1966 Mercury Special-55 Q-code 428ci Convertible

Description

1966 Mercury Special-55 Q-code 428ci Convertible

Classic Mercury and Ford collectors take note; we at MotoeXotica Classic Cars have a Blue Oval product to offer that is seldom seen. We’re offering a 1966 Mercury Special-55 Q-code Big Block Convertible. Made in Ford’s Wayne, Michigan factory on March 11, 1966, this example is just one of only 669 S-55 droptops made in 1966. It was shipped to the Cincinnati, Ohio region and sold at Colonial Motors in Huntington, West Virginia on July 28, 1966. Car reportedly spent its life in West Virginia until 2009.

The Mercury S-55 was a full-size car marketed by Mercury as a performance-oriented version of its Monterey; it was the largest vehicle of the Mercury “S” (Special) range introduced in 1962; its Ford equivalent was the Galaxie 500XL.

Finished in Jamaican Yellow (code 8), the car’s paint and trim are in overall good condition, with a few blemishes visible upon close inspection. The passenger side wiper arm is inoperable, however all of glass panels are in good overall shape, as are the car’s lights. This car rolls on new whitewall tires, size 225/75R15 at all four corners and those tires surround steel wheels covered by factory wheel covers with ‘spinners.’ The wheels and tires are in overall good condition, too.

The convertible’s body panels are solid and straight and the black, power-folding top is in overall good shape. The trunk is in good order and has a tonneau cover to use when the top is down and a spare tire cover, although there is no spare tire in the trunk. The bumpers are in very good condition, the engine bay is tidy and the battery and radiator are new.

Under the hood is Ford’s big block Super Marauder 345hp 428 CID V-8 (Q code) engine (Mercury’s version of the Super Cobra Jet) with four-barrel carburetor, a 10.5:1 compression ratio and dual exhausts. Buttoned to that engine is a three-speed “Merc-O-Matic” automatic transmission and a 2.80:1 final drive. Driver convenience features include power steering, power brakes, power windows and power locks.

Inside, the black vinyl interior, (code 86), is in overall good condition with a few minor blemishes noticeable at close range. The bench seats look great, as does the matching carpet. The instrument panel, with its black and silver color scheme, stands out with its jet-age image. The factory two-spoke steering wheel is present and the car’s inner door panels, mirror glass, center console and shift lever are all in good order. Completing the interior is an item considered an audio oddity today, a factory AM radio combined with a Stereo-Sonic 8-track tape player.

For the 1966 model year, the S-55 made its return as a stand-alone model (becoming the only S model to make a return). As in 1962, the model lineup consisted solely of two-door hardtops and convertibles. Again based on the Monterey, the S-55 featured a bucket-seat interior with a floor-mounted shifter and a higher-performance powertrain. Styling accents include unique body side-striping, deluxe wheel covers and the distinctive S-55 emblem on rear quarter panel and 428 V-8 emblems on the front fender sides.

Documentation includes the original owner’s manual and Stereo-Sonic instruction guide.

Competition to this Mercury in 1966 included convertibles such as Buick’s Electra 225 Custom, Chrysler’s Newport, Dodge’s Polara 500, Ford’s Galaxie 500XL and Oldsmobile’s 98.

This car would be great to take a cruise event or a local car show, as odds are against you seeing one just like it. On a summer evening, it could also take the grandkids with you to buy ice cream or you could ask your favorite neighbors or a couple of friends to join you for a ride to no particular destination. This is a rare bird in the world of mid-60s full-size cruisers, so come by to check it out before someone else does.

This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 98,748 miles. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND DRIVE!!!

Please click here for our YouTube video of the Mercury!

VIN: 6W46Q549223

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