1939 Mercury Convertible Coupe95hp 239 cu. in. flathead V8, three-speed manual transmission, semi-elliptic leaf springs and four-wheel hydraulic brakes. Wheelbase: 116"
Mercury was the God of commerce and travel was also the swift-footed messenger of the Gods. According to Roman mythology Mercury represented dependability, eloquence speed and skill.
In 1939 Edsel Ford solicited the "messenger" to fill the gap between the Ford models and the high-end Lincoln models. The Mercury was priced at $1,000 evenly splitting the price difference between the Lincoln Zephyr and the Ford V8 by several hundreds of dollars each way. The Mercury was the white collar car of the Ford lineup at the time. Priced to compete with lowerend Buicks and Chryslers as well as high-end Oldsmobiles and Dodges, the Mercury was poised to steal a big part of the market, and did just that.
Powered by a 95hp version of Ford's flathead V8 and built on the same platform and styling principles as the Zephyr, the Mercury had the right ingredients to make it a strong seller, guaranteed a profit for Ford. Being a relatively large car with a 20mpg fuel economy, Ford proudly advertised "few cars of any size can equal such economy" and after only two years of production Ford boasted "it's made 150,000 owners change cars!" By the end of the third year Mercury had produced another 80,000cars.
In 1942 with America's involvement in the war, Mercury production was shut down. After the Allied victory, despite only having been on the market for four years, Mercury picked up right were it left off and continued to enjoy sweet success for quite some time.
The 1939 Mercury Convertible Coupe presented here is a wonderful example of one of the very first Mercurys ever built. Having undergone a thorough restoration some years ago, the car is still quite presentable with just over 30,000 registered miles, believed to be from new. Painted in a light gray, with a striking red leather interior and a black top and tonneau cover, the Mercury retains its original dash and appeal. Of the 1939 Mercury models the Convertible Coupe is the most highly sought after by today's collectors.
As a first model year of a brand (that in the near future will likely go the way of the now defunct Oldsmobile) circumstances are such that it is bound to become more increasingly more collectable. For anyone who is striving for a comprehensive Mercury collection, this car is practically essential.
