A Comet Cyclone GT convertible paced the 1966 Indianapolis 500, a serious honor for what was supposed to be Mercury's mid-range performance model.
Lead trim: Cyclone 289 cu in V8 (200 hp, 1967) · up to 275 hp
Mercury Cyclone1966–1967
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Mercury Cyclone yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactA Comet Cyclone GT convertible paced the 1966 Indianapolis 500, a serious honor for what was supposed to be Mercury's mid-range performance model.
The 1966 Cyclone underwent a major styling change: the body received "sculpturing" running the length of the car and was based on the body of the Ford Fairlane. The 390 Y code was a 390 cu in (6,391 cc) engine with a two-barrel carburetor and 265 hp and the 390 H code had a four-barrel carburetor and 275 hp. For 1967 the standard engine was the 289 cu in (4,736 cc) V8 with 200 hp. Neither the 1966 nor the 1967 Cyclone used the 427 cu in Ford FE engine that went into the standard Comet officially from the factory; Comet Cyclones modified by Andy Hotton of Dearborn Steel Tubing with the optional 427 (410 hp) had no body changes similar to the Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt, only a small chromed "427" badge on each front fender. Production was 8,194 in 1966 and 6,910 in 1967 (809 convertibles).
Collectors Spotted in the Mercury Cyclone Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Mercury Cyclone yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
3 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comet Cyclone 390 cu in V8 four-barrel (275 hp, 1966) | 1966–1966 | 6.4 L V8 | 275 hp | 401 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Comet Cyclone 390 cu in V8 two-barrel (265 hp, 1966) | 1966–1966 | 6.4 L V8 | 265 hp | 401 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Cyclone 289 cu in V8 (200 hp, 1967) | 1967–1967 | 4.7 L V8 | 200 hp | 285 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
The 1972 Montego Cyclone was barely a blip: Mercury built only 30 of them before replacing the package with the new Montego GT.
The 1970 Cyclone GT looked every inch the muscle car — hood scoop, racing mirrors, hideaway headlights — but came standard with only a 2-barrel 351 small-block and a 3-speed manual. The big engines were all extra.
Wood Brothers Racing's #21 1971 Cyclone set a NASCAR record that still stands: 18 wins out of just 32 races that season.
The race version of the Cyclone Spoiler II didn't use a Mercury engine at all — under the hood sat the same Boss 429 block as the 1969 Boss Mustang.
Ford planned an even more aggressive nose for the 1970 Cyclone Spoiler II — then built exactly one prototype and stopped there.
The 1969 Cyclone Cobra Jet's optional Ram Air setup — a 735 CFM four-barrel carb — got no horsepower bump on paper at all, despite obviously adding more than the quoted 335 hp.
The 1968 Cyclone was more than fast for a muscle car — it set an actual world record at 189.22 mph at Daytona, earning it the title of fastest car that year.
The 1968 Cyclone (with the GT package as its performance trim) was crowned the fastest car of the year after setting a world record speed of 189.22 mph at Daytona.
A Comet Cyclone GT convertible paced the 1966 Indianapolis 500, a serious honor for what was supposed to be Mercury's mid-range performance model.
This Cyclone GT wasn't just a muscle car — a convertible version led the field at the 1966 Indianapolis 500 as the official pace car.
Ford built about 50 1964 Comet Cyclones with racing 427 power, and they dominated drag racing so hard they got shuffled into their own class to keep things fair.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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