This survivor is showing a claimed 39,000 original miles, and boy, does it look the part. In period Sunset Orchid and Classic White livery this 1957 Mercury Monterey could have left 1957 and jumped to 2016 with only a few stops along the way! It’s located in Lakeland, Florida and is up for sale here on eBay, where the buy it now price is $26,500 and lower offers are being entertained.
Wow, look at that chrome (the rear bumper has been rechromed)! I love quasi-survivors like this. I say “quasi” because the car has been repainted once, so technically it’s not a survivor by our commenters’ definition. According to the seller, the car was originally sold in Crossett, Arkanasas and lived in the deep South it’s entire life. Last year it was purchased from the original owner’s son, repainted and slightly mechanically refurbished and now is being put back up for sale.
It looks, at least from a distance, that the paint job was done nicely. I’d like to see some closeups to see if glass and trim were removed or taped around; that’s a good indication of the effort put into the repaint. I also like the fact that this isn’t a Ford or Chevrolet–there are a lot of 1957 models of each of those around and it’s neat to see something different for a change!
The place where this car really shines is the original interior. I can’t believe how good this looks! And that print is SO 1950’s!
The dash is gorgeous as well. That is indeed a clutch pedal you see, unlike 98% of 1957 Mercury’s, this car has a 292 V8 with a three-speed manual transmission. Don’t you love that four-spoke steering wheel?
And here is that 292 V8. I’m going to assume that the air cleaner and valve covers have been repainted, but I’d love to know the reason for the odd looking finish on the firewall; what should it look like, experts? And how would you like to take this one home?
That’s a sweet car.. almost perfect in every detail..
Great find and a super nice car..
It’s a repaint, engine compartment ALWAYS tells the story. Why is the trunk worn?
It’s a nice re-bop just not perfect. I wouldn’t trust these guys as far as I could throw ’em.
So fagetaboutit.
If I was going to go to all the trouble to repaint this thing I would have at least repainted the engine bay as well. It does look nice but a classic like this needs to be redone correctly including the engine bay. Otherwise nice!!!!
This is probably a case of fixing one thing and it makes something else noticeable. Fix that and something else is seen and on and on. If the owner got caught in that trap and all we notice is that the firewall is next I think he did a good job. but fixing the engine bay may just make the next flaw more noticeable so it may be pointless.
Probably best to just sand those flaking areas, paint them black and be done with under the hood. Nice car but very optimistic pricing for a “post” model.
Is that some kind of noise insulation on the firewall…. ?
Someone during the cars’ lifetime either sprayed or brushed on that black paint and didn’t properly clean the surface.. It’s now flaking off.. if you look closely, the paint is also on the inside of the rolled in fender edges.. That is not factory…
it is flaking undercoating… Kerosene will remove it…
In l959, I was a HS Senior, minding my own business, driving my ’56 Chevy in traffic and a woman in a ’57 Merc cut in front of me, blocking me, and said I had to park my car, and drive hers for her, since she had stopped short and her 2 year old had hit his forehead on one of those radio knobs (before decent car seats for kids and non lethal knobs) and drive her and the kid to her other kid’s elementary school, and get her out of school and drive them to the hospital ER from where I could take a bus back to my car. Made little sense then but I was only 17 (before 911) and less sense now. Kid had a dent in his forehead, quite gruesome, school would not let me take other kid out of school (of course) so mom had to go in with screaming 2 year old dripping blood, got other kid, and off to ER. But I did like driving the Merc. She gave me 25 cents for the bus fare.
It creates childhood memories that I never had, but dream of.
I would love to just sit in it, and be taken back, to a time that seemed had such high values and morals.
My dad had a new 57 Mercury. Was a gloss black al the gold trim. Had black and gold interior. I put it in ditch on way to high school one time. Didn’t get to drive it for a long time after. Back to the school bus. LOL. Wish I had it now.