Part 1 Will It Run? 1959 Mercury Monterey: Asleep For A Decade

[@michaelldanner9684]

I love your old car resurrections, you pick such interesting and obscure subjects! It shows me you're not afraid to tackle a car that most "professionals" wouldn't touch! Bringing these old "heaps" back to driver quality on a shoestring budget is awesome. Thanks!

[@skn9895]

Awesome find! I love the style of the late '50's cars. It's great to see someone giving 4-door cars some love. Good for you! I've got my grandparent's '49 Olds Model 76 4-door that I'm sloooowly bringing back from the dead.

[@MichaelMcFearin]

Wow this is going to be an amazing project to watch, thanks for getting off the C3's for a bit.

[@TheDutchTexan]

Always glad to see Ferd products on your channel Ben! That rooster tho... I laughed my ass off.

[@michaelr0001]

This will keep me tuned-in for sure.

[@rpsmith2990]

Looks like something lovely to fix, and show people the way we really rolled back then.

[@wolfwagonc1727]

What a nice old find. It's finally nice to see someone care about an old four-door. I'm sick of people saying four doors have no value. to me it's still a nice old car and always will be somebody will love it 👍🏻

[@frankweidemann6616]

Thank you for your detailed videos about your 59er Mercury! It is very helpful. I have my own 59er Ford Mercury since 2015 :-)

[@JamesAllmond]

I grew up in a 1959 Mercury Commuter Wagon! Just try to find one now. Love these things. Variety is the spice of life!

[@davebarron5939]

Never ceases to amaze me how nice these cars stay in the South West. If that was in the mid-west, you would have to shovel it onto the trailer. Neat project.

[@GarryFullerSr]

Great old car. Love it when someone saves a old car. Great channel.

[@r1lark]

You have not disappointed us this time, Ben - this is too cool! I was hoping for a project like this, after thinking back to your Edsel and the other cool '50s cars you have done. Looking forward to more on this car soon.

[@geoffdunstan8567]

great to see a non vette project again, you can only watch the same things so often.... will enjoy the journey best regards, Geoff from AU

[@40ounce58]

Cool old Mercury. Cars from the 60’s to the 1920’s are the most fun to work on.

[@MyTorino]

Super. Love it! I have a 71 Monterey Wagon. Always like to see some Mercury!!

[@franklinshouse8719]

That is such a great car! Glad you saved it.

[@cmsracing]

Interesting to see someone as young as you excited about a car that old!

[@JuniorFan08]

The car looks really solid. Great choice and looking forward to seeing her on the road.

[@anguswalker]

Good find Ben. I enjoy the Corvette stuff, but it's mainly you're approach to the renovations that keeps me coming back. It's good to mix it up with an earlier classic once and a while.

[@derrickrees8895]

Good solid old car , I will really enjoy watching it brought back to life !

[@buchonite]

Really looking forward to this one, love the fact that its a sedan. Something different!

[@speeder36]

This is great change of pace! looking forward to see this ocean liner cruising!

[@galatiel77ify]

I'm a Pontiac/Fiat guy and think this is cool. I look forward to the videos Ben. Can't wait! May God richly bless you friend :-)

[@alexfraser8186]

Learned to drive on a 1958 merc I remember the weird padded dash Great videos

[@gregsgarage1465]

Really awesome project!!! Cannot wait to see more videos!

[@rogermishler8794]

very cool! the roof and wrap around rear glass remind me of the old Oldsmobile flat tops of the same era. this will be fun!

[@noexpensespentstudios]

What a fantastic slab of a thing that is. I enjoyed your Edsel videos and of course the Cadillac videos so it should be fun to see you digging into this one too.

[@SpeedWayDre]

I'm super excited! I just bought a "87 Ford Crown Victoria LX that's in awesome condition yet still needs a little work (you can damn near eat off the floors it's so clean). I just have to fix the door locks, hoses, gaskets and dry rot parts. Luckily she still runs and drives fine (squeaks win its cold), I'm turning him into a Mad Max Rat Rod using the interceptor suspension parts. I'm learning about the 302 efi GT Mustang engine and its a mess lol.

