"TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut" (twincharged)
03/13/2015 at 14:55 • Filed to: None
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"TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut" (twincharged)
03/13/2015 at 14:55 • Filed to: None | 3
| 2 |
The year is 1957 and a new car comes along - the quirkily-named Mercury Turnpike Cruiser. Filled with gadgets such as Seat-O-Matic, Computer Clock and Breezeway Ventilation, it became Mercury's flagship model from 1957-58. Today, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , complete with options such as A/C and continental kit, for less than a used RAV4.
I can't impersonate Tavarish forever though, so I'll get cracking with my own repertoire. I need to gush some more too. This Turnpike Cruiser looks like the real deal. I discovered it earlier today and I haven't stopped gawking at it - it just further affirms my love for this design and I now confidently declare it to be my favourite '50s land yacht.
Apart from the aforementioned funkily-named gadgets, the Turnpike Cruiser also incorporated a range of interesting safety features. For example, you can see the padded dashboard and deep-dish steering wheel. Look a little closer and you will find that the gauges are encased in a rubber housing. Seatbelts were an option, which have not been fitted to this example.
One option that was fitted though, was A/C, which according to the seller has not been tested and thus may not work. However, crack open the windows, drop down that Breezeway rear window and let air flow through the twin air intakes on the Skylight Dual-Curve windscreen, and the Turnpike Cruiser was purported to have felt extremely cool and comfortable whilst on the move.
So, what about the nitty gritty? The car has been in storage for the past 25 years in Southern California, meaning little to no rust. It isn't 100% perfect - the seller does claim that there are a few chips here and there, but for a 58-year old machine, it's not surprising and probably to be expected.
In the last 6 months, it's also had a rebuilt carburettor, fuel pump and new petrol tank installed. It also has a completely original interior, minus the carpets. New wheel cylinders, power master cylinder and flex lines have also been added at some point in its life. Oh, and what was I saying about how you could buy this for the price of a used RAV4?
It's slightly clickbait, I will be honest with you Oppo. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is currently for sale, near me, with 58,000km for the princely sum of HK$168,000. In America-speak, that's just over 36,000 miles and US$21,000. So how much for this lovely piece of classic American petrol and steel?
With 33,700 miles on the clock, you can pick this 1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser for just US$17,900. Not just less to buy than a used RAV4, but less mileage too! Yes, it's a funny little slice of '50s American motoring history and yes, it does have finicky electrics with all those gadgets (which is why I'm only telling you now) , but I do quite want it now. Quite badly.
Phew, this writing business is tiring. I think that's enough for now - Tavarish, please forgive me for trying to emulate you, I only wanted to gush about one of my favourite cars. And to everyone else, sorry for that little clickbait. It's nearly 3AM over here now - goodnight!
itschrome
> TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut
03/13/2015 at 15:00 |
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man this needs some mechanical resto mods and it would be awesome, this thing running with a current mustang drive line and upgraded disc breaks... giggity
Roundbadge
> TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut
03/13/2015 at 15:05 |
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I saw one of these a couple of years ago in a Concours, and spent a good 15 minutes just walking circles around it and staring. I'd never heard of it then, and it blew my mind. If I had that kind of cash on hand, I'd be all over that beauty.