The Montclair was Mercury’s mid-level, full-size car from 1955 to 1960 and again from 1964 to 1968. For the latter run, it was sandwiched between the Monterey and Parklane models. The seller has a 4-door “hardtop sedan” that’s been sitting in the mud for 25 years, rusting out the back portion of the frame. But with some new parts, it’s now a running project. Located in Greenville, Wisconsin, restoring this Merc further could be a labor of love. It’s available here on Facebook Marketplace for $2,500. Our thanks go to “Lothar… of the Hill People” for the tip!

No one at FOMOCO seems to know how the name Montclair came about, but it could have been named after Montclair, New Jersey, which was near a then-new Mercury plant. In 1966, the Ford division built nearly 38,000 Montclairs of which more than 15,700 were 4-door hardtop sedans like this one (pillarless portals). A 390 cubic inch V8 with a 2-barrel carburetor was standard. That, along with an automatic transmission, occupies their place in this Monty.

This car sat for more than two decades, and its surroundings ate away at part of the rear frame. The seller has “patched it up,” but a new frame or portion would be the best permanent solution. The trunk has some rust, too, and the dark green paint is beyond its prime. Parts of the interior seem okay, but the carpeting is trash and needs to be replaced. We’re told the mileage may be a true 23,000, but isn’t it just as likely that the odometer could be on its second time around?

New parts include the brakes, tires, carburetor, alternator, muffler, belts, and more. But the fuel tank has a leak, and that will need to be addressed sooner rather than later. While some of the heavier lifting may have already been done, the buyer is going to have to keep plugging away. Especially at sorting out the trouble with the frame. But how much demand is out there for a 60-year-old Montclair with four doors?