The Mercury Montclair was new for 1955, representing the top-of-the-line from Ford's mid-range division. A skillful blend of Ford and Lincoln, it was everything Mercury intended to be, luxurious yet sporting, and with a new 292 cubic inch OHV V8, it was still one of the hottest performers around. The Montclair 4-door was billed as the lowest sedan on the market and the sleek hardtop wasn't far behind. Famous for sparkling two-tone paint jobs and excellent proportions, the 1955 Montclairs were handsome, refined cars that helped Mercury have a record-setting year in 1955.

Hailing from long-term ownership, this handsome Tuxedo Black over Yukon Yellow Montclair hardtop epitomizes Mercury's look in the mid-50s. Long, low, and sleek, it's the perfect '50s cruiser if you're looking for something a little out of the ordinary. It's a frame-on restoration of a good, solid car that looks and drives great. The bodywork is very straight with good attention to detail, as the crease running along the quarter panels is laser-sharp and the panel fit is quite good. The Mercurys offered some wonderful details, including the quarter panel trim that looks like the intake of a jet engine, a wonderfully ornate grille, and perhaps the most attractive taillights of the period. It appears that much of the chrome has been restored, including the bumpers and bezels, and the stainless was polished to match. Note the integrated exhaust tips under the rear bumpers, which have a healthy-sounding V8 burble, and the jet-inspired hood ornament that's sleek and simple. The only notable demerits might be the side trim is a little out of alignment on the driver's door, but that's easy enough to fix if it bothers you. But beyond that, this is one clean Merc!

The stylish two-tone interior was rather difficult to photograph, and this is one of those cars where it's actually better than the photos would indicate. Like many cars of the '50s, there's a combination of funky patterned cloth, vinyl, and leather that make for a wonderful contrast inside. The seats are correctly restored using factory patterns and materials and remain in excellent condition despite being finished a few years ago. Excellent black carpets anchor the interior so there's no pastel overload, and plenty of bright trim, most notably under the window sills, gives it a sparkling period look. The instruments are arrayed in a three-tier instrument panel whose lovely soft cream face blends nicely with the light yellow paint and all the gauges are fully operational. You'll note that the hub of the steering wheel offers "Power Steering" and the shift quadrant for the 3-speed automatic transmission is familiar to us today. The original AM radio still lives in the dash and offers a white face and orange pointer that matches the gauges and clock. New rubber mats protect the floor and correct reproduction materials were used to restore the trunk, which also include a full-sized spare with brand new whitewall radial.

Ford's new Y-block 292 cubic inch V8 is as smooth and torquey here as it is in the Thunderbirds, and makes great eight-cylinder sounds on the road. The unusual cream-colored engine was correct for 1955 Mercurys and it's just a happy coincidence that it seems to match the bodywork. The engine runs well and was nicely detailed some years ago, but now shows some signs of use and age, which isn't surprising on a car that runs and drives as well as this one does. It still inhales through the original Holley "teapot" carburetor and air cleaner, and the exhaust manifolds are linked to a healthy-sounding dual exhaust system that just purrs along at highway speeds. We don't believe this car has ever had a frame-off restoration, so the undercarriage isn't detailed for show, but it is in good order with undercoated floors that help control noise and heat inside. The 3-speed Merc-O-Matic transmission shifts properly and as I mentioned, power steering is included. Air shocks were installed out back to fine-tune the ride height, so feel free to load up the family for a road trip without worrying about bottoming out, and you will definitely find that this Mercury is a fantastic highway car that glides effortlessly over the pavement. Some of that is undoubtedly due to the brand new Coker Classic wide whitewall radials, which are fitted to original wheels with beautifully restored hubcaps.

While the Montclair was a sales success for Mercury, they're relatively rare today. Offering big car comfort and V8 performance, this pretty hardtop glitters like the best '50s cars do and stands out in a set of more familiar machines.