1950 Mercury Station Wagon Custom
The Mercury Eight is an automobile that was marketed by the Mercury division of Ford between 1939 and 1951. The debut model line of the Mercury division, Ford slotted the full-size Mercury Eight between the Ford Deluxe (later Custom) model lines and the Lincoln. In total, Ford assembled three generations of the Eight (before and after World War II).
It’s a 1950 Mercury Woodie Wagon, an eclectic frame-off restoration of a model that was produced in just 1,746 examples. As such, it ticks many points on the niche panel – Mercury bit the dust nine years ago, it’s a woodie, and the station wagon comes not just with very few production units.
For 1949, Mercury introduced its first postwar model line. The first Mercury of the combined Lincoln-Mercury Division, the Mercury Eight now shared its body with the Lincoln (instead of the Ford). Keeping its 118-inch wheelbase, the Mercury was sized between its two divisional counterparts. In place of the updated prewar body, Mercury adopted “ponton” body, ending the use of running boards entirely, along with separate fenders. The 239 Flathead V8 was carried over, producing more power than in its Ford counterpart.
For 1950, the Monterey name made its first appearance, as Mercury introduced a high-end two-door coupe, similar to the Ford Crestliner, Lincoln Lido, and Lincoln Cosmopolitan Capri; the Monterey was intended to compete against the two-door hardtop coupes introduced by General Motors in 1949. The front suspension was independent with stabilizer bars.
As far as we can tell from the interior shots, it can be driven around with the entire family tucked neatly inside (thanks to a front split bench and an additional two rows of seating behind it), while the future owner enjoys handling the large diameter steering wheel and column shifter. By the way, everyone should ogle at the beautiful wood and leather trimming before the ride, not during it.
Classic car enthusiasts have a world of wonders at their disposal; they can go through anything, from custom muscle cars to luxury limousines converted to run on electricity. As such, it’s best to find a niche. Or, if you really want to stand out in a crowd, seek the niche within the niche.
