Vintage Mercurys

Q: Greg, I have two Mercurys. The first is a 1960 Park Lane two-door hardtop. It has full powers, including windows and seat, but no air conditioning. It is all original, no rust, and it runs and drives well. It could stand a paint job, but it is still presentable. The interior is good, and I have new carpet for it.

My second Mercury is a 1966 Montclair two-door hardtop fastback with 49,000 original miles. It has the 410 V-8 motor, and the car is a very strong number “3” condition (“1” is worst; “5” is pristine).

These cars seem rare, as I never see any at car shows or cruises. How rare are they, and what is their value? I don’t want to sell, I’m just curious. — Butch B., Frostburg, Md.

A: Butch, your 1960 Park Lane seems like a real nice piece, especially in a non-rusted condition, regardless of paint quality. Of the 271,331 Mercurys built in 1960, only 2,974 were Park Lane two-door hardtops. No wonder you don’t see any!

The current book prices range from $9,450 in No. 3 condition to a high of $21,000 for a fully restored (No. 5 condition) Park Lane. Bringing the car up to No. 4 status might be prudent, as the price moves up to $14,700.

Your 1966 Montclair two-door hardtop fastback had a production run of 11,290 of the 343,149 Mercurys assembled that year, so it too is rare. The No. 3 price is currently around $5,400, with a restored No. 5 condition Montclair carrying a price of $12,000, so the Montclair isn’t as in demand as the Park Lane.

I’d lean toward the 1960 Park Lane if you were planning to invest money. Regardless, it looks like you are sitting pretty.