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First offered by Lincoln Mercury dealers in 1962, the Mercury Comet had actually been designed as the entry-level Edsel. Similar in concept to the Ford Falcon, the Mercury Comet was a bit more upscale, and its 114-inch wheelbase (4.5 inches longer than the Falcon) made the Comet the “right new size” in Dearborn-speak. Though the current owner of this 1962 Mercury Comet, for sale on Hemmings.com, has provided a thorough description, even more of the car’s backstory is available in the January issue of Hemmings Classic Car, where the Comet was the subject of a six-page Drive Report. In unrestored and mostly original condition, the Mercury would make a great weekend driver, and while its 170-cu.in., 101-horsepower six won’t be winning any stoplight throw-downs, it won’t break the bank with its care and feeding, either. From the seller’s description:
This is a one of a kind car, all original, and in excellent condition. A few engine parts, such as the starter, muffler etc. have been replaced over the years, of course, but otherwise this car is ALL ORIGINAL. Everything is there; every door knob, window crank, all the badges, all the knobs etc. The condition of the interior is unbelievable. A little wear on the upholstery of the driver's side seat as you would expect. The dash and the instrument panel are immaculate, and look amazing with the classic "Rocket Age" styling. The exterior of the car is also in excellent condition. There is a small dent on the front of the hood (see pictures) and a few surface scratches on the body, but overall it looks great. This car was featured in the January 2016 Hemmings Classic Car Magazine which is "The Definitive All-American Collector-Car Magazine." It received a 6 page spread in the drive report (see pictures). The classic cars chosen for features in this magazine are very special indeed. The Custom model of the Comet was produced in smaller numbers than the standard model and included an upgraded styling package. This car also has the upgraded 6 cylinder 170ci engine, the standard engine was 144ci. Although it has the higher horsepower, the engine is by no means a speed demon. This car is for cruising. It has a very comfortable back seat with plenty of legroom, so pick up some friends and take a ride in style! Current owner is only the second owner and has owned the car since 2001. Original title, original owners manual and a copy of the Hemmings Classic Car Magazine featuring this car is included with purchase.
1962 Mercury Comet
Find more Mercurys for sale on Hemmings.com.
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Memorial Day means the start of summer, and summer is road-trip season. What better choice is there for exploring new vistas and making new memories than a full-size American luxury car from the mid-'60s? These land yachts allow you to enjoy classic style without giving up niceties like air conditioning, cruise control, and power windows and seats. They're remarkably easy to drive, too, with their big, torquey V-8s, and fully capable of keeping up with modern traffic.
Detroit's Big Three were clicking on all cylinders when they created these cars, and the task of choosing among them hasn't gotten any easier over the past 60 years. Cadillac? Imperial? Lincoln? Each has its charms, and makes its own style statement. We picked these well-preserved examples from the Hemmings Marketplace, focusing on four-door sedans for the ultimate comfort of the passengers.
Did we leave out your favorite? If so, let us know in the comments. And if you're interested in reading more about classic American luxury cars, keep a lookout for the special feature in the July issue of Hemmings Motor News.
1964 Cadillac Series 62
Photo: Hemmings Marketplace
<p>As ritzy as it was, the Series 62 was Cadillac's entry-level model in 1964, available as a coupe, a four-window sedan, or a six-window sedan. All Cadillacs were powered by the new-for-'64 429-cu.in. V-8, which churned out 340 hp, more than enough to move the 4,575-pound sedan along smartly. Cadillac boasted of "deep, foam-padded, chair-height seats as beckoning as your favorite easy chair," and upholstered in one of a variety of fabrics. The division introduced its fully automatic Comfort Control air conditioning system this year, and this example has it. What more could a sophisticated traveler want? Cadillac produced a record 165,969 cars in 1964.</p><p>We don't know much about this car's condition from the ad, though the abundant photos give us an impression of a 60,000-mile car that certainly still has its original upholstery, and may have its factory-applied Aspen White paint, too. In addition to the Comfort Control, we note the presence of cruise control, too, and a push-button AM/FM radio with signal-seeking. We found it among the Hemmings Classified Ads, with an asking price of $32,000.</p><p><a href="http://hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1964-cadillac-series-62-concord-nc-2659603" target="_blank">hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1964-cadillac-series-62-concord-nc-2659603</a></p>
1964 Imperial LeBaron
Photo: Hemmings Marketplace
<p>Restyled for 1964, the Imperial was offered in Crown and upscale LeBaron flavors, mainly distinguished by the sumptuousness of the interior. The 413-cu.in. V-8 went toe-to-toe with Cadillac's new engine, matching its 340 hp output, though it had an extra 400 pounds of curb weight to haul around. Chrysler was proud of the work they'd done to make the Imperial as silent as possible, and boasted that it was "the quietest motorcar ever built in America." This was the last year for push-button control of the TorqueFlite three-speed automatic. Imperial finished third in the luxury-car sales race, with production totaling 23,285.<br></p><p>According to the seller, this Sequoia Green Metallic Imperial has been lovingly cared for by one family since new, and has not been restored, though the body does show some "scratches, blemishes, and a minor ding." The button-back leather seats are in good condition, with enough cracking to give them character, and all of the real wood veneer is present and accounted for. On the downside, the seller notes surface rust throughout the underside, with some pitting in the muffler and rear axle in particular, and an apparent oil leak from the rear pinion seal. We found the Imperial as a Hemmings Classified Ad, with an asking price of $16,000.</p><p><a href="http://hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1964-chrysler-imperial-morgantown-pa-2768489" target="_blank">hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1964-chrysler-imperial-morgantown-pa-2768489</a></p>
1964 Lincoln Continental
Photo: Hemmings Marketplace
<p>The redesigned 1961 Continental was a landmark car, and its design went mostly unchanged right through 1964, rear-hinged rear doors and all. The Continental had been drawn by Elwood Engel, who brought the razor-edge styling motif with him when he moved to the Chrysler Corporation in 1962. Lincoln's 430-cu.in. V-8 was the biggest of the three, by one cubic inch, but was rated at 40 hp less than its competitors', thanks in part to its two-barrel carburetor. The wheelbase was stretched by 3 inches, to 126, for added legroom in 1964, but it was still 3 inches shorter than the Cadillac's or the Imperial's. Lincoln production amounted to 36,297 for the year.</p><p>The seller's description doesn't tell us a lot about this particular Princeton Gray Continental, but from what we can see in the photos, it's relatively straight and unmodified, and its original leather-and-cloth upholstery looks to be in remarkably good shape. The classified ad lists its mileage as 32,916. We found it with an asking price of $23,000.</p><p><a href="http://hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1964-lincoln-continental-vassar-mi-2776899" target="_blank">hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1964-lincoln-continental-vassar-mi-2776899</a></p>
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Photo: Scott Lachenauer
Who doesn’t remember their first car? The joy it brought, the pride of ownership and the lasting memories it created along the way. These are remembrances that you shared for a lifetime. Most of us will only be able to reminisce about these classic rides of our youth, helped along with possibly some pictures, movies and maybe a trinket or two kept from that first car that was saved before it was cast off to a new owner, or sadly, sent to that big scrap heap in the sky.
