It isn’t every day that you find a respectable, original 1950 Mercury coupe. This one that is located in Milton, Florida can be yours with a buy it now price of $10,000 or the ability to make an offer. While no specific information is listed, the title is listed as clear. You can view more here on eBay.
Under the hood, there is a switch of situation going on. According to the listing, the original motor is not in the car and in its place is a 1953 Ford engine that is claimed to run. There are no other details than that. No photos either. It is going to take a trip to see this car in person to know what is going on with it.
Unlike the engine, the interior does have photos and there isn’t a surprise situation. The interior exists but it is in pieces and in terrible condition. Panels are missing off the doors, the floors are rusting through, and there are some seats missing. While all of that is not pleasant, it is nice to see a dashboard still on the car.
Noted by the seller in the listing, they say the car was last registered in 1977. This car has been off the road for a long time. They have done some work, including installing a new inner right rocker, with other rockers available. A new gas tank is listed to come with the car. Hopefully, the new owner will scoop it up and restore it to original condition. But, if the chop it up and hot rod it, it is a candidate for that too.
I chopped a 1950 Merc many years ago but it wasn’t for me, I’d love to do it again and keep it! this one would not be a big shame to customize.
As much as I like a chopped Merc as much as the next guy, this car is so beautiful in its stock form that it would be a shape to ruin that, 10k doesn’t seem like a lot for one that’s relatively unmolested. This beauty looks so good with the skirts I can hear the rumble of a pair of smitty mufflers behind a flatmotor! Whichever route the new owner decides to go, good luck!!
Cheers
GPC
Looks like the one James Dean drove in Rebel Without A Cause.
Old Mercs beg for modification of the roof line because the original designers made a mistake in the overall design & styling.
Bob
By all means keep it stock! You just don’t
see too many of them in original condition like this one is. Yeah, the ’53
flattie could be retained, rebuilt, and be
bored out to 304 CID. Add a hot cam,
port and relieve the heads, top it with
a 3-carb setup and some headers, and
you’ve got a winner! Other than the
engine upgrades, it would be restored
back to stock specs. Great find! Hope
it stays stock.
Admit the chopped cars look great but at 5’6″ I’ve whacked my brains out getting in and out of the two or three I’ve been in. Besides, the Merc and the Hudsons had the lowest roof line ever and they look good stock height. For the weight to haul I’d be tempted to dig up one of the ’56 Merc overhead valve engines for this one. Even stock those engines had some grunt. Good transmissions that year too.
Iconic design, appreciate it for what it is and what it represents, don’t need another chop job.
How about that? A lead sled that hasn’t been made into a lead sled yet. As much as I don’t like to modify a car in any way, if there’s any car I don’t mind seeing chopped up it’s the ’49-’51 Mercury. Chopping one of these seems like a natural thing to do. Of course that wouldn’t happen in my world but I’d never kick someone off my driveway if they showed up driving a custom Merc.
Now this one: They swapped out the original Mercury engine for a run of the mill Ford? Oh well, it isn’t an SCB, of which I’ve seen an alarming number in these. It would be pretty hard to get me to let go of the 255 Flathead. I’d even be tempted to warm it up a bit, like a pair of Offy heads and 3 Stromberg 97’s…
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot !
Did a car show there couple years ago. Tired of chopped Mercs. Even the 4 doors are nice looking. Suicide door type
When I see these at car shows I can only think of Sylvester Stallone in the movie “COBRA”.
Joe, mine is a 4door ’49 Monarch, and at car shows I get more comments and admiration on the suicide rear doors than I ever expected. The car is stock except for a floor shift, duel exhaust, and 12 volt. I lost out on 3 coupes, one that I could not afford at $500.00, before this one was finished (well, never finished, are they) but I would have kept this sedan anyway. Don’t often see Monarchs, even here in Canada.
Leave it stock in appearance, update front and rear suspension and brakes, flathead with HC heads, multiple carbs, etc., 3 speed on the column or a fordamatic keep the bench seat, paint it black and don’t get any of the new big ugly wheels within a mile from it.
Back in the day my friend had a “50 Merc just like this only in way better shape and for sale for $50.The elephant in the room was that the engine smoked.
What is the difference between a Merc 2 door sedan and a coupe ? Ford coupes have a smaller cab shell than a 2 door , which did Merc make ?
Hi Dale. Mercury only made one model of a 2door and that was also called the coupe. I never owned one but Ford’s coupe had a bigger back seat area and the one with the small window was a business coupe.
There was one of these in central Nevada on its roof in the 90s being 15 at the time I had no way to get it though
Why don’t these flippers ever think to take the car OFF the flatbed or trailer when they take photo’s or at least make sure the trailer/flatbed are NOT in the picture! just screams that they bought it for a song and are out for a fast buck! Then again IF desperate people never paid such high rip off prices then the Car hobby might still be affordable to the average Joe! No wonder the younger ones have so much trouble getting into the sport/hobby! without the newbies this old car hobby is only for the Pebble Beach lawnchair and cravat set! SAD!
I have hauled for friends, 2 of the 2 door Mercs, chopped and lowered.
When I see one in original condition, I compliment the owner for resisting that fad. Only original once.
Wether you think the style or proportion is wrong, it is correct to the era, by design.
I hate hauling cars with no handles and the remote malfunctions. Pain in the handle.
As for the 4 door Mercs, as I said, just love the look.
Have a collector friend in Georgia that bought a gorgeous 59 Mercury Park Lane 4 door hardtop, black with red interior.
I picked up in Reno and delivered to him.
He said he loves the C-post on them more than the 2 doors.
I saw in his collection why. Lots of 2 and 4 doors in his buildings.
Great place to compare.
Check out for yourselfs as the roofs are sometimes so different.
Gotta admit this car got my attention. The price? That too!
hi guys ben here in fl if any of u guys want me to check it out its not all that far from me 352/586/5104
My very first car was a 49 Merc 4 door bought it in 1964 as senior in high school paid,$25.00 for it it had just been on a trip to California and back with no issue, stock flathead, 3 on the tree, put dual glasspacks on it, and a Spark’O’Matic floor shifter ( you old-timers remember that one don’t you 👴) had a lot of fun with the old car, finally had to put an electric fuel pump on it because of the goofy carb that came on them, and the stock mech.fuel pump mounted on top of the intake,it would constantly vapor lock at the worst possible time. Sure as hell wasn’t fast but that back seat was a blast at the drive-in. Being a broke, dumb kid I lowered it in the front by heating the front coils, and rubber raked it 5.60’s fr. 8.20×15 Atlas plycrons in the back needles to say I ended up rebuilding the whole front end, what fun it was to be young and stupid 😁😁
I currently have an electric fuel pump on mine to aide in starting after sitting for awhile. Of all the flatheads I have owned, I never had a vapor lock until I overheated while running in a parade on hot June day. First and last time I ever put my car through that hell.
Please, please keep it stock. Have seen far, far too many chopped, channeled, sectioned, frenched…etc and ad nauseum ! At over 6’1″ I get no pleasure trying to get in one, nor see out, if all that custom work is done. So, I applaud all of you with like opinions/feelings. A good paint job, decent interior, perhaps chrome reversed wheels w/baby moons and enough mild upgrades to the drivetrain and brakes to make it a safe and usable classic. I’ve seen very nice examples in black with not “over-done” flames…
I agree, I have the correct sun visor for my Monarch but it restricts the view out of the stock windshield height. Chop the ones beyond hope, leave the restorable ones for the restorers.