This 1966 Mercury Comet Cyclone GT Convertible it’s up for grabs and in the listing the seller describes both its strength and weakness as being its originality. It’s currently in Fresno, California, but you can make this beautiful convertible yours for a BIN price of $8,900 with the ability to make an offer. A VIN is listed and it has a clear title along with a claimed 34,277 miles on the odometer. You can read the seller’s ad and buy it here on eBay.
According to the listing, a 390 cubic inch V8 engine with a four-barrel carburetor sits under the hood, which is connected to a C6 three-speed automatic transmission. To stop this car, it is equipped with power drum brakes. Sadly, this car has the ever-popular ran when parked mention in the listing. The seller states that the car does turn over and start with the key, but doesn’t stay running. They note all the electrical elements still work.
Inside, power bucket seats, a factory optioned tachometer on the dash, and dealer optioned air conditioning are all installed on the car. The car has manual crank windows though and the rear window on the driver side doesn’t quite make it to its destination without some assistance. The car has been sitting in a driveway for 10 years. As the seller notes, luckily the weather is not too bad in California.
Due to that good weather, they say that the frame, floor pans, and trunk do not have any rust issues. They do mention that the car has a hood prop for the fiberglass hood, which they find strange. It has a real glass window convertible top. With all of that information, it is a decent car for a decent price. While it doesn’t happen often, sometimes there is a perfect storm, a cyclone, of price and performance.
Beautiful Mercury with a desirable big block and a great color combo. Seems like a great price for what you’d be getting; a low mileage(if true) convertible that seems to be in good overall condition. Definitely needs a re-paint but the interior looks pretty good. I wish it was closer as I’d definitely like to have a shot at it but it seems as usual, the best ones are on the wrong coast for me. Dang it. I can’t see it lasting too long before someone hits the “Buy It Now” button.
yea I’m with Fordguy. Good deal if the underbelly is good. Gotta be rare, Great pics of the plug wires and the hubcaps, needed more pics of the body. Good luck to the new owner!!
Cheers
GPC
The plug wire photo is to show that the original engine ID tag is still present. You can see it attached under the one valve cover bolt.
luv the ‘stacked hdlghts” 2 yr models(?) for the “Fairlane”.
Ck the green//blue? chero on the Wikipedia page for this model.
This is B4 the nice straight lines of the 60s ran into the ‘curves’ of the later 60s. ‘Bulges’ over the wheels, etc… Hair got longer, cars more ‘sexy’? ’60 – ’64, 5, 6 esp ford get it 4 me, just like the mid/late 30s – very early 50s (also a lill curvy but in a better way). aaahahahaaa – who can account for taste…eh?
My father had a Pace Car on his lot for a long while. He finally sold it to a local guy, who got killed on the NY Thruway. The Pace Car was not involved. Dad took the car to the auction in Buffalo
$8,900 BIN?! For a genuine -S- Code 390 Cyclone GT! Too good to be true? Maybe. The ‘66 Cyclone GT is literally the same car as the Fairlane GT and GTA. Mercury didn’t designate an -A- for the heavy duty, new for ‘66, Sport-Shift C-6 automatic like the Fairlane GTA. The 390GT not only got the chrome trim seen on this Merc’s engine but most importantly got a good cam allowing 5,500 RPM and a Holley 600 CFM carburetor. This Cyclone features the OEM tachometer mounted on the dash. Super Stock magazine designated the 1966 Mercury Cyclone GT as the best muscle car of that year. Fast Eddie Schartman tested a stock Cyclone GT 4 speed where it ran 14.0 on the strip. I have owned both a ‘66 Fairlane GTA and a Cyclone GT w/C-6. Excellent cars! Both fun to drive and quick. Again I’m amazed at this BIN. Be careful. Something might be fishy here.
McQ – Agreed. Good old “Fast Eddie”. I bought a brand new ’67 GTA in Louisville, drove it round-about way to Bayonne, shipped it to Germany…whee ! Autobahn, Autostrada, Alps etc for two lovely years. Shipped back to Bayonne, drove back home kept it briefly while my new BOSS 351 was being built. Great car, but the GTA could’ve used a spoiler in front to keep it better planted & less floaty at A’bahn speeds. I think the Cyclone might have been more floaty, being a Merc…but you owned one, not me.
Agree re: “Floaty”. Both my Fairlane GTA & Cyclone GT were scary over 100mph. I did drag race both on NHRA strips. Mid 14’s/high 90’s. With 428CJ the Cyclone did run consistently mid 13’s/low 100’s. A Boss 351 was out of my financial reach in ‘71 and alas at today’s value….they still are. In my opinion the Boss 351 is one fast, fine and rare Mustang.
