For Sale: 1953 Mercury Monterey in Concord, North Carolina

With its cool coordination and a touch of custom flair, this 1953 Mercury Monterey convertible is a distinct and attention-grabbing V8 cruiser offered at quite a nice price.

The first-generation Monterey really had a terrific premium flair. You paid extra for a Mercury, and so they showcased this style with plenty of chrome surrounding every inch. These really had a distinct look with the grille and the bumper part of an integral design. And you see the same in the rear where the ends of the bumper expand to merge with the hint of tailfin. And even the brightwork details are great, like the full-length trim, hood ornament merged with a hood scoop, and factory wheel covers with bright red rings drawing attention to the Mercury logo center. You can see all of this so vividly because this was restored later in life. So, the factory-correct Siren Red provides a clean perfect canvas to showcase all these details. More than just a great total presentation, these are rare. Less than 8,500 convertibles were made in 1953, and how many do you think survived to look this good 65+ years later?

The white roof is a great coordinating color against the red paint. And if you like the way this color combo looks, then you're going to love taking it down to show off the cool custom interior. Both rows of seats have a red and white tuck-n-roll style pattern that's the exact kind presentation the best custom cars got in the 1950s. And with the full side panels done to match, it really has a distinct and vintage look. The smooth red dash, bright white boot cover, and clean red carpeting complete this well-coordinated style. This has more vintage appeal with the artful steering wheel and controls that flank the speedometer for a true 1950s jet age style presentation. This Mercury's premium side is shown again with the rare power windows option. And if you get the power convertible top serviced (currently it operates manually) this would allow you to go from enclosed comfort to wind-in-your-hair experience without ever leaving the driver's seat.

The Ford/Mercury flathead V8 is always a great sight to see. Everything looks quite tidy here, including the bold blue block and those dual hoses doing a 90-degree dive into the motor. In fact, it has a period-correct full appearance and the consignor states it's the original powerhouse. The push-button start awakens this legendary V8 with ease, and it makes the right hint of rumble from the glasspack-style dual exhaust. It has a smooth-shifting automatic transmission, and the Mercury's easy cruising nature means features like power steering and power brakes.

We were told this was an Arizona car most its life, and this has the clean look to support the look of a desirable desert classic. So you're looking at a solid presentation of a drop-top classic with plenty of distinction. Call now!