Santa Cruz Street Sighting - 1962 Mercury Comet Custom

By now you probably know about my affinity for the Ford Falcon, and to a lesser extent its Mercury Comet cousin. Since the Comet is rarer than the Falcon, I usually shoot just about every one I see on the street. This well-loved 1962 Comet Custom sedan was parked along one of the main drags in Santa Cruz one evening as a friend and I were leaving the famous Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. I parked my car and got out to snap it.

The Comet was always sold through Mercury dealerships, but it only took on the Mercury brand name in 1962. Also in 1962 it acquired styling that put it more in line with Mercury's other offerings, losing its original "baby Edsel" look and slanted cat-eye taillights. It was powered by the same tried-and-true pair of six-cylinder engines that were offered the previous year, a 2.4 liter unit making 90 hp and a 2.8 liter making 101. Not exactly a wild ride, but enough to get the average family down to the Piggly Wiggly and back for eggs and bread. If you wanted excitement, loosen a lug nut or two on each wheel and see how long they stay on. Or wait for the similar-looking but more powerful 1963 model, with its optional 260 V8.
This car's been used as a car, not a trailer queen, and its condition reflects that. The paint may be the original Sultana White judging by the amount of rust around seams and shut-lines. At some point it took one for the team on the front passenger door. The recent license plate issue suggests that the car was bought a short time ago, perhaps by someone who plans to build a custom out of it or restore it. The red and white vinyl interior looks like it needs nothing, so it'll mainly be bodywork, paint and whatever the owner decides to do with the powertrain.