1961 Mercury Comet

Fine-Car Styling, Big-Car Ride, Small-Car Handling
'Going places is lighthearted fun in a family-size Comet, whether it's a short city hop or a cross-country trip. Comet is easy to maneuver in busy traffic - a cinch to park. While nearly two feet shorter on the outside than conventional-size cars, there's plenty of stretch-out room on the inside. And Comet's 114-inch wheelbase provides stable, secure handling and a smoother ride. Gleaming exterior is Super-Enamel, the durable finish that will keep your Comet new-looking for years.' - 1961 Mercury Comet sales brochure.

The Mercury Comet was introduced in March of 1960 and was available as a two- and four-door sedan, and a six- or eight-passenger station wagon. This was the first Mercury to be powered by a six-cylinder engine. A three-speed manual transmission was standard and the Ford-O-Matic was a $172 option. The entry-level Comet rested on a 114-inch wheelbase for the passenger cars which it shared with the compact Ford Falcon, and a 109.5-inch platform for the station wagons. Prices began at $2,000 for the sedan and rose to nearly $2,400 for the eight-passenger wagon.

The Comet was originally planned as an Edsel model and was sold by Lincoln-Mercury dealers initially marketed as its own brand; later officially becoming a model within the Mercury line. The Comet proved popular, and for 1961, accounted for over 60-percent of the total production (including the S-22 package).

The 1961 Mercury Comet was similar to the previous year's model, except for a few minor changes which included a new grille and addition of three vertical chrome pieces to the front fenders. Body styles remained the same as 1960, and the base engine was a 144.3 cubic-inch six-cylinder, overhead-valve engine which produced 85 horsepower.

The S-22 package was introduced in the spring of 1961, offered as a sporty two-door sedan priced at nearly $2,300 with an impressive 14,004 units sold. The S-22 added an all-vinyl bucket-seat interior with center console, vinyl-clad armrests, deluxe steering wheel and horn ring, deep-loop yarn carpeting, factory-applied undercoating, and extra insulation.

Mechanical Specification
The 1961 Mercury Comet coupe and sedan rested on a 114-inch wheelbase, and the wagon measured 109.5 inches. The length measured 194.5 inches, the width of 70.4 inches, and a height of 54.5 inches.

The 144.3 cubic-inch Thriftpower six-cylinder engine had overhead valves, a cast iron block, 8.7:1 compression, a Holley one-barrel carburetor, four main bearings, and produced 85 horsepower at 4,200 RPM. A new 170 CID Thriftpower six became available in 1961, and with a single-barrel Holley carburetor, it produced 101 horsepower at 4,400 RPM.

Transmission options included a column-shifted three-speed manual, a two-speed Merc-O-Matic automatic transmission, and a four-speed manual. The latter was a new option for 1961.

by Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2016