From the Ashes - 1962 Mercury Comet

Officially, the first Mercury Comets were sold in 1962, even though the model had debuted two years earlier at Lincoln-Mercury dealerships. But Ford had never intended the Comet to be sold under its long-running mid-level brand. The Ford Motor Company had much grander plans for its slightly bigger, upmarket version of the Falcon.

With Ford's top brass seemingly still gung-ho on the Edsel in 1958, the brand-new division also prepared for its first compact car to supplement what was already a nearly complete lineup of mid-size and full-size models. With Ford division's compact already well along in the development process, the company decided a derivative of the Falcon would slot in nicely as the entry-level Edsel.

To be made with a longer wheelbase than the Falcon, the Comet would fit in right below the Ranger line, then the Edsel's base vehicle. Ford would give the Comet not only more room and substance than the Falcon, but a bit more style and design flair, as would be fitting to a slightly more upmarket car. If only things had worked out that way.

Despite Edsel's initial success, the division lasted only three model years, producing just a few thousand 1960 models before the plug was pulled in November of 1959--still several months before the new compact would hit the market. Thus, the Comet was left without a home. Already heavily invested in the new car and with a need to assuage many Lincoln-Mercury dealers left holding the bag, Ford decided to sell the Comet as a standalone model, not at all unlike the first-year Valiant from Chrysler. (Also a 1960 debutante, Valiant earned its status as part of the Plymouth family a year later.)

Instead, Ford brewed up some Comet badges and made sure that Lincoln-Mercury dealers would have as many cars as needed. With the demise of Edsel, Ford needed to rethink the marketing strategy, and instead of any family resemblance to a big brother model or any notion that the car was truly compact--its wheelbase was a very-near-mid-size 114 inches, after all--Ford sold the car as "right new size." It was Dearborn's way of saying "compact" without actually saying "compact."

The Comet did carry many styling cues of its lost division (and the early cars carried lots of Edsel part numbers). The rear taillamps were taken from the larger Edsels; though vertical on the bigger models, the ellipsoidal units were tilted at an angle to match the leaned-over tailfins of the Comet. Unlike the no frills, single headlamp and unadorned Falcon, the Comet hosted a quartet of headlamps and a notable chrome spear that ran the length of the body.

But the Comet was clearly designed as an economical choice for buyers who wanted a little more pizazz than what the Falcon offered, as under the hood it still carried Ford's Thrift-Power 6, a straight-six engine designed to be frugal with fuel more than anything else. Producing 90 horsepower and 138-lb.ft. of torque from 144 cubic inches, the little six-cylinder engine was, indeed, efficient with its one-barrel carburetor. A four-speed transmission wasn't even an option for the 1960 models, although a three-speed manual came standard, and buyers could opt for a two-speed automatic. Comet customers from 1961 could choose a slightly more powerful 101hp 170-cu.in. straight-six called the Thrift Power 170. In Mercury-speak, those engines were given the Mercury Comet "6" and Mercury Comet 170 "6."

Though American consumers were clearly stepping up to the plate to buy compact models from all makers, Mercury had its work cut out for it in selling the car for 1962. After all, it simultaneously needed to advertise the economical nature of its celestial compact, along with the features and luxuries that set it apart from the rest of the small-car crowd.

With hand-drawn brochure illustrations showing Comet owners prepping their sailing yachts, playing polo or dropping the girls off at ballet, Mercury painted an image of sophistication that would have been a tougher sell with the more austere and truly economical Falcon. But Mercury backed up those haughty claims by truly adding more style to the Comet. From its chromed bumpers that wrapped around farther on both ends, to an assortment of trim in chrome, aluminum and stainless steel--particularly on the Custom models, Comet indeed had more style than its Ford family cousin.

With its four-and-a-half-inch longer wheelbase, Comet also provided additional passenger comfort with more space and a more stable ride. With a wide array of available exterior color and interior fabric options, Comet offered shoppers quite the choice for customizing their cars.