[@johnnyedify]

My uncle bought this car new. It was turquoise and had the same color interior. It had the 312 cid eng. Great visibility with that windshield.

[@mjmcomputers]

Great looking car and I agree I love the glass.

[@JimBales]

I remember when this car was new. It was a beauty. You can bring it back.

[@methowvalleyproductions543]

I'm really excited to see more videos on this car!

[@kensherwood4866]

Wow, a car as old as me! Love this era US cars, we never got such cars here in UK only seen in films and on TV. Its like Christmas came early, so looking forward to seeing progress. I agree this is way better than a truck and gives the Caddy a run for its money. Cheers

[@BobPegram]

I'm glad you got this Mercury. I came to love your 56 Caddy, but I love this car from the start. I was around as a 3 year old when the car was sold. I only remember the equivalent Ford models, I guess there were no Mercury dealers around and I never saw Mercury ads. There are four things that mark the era of its building for me and need to be preserved. The first one is the flat, rectangular styling and secondly the sheer size of it! It was one of the first "land barges" from Detroit and helped set off the competition for "Longer, Lower, Wider" among the big 3 (US) manufacturers. If you lived away from New York or L.A., there were essentially NO foreign cars. Thirdly, that "futuristic" dash never really took off but It still looks good and reminds one of the early space age optimism in the USA. Lastly, the windshield and rear window. The front is one of the last of the 50's wraparound windshields while the back window was one of the most extreme wraparound rear windows, that lasted a bit longer, into the 1960s. The other weird but cool back window was the one that rolled up and down. I think it was a FoMoCo (Mercury?) product from the mid 1960s.

[@TheCorvetteBen]

+Bob Pegram have you seen the 1964 Mercury that I worked on about 2 years ago? That had the roll down back window

[@SweatyPockets]

So cool Ben I'm looking forward to the next video

[@LMacNeill]

It looks complete - no missing trim or other pieces. I’d bet you can make a great cruiser out of it without too much effort.

[@MLZ500]

I love the style cars had back then, cool project!

[@TheProgrammerGuy]

WHAT A TEASE!! "Will it run?" videos generally show someone starting (or trying to start) a car. I was waiting with great anticipation and then... nothing. Other than that, i can't wait for the rest of it! :)

[@scottrostad2346]

I miss my 59 Mercury Commuter hard top wagon. It had a 430 interceptor engine, too. It had the coolest speedometer. The faster it went, the speedometer would change from green to red. Yes, I had seen all red, a few times. lol

[@joealbert7773]

In 1959, the engines that were available were the 312 (Y-Block) or the 383/430 MEL engines (Mercury, Edsel, Lincoln). I believe it is a 383 because I think the 430 option came with a 4 bbl. It is based on the Lincoln engine they used up until about 67. That engine was separate from the FE series (332, 352, 390, 428).

[@roygunter3244]

I thought there was a 410 MEL about that time, I know several 58s had 383s but I may be wrong. I actually worked for a fellow in 64 who had a Lincoln Continental four door that had a 410.

[@joealbert7773]

I also had a 64 Lincoln for many years. The engine was actually a 430. It was the only Lincoln engine at the time. I believe they enlarged it to 472 in 67 and it was replaced by the newer 460 in 68. The only 410 I remember in a Mercury was much later and it was based on the FE engine. You can tell the 430/383 engines by the front mounted fuel pump by the distributor.

[@joealbert7773]

I did find a listing for a 410 in the Edsel although my 58 Edsel factory manual doesn't list it. I may have had an update manual to cover it.

