The Comet had been Mercury’s compact car since 1960 and – prior to 1964 – the S-22 was the performance-minded edition. When ‘64 rolled around, the S-22 was out, and the Cyclone was in for the next eight model years. The cars came with a 210-hp version of the new 289 V-8 and are somewhat rare today as production was under 7,500 units that year. This 1964 Cyclone has been in storage for 30 years and some of the infrastructure has been replaced due to rust. The unfinished project can be found in a garage in Greenfield, Massachusetts (north of Springfield) and is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $4,000.

The Cyclone started out as an option on the ‘64 Mercury Comet. It was a 2-door hardtop that came equipped with sporty items like bucket seats and a spoked steering wheel. Unusual for most production cars, some of the engine parts were chromed. The Cyclone was already part of the Mercury roster when Ford introduced the Mustang, so it also served as a quasi-pony car until the Cougar would come along a couple of years later. However, that apparently wasn’t a role that Mercury wanted as the Cyclone was less than four percent of Comet production for 1964.

This 1964 Cyclone is said to have been in storage for the past three decades, collecting its fair share of rust along with way. The seller tells us that the floors were rusted out and new Autocrafters pans were about 80% installed, meaning there is more to be done. The frame rails are rusted out, but the seller has two sets of good frame rails and topside gas tank sheet metal to go along with the sale. However, the photos provided really don’t tell the extent of the story, but ample video clips are provided on the seller’s Facebook profile that really show the degree of the challenges that lie ahead for the buyer.

Working in the car’s favor is that it’s a numbers-matching machine, so the 289 is intact but doesn’t run as there is no gas tank attached. However, this one is mated with an automatic transmission rather than a four-speed. Fortunately, the seller says this is a complete car with no missing parts to have to hunt down. Besides the car itself, the buyer will be treated to the car’s original shop manual, a separate shop manual for recalls (?), past repair receipts and other documentation. Spare parts are also part of the deal, including an NOS taillight, extra carb grill, Stewart-Warner gauges and a five-foot, color Comet shop poster.

1964 Cyclones can be worth some big bucks – when well preserved.  Hagerty says they can run as high as $36,000 for a Concours edition.  About one-third that amount if in Fair condition. The seller’s asking price will have to be multiplied to get all the remaining rust and body issues in check. This won’t be a cheap project to finish, but perhaps worthwhile because these cars turn up far less often than Mustangs and even Cougars.