For more discerning buyers willing to pay a bit extra, the Custom two- and four-door sedans offered a bit more style in the form of stainless-steel window trim outside and a bevy of standard kit inside: "wall-to-wall carpeting...deluxe steering wheel with bright-finish horn ring...pleated Jewelsheen cloth seat inserts with fine-textured crush-grain vinyl bolsters...all-vinyl door panels with center section pleated to match seat inserts."

The 1962 Comet pictured here also shows a few more of the changes Ford Motor Company had in store when rolling the car under the Mercury banner for the first time. The division's badge showed up on the edge of the trunklid as well as being spelled out across the hood. Though the flopped-over tailfins remained, gone were the Edsel-reminiscent taillamps in favor of round units much like other Mercury models of the same year. Most Comets had a pair of the round lamps on either side, but the sportier S-22 versions of the two-door sedan got a trio of taillamps on each side.

Tom Olander, owner of our featured Comet, doesn't consider himself a car guy--at all. But the artist and winemaker from Walla Walla, Washington, does know what he likes when he sees it. A big fan of design from the late Fifties and early Sixties, the Comet is right up his alley. "This car found me," says Tom. "My partner, Barb, and I were out to do some hiking. There is a town about 30 miles from here called Dayton. We pulled through Dayton, took a right-hand turn to head out towards the mountains to do some hiking, and I saw a car out of the corner of my eye and it had a For Sale sign in it. For some reason, I made a U-turn and went back to check it out.

"I wasn't in the market for a car," Tom continues, "but I always loved this style of car, like the Ford Falcons, the Mercury Comets--those body styles. A good friend of mine had a Falcon station wagon that I really loved. So, I kind of fell for that car, and the Mercury Comet is kind of in the same family. I am really attuned to visual things. To me, it's like a work of art, a sculpture--a driveable sculpture.

"So, I went and checked it out, I knocked on the door and the woman was home who was selling the car. Apparently, it had been in the garage for 12 or 13 years. They hadn't driven it in a long time, and it was time to sell it. She had pulled the car out that day and had put a for sale sign in it. So, I was the first one to drive by and check it out."

That fortuitous timing gave Tom a highly original car, something he is learning is a rare bird in the vintage car scene. "There aren't many cars like it," he says. "I've looked in Hemmings, and I've never seen a car like it. I've seen cars that are in need of restoration, and I've also seen completely restored cars, but this is an all-original condition car. So, it's not perfect, but it's in really, really good condition for not having had any restoration at all. I've never seen a car in this condition even close to it." Well, it could just be us, but that certainly sounds like a car guy thing to say. Along with its very appealing originality, the Comet's reliability has been fantastic, giving Tom a great introduction to the hobby.

Though Tom drives his Comet only about 100 miles per year or so, he shares it as much as possible. "It's an occasional driver," he says. "We pretty much just keep it local around town here. Sometimes we go to a neighboring town, go out for dinner, I'll pick up some friends in the car to take them along." They are apparently not car guys, either, but they still get it because Tom reports, "They think it's awesome! Despite the fact that it's a fairly small car overall, the back seat is quite comfortable. And with the four doors, it's easy to get in and out, so they all really enjoy it."

West Coast Associate Editor Jeff Koch had an opportunity to enjoy it as well; here are his thoughts on the experience:

"Eyeball it and the starchily formal Comet, with its baby fins, doesn't much look like a small car by contemporary standards, but it's surprisingly tight inside. You'd better ditch your gut if you want to be able to steer that big, low, thin steering wheel with any comfort. At least the materials look and feel first-class, all painted metal and brocaded cloth. Turn the key, and there's little notion of whether you've lit the fuse or not. The little Six is positively agricultural at idle, with tepid acceleration and a slightly-hanging-between-shifts two-speed automatic getting you to move. It's perfect for the driver who sees a speed limit sign and thinks, 'Oh, that's just the upper end--I don't really need to go that fast!'