[@roygunter3244]

I am sure you are right, I asked my brother who had a 64 convertible Lincoln and it had a 430. I don't think the 410 was around long but I am almost positive it was in 59 and in some Mercurys. Of course if it was a late 58 it may have had one. The 383 is an odd engine but it was a powerful engine with a bore to stroke ratio that made a lot of sense. I liked the MEL engines. I don't recall a 410 in an FE I did see a few 406 FEs in the early 60s maybe 62

[@davidhall6705]

472 was a Cadillac motor.

[@stevemcdaniel2476]

Good Luck. Hope you have fun with it.

[@KChev76]

Nice Project. i hope you will keep it :)

[@donaldmilhoan6379]

Good video, I love old cars especially 1959 cars

[@monarch1957]

I have a 57 Monarch the Canadian version of the Mercury also a 4 door sedan and is a good solid car but had to replace the carpets windshield and repainted it myself.

[@dcformee123]

Let's hope this one gets finish this time?

[@horaciovivanco]

Hermoso Monterey 1959 ... I am very glad to see it

[@gohst581922]

Beautiful mercury!

[@LarryDeSilva64]

Love the old Merc's well I drive a 2004 Mercury Grand marquis has always been a great car for me the old ones if restored right are great running and riding cars too. I like the new project . Chubby gives it 4 paws up

[@gregpallett1839]

Love the dogs, great names too!

[@frequencyfluxfandango8504]

YES very cool project !

[@racerxnk]

Cool project.

[@jeffryblackmon4846]

Nice find. Hmmm - front seat could use some repair. I love TX cars - such nice bodies. The instrument panel came from a space ship. Planning to watch all 3 videos.

[@fleetwin1]

Loving your enthusiasm about this one, can you really find a new windshield for this thing?

[@Guitarmanjhc1]

my dad loved mercurys. I had an 88 cougar 2 door coupe

[@MrHeadbanger366]

Very cool. That windshield won't be cheap to replace though.

[@damonkeyman1264]

Damn this car is beautiful

[@JukiReviews]

”He didn’t get lucky” LMAO. Looking forwards to new videos :)

[@TheDgill]

Good luck finding a windshield , $$$$

[@garbage854]

Sweet car :)

[@eldoradony]

This project looks like it will take you into new territory. I hope you get it to run.

[@TheCorvetteBen]

+eldoradony I'm hoping between the 56caddy, the 58 Edsel, and the 64 Mercury I worked on it won't be too bad!

[@ashleyschooneman2998]

Love that dash cluster

[@Guitarmanjhc1]

thats cool i bet its a good callenge for you, you cam do it !

[@jamesoverbey5507]

What a nice car!

[@Andrewcc.]

This will be fun

[@kevinisam]

Should be a good project! Cool lookin car

[@bramkeijsers]

Yeah! Great car!

[@shakerattleandrollgarage7223]

Very cool!

[@Anders.W.]

This car is cool !

[@groundhog180]

Yes, this is a 383 MEL series engine. My 1958 Edsel Corsair uses the 410 displacement. My 1958 Continental has the 430. I know they were trying to de-tune the Lincoln for 1959-60 and that's why it got a 2bbl carb. Maybe the same reason for Mercury. Not a cheap engine to rebuild so I hope this one is OK.

[@dvndvdsn1]

im mega excited

[@oldcoinchaser8723]

What cubic inch is the motor? I think 2 barrel carbs were standard on them old cars and 4 barrel carbs were optional. I have a 73 f100 with a 390 that came with a 2 barrel factory. It now has a 4 barrel. Can't wait to see more videos on the old mercury.

[@tonystone8902]

My father bought a NEW one in late '58. It was black with a 383 Merc V8.

[@mT_atvF5KCVHlk]

You should consider getting a bottle of iron x and using it as it gets rid of iron contaminants in the paint. It would be interesting to see how it looks after!

[@TheCorvetteBen]

+VRYALT3R3D never heard of that product

[@promerops]

Love the doggies - remind me of my own Pit Bull, Milo. Also, speaking of bad mannered dogs - my Belgian Shepherd has to be the rudest dog on earth! Having got to Part 10 of the Oldsmobile (most recent?) I'm now looking forward to following the saga of the Mercury - it certainly is an impressive looking car!

