One of 980 built. Beautiful restoration, proven tour car. Attractive traditional color combination, excellent paint and chrome, nicely finished interior and top. 59AB flathead V8 runs great! Fully sorted and ready to tour!

Mercury was only in its second year of production when this beautiful convertible sedan was built. Interestingly, Ford discontinued the convertible sedan in the Ford line, moving it upscale and with an original sticker price of $1212, it was some 20% more expensive than the top-of-the-line Ford. Looking at the styling it’s easy to see both Ford and Lincoln DNA in the Mercury, which was surely the intention—it’s a really pretty car. We don’t know much about who did the restoration beyond the fact that they knew what they were doing. The Ford Maroon paint is deep and lustrous, the bodywork underneath is laser-straight, and all four doors close with precision, which is a real achievement in a 4-door convertible. The fine-toothed grille echoes big brother Lincoln and the chrome is in beautiful condition, as is the rest of the brightwork on the car. Teardtop-shaped headlight housings incorporate parking lights, while the rear deck is adorned with art-deco “MERCURY EIGHT” lettering. Those bumper ends are a very rare accessory and it carries twin door-mounted mirrors for safety in traffic.

The spacious and luxurious-looking interior is befitting Mercury’s upscale image. It’s just the right size for four adults, remaining maneuverable in traffic but still looking imposing. The leather upholstery is the right stuff—shiny and a bit stiff—and it has been stitched into factory patterns for a very accurate look. The dash is body-colored and highlighted with dark blue plastic inserts, which is correct. A wide speedometer sits atop four auxiliary gauges, all of which are operational save the oil pressure gauge, which has been supplanted by an aftermarket gauge under the dash. Other accessories include an AM radio (not operational, sadly), and a heater/defroster unit under the dash. Tailored carpets add to the Mercury’s luxurious feel and all four windows wind up and down easily. Overhead, the tan canvas convertible top is relatively easy to erect and stow, although it’s always best to do it with a friend. There’s also a good-sized trunk with a matching full-sized spare tire.

1940 Mercurys received a slightly larger 239 cubic inch version of the venerable flathead V8. This is a desirable 56AB version, restored to stock specs and making 95 horsepower. It starts remarkably easily, idles smoothly, and once it’s warmed up, is virtually imperceptible at about 400 RPM. Very impressive! It’s correctly dressed in Ford Green engine enamel with a familiar downdraft carburetor and air cleaner assembly. There’s an accessory oil filter mounted on the firewall (yes, even in 1940, oil filters were optional) and the 6-volt generator has a proper regulator so the electrical system is powerful enough for night driving. The 3-speed manual transmission shifts quite nicely with smooth clutch action, although you don’t want to rush a 3-2 downshift until it’s full warmed up. Dual exhaust with glasspack-style mufflers give it a traditional flathead V8 sound that’s mellow but never too aggressive. You’ll note the floors are original and incredibly clean and fortunately, Ford had switched to hydraulic brakes by the time this one was built. 15-inch steel wheels carry hubcaps and trim rings, as well as a set of 6.70-15 BFGoodrich wide whitewall tires.

Extras include a set of fender skirts, hubcap, and a matching bag for the convertible top boot. Harwood Motors also has a significant cache of spare parts for flathead Fords available, including two spare engines—please inquire.

Having spent some time behind the wheel of this Mercury, we’ve come away very impressed with not only its great road manners but also the quality of the restoration. Mechanically, it’s totally dialed-in and remains a joy to drive. It has no bad habits and always attracts attention wherever it goes. Just a beautiful and rare Mercury, ready to enjoy. Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.