1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser Convertible

Just a few months after the new Interstate Highway System was into its authorization, Mercury introduced the new Turnpike Cruiser for the 1957 model year. This special model designation would last only two years in the Mercury line. First, it was available in two- and four-door hardtop trim. After being selected to pace the 1957 Indianapolis 500, Dearborn's executive office decided to offer a Convertible option, which was announced on January 7th of 1957. In total, just 1,265 examples were built that year, which all convertibles being equipped with a continental spare tire kit.

The Turnpike Cruiser was the first car manufactured with quad headlights. This particular example is finished in Sun Glitter Yellow with a matching Yellow and Black leather interior. The odometer currently shows 61,000 miles. The engine is the larger 3668 CID version of the Y-Block Lincoln engine, which was rated at nearly 300 horsepower that year. It has a Merc-O-Matic 3-speed transmission that used a push-button gear selector. Other items include the Seat-O-Matic memory power seat, the Lube-O-Matic push-button system, Town and Country signal-seeking radio, a two-tone interior, and a factory-installed tachometer.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2016