1968 Mercury Comet Montego 

A parish in Jamaica named St. James and its capital Montego Bay was FORD'S inspiration to name its 1968 version of the Mercury division's Comet.  With only a tick over 16 thousand units built, most of them 6 cylinders, manual transmission and a tree shifter, it was basic transportation for the upscale brand of Mercury from the blue oval in 1968.

Our consignment started life as a very basic car with aforementioned 6 cylinder and automatic tranny.  As to options just go down the list and delete all of them including the carpeting.  A friend of our consigner had the car and it was hit in the right quarter panel and was going to be scrapped in 1993.  The consigner swooped in and decided to fix it, using a rust free donor 1969 Montego.  It retained its original 6 cylinder automatic setup until 2002, and then….ZAP!  read on.

Exterior
Save for the Gulfstream Aqua paint it appears as your mild mannered grocery getter made for the masses in 1968, and provided affordable transportation for its owners.  Dual horizontal headlights flank a horizontal ribbed grille which undulates in a squared off V format, and a shiny bumper hangs below.  Stainless trimmings surround this grille.  The hood emulates this shape and has a small central bump.  Quarter panels have the running light and on their backs toward the doors, the beginnings of a shiny trim spear.  This spear runs rearward through the doors which maintain well minded gaps, and shiny trimmings with their glass surrounds and handles.  The metal hardtop and B pillars are bathed in the Gulfstream Aqua and the rear quarters have a slight bump up as they move to the rear of this car.  The trim spear ends just before mid rear wheel well and the long steel panel takes over to form the sides of the trunk.  On the back, squared off vertical triangle tail lights are on either side and float just above a shiny rear bumper.  Nice MERCURY badging and a horizontal trimming are one the rear deck of the trunk which is nearly as spacious as a typical NYC 1 bedroom flat.  14-inch Gulfstream painted wheels have a center shiny cap, and are wrapped in thin whites just like your father's tire from 1968.

Interior
A swing of the doors reveals some upgrades for the original factory ordered strip down version.  We see black panels for the doors with an insert in dark silver with some flourishes stitched within it.  The armrest is showing some cracking in the padded black vinyl.  Inside is a front split back bench with gray broadcloth that appears and feels like suede, but alas is broadcloth.  Smooth shiny black vinyl bolsters surround the inserts and black piping provides the borders between the two.  Black carpeting is now installed and is very clean and non faded.  To the dash where some wood burl appliqué surrounds round black faced instrumentation and lower thin horizontal panel for the knobs and pulls.  A Sun Super Tachometer is mounted on the steering column which has the original wood appliqué centered steering wheel fronting the dash.  No radio and a wide shiny vinyl dash top is above this horizontal metal strip on the passenger's side.   The rear bench retains the original tuck and roll insert in silver brick pattern inserts and black vinyl surrounding bolsters.  The headliner is slightly textured black vinyl and a small tear is noted in a seam, but otherwise clean and tight. 

Drivetrain
Here we go with the ZAP!, in the form of a blue block and valve covering painted 390ci V8.  It has Comp Cams ( .490i/494E lift with a 218 duration @.050).  The carburetor is an Edelbrock 4-barrel and sports a factory aluminum intake.   There is now a 4 speed manual Toploader tranny, and power goes to the back taken by a Ford 28 spline,9 inch 3.50 rear axle.  Fully restored and looking swift under this hood.  Headers and a Flowmaster are in for the big exhale.

Undercarriage
Black undercoated surfaces somewhat patina'd abound with just a touch of surface rust spattered about.  New mechanicals, brake lines, etc are noted and are much more shinier than the surrounding metal.  Drum braking is on all 4 corners, and independent coil springs are up front and leaf springs on back.  Exhaust is nice and shiny with no rust.

Drive-Ability
She fires right up and runs smoothly.  Off to the test track where nice acceleration  and smooth shifting abounds.  Suspension groans a bit when pushed and braking has a slight pull to the left.  All else was working like an afternoon swim in the bay.

This car has some history starting out with humble beginnings now restored and souped up a bit on the mill front, some newly covered front seats, and that Toploader 4 speed tranny.  The 4bbl is nothing to sneeze at, and it goes forward with Gulfstream Aqua style and plenty of 1968 polished bling.   Decidedly Mercury.

8H01T552266

8-1968
H-Lorain, OH Assy Plant
01-Comet Montego Sports Coupe
T-200ci I6
552266-Sequential Unit Number

Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 650 vehicles for sale with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.