[@adamweintraub6274]

Cool. Very cool.

[@stevevarholy2011]

Nice find. It looks like every piece of glass is broken on the poor thing.

[@charlesdyer2376]

Gunna buy Me a Mercury an cruse it up an down the road !!!!

[@janeames1513]

ben i'm new to your channel i just saw it on a random spuratic page ...those old missouri tags though..my hubby is from missouri and he said they quit makeing those tags back in the 90's now they are all pretty white and blue ..back when they made the red tags they also had blue and black ..all solid color tags other than the numbers and letters being in white ...so is it a missouri car that went to texas or a texas car that went to missouri..if it's a missouri car that would explain the rust in the rear rocker..missouri uses salt in the snow mixed with sand ..they call it cinder salt ...anyways can't wait to see what ya do with this ole merc..alot of potential in it ..cheers from alabama

[@TheCorvetteBen]

+Jane Ames tags are from 1982

[@garycrawford6539]

The door panels look good.

[@5inthehole]

Got to let the doggies have their fun also! They ever find any little critters in a car??

[@cjc979]

Do you think you’ll ever do anything with a Nash metropolitan?

[@57gmc]

Sick

[@bobbycatgt70]

Dogs like cars too!

[@jbc3223]

Can you please mention prices you find these things for, please? It would be helpful for when I go hunting for my own projects. Thank you

[@TheCorvetteBen]

I usually don't because I want it to be about the car, not the money.

[@jbc3223]

I hear ya! Thank you for the vids.

[@daredevil7442AUTOMOTIVE]

Oh yea, good score! Turn it into a mercury marauder police interceptor!

[@SpeedWayDre]

I like this idea 💡!

[@jakekaywell5972]

Nope...still largely complete for its age so I vote to keep it as a Monterey, a proper cruiser!

[@canadacatalyst]

I want the red tag plate! Want one from Ontario?

[@TheCorvetteBen]

+canadacatalyst sure! Message me on youtube

[@normanduke8855]

That design is as far out as Mercury ever stretched. And you got the way out "backwards baseball cap" rear window. There were even very few of that style on the road back then. GM had them too. It will be a lot easier finding a front window rather than one of those for sure. Then there are the huge wedge shaped tail lights with rocket spears and that wild dash. I've found when cleaning up a car that has been outside a long time that Ajax or Comet is a big help for dissolving all that fungus.

[@michaelvanvleet998]

It is furr baby approved. Good enough for me.

[@vettekid3326]

The plugs don't look like they ever been run as clean as they are. The 383 MEL engine was standard with a two barrel carb. When you get it running it should have lots of torque. I remember working on these engines when I was in high school when a friend bought a '58 Lincoln Continental. Same engine but at 430 CI.

[@EarlGuyton425]

I think I know that car. A part of its history past may be me. You said you got that car in Hearst Tx north of Ft worth Tx. In 1972 if its the same one it was in Strawn Texas which is west of Fort Worth o Interstate 20 about 60 miles from Fort Worth. Back then it was parked next to a house owned by a man that had goats. The engine ran smooth and so smooth you couldn't hear that engine even run. For some reason a relative of the man had removed the right rear axle and brake shoes. I was age 16 at the time and very much into cars. You may be reviving part of my past.

[@TheCorvetteBen]

You just might be right! The reason I think that is because there was an issue with the right rear wheel. haven't figured out what yet!

