1968 Mercury Monterey Convertible

The 1960s in America were a great time for cars. The decade would see the birth of several cars that have since gone on the become American icons. From Ford, we got the beautiful first generation of Mustangs. From Dodge, we saw the power Charger and Challenger. Chevy released the original Camaro and Corvette Stingray. But amidst all this confusion of power and stunning style was a little Ford subdivision known as Mercury.

If you recognize the name of that car company but can’t remember anything they’ve made, that’s probably for a very good reason. Mercury was a subdivision of Ford that was founded in 1938. They enjoyed quite a bit of success throughout the company’s lifetime until rapidly declining sales in the early to mid 2000s caused Ford to shut them down in January of 2011. Beginning in the mid to late 1980s, Mercury began producing the type of car that tends to populate “ugliest cars of all time” lists. Their styling became about as bland as a baking sheet.

However it wasn’t always like this. There was a time when Mercury was building cars with styling that could easily rival dodge and Chevy with cars such as the 1967 Mercury Cougar Eliminator. (Below)


However, the car in question in this article is something a little bit less loud. For the first time o on this blog, I’m going to be talking about a convertible I actually like. That’s right, it’s the 1968 Mercury Monterey. (Below)

First of all, let’s start with the unique styling on the convertible version of the 1968 Monterey. It is clear from the start that it takes many of its design elements from the original 1964 Ford Mustang. All you really have to do is take a look at the front half of the car to see the similarities. What makes the styling of the convertible version of the 1968 Mercury Monterey notable is just how different it is from the hard-top version. (Below)

The hardtop was slightly lower and hand bulging side skirts that gave it a look that could maybe even be described as slightly menacing. The front end was also a bit more squared-off and stocky, making the hardtop Monterey a bit more serious looking.

The convertible Monterey, however, was a completely different story. Arriving just in time for the summer, the convertible was everything the hardtop wasn’t. Whereas the hardtop looked like a heavy-set, serious kind of car, the convertible had a much more enjoyable look. The convertible 1968 Monterey had smaller side skirts and a slightly higher ride height. Combine that with slightly softer suspension and you get a car that is not only great to look at, but great to ride in as well.

Let’s talk specs. The 1968 Mercury Monterey convertible certainly wasn’t the fastest car on the market. It wasn’t the fastest convertible on the market either. However that didn’t stop it from being a good car. The high-end Monterey convertible could go from 0-60 mph in 7.6 seconds and had a top speed of 129 mph, not exactly setting the world on fire but not exactly slow either. Another interesting thing about this car is that the most expensive model was the only one available with all-wheel drive as standard.

In terms of notable appearances in media such as movies and TV, the 1968 Mercury Monterey only really has one well known moment. Apart from appearing in the background of many films since its debut in 1968, this Monterey convertible is known mostly its role in the music video for the Green Day song “Holiday.” The car ends the video by breaking down and rolling to a stop at the beginning of the “Boulevard Of Broken Dreams” video. The band even took the car on part of a tour with them.

Overall, the 1968 Mercury Monterey convertible is a beautiful car that is often overlooked. I love almost everything about the car. It looks fantastic and the V8 engine used in the more expensive models sounds fantastic. I really can’t find a reason to dislike the 1968 Mercury Monterey convertible.

BELOW IS A PHOTO OF THE MODIFIED  1968 MERCURY MONTEREY CONVERTIBLE USED IN THE "HOLIDAY" MUSIC VIDEO

2019 Ferrari P80/c

Ferrari. I’ve talked about them on this blog before. Throughout automotive history, Ferrari has been known for making rare, beautiful and fast cars. When I think of classic cars that I would want to own one day, the 250 California is almost always at the top of my list. However, no company is without its ups and downs and Ferrari’s recent history hasn't exactly been spotless.

Since the turn of the century, Ferrari has shifted its focus from a balance of beauty and speed to simply wanting to go fast. Cars like the 2002 Ferrari Maranello (shown below in silver) emphasize this as it is by far the ugliest car to ever break the 200 mph mark.

This isn't to say that Ferrari hasn’t produced some amazing cars since the year 2000. The 360 Challenge Stradale (top) and 488 GTB (bottom) are certainly proof of this, but they haven't been consistent.

However, those days may be behind us with Ferrari’s latest high-speed offering.

First, a bit of background information. Towards the end of 2018, last year, Ferrari hired a new and specialized design team to focus solely on creating their special releases. So far this team has done a very good job, creating such cars as the Monza SP1. (shown below)

And now they have revealed their newest 4-wheeled wonder, the Ferrari P80/c.

First of all, let me just say that this car is gorgeous. It is, without a doubt, the greatest looking car set to release this year. Many other supercars set for release in 2019 are simply remaking their old styles, but Ferrari is doing something new. Anyway, now I've gotten that out of the way, let’s talk about the car itself.

If you know Ferrari, you'll probably realize that the car isn't exactly new. It's actually a 2019 Ferrari 488 GT3 Race Car with some serious modifications. The second thing you need to know about this is that you probably won’t ever get a chance to see the car in real life. That is due to the fact that there will only be 1 unit produced as it is a custom vehicle. Also, even if you do manage to get behind the wheel of a P80/c, you won't be able to drive it on the road. That's right, the P80/c is a track only specialized vehicle.