"This Comet's sweet spot is at 50 MPH--calm, serene, and at cruise you could mistake yourself for being in a larger car, what with the smooth ride. At 60 MPH, there's enough racket that it seems like you're going 90. It's just working too hard to keep pushing you through the air, and there's an excess of engine and wind noise at 60 to bolster that impression. The tippy handling qualities and the good-enough-for-government-work drum brakes also suggest that you might want to keep the pace more moderate as well. That said, the unboosted steering is simply divine--light and maneuverable at all speeds, from idle through highway velocities."

Though Ford wanted to wash its hands quickly of the Edsel debacle, by keeping the Comet, it breathed new life into the one brand most likely to be hurt by a strong Edsel anyway. By mixing an economical platform with just enough nice touches and luxuries, it succeeded in giving Mercury the small car it deserved.

Owner's View

It was in great shape. We just put new tires on it, a few other things such as a new starter and just a couple of other minor parts like that. But, really, we haven't done anything to the car. It's been great, and it's a pretty modest driver. It's not a muscle car by any stretch of imagination. We kind of joke that it's sort of a grandma car. So, we drive it like that. We sort of putter around in it. It's not a fast car by any means; it just has a lot of style.

1962 Mercury Comet Custom

Specifications

PRICE

Base price $2,226.00 (Custom)

ENGINE

Type OHV straight-six, cast-iron block and cylinder head

Displacement 169.7 cubic inches

Bore x Stroke 3.5 x 2.940 inches

Compression ratio 8.7:1

Horsepower @ RPM 101 @ 4,400

Torque @ RPM 156-lb.ft. @ 2,000

Valvetrain Overhead valves with solid lifters

Main bearings Four

Fuel system Holley one-barrel carburetor; intake manifold integral to cylinder head

Lubrication system Full pressure; gear-type pump

Electrical system 12-volt

Exhaust system Cast-iron manifold, single exhaust

TRANSMISSION

Type Merc-O-Matic two-speed automatic

Ratios 1st 3.29:1

2nd 1.75:1

Reverse 4.46:1

DIFFERENTIAL

Type Semi-floating rear axle with hypoid gears

Ratio 3.50:1

STEERING

Type Recirculating ball-nut gear; unassisted

Ratio 27:1

Turning circle: 38 feet

BRAKES

Type Hydraulic manual drum/drum; unassisted

Front 9-inch drums

Rear 9-inch drums

CHASSIS & BODY

Construction Steel unitized body

Body style Four-door, six-passenger sedan

Layout Front engine, rear-wheel drive

SUSPENSION

Front Upper and lower control arms, coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers, anti-roll bar

Rear Solid axle, asymmetrical semi-elliptic leaf springs, hydraulic shock absorbers

WHEELS & TIRES

Wheels Stamped steel

Front/rear 13 inches

Tires Bias-ply tires

Front/rear 13 x 6 inches

WEIGHTS & MEASURES

Wheelbase 114 inches

Overall length 194.8 inches

Overall width 70.4 inches

Overall height 56.3 inches

Front track 55 inches

Rear track 54.5 inches

Curb weight 2,610 pounds

CAPACITIES

Crankcase 4.5 quarts

Cooling system 9 quarts

Fuel tank 14 gallons

Transmission 2.25 pints

Rear axle 3 pints

CALCULATED DATA

Bhp per cu.in. 0.59

Weight per bhp 25.84 pounds

Weight per cu.in. 15.35 pounds

PRODUCTION

Four-door sedans 73,227

Total for 1962 165,305

Pros & Cons

+ Not many remaining

+ Mid-century style and design

+ Reasonable to acquire and operate

- Not exactly fast, even for 1962

- No reproduced panels available

- Don't expect too many concours invites

What to Pay

Low: $2,500 - $4,500

Average: $7,000 - $10,000

High: $14,000 - $18,000

Club Corner

International Mercury Owners Association

P.O. Box 1245

Northbrook, Illinois 60065

www.mercuryclub.com

Dues: $40

Membership: 950