The 1955 Montclair could be ordered with a tinted Plexiglas roof panel up front — a feature so unloved for cooking drivers in summer heat that only 1,787 were ever built.
Lead trim: Montclair 292 cu in V8 (195 hp, 1955) · up to 260 hp
Mercury Montclair1955–1956
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Mercury Montclair 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.
FactThe 1955 Montclair could be ordered with a tinted Plexiglas roof panel up front — a feature so unloved for cooking drivers in summer heat that only 1,787 were ever built.
The Mercury Montclair was a series of full-size sedans sold over five generations, twice: 1955–1960 and 1964–1968, typically the mid-range Mercury above the Monterey. For 1955 Mercury redesigned its model line, adding the Montclair as a premium sedan line above the Monterey: a four-door sedan (with a different roofline from the Monterey), a two-door hardtop and a two-door convertible, with a color-contrast panel below the window line. A 292 cubic-inch V8 adopted from the new Ford Thunderbird roadster produced 195 hp, with a 3-speed manual or optional 3-speed automatic; the 2-door hardtop listed at US$2,631 and sold 71,588. The 1955 Montclair Sun Valley (succeeding the Monterey Sun Valley) had a tinted Plexiglas front half roof panel; its heat buildup was unacceptable to consumers and only 1,787 were produced. For 1956 the exterior was revised (a full-length multi-tier chrome spear, "Flo-tone" paint, a "Big M" hood emblem), with a 12-volt electrical system, standard dual exhaust and the Ford Lifeguard safety system; the 292 was increased to 312 cu in producing 225 hp, with an optional dual 4-barrel version at 260 hp starting in 1956. The page does not give a wheelbase for this generation.
Collectors Spotted in the Mercury Montclair Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Mercury Montclair 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montclair 292 cu in V8 (195 hp, 1955) | 1955–1955 | V8 | 195 hp | 286 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Montclair 312 cu in V8 (225 hp, 1956) | 1956–1956 | V8 | 225 hp | 324 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Montclair 312 cu in V8 dual four-barrel (260 hp, 1956 option) | 1956–1956 | V8 | 260 hp | 330 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
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Owners’ builds
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Photographs
The quirky Breezeway reverse-slant rear window came back for 1967-68, but neutered — it now fit inside the normal roofline and only cracked open a few inches for ventilation.
Every four-door 1964 Montclair sedan got Mercury's odd reverse-slant 'Breezeway' rear window as standard — two-door hardtops could choose the conventional 'Marauder' roofline instead.
The 1959 Montclair was one of the biggest cars Mercury ever built — and owners still complained it didn't have enough interior room for its size.
Mercury’s pushbutton shifter copied Chrysler’s mechanical TorqueFlite setup — steering clear of Edsel’s infamous, failure-prone electric Teletouch system.
The 1955 Montclair could be ordered with a tinted Plexiglas roof panel up front — a feature so unloved for cooking drivers in summer heat that only 1,787 were ever built.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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