1940 Mercury Eight Series 09A Convertible Sedan

This 1940 Mercury Eight Convertible Sedan was offered for sale at the 2007 Sports and Classic Car Auction presented by The Worldwide Group, in Hilton Head Island, SC where it was estimated to sell for $50,000 - $100,000. It was offered without reserve.

The Mercury nameplate was the result of Edsel Ford who envisioned it as a brand that would fall below the luxury brand of Lincoln but above the entry-level Ford. As much needed convincing to his father, Henry, and other family members, the project was given the green light. By the close of the 1930s, cars were being assembled and produced with Mercury badges.

From the start, the Mercury brand was successful. It competed against General Motors products of Pontiac and Oldsmobile and it took a few years to assemble similar sales figures as these household names.

During the early 1940s, Mercury averaged around 80,000 units per year which put it in twelfth or thirteenth in the industry.

The name 'Mercury' is from the winged messenger god in Greek mythology. In keeping true to its name, the Mercury had performance and style. They sat on a wheelbase four inches longer than the Ford, measuring 116 inches. Styling featured curved fenders, rounded body lines, and a crisp and pointy front end.

When production began, the Mercury was available in either two- or four-door 'beetleback' sedans, a notchback sedan coupe, and a convertible coupe. Prices ranged from around $915 to just over $1,000. In 1940, a convertible sedan was added to the line-up. Around 1,150 of this body style were created as it was a one-year option and carried a hefty price tag.

This Convertible Sedan is finished in the rare and original color of Albacore Blue. The interior of this car is burgundy with a matching tan top. It has many factory options such as AM radio and a factory heater that includes a defroster. Unusual for the era was the locking steering wheel, which helped in theft prevention. This technology would not become widely used throughout the market until the late 1960s.

On auction day this car was sold for $52,800, falling within the low end of the estimated value. It is a brilliant and rare automobile that is one of the few remaining survivors of this body style in modern times.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2007