Thread: 1966 Mercury Monterey

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My current project is a 1966 Mercury Monterey convertible. This is just a hobby for me so I'm creating this thread, in part, to keep myself motivated. So far, the project has been a tremendous amount of work and I'm not nearly as far along as I thought I would be. I'm hoping to complete it by spring of next year. We'll see.

Thanks for looking.

I had to separate the body from the frame because there was some rust issues with the frame that I needed taken care of. I'm sure you mid sixties Galaxie owners can relate.

It's amazing what you can hide under bondo.

Wow Herb that's an interesting choice of cars. Would you be restoring to original or what plans do you have? Whats the CID of that power plant?

Yes, I was in Reno NV for Hot August Nights one year and saw a car like this on sale. I liked it but being from VA it was not practical to buy. When I returned to VA I just happened upon a car just like it in my local town. I figured it was fate.. so I bought it.

My plan is mostly original with some very minor updates. I'm shaving the emblems, I'd like to change it from bench to buckets and I will probably update the stereo system. Just looking for a cruiser. It's a 390 FE

Thanks for looking

Looks like the normal rust out areas so common on Ford products of the era! Done a few of the same era cars, usually lots of practice at panel replacement ant frame rail repairs!!!!!

Originally Posted by herbet99

I had to separate the body from the frame because there was some rust issues with the frame that I needed taken care of. I'm sure you mid sixties Galaxie owners can relate.

How is the restoration going? Did the body come off with reinforcement needed?

It's been extremely slow going. The body is back on the frame and I just got the drive train back together last month. It's getting too cold to work on it now. I don't have heat in my shop.

I did weld square tubing between the door openings before I removed the body from the frame.

Thanks for asking. Like I said, it's been slow going. I'm setting up my sewing machine in my basement so I hope to work on the interior seat covers this winter.

Very cool car; you dont see many of these around.

Not the most popular car. They only made a little over 2,000 convertibles in 66

Absolutely a brilliant choice!!! Monterey ,Marquis,Montclair,Meteor,Marauder,Park Lane rare and wonderful cars to fix up. Nobody has them and most people don't even know what they are...

Restoring a Classic is on my bucket list so I love watching these rebuilds.

I'm impressed that you can weld and sew. I'm afraid I'll be sending a lot of work out myself.

That frame looks pretty beefy. Is that just my perception, because it's a convertible, or is that common for that era Mercury? I wonder what the curb weight is.

Sparafucile

It's been quite a while but I finally painted the Mercury. I went with a glare white. Base/clear. I'm planning on a red top and red interior. Paint came out fairly well considering I painted it in a dirty garage with poor lighting. I'm still cutting and buffing.

I've said this every year but I think I may actually get this done by spring.

Originally Posted by herbet99

It's been quite a while.

I've said this every year but I think I may actually get this done by spring.

Someone far wiser than I once said: 'If you're building a car with a budget and a time frame, double them both and you may be close.'

From what I can see in the pic it looks bloody gorgeous!
Good one you!

Keep chipping away at it.

They're never done, but sometimes they get'close enough'.