#DASHBOARD THUNDERBIRD LANES UPDATE#

For an option on the Park Lane hardtop coupe and convertible models, the sedan and convertible introduced 'yacht deck paneling' body trim which was essentially the same simulated woodgrain DI-NOC used for the Colony Park station wagon 'yacht deck paneling' was a rarely ordered option.

įor 1967, to complement the Mercury Marquis, which was only available as a two-door hardtop, the Park Lane Brougham was introduced as an exclusive trim package of the already luxurious Park Lane on the sedan only. The retractable rear window was no longer available on the hardtop body and were now only available on the sedan body style across all Mercury vehicles. The front grille continued to offer twin headlights in a recessed part of the grille. įor 1965, the chassis of full-sized Ford and Mercury cars were redesigned the Mercury line was given a much more slab-sided appearance due to the popularity of the 1965 Lincoln Continental. The Mercury Colony Park station wagon was now aligned with the Park Lane model line. In addition, Mercury offered the Park Lane with a fastback roofline as part of Marauder option package (seen on any full-sized Mercury) the fastback design proved popular on its Ford Galaxie 500 counterpart. For 1964 the retractable rear window was installed in hardtop sedans with a reverse-slant configuration as in previous versions. Īs the highest-priced, premium trim, many Park Lanes were fitted with the option of a 'breezeway' retractable rear window that was first used on the Turnpike Cruiser and the 1958-1960 Continental. The listed retail price for the four-door hardtop or four-door hardtop fastback was US$3,413 ($32,204 in 2022 dollars ) and a combined total of 6,060 were sold. In contrast to the previous generation, the Park Lane used the same wheelbase as other Mercury lines, differing primarily in trim. Coinciding with Mercury's 25th Anniversary, the Park Lane again topped the Mercury line above the Monterey and newly reintroduced Montclair. Pico Rivera, California ( Los Angeles Assembly)įor the 1964 model year, the Mercury Park Lane made its return as the Mercury Division expanded its model line. In 1961, the Park Lane name was dropped (along with the Montclair) as the division reorganized its marketing efforts towards the better-selling Monterey alongside the introduction of the Mercury Comet compact.

#DASHBOARD THUNDERBIRD LANES UPDATE#

All Park Lanes were equipped with a three-speed Merc-O-Matic automatic transmission the 1958 offered the 'Multi-Matic' transmission controls and was changed to the steering column mounted gear selector starting in 1959.įor 1960, the Park Lane had a minor styling update distinguished by new taillamps, rear fender skirts, five chrome-accent bars ahead of the rear wheel openings, wide rocker panel moldings, and a padded dashboard. For 1959, the Super Marauder was discontinued, with the standard engine rated at 345 hp, retuned to 310 hp in 1960. Initially rated at 360 hp for 1958, the Super Marauder engine option package allowed any Mercury with the 430 to increase its output to 400 hp (the first mass-production engine in an American automobile to be so rated). The Park Lane was powered by a single engine: a 430 cubic-inch Ford MEL V8. For 1960, the Park Lane wheelbase was again changed, matching the 126 inches of the standard Mercury line.

In 1959, the Park Lane wheelbase was stretched to 128 inches (two inches longer than other Mercurys). Sharing its chassis with the Colony Park station wagon (and Edsel Citation/Corsair), the Park Lane had a 125-inch wheelbase (3 inches longer than the standard Mercury chassis) and, for 1958 only, an extended rear deck 7 inches longer than standard models. As before, the Park Lane was a body on frame chassis while the Thunderbird had unibody construction. The Park Lane was offered as the flagship Mercury model line with a similar approach to luxury shared with the updated four passenger Ford Thunderbird with a listed retail price of US$3,867 for the coupe ($39,223 in 2022 dollars ) and US$4,118 for the convertible ($41,769 in 2022 dollars ). Available in two-door and four-door hardtops and convertible coupes, the Park Lane offered the same body styles as the Turnpike Cruiser which it replaced, though its distinctive 'breezeway' rear window was adopted by the Continental Mark line. In design, it was conceptualized as a Super Mercury that would compete with General Motors' Buick Limited and Chrysler 300D.

The Mercury Park Lane was introduced for the 1958 model year as a premium model line for the division. 1959 Mercury Park Lane two-door hardtop cruiser

Dashboard thunderbird lanes