[@EarlGuyton425]

LOL. That right rear wheel/axle. Still a part of that cars mystery. The older man that owned it in Strawn had no clue why this son or nephew that joined the military took that right axle and brake shoes off of that car. He sold Nubian goats plus worked at a feed mill close to there and didn't have time to mess with it and never placed an ad to sell it but would tell other live stock farmers the car was sale. Me and my step dad and him were all amazed at how you couldn't hear that engine run. Holly wood used a 59 mercury in the movie the brain that wouldn't die I think it was called in where the Doctor runs off a cliff and his fiancé burned to death. This is touching for me to see that car again after 45 years. I am going to call y mother as soon as she gets home from the hospital and see if she remembers that mans name. He had one left eye because when he was a boy a horse accidentally kicked him in the head and they had to remove his right eye and he was around 60 at the time I saw the car in 1972. Maybe a history check can match his name with that car back then and you would have a classic with its history

[@TheDavidcrockett]

Your story is interesting but all that sympathy writing reads like a snake oil salesman.

[@TaylorZ2]

Love the car and the dogs. What are their names? Chopstick and ?????

[@TheCorvetteBen]

+Taylor Z chopstick and noodle

[@pneumatic00]

Too bad about those windows, they could be costly to replace. Otherwise looks pretty good!

[@longhairbear]

Yay!!!!

[@operationyeet7010]

imagine being in this in its prime

[@skn9895]

"didn't get lucky" & poultry porn! Your channel is going Hollywood! ;)

[@kavinskysmith4094]

I think with the corvette thing its because the specs of it are off, I just found out recently from another commentor, the owner of a 76 corvette that in fact the corvette does not weight 3600 pounds like every single article on the internet says, its actually 2900 with the 69 ZL1 as he stated, and the big thing is power to weight, its everywhere, and in order to make a corvette move if it weighs that you need about 330 to 360 hp, corvettes as a baseline came close to 200 and not much else in the late 70's and that may have been WITH access to high octane gas, hell some of these older guys dont even know that you cant get 96 octane anymore, most I've seen is 93 up here in MA and the thing is if the late ones, say 74 and onwards got heavier for the trunk reinforcement after the pinto scare and its just not documented properly, that would badly effect the sale and resale value of it as that's as much as the biggest heaviest sedans made in that era, while 2900 isnt, far from it its the difference between being 300 pounds heavier than a 70 GTO, a full size car, with far more equipment and usability and being 300 pounds lighter than it with better brakes as everything runs off of specs now, as were all numbers obsessed with RPM,, how quick it'll go and how quick it'll stop and if that is the believed number the only people who wouldnt fall into that trap are the ones who own them as think about it, the C2 corvette, like 3200 pounds, the C3, 3,600 according to wikipedia and with no real sources to back them up and good god almighty do I hate Streak speed 117 (street speed 717, I always call him that as it sounds funnier) and his stupid videos that keep showing up in my suggestions, idiots buying the chipmonkmobile C7 ZR1 too! a car that literally looks like a chipmonk with accords stuck in its cheeks I say this as its showing up right next to this right now, frigging youtube, god I'm gonna miss the viper.

[@douglascox596]

What size is the engine?

[@TheCorvetteBen]

383 MEL v8 Engine

[@Muusie]

Nice choice Ben, would love to know how much you paid for it?

[@TheCorvetteBen]

+Muusie I usually don't share purcahse price, because I don't want it to be focused on the money like 95 percent of car shows are. I will tell you this, it was a good deal in my opinion!

[@Muusie]

No worries, I just wondered, cos I live in Australia and usually cars like this are rare and hard to get parts for being so far away from the USA, so they cost heaps here. Looking forward to seeing your progress and the end result.

[@philjohnson2611]

Ok, I give up! How the hell do you find these vehicles???? I keep checking back yards, garages, abandoned buildings, etc. I even have my friends keep their eyes out and still nothing! Do I have to come to Texas to find these? (lol)

[@awesomespark73]

sputty 100 yes saw a 79 transam just sitting in a yard next to a gas station today for sale too bad I already have my hands full 😅

[@ClassicRideSociety]

It's really dependant on where you live. When I was in Florida, slim pickings. I live in North Texas now and yes it's pretty freaking easy to find good projects here. I saw the 59 Merc on fb the other day. It sold quick obviously. I found a 67 2 door Cutlass Supreme also on fb for $300.

[@gearjammer4779]

I like Noodle!