I could see this in my driveway on a Saturday and Sunday after removing from garage on a nice sunny day here in Houston. Priorities, priorities, I’d probably buy every car that gets listed if I could, but then reality hits hard. I still have things I want to do to my 64 Riviera and I’m still waiting for a 67 Buick Skylark convertible with factory 4 speed. I also want a 60’s pickup, Ford or Chevy with no rust issues. Oh well, dream on and keep my priorities straight.
God bless America
Really cool ride and a ragtop too!! Don’t see very many of these things around and a 390 bigblock to boot!! If I had the space I would love to own this ride!!
One thing to note is this car has the correct grille which are unique to the cyclone. It took me 10 years to find a good correct one for my cyclone as many were damaged over the years and replaced by standard grilles which are far more plentiful. As for the hood prop rod – the fiberglass hood had special springs and if you put on ones from a steel hood it causes it to bulge. I only had one correct one so I tried two different shelby styles. One set was too strong and the other would hold it up by could come down with a crash. I ended up using one shelby and one original but still use a prop at car shows for safety.
My boss had a 67, white 390 convertible back in 78 I was a senior in high school, he liked my car because it was loaded w options and I liked his car cause it left block long smoky burnouts outside my high school
How many, or how few of these were actually built? Mercury didn’t sell that many 390 powered Cyclones at all in ’66, 3000 ? That might be on the fat side.
These two years of mid sized Ford and Merc’s (’66-’67)are my favorite blue ovals from back then…in looks, mechanically it could have been more exciting,,, after all these were aimed squarely at the GTO market.
Like the hood and the color of the car, rims are kinda boring.
You are not looking at the rims, those are hubcaps.
Maybe so, but they’re still kinda boring. Thanks
This is the best Comet body, IMHO. My father had a beater 66 Comet with the 289. I really liked that car, probably because it gave me the first taste of freedom as a young man. I wouldn’t mind finding one just like this to tinker with. Very nice car and a decent price !
I had the hard top version of this car in the exact color. I raced the wheels off of it. It came standard with factory exhaust cutouts (which shocked the crap out of more than one street racer when we lined up nose and nose). Sadly and stupidly, I blew the engine when I shouldn’t have even been behind the wheel. I looked for an engine for six months but couldn’t find one. I sold the car and the next week found a 428 SCJ but the guy I sold the car to wouldn’t sell it back. :( I wish I was in a position to buy this car… the convertible would be so much fun!
I have a 67 Comet with a big block, and I love the car. The first thing any potential buyer should check, is the torque boxes. In rainy areas, the convertibles were notorious for having water drain down onto them and rotting them out. It is a big job to replace them, and will cost dearly.
BTW: I would kill to have that interior, it gives a whole new look to the car.
Bob
After reading the ebay listing I’m inclined to think it’s legit. Seller has a Paypal account to which a buyer can pay the $500. My skepticism on super bargains, like I think this is, is a result of seeing a friend’s ebay listing for a ‘64 Fairlane K Code (HP289) get “lifted” and listed by a scammer for a ridiculously low BIN and a substantial deposit. It was a shock to us. I’m not the least bit knowledgeable on how it’s done but it was a classic “eye opener”.
Again though I think this ‘66 Cyclone GT is a true diamond in decent restorable condition. That air cleaner is even original and those are quite valuable. Same air cleaner that was on K Code Mustangs.
I Like……!
My Nephew had one of these same year Comet, in Red with a six banger, auto, and white or parchment bucket seat interior, He regrets to this day selling it back about 10 years ago. He always referred to it as his Vomit with a “throw up top”, lol
This listed car is just 3 hours south of me but I have my 60’s Ragtop already, otherwise I would be very tempted. Nice rare find here!
A former boss had one of these with a 427 and 4-speed. I find this car pretty ungood looking, but his was tan with a brown vinyl top for that extra ugly look. Still, it was super fast and super rare. Cool car, even if it isn’t something I like personally.
Those hubcaps were also available in `65.
Great car all around and a good value at the price. It looks like the clear coat is peeling to me and it wasn’t around then. Does it say it was repainted?
For anyone interested production figures were 13812 for the GT Hardtop and 2158 for the GT Convert in 1966. All GT’s had S code 390 but the non GT Cyclones were available with the 289 and lower horsepower 390.
It was also the last year of any good numbers on these Cyclone GT’s. I had it wrong, it was the ’67 where production went way South: 3400 plus hard top GT’s..378 convertible GT..And 27 427 cyclones that were not GT cars…….390 made 320 advertised hp also in ’67, the worst sales would come in ’71,..so bad it’s amazing any are left. Just in case anybody was curious.