Daily Pick: 1967 Mercury Cyclone GT

Marketing is fun There’s a thing – there’s one time a company feeds you a name you shouldn’t forget, only for you to forget it a few years later. The 1967 Mercury Comet is a perfect example, so we’ve chosen a 1967 Mercury Cyclone as our Pick of the Day to discuss this further. This car is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Mesa, Arizona. (Click the link to view the listing.)

When the Comet first entered the automotive world, it was Mercury’s version of the Ford Falcon, a completely mundane compact car that set sales records for Ford. The Comet was just as mundane, but it had a more modern look (i.e., rear fins) that gave it a bit more style. And, like the Falcon, the Comet was one of the early barrel-console cars, setting the template for the small car market that would emerge a few years later.

In 1966, the Comet finally grew up and joined the Fairlane in Ford’s mid-size lineup. The new 1966 Comet had several trim levels/models, including the Comet 202, Comet Capri, Comet Caliente, and Comet Cyclone. All Comets, except the Cyclone, had the word Comet between the taillights.

That all changed in 1967 when Mercury began to downplay its association with the Comet. The Comet 202 remained the same, but the grades were just Capri, Caliente and Cyclone. They were all part of the Comet series (just like the GTO was part of the Tempest series), but only the Comet 202 had the Comet inscription between the taillights, while all the other models carried their own specific names.

In Cyclones, standard power came from a 200-horsepower 289 engine, with a 270-horsepower 390 two-barrel engine optional. All Cyclones came standard with a three-speed manual transmission, with a four-speed or Select-Shift Merc-O-Matic (which allowed the driver to hold a specific gear) optional. For those interested in competing with the Hemis, all Comet two-door models were available with either a 410-horsepower or 425-horsepower 427 engine, the difference between the two being one or two four-barrel carburetors. The four-speed was the only transmission choice.

Then came the GT Performance Group, who transformed the Cyclone into the Cyclone GT. The package included a 320-horsepower 390 four-cylinder engine (15 less horsepower than in 1966), a power boost fan, a bright engine trim package, a non-functional scooped hood, dual exhaust pipes, rally stripes, GT badging, special chrome wheel covers, wide white ovals, power front disc brakes, a 3.25:1 rear axle, and a performance handling package with stiffer springs, heavy-duty shocks, and a larger stabilizer bar. The 390 was the only engine available for the Cyclone GT, as it appears the 427 was only installed on regular Cyclones.

In 1968, the Comet 202 was renamed the Comet, while the Capri and Caliente became the Montego and Montego MX. By 1970, the Comet was gone, but it soon reappeared as the Mercury version of the Maverick.

This 1967 Cardinal Red Cyclone GT hardtop is equipped with Magnum 500 wheels, a black vinyl roof, a Parchment interior with black components, and an AM radio. “Under the hood, the real charm of this 1967 Mercury Comet Cyclone GT is the powerful 390 V8 engine and 4-speed manual Toploader transmission,” said the selling dealer. “This setup is accentuated by power steering and power disc brakes in the front, ensuring that the Cyclone GT handles as well as it drives.”

The Cyclone wasn’t selling well in 1967, with just 6,101 hardtops sold, including 3,420 cars equipped with the GT package. According to Marti Auto Works, 3,412 of those were equipped with the 390 four-cylinder engine, and 1,581 of those were equipped with the four-speed transmission. Considering that Pontiac GTOs with four-speed transmissions sold in the tens of thousands, that’s a pretty low number. For your $59,995 price tag, we bet you won’t see another one like this at your local Cars & Coffee.

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