1954 Mercury Monterey Sun Valley

The Tupelo Automobile Museum Auction|27 April 2019, 10:00 CDT|The Tupelo Automobile Museum

1954 Mercury Monterey Sun Valley
Chassis no. 54ME49045M

256ci OHV V8
Single Carburetor
161bhp
3-Speed Merc-O-Matic Automatic Transmission
Independent Front with Live Rear Axle Transmission
4-Wheel Drum Brakes

*Fully restored in the 1980s
*Charming Yellow and Green color scheme
*A wonderful highway cruiser
*Brilliant slice of Americana

THE SUN VALLEY

The designations of Sun Valley and Sky Liner first appeared on the Mercury and Ford books in 1954 and referred to the bubble top or Perspex covering forward of the B pillars, designed to provide the driver with a much more airy cabin and therefore enhanced driving experience. The reality was that its effect was more akin to that of a glass house and for this reason their production was relatively short lived. That first year, Mercury based the concept on its Monterey line of coupes and they must have had very distinct ideas as to how they wished the car to be seen as its color palette was limited to either pale yellow or mint green.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

As the records show in the history file of this beautifully presented Mercury Sun Valley, the vehicle benefits from a relatively well understood ownership history. From some point in the early 1990s, the car was under the car of a Mr. Ralph Wells. An undated letter addressed to him from the car's previous owner, Anothny Nizza, describes a full frame off restoration being conducted on the vehicle. Numerous sheets of paper further show the extent of the work by listing the various components that were either mended or replaced. Unsurprisingly, by the time the museum came to own the vehicle in 1994, it was in truly splendid condition. Its pale yellow and green paint both appear with good shine as does the chrome. Inside, the matching vinyl interior presents in very much the same good condition.

Reported to be a lovely long-distance driver thanks to the ample visibility and light provided by the plexiglass rood, this Mercury will make for a purely enjoyable weekend cruiser for its next lucky owner.

Additional information

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