In 1957, it just had to be this Mercury Turnpike Cruiser. Named to commemorate the Interstate Highway System, it was carried over from the 1956 Mercury XM-Turnpike Cruiser concept car.
Initially built only as a 2 door or 4 door hardtop, a few thousand convertibles were made with one serving as an Indy Pace Car offered only in "Sun Glitter" yellow.. Given the Continental Mkll's 368 V8 abd push button 3 speed automatic transmission, The loaded up this car with a myriad of modern tech features including the first retractable rear "Breezeway" window. In a gutsy decision, The car was equipped with "Quadri-Beam" dual headlamps which were still not legal in many States. The swing away continental kit shown here was optional. In the second and last year of the TPC a 400 HP twin carbed 383 was offered to compete with the 390 HP Chrysler 300D. After that, the TPC converted to the Monterrey and all the fancy tech stuff was transferred to the Edsel. For me, I see this TPC as the quintessence of the '50s land yacht. As a kid, I thought the car was ridiculous. Looking back now, I call it 'iconic' of that cultural period. The model, by DM, as old as it is, is just adorable.
I always thought that the Turnpike Cruiser (especially with the option DM gave us to add those surfboards to the sides of the car and coyly call them fender skirts) gave all new meaning to the phrase, "Going to extremes"!!
It is a beautiful car and model and an unmistakable vehicle, even with it's perhaps extreme design features The twin-headlight Mercury cars from then are interesting, too. I have YM very nice 1/18 of this one.
I'd never seen this car until finding the DM version. Never spotted it on any old U.S TV series, in news or magazine reports. Had to be one of the quirkiest designs I'd seen and just had to have one. So this and the blue convertible were a couple of my earliest ebay DM purchases. Great history and pics as always thanks Rich
A beautiful model, so futuristic in style and design. A must-have for any 50s car lover. I saw my 1st one of these when I was about 12 or so. It was on display at the Autorama show in Downtown Detroit one year. I remember thinking at the time, it was incredible and bizarre. My dad, being a devoted GM guy, called it Ford's joke on car buyers. He was not at all impressed. The things he used to say about the Edsel was even more opinionated.
@perrone1We called them "Bubble Skirts" back in the day.
Yep; I recall. Seen in somewhat shorter dimension to about as long as they are on the TPC. I liked them better a little more 'bubbly' as shown here on the DM custom '55 Ford:
I always thought that the Turnpike Cruiser (especially with the option DM gave us to add those surfboards to the sides of the car and coyly call them fender skirts) gave all new meaning to the phrase, "Going to extremes"!!
+1 I much prefer the "cleaner" look of the single headlight '57 Montclair without all the gizmo attachments, skirts and especially that continental kit.
I always thought that the Turnpike Cruiser (especially with the option DM gave us to add those surfboards to the sides of the car and coyly call them fender skirts) gave all new meaning to the phrase, "Going to extremes"!!
+1 I much prefer the "cleaner" look of the single headlight '57 Montclair without all the gizmo attachments, skirts and especially that continental kit.
