Looking back at the 1967 Mercury Cougar, there's been plenty of speculation about which of the vintage Merc lead sled car models is the best and why it's the best.
To those who don't know what a lead sled car is, it's simply the creation of automobiles with a body creatively and heavily innovated in a way such that the lead means the heavyweight of the car and sled means lowering of the vehicle.
This gives the vehicle an appearance on the motion that it's sliding down the highway.
Let's briefly take some time to go through the history behind the legendary Mercs.
History Of The Mercury Lead Sled Cars
A man named Edsel Ford, who owned Ford, worked on Mercury in 1937. They came by the name "Mercury" based on a Greek myth of a Roman god who was a traveler and transporter of objects. The Ford company wasn't the first to use the name Mercury, but they are the only company to thrive after the production of this model.
The first production was in November 1938 named "Mercury 8" and auctioned at the New York Auto Show by Edsel Ford. The car has four body styles:
- The two-door sedan
- Four-door sedan
- A 2-door convertible
- A two-door sedan with a trunk attached
This Merc 8 had a v-8/8.5 engine version and was capable of speed close enough to 100 mph. It had a 116-inch wheelbase and a dashboard with a strip-type design. It has its gearshift mounted to the steering wheel. Around 80,000 units were produced annually in the '40s and ranked as one of the best in the car industry. It had a spinning price range of $916- $1,018 at the time. Its production ceased in 1948.
Henry Ford II succeeded Edsel, who died due to stomach cancer after World War II. In 1946, he sold about 186,600 units, showing people's love and admiration for the car. Around the 1949s, the Mercury division introduced a new design to the existing Merc V-8 with an inverted body and was styled and designed by Dearborn designers.
Styling was good with a streamlined body and still maintained the lead sled pose, which gave it great recognition. It had a lower and broader wheelbase and a new four-body style, including the coupe, four-door sedan, convertible, and a new two-door wagon. A spectacular change with the model was a live axle on parallel longitudinal leaf springs, putting an end to the old Henry's single transverse leaf.
Various forms of the Mercury model were produced by the Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company. Their production spanned from 1939 to 2011. Each model had at least a generation life-span and admiration. The Merc 8, which was the first production spanned from 1939-1951 and the M-series from 1949-1968, Monterey 1951-1974, custom from 1955-1956, Montclair from 1955-1968, Commuter from 1957-1968, Voyager from 1957-1958, S55, Cougar, Marquis, Zephyr, and many more which caught people's attention during their existence wherever it's being used.
The one in a million question is which of these models ousted the rest and which made more heads turn towards its direction and has the edge over others? Let's check it out.
The Mercury Monterey Lead Sled
The Mercury Monterey is a full-sized sedan that began introduction in 1951 and lasted for an elongated seven generations (the highest so far in Mercury production history). To show how iconic this car is, it was used in the movie "Cobra" that starred the famous actor Sylvester Stallone, which portrays how classic and elegant the car is.
Specifications
The Monterey came with the body styles of a convertible and a four-door sedan, doors made with steel and perfectly simulated wood trim, and maintained a three-inch longer wheelbase compared to the Merc 8. At the engine site is a 350 cubic inch V-8 engine with a four-barrel carburetor. It has a 3-speed automatic transmission which was the latest during production and fuel type of gasoline. It has a vast increase of 125 bhp displacement compared to its predecessor merc 8.
The car has the suitable sled materials required in looks and design like the power steering, power disc brakes, smooth door handles, smooth hood, smooth trunk, all with rounded corners and seams filled with more.
Decorations And Designs
Major decoration includes:
- The Frenched headlights
- Double exhaust pipes
- Shaved door handles and booth with a trunk popper at the front seat
- Corvette-style hubcaps
- Dual spotlights
The creases and curves professionally designed give sparkle in the sunshine with an upgraded interior and a roof covered in canvas or vinyl. It also has an eye-catching ornament found on the car's hood.
Pricing
Prices varied from $2,000 to $2,600 for the model, which its worth is close to $65,000 upwards but very rare because it's no longer in production but still enjoyed by various users because of its classic style.
One of the major secret and excellent specs of this the model, which many car enthusiasts don't know about, is that it has an air ride suspension with which you can lift it and ride at an elevated height or drop it down. This give the ride its sled-type look.
To cap it all, this particular model had the highest sale amongst all the mercs and was in use for a longer duration than others, so it's pretty convincing that Mercury Monterey lead sled was the best product for the Mercury lead sleds ever done.