Rare 1963 Mercury Meteor S-33 2D Hardtop Lightning 260 V-8 Merc-O-Matic

Condition: Used
Make: Mercury
Model: Meteor
SubModel: Lightning
Type: 2 Door Hardtop Coupe
Trim: S-33
Year: 1963
Mileage: 59851
VIN: 3K47F509295
Color: Peacock Turquoise
Engine size: 260 Windsor V-8 to 302
Number of cylinders: 8
Power options: Power Steering, Power Brakes
Fuel: Gasoline
Transmission: Automatic
Drive type: RWD
Interior color: Metallic Turquoise
Drive side: Left-hand drive
Options: Bucket Seats, Center Console, Two-Tone Interior, AM/FM Stereo, Heat
Vehicle Title: Clean
Location: San Diego, California, United States

Description

I've been too busy renovating a house to give her the attention she deserves so it's time to do right by her and let her go. We affectionately refer to her as "The Magnet" because everywhere we go people stare and drool over her. I've purchased her in March of 2002 and she comes with a completely clear title and no lapse in insurance.
If you are unfamiliar with this make and model and want to check comparable value, please note that she is the top of the line S-33 2D Hardtop Lightning Merc-o-Matic260 V-8 164HP, not the lesser models which are priced and valued considerably lower ... she is quite a rare bird as these were only in production for one year and only 4,865 were produced. She was originally ordered by someone in Hollywood back in '63 right off the production line ... possibly for a 1963 episode of Outer Limits ...you will likely have the only one at any car show you will attend.

For the mechanically inclined with time on their hands, this should be a no brainer!

Her original engine was a 260 V-8, but, I replaced it with a rebuilt from the ground up V-8 302 back in 2004 ... she purrs. She has had considerable upkeep over the years including transmission and Edelbrock 4bbl carburetor rebuild in 2014, new Duralast battery just installed, new narrow white tires in 2016, new steel gas tank, torque converter, ignition switch, alternator charging system and much more. I have all maintenance and repair receipts since purchase in 2002. She has served as a daily driver over the years, but is currently in need of a new fuel filter ( pictured ). Headliner and dash in excellent condition, upholstery and carpet in good condition. No missing trim. She has recently developed some rust spots from the last several years of heavy rain and being parked on the street at our house very near the coast that should be addressed as soon as possible as it seems to be developing from nothing to something very rapidly ( see pictures of rear passenger side over wheel ). Addressing this is a major reason for my letting her go because I don't have time to take care of it myself right now and I don't want to see it get any worse with as rare a beauty as she is. She has always had a perfect body and it just isn't right to let her suffer deterioration due to my unavoidable neglect.

Some Info and Background:
For 1962, Mercury marketing decided that the Monterey nameplate had better consumer recognition than the Meteor moniker as far as full-sized vehicles were concerned (despite the fact that the Meteor outsold the Monterey), and instead assigned the Meteor name to a new line of mid-sized cars based on the Ford Fairlane which, in turn, was based on a long-wheelbase version of the Ford Falcon chassis. This smaller, mid-sized Meteor filled the product gap between the full-sized Monterey and the compact, Ford Falcon-based Mercury Comet.
Riding the Fairlane’s 116.5 inch wheelbase, the 1962 Meteors wore unique rear quarter panels that mimicked the Monterey's jet-pod tail lights. The base Meteor and better-trimmed Meteor Custom were available as two- and four-door sedans. The Meteor S-33 was a specially appointed two-door sedan featuring premium exterior trim and interior amenities including bucket seats, and a center console. Its styling and features were similar to the Fairlane 500 Sports Coupe.
For 1963, Meteors received a trim update and the addition of two body styles, a four-door station wagon and a two-door hardtop coupé. The four-door station wagon was added to both the Meteor and Meteor Custom series. In the Meteor Custom series the station wagon was referred to as the Mercury Country Cruise and featured simulated wood-grain trim on the exterior. The hardtop coupe was added to the Meteor Custom and Meteor S-33 series. The hardtop coupé replaced the two-door sedan in the Meteor S-33 series, as had the Fairlane Sports Coupe.
The base Meteor engine was a 170 cubic inch, inline six-cylinder engine with a one-barrel carburetor 101 hp (75 kW) at 4000 rpm. Optional engines included a 221 cubic inch V-8 with a two-barrel carburetor that generated 145 hp (108 kW) and a 260 cubic inch V-8 with a two-barrel carburetor that generated 164 hp (122 kW). A three-speed manual transmission was standard. Overdrive and Merc-O-Matic automatic transmissions were options.
Sales of the mid-sized Mercury Meteor were less than expected and the model was discontinued at the end of the 1963 model year.
The second version of the Fairlane V8, introduced during the middle of the 1962 model year (March 1962), had a larger bore of 3.80 in (96.5 mm), increasing displacement to 260 cu in (4.3 L). Compression ratio was raised fractionally to 8.8:1. The engine was slightly heavier than the 221, at 482 lb (219 kg). Rated power (still SAE gross) rose to 164 hp (122 kW) at 4400 rpm, with a peak torque of 258 lb⋅ft (350 N⋅m) at 2200 rpm.
In 1963, the 260 became the base engine on full-sized Ford sedans. Later in the model year, its availability was expanded to the Ford Falcon and Mercury Comet. The early "1964½" Ford Mustang also offered the 260, although it was dropped at the end of the 1964 car model year.

More Mercury classic cars for sale