1960 Mercury Monterey Convertible
At 81.5 inches wide, the 1960 Mercury Monterey matched its Ford sibling as the widest automobile of the model year. The completely new bodywork abandoned the Turnpike Cruiser-inspired styling of previous years in favor of more restrained, subtly sculpted sheetmetal with modest rear fins.
Mercury’s “Road-Tuned” suspension combined specially valved shock absorbers with what the company described as a balanced spring calibration to isolate road roughness while maintaining control. The chassis featured coil-spring independent front suspension and a live rear axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs on a 126-inch wheelbase.
Power came from a 383 cubic inch overhead valve V-8 producing up to 330 horsepower in high-performance Marauder form, with lower-rated versions also available.
The engine connected to a three-speed Merc-O-Matic automatic transmission. Four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes provided stopping power, with power assist available.
Created by Edsel Ford in 1939 to bridge the gap between Ford and Lincoln, Mercury had evolved into a strong contender in the mid-price segment by 1960.
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