rounds alternating with the doorslammers running that day.
My favorite was a guy running a Colony Park wagon exactly like this. It had Centerlines and drag radials on it and I remember the guy ripping off 12 second quarter mile times with a Coke in one hand, a cigarette in his mouth and the windows rolled up. We asked to see under the hood but he refused, saying “it’s nothing special guys”.
Sure.
12 second quarter mile? I don’t think so…..
High 12 seconds, but yeah. One of our guys had a Nova that ran low 13’s (my Datsun truck ran 18’s lol) and we gave him a lot of crap for it being slower than an old station wagon.
I had a ’68 Park Lane 390 4v and it hauled rump pretty dang good for a land barge, this puppy can’t be that much heavier so it oughta haul just fine.
Aww, Green Giant…we just need Sprout!
I used to have a white 1970.
I would love to find another one.
There is nothing better than luxury in a wagon, plus the covered headlights are always cool.
I love Yank Tanks! You guys are so lucky to have the roads to drive them on as here in UK two of these wouldn’t be able to pass each other on our country roads!
Dovi65 Sorry but did not save the Breezway as it was already stripped out. Every thing ,chrome ,stainless ,interior was laying beside it on the ground. I thought about it for about 3 minutes and bought all 4 hub caps ,loaded the wagon and went home. I sure every thing is still there just as I left it.
Back in the day, I remember reading somewhere that brown shoe polish would revive faded woodgrain paper. Couldn’t hurt to try it here!
My father used brown shoe polish on his ’79 Colony Park to ‘restore’ the woodgrain… turned out good and held up. I have a faded woodgrain tailgate panel on my ’71 Ranger XLT so I might try it for myself.
I always used Liquid Gold, which lasted a little while.
I could make a comment incorporating the word Shinola, but I’ll refrain since I won’t be going to confession this week.
Did you know they are back in business? Somebody bought the name and revived it. I don’t know why you would, when they are famous for being compared with doodoo.
https://www.shinola.com/
Chebby, I don’t think the comparison is with Shinola. The saying is “You don’t know sh** from shinola” which would indicate it is the opposite of the former.
The local Ford dealer recommended silicon spray (IT?) to shine up faded wood back in the late 70’s on my dad’s 71 lovely brown on brown County Squire. Worked pretty good!
A bit of competition in the late 60’s between my dad, who usually bought a car with limited options and no air (like our ’69 LTD) and his “civil service employee” brother, who would come to visit and rolled into town with a fully loaded Mercury Colony Park.
It is optioned kind of weird.
It has cruise control but no power windows (Which is a huge plus).
I recall seeing lots of high-trim standard-sized cars with A/C and crank-up windows back in the day. My grandparents had a ’70 LTD, ’73 LTD Brougham, and ’77 LTD Landau so equipped.
My mother’s Mercury wagon in back of my 1969 Porsche 911E, around 1976.
Matchbox made a green Mercury wagon much like the ones in the photos back in the day. All the kids my age had one.
I believe that was a Cougar wagon, not the Colony Park.
Looking at it, it might be an earlier full size wagon.
I remember two different ones. There was the earlier “Commuter”, like this one: It came in standard and Super Kings sizes and with and without the tires and stuff on the roof:
http://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/162368277628-0-1/s-l1000.jpg
There was also the mid 70s Cougar wagon with a plastic drop down tailgate – I only recall it being in the standard size:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d5/bf/1b/d5bf1b220d3c2b5212da5e07718fd3fe.jpg
Remember the car, it said Colony Park on the bottom. It also had steerable wheels and a dog looking out the window in back. Used to use the little hook on the back to tow the Matchbox boat.
Oh yes! I remember!!
Ah, maybe a trip to Colorado? Must resist, but it would go with the 68 Colony Park wagon I have now.
Last summer I was on vacation down in Charleston, SC. Over on the Mt Pleasant side of town there is a stretch of road with multiple lanes and lights. As I pulled up to a light I noticed beside me a guy in a fancy new sports car. In the far lane was a guy in a Colony Park that was similar in color and vintage to this one.
When the light turned green, I couldn’t help but laugh as the guy in Colony Park smashed down on the gas causing a loud roar as he left the sport car and everyone else in the dust. As he blew down the road, I noticed a big dual exhaust sticking out from under the rear bumper.
Possibly one of the greatest sleepers I have seen! Haha
My boss, the owner of the NAPA store where I worked in high school had a twin to the one here. (green with the wood grain ). It had the largest engine available. (429?). And motivated the car rather well. (I had to deliver parts in it at times). If not for the fuel sewer these had. I would own one today. They make mighty nice pickup trucks.
YEP! The old family truckster! Mine was lucky enough to have the fuel sipping 460 in it. I used it to tow my Alfa Giulietta race car around the pacific northwest! what a frikkin beast.
I thought that was fuel chugging
Wagons of this style used to be the quintessential ‘Wildwood’ car for families heading down the shore! Replaced now by tall SUVs which don’t do a whole lot better in the MPG dept.
Regarding that taillight — we had a 69 Ford Ranch wagon with a similar fixture. The dealer told my Dad that major disassembly of the rear interior was required to change the taillight lens. Boy was he disgusted!
I bought this green giant last January, been working on it since. Car was very solid but needed a fair amount of mechanical work. Runs perfect now, everything now works except the cruise control. Am redoing the Di-Noc woodgrain, car is currently stripped and ready for paint. Going with the original color, should be in paint within several weeks then it is back on the road. Really a nice, original solid car.
Rick, thanks for the update! Be sure to post some pictures!