The Montclair was a full-size Mercury from 1955 to 1960 and again from 1964 to 1968. During these years, it was usually the mid-range model positioned above the Monterey. The seller’s 1957 Montclair has been with the same owner for more than 35 years and needs to be put back into running condition. With little rust, this big Merc is in a garage in Boca Raton, Florida, and is available here on eBay for $13,900 OBO. Thanks for the cool tip, T.J.!
How automobiles get named is sometimes random. For example, the Montclair might have been named after the fancy town that was near Mercury’s manufacturing plant in Mahwah, New Jersey. Just as the Monterey was named after a beachy place in California. When the redesign of 1957-58 occurred, the Montclair rode on a longer wheelbase than before, making it a larger vehicle than a corresponding Ford. The seller’s version may have been built later in the model year, as it has quad instead of dual headlights, something not approved by the Feds until mid-way through the model year.
This non-running Merc has a 368 cubic inch V8, an option that gained 56 CI but only 35 hp. It was the Turnpike Cruiser engine, named after Mercury’s then top-of-the-line car. When you ordered an automatic transmission like in this vehicle, it was the push-button variety, following a 1956 lead from Chrysler. We’re told this stately hardtop was last driven 20 or more years ago, residing in the garage where you see it ever since.
The big car rolls and stops, so loading it on a trailer should not be a problem. The body and paint are good, with rust only in one spot. And the motor turns, but does not start. A new gas tank in the box goes with the sale to help correct fuel delivery. The interior is only dirty, and the upholstery has been saved thanks to the see-through plastic covers that were popular with Grandma back in the day. This Montclair is one of 30,000 built in this body style.
Wow, I could not look at that car in my garage for 20 years and not want to drive it. Hell, I couldn’t look at it for 20 minutes and not want to drive it!
We’ve seen this before, this is not a “Turnpike Cruiser”, just a Montclair with a Turnpike Cruiser motor, a common mistake, apparently. The ad never says it’s a Cruiser. Name notwithstanding, this car could roll right along a Cruiser, and $800 bucks less, to boot. This car cost $3236 new, when a Cruiser was almost $4grand, right up there with a Caddy. It’s a fantastic car, sadly, I don’t know how many folks wake up thinking, “let’s buy that non-driveable ’57 Mercury today”.