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