Ford introduced a mid-size car in 1962 and moved the Fairlane nameplate over to represent it. Mercury was included in the decision and offered the Meteor in 1962 and 1963. These cars may have been the catalyst for General Motors to upgrade three of its compacts to intermediates in 1964. The seller has a fairly nice Meteor Custom from ’63, and it comes with a rebuilt 260 cubic inch V8. Located in Hermiston, Oregon, this Merc seems reasonably priced at $3,500 here on craigslist.
The Meteor was another Space Age name adopted for FOMOCO automobiles. It was a full-size Mercury in 1961, a mid-size for two years, and then disappeared from U.S.-sold cars (but it continued through Ford of Canada). The new, smaller Meteor was offered as 2 and 4-door sedans in 1962, with the 2-door hardtop arriving in 1963 (along with a wagon). The hardtop was only sold in Custom trim, and Mercury built just over 7,500 of them that year. A 170 cubic inch inline-6 was standard, but 221 and 260 CI V8s were added to the options list.
This Merc has a 260 V8, but no mention is made of numbers-matching. It has been rebuilt and may or may not be stock since there is Shelby bling all over the place. The engine compartment is rather dirty, so some detailing would make things really stand out. The tires are new, and the Meteor otherwise has a lot of original parts at 109,000 miles.
The body and paint seem to be okay, but the photos provided do not number many. And the interior may be fine, too, but it also needs detailing. An automatic transmission is paired with the V8, perhaps a 2-speed? The major downside is the lack of a title (missing), so that headache may have been factored into the price. This looks like a nice Cars & Coffee entry if the title business doesn’t throw you off.
What’s with the Shelby nonsense? I have to wonder what people are thinking when they do stuff like that.
Nice looking car, good price, wish it was closer. Nice find, and write up.