Lot 75
1951 Mercury Monterey Coupe
OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE

255 cid V-8 engine, 112 HP, three-speed manual transmission with overdrive, independent front A-Arm, live axle with semi-elliptical rear suspension, four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes; wheelbase: 118”


The Monterey name plate was introduced in 1950 as an upscale coupe that was a part of the Mercury Eight series. Because the Monterey was built as a full-size car with lots of room in the cabin, many saw it as a great vehicle for the family, so they opted for the sedans and wagons for the extra doors. Mercury would also produce the stylish coupes, but only 1/8th of them would be branded as the desirable Monterey model, leaving its production level low and its rarity high.

Offered here is a truly special and seldom seen 1951 Mercury Monterey that was given an extensive professional restoration. Before Mr. Thorne acquired this car for his collection, it had resided in California for most of its life, and while there it was restored by a man who at the time had the largest Mercury parts warehouse in the country. This helped aid in the cars extensive restoration and why it has so many NOS parts. It wears a stunning Monterey Red Metallic that has a bright shine and an offsetting black leatherette roof. Its long appearance is enhanced with a dual chrome bullet nose grille with horizontal bars and chrome molding that stretches from the front of the car to the rear. The body sits on steel wheels adorned with full wheel disks emblazoned with the Roman god Mercury logo and rides on Firestone white-wall tires with fender skirts.

With a 118-inch wheelbase, Mercury customers could expect a spacious and comfortable cabin in almost all their models, especially the Monterey. The interior is finished with period correct rich red and black leather bench seats. The interior's simple yet appealing look can also be contributed to the Monterey Red Metallic dashboard that houses the AM radio, Mercury Safe-T-Vue gauge cluster and perfectly placed chrome trim throughout.

The V-8 engine pushes out a smooth 112 horsepower and is backed by a three-speed manual transmission with overdrive. Bonuses to this vehicle include an owner’s manual, spare tire, jack and lug wrench. Production was low and slow at the start of its life, but the Monterey has come to be one of Mercury’s top of the line and highly deriable cars of the era.