Luckily, Nick Pezzolla of East Greenbush, New York was one of those guys who was ahead of the curve and held on to that first ride. Nick scored this tasty GTO when he was just fifteen and had the wherewithal to keep a torqued-up grip on its title, holding on to his prized Pontiac since that fateful day he brought it home. After thirty plus years of ownership, Nick still gets a thrill getting behind the wheel of his Goat, the one car that has been there through thick and thin since his high school days.
Photo: Scott Lachenauer
Nick grew up like many of us, infatuated with muscle cars at an early age. “When I was six or seven, I received my first model kit. My dad pretty much built it, but soon after I was totally obsessed with building muscle car models. At ten years old I received a kit of a ’65 GTO. I was in love. At that moment I vowed to get a GTO as my first car. It was a necessity as far as I was concerned," he explained.
By the time Nick turned thirteen, he was on the hunt for his first car. “If we saw a GTO in a parking lot, we left a note on it. If it was in a driveway, we knocked on the door and asked if they were interested in selling. We soon found out that the people that really wanted to sell their rides, owned cars that were typically cobbled together from parts, or full of Bondo. Dad was adamant that I buy something in good condition, and hopefully get one with the original drivetrain so it would appreciate in value for years to come.”
Fast forward to the spring of 1993. “I was turning sixteen at the end of July and I still didn’t have a car.” That's when it happened: Nick’s best friend at the time was eighteen months older and already had his license, which helped in scouting the local area. One day he received a tip from his buddy that he had spotted a gold GTO on someone’s lawn for sale. The kicker was that it was right in his town. “That was weird to us because it’s a pretty small town and we had never seen that car before.”
Photo: Scott Lachenauer
Regardless, Nick and his friend went and checked it out. What the car turned out to be was a 1970 GTO in Granada Gold with its original 400-cu.in. engine, backed by an automatic transmission. Somehow this golden treasure made its way all the way from Tacoma, Washington to the east coast, and had lived out its last few years right there in town. “It still had a 1988 car show plaque from Tacoma affixed to the dash,” according to Nick.
Amazingly, this twenty-three-year-old Goat was in good shape, so Nick decided to have his dad have a look at it to get his opinion. Once there, dad took the GTO out for a spin, with non-licensed Nick riding shotgun. “I remember having perma-grin while riding shotgun during the test drive. I couldn't contain myself.”
Dad agreed that this Poncho was the perfect starter car for his son. The only thing left was financing, and that was done through the family. “I borrowed half the money from Grandma, who was on a fixed income, and over the next couple months made three payments to the seller to meet the $5000 agreed on purchase price.”
Photo: Scott Lachenauer
After it was paid up, the owner brought Nick’s new ride to his house and delivered it to the young gun, which turned out not to be the best idea. “My older brother and I were home alone that day while my parents were out at work. Since it was summertime, my brother would have his friends visit and go swimming in our pool. If they were gonna be there for a while, they would let me take their license plates of their respective cars and I would put them on the Goat so I could take it out for mischief around town. I guess no harm, no foul, right?"
Nick got his own insurance policy and had the GTO road-ready prior to his birthday. Two weeks later he received his New York State license and drove it to the first day of school that September. “I felt like I was king when I was behind the wheel in that GTO.” From that point on, Nick always had a bad-weather beater and stored his Goat through the snowy, salty winters of the Northeast. “There were times where I had the opportunity to sell it, but never did, because I didn’t want to have the same regrets my dad had after selling his original Challenger.”
Since then, Nick has kept the GTO’s looks up, and has plans for the car’s future. “I had it repainted in 2012 and we did the interior. I plan to pull the engine, since I've never had it out, and give the mill a full rebuild. I wanted to do it last summer for our 30th anniversary together, but after the passing of my dad in the spring, it just wasn't in the cards. Hopefully this is the year I get it done. Time will tell.”.
Photo: Scott Lachenauer
Since then, Nick has kept the GTO’s looks up, and has plans for the car’s future. “I had it repainted in 2012 and we did the interior. I plan to pull the engine, since I've never had it out, and give the mill a full rebuild. I wanted to do it last summer for our 30th anniversary together, but after the passing of my dad in the spring, it just wasn't in the cards. Hopefully this is the year I get it done. Time will tell.”
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