Now let’s take a look at the car itself. First of all, unlike the other main Ferrari track car, The FXX-K, the P80/c won’t be a hybrid. Instead, the car will draw all its power from its 3.9 liter naturally-aspirated V8 that will produce approximately 735bhp. The P80/c uses this power to its advantage as it goes from 0-60mph in a tarmac melting 2.7 seconds. Couple that with the explosive 211 top speed and you get one insanely quick track car. The car also features a reworked version of the due-clutch gearbox found in the 488 GT3. The P80/c’s gearbox is the highest tech paddle-shifter  Ferrari has ever created, built to handle the quick shifts with the raw power of the V8 engine. The car also used the same rear-wheel-drive system found in the 488 lineups.

Moving on to the exterior, it's pretty obvious that this was a go big or go home build. Almost every single panel is new. There is a massive rear wing that gives the car enough downforce to easily keep it on the track, even at full speed. Every panel has a purpose, nothing is just for show. The massive dips in the car’s hood, along with the grooves down its side allow for increased airflow, decreasing the car’s drag. Both the body of the car and its massive rear wing are made of solid carbon-fiber, saving quite a bit of weight, allowing for better cornering, faster acceleration, and higher top speed. And of course, it wouldn't be a racing Ferrari without the blazing red paint job.

Continuing to the inside of the car, we get a look at many new features as well as some old ones making a return. The layout is designed to feel more like the cockpit of a small fighter plane than a

track car, which, at high speeds, only adds to the very real sensation of actual flight.

Many of the instruments and paneling are either entirely, or mostly, made of carbon-fiber to save as much weight as possible. The cockpit also includes brand new bucket racing seats for both the driver and passenger. A screen in the center if the console, directly behind the wheel, gives the readouts and details on every possible piece of the car while also acting as a general control center for the vehicle. Everything, apart from the essentials, has been stripped away to save weight. This is another reason why you can’t drive this car on the road.

All in all, I love this car. Everything about it is what I think a Ferrari should be. It is blazingly fast without compromising on the beauty of the design. This is the best Ferrari the world has seen in several years and I seriously hope we get to see more amazing designs like this in the future.

Ford F100 (Second Generation)

Let me say this, trucks aren't really my thing. I understand that they have a purpose on the road, they haul heavy loads from point A to point B and can go almost anywhere off road, but they have never really appealed to me–except for this one.

 The second generation of the iconic Ford F-Series truck ran from 1953 to 1956 and created the blend of style and durability that Ford would become known for. When I think of a classic truck qor even a classic Ford for that matter, this image is what pops into my head. With that being said, let's get into the truck itself.

Ford's F-Series of trucks began in 1948 with the first generation of the, now iconic, Ford F-100. While this generation was the semi-powerful workhorse  Ford wanted it to be, something still didn't feel right – it was the styling. Back in the 1950s, Ford was known for creating sleek and beautiful vehicles, see the 1953 Customline (top) and 1952 Tudor (bottom) as examples.

       

And while the first generation F-100 was without a doubt a good looking truck, with it's flared wheel arches and vented hood, it fits more in line with what we today might class as being a hot-rod. Ford wanted none of that so they raised the ride height slightly, gave it a longer back end and removed the hood vent. However, they kept the oversized wheel arches so the truck wouldn't get too boring.

In the second half of 1954, a revised model of the second generation  F100 was released, this time featuring the all new 239 Y-Block V8 engine replacing the earlier 239 Flathead V8. The new engine set up gave the truck 130bhp. However the most powerful variant of the truck came in the final year of the second generation F100. In 1956, for a small racing competition, a mechanic at Ford decided to take the 363 Lincoln Y-Block V8 and try it out in the F100. A small side note, the 363 Lincoln Y-Block V8 was Ford’s first OHV, overhead valve, V8 engine. Anyway, this gave the truck a whopping 300 horsepower. This final version of the second generation F100 was given a large V8 badge on its hood to show its powerful place in the F100 lineup. Original versions of this model are quite rare nowadays. If you see one using the Lincoln engine setup, you have most likely encountered a modified truck. However, the 300bhp F100 still lives on in the digital world as it is the version that appears in the Forza Horizon racing game series

Overall, I really do love this truck. Everything from the raw sound of a 1950s Ford V8 to the unique styling make this one of the most desired classic trucks on the market. If you really want to own one yourself, you can probably find a working one in pretty good condition for around six thousand dollars. However, if you want one that drives well and still has its original parts, or close to it at least, you’ll have to look a little bit harder. This, sadly, is due to a couple of factors. The first one is that being built over 60 years ago,  wear and tear will have taken its toll on the vehicle. Not to mention the fact that original or proper replacement parts are becoming harder to find and, as such, more expensive.

The second reason an original build in good condition is so hard to find is due to this truck’s well-known reputation as both a hot rod car and drag race car. For quite some time now, people have been lowering the suspensions on these trucks, redesigning the interior, painting it in bright colors and dropping a 550bhp Nailhead V8 into it. While most of these builds end up looking and sounding cool, it just makes an original that much harder to find.