Time for another unexpected find from my FB Marketplace feed; a rather nicely preserved 1955 Mercury Monterey Woody Wagon. Yes, another 1950s American wagon in San Salvador, which I admit has become sort of a recurring topic from me. But what can I do? For some reason, it seems like local collectors in these latitudes hang on to old wagons in a strong way, be they from the US, Japan, or Europe.
And this is a rare one, as these Mercury wagons were not that common back in the day. Also, looks like this one has been stored for a while and is in quite solid condition; quite a change from my usual ratty old timey finds.
Here it is in another low-res shot from the ad, out in the sun in this one. San Salvador ain’t that big of a city, but I’ve never come across this one, so its condition as a stored good must be the general rule. The license plate is somewhat old, so I would think this Merc’s life has been spent in this nation since new, that from a time when these US-built goods were the preferred choice for the local upper class. Something I talked about in a previous post when I came across a 1955 Chevy Wagon.
Fans of Dearborn products know that 1955 brought new styling across the board; at Mercury, that meant a sleeker and more characterful look than the 1952-1954 models. The typical chrome embellishments of the era piled on too, being flashy in a yet conservative (for the times) way. As a whole, three trim lines were offered; the new Montclair was tops, with the Monterey demoted to second best, and a Custom line as the entry option.
In the wagon realm, however, only Custom and Monterey lines were offered, with the faux wood Monterey being the top model. While Ford still carried 2-door and 4-door wagon models, Mercury played the mid-price hand by being solely a 4-door purveyor. As some probably suspect, Ford sold plenty more wagons, with Mercury’s Custom moving 14,134 units and the Monterey just 11,968. For a wagon player in the medium-priced field, the figures sound low, but were decent for the time.
Still, it’s a low figure, and I would think not many have survived the seven decades since, so a neat, rare find away from home. Body wise, it looks like this one is actually well preserved, though I would think the bench upholstery had to be redone at some point. However, the door cards and other instruments look original, and the chrome still looks very shiny.
Not sure about the power hardware, however, and that’s where today’s mystery lies. The photo is really murky, but there are three pedals and a floor-mounted stick on this Monterey, which was not the stock setup.
As can be seen in this other shot, it clearly doesn’t have the original steering-mounted shifter, and it’s got additional instruments added below the dash. So, I wonder if it’s the original transmission, now with a floor shift linkage? Or have they swapped the drivetrain with something else entirely? Questions, questions…
For the record, 1955 Mercurys were offered with a 292 CID V-8 from the Thunderbird, with either 188 or 198HP on tap. There’s no mention in the Marketplace ad about what’s under this one’s hood, but V-8s enjoyed rather unchallenged lives in this region thanks to our low speeds and short distances. On the other hand, parts sourcing was an issue, especially before eBay shopping showed up. In previous posts from local finds, both scenarios have shown up, from an original condition 1965 Dodge Dart, to a 1959 Impala with a 4-cyl. Isuzu diesel engine swap (?!).
Perhaps the engine swap is the most likely scenario, as the sum being asked for is just $15,000. I’ve no idea what hassles import duties, shipping and all such a purchase from here would entail for a US interested party, particularly with the finicky attitudes of Salvadorian officials. Still, if you’re tempted to check out the listing yourself, HERE IT IS.Â
(The car is being sold as a 1956, though I would think that’s the date it entered the local Ministry of Transport’s registry.)
Related CC Reading
Vintage Review: 1955 Mercury – Motor Trend Checks Out The Big M
Curbside Classic: 1956 Mercury Medalist – The Big M
If this were a Uruguayan listing, the engine would be a 4 cylinder Diésel with a manual transmisión, usual y sourced by Toyota, Nissan, or Perkins. I’ve seen ‘56 Crown Victorias with translucent tops and in great condition clattering along
I’m an expat living in the Dominican Republic. The four cylinder truck diesel would have been a logical choice to convert the few large Amican cars imported for the upper class of the time. Quite viable to soldier on as taxis or even family cars. Lots of support for the diesels and talented machinists everywhere. Versus high duties on imported parts for a thirsty V8’s rebuild that mechanics never see, to be driven on roads you can’t drive fast on.
Packards were popular with Trujillo’s elite, I wonder if any of them got dieseled. They had stout bodies, as long as they weren’t parked only on the beach. You’ll still see them in museums here.
Looks in nice shape. I would you think that the engine conversion would at least merit a mention on the ad!
Could be an Overdrive Transmission, my Dad put one in our 1955 Fairlane around 1960 for the Gas mileage when we traveled from Oak Ridge Tennessee to Birmingham Alabama which was often back then, and with no Interstate Highways