1952 Mercury Monterey

This 1952 Mercury Monterey was acquired by the seller around 25 years ago as a disassembled project and was subsequently built as a race car for use in La Carrera Panamericana, where it competed six times between 1998 and 2004. The car reportedly achieved a third place finish in 1999, and has also participated in various rally events and track days throughout the US and Mexico. Power is from a 361ci Roush Yates V8 paired with a Tremec TKO 500 five-speed manual transmission, and equipment includes a full roll cage with door bars, dual Corbeau fixed-back bucket seats with multi-point harnesses, a fire suppression system, Wilwood four-wheel disc brakes, C4 Corvette-spec front suspension, Alden double-adjustable coilovers, a GPS-based rally computer, and a Terratrip intercom system. This Monterey race car was last raced in the 2017 Chihuahua Express and is now being offered with spare parts, documentation, awards, racing gear, publications featuring the car, and a clean Arizona title in the seller’s name. The car is finished in white and is said to have been fitted with a replacement body in 2019 to address rust and repair damage sustained to the passenger-side rear fender. The inner panels have been largely cut out, and exterior features include a custom front spoiler, Lexan rear windows, a NACA duct in the passenger-side rear 3/4 window, front tow hooks, hood and trunk pins, and dual exhausts that exit through the bodywork ahead of the rear wheels. Various paint chips, scratches, and other imperfections are present around the body, and the taillight brightwork is pitted. The seller notes that a spare door and two fenders will accompany the vehicle. Polished 16” Centerline wheels are mounted with 255/50 Toyo Proxes R888 tires. Braking is through Wilwood four-wheel discs that feature front cooling ducts, recirculating fluid, and adjustable front/rear balance. The car rides on C4 Corvette-spec front suspension with Alden double-adjustable front coilovers, along with a rear track bar and 275-lb coil springs. Two spare wheels and ten tires accompany the vehicle. The seller reports that the brake fluid was changed in preparation for the sale. The stripped cabin houses a padded full 12-point roll cage with door bars along with dual Corbeau fixed-back bucket seats with RJS multi-point harnesses. Equipment includes a fire suppression system, helmet blowers, and a custom central control panel with fuses and toggle switches for vehicle functions. MSD and Mallory ignition boxes are mounted to the firewall, and a trio of Wilwood master cylinders are located to the left of the steering column. The car is reportedly fitted with a GPS-enabled rally computer and a Terratrip intercom with spare helmet headsets. A C4 Corvette steering wheel wrapped in black tape sits ahead of a custom dashboard housing AutoMeter instrumentation that includes a 200-mph speedometer, a 10k-rpm tachometer, and a suite of auxiliary displays. The five-digit odometer shows approximately 650 miles, though total mileage is unknown. The seller notes that the fuel level gauge is inaccurate. The Roush Yates V8 was reportedly rebuilt around 2020 and bored to 360.7ci. The seller notes that the car has been driven around 100 miles since the engine rebuild. Features are said to include the following components: SVO Nascar-spec block Yates C3 heads featuring titanium intake valves Scat lightweight forged crankshaft Scat 6” piston rods Venolia pistons 11.5:1 Compression ratio Roush intake manifold Comp roller camshaft and roller lifters Custom stainless-steel headers Wet-sump lubrication 10-quart baffled oil pan Three-quart Accusump oil cooler Dual oil filters The Tremec TKO 500 five-speed manual transmission is reportedly equipped with a McLeod single-disc clutch and an aluminum flywheel. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a Coleman full floating 9” differential housing with a Curry aluminum third member, gun-drilled axles, and a Detroit Locker Truetrac differential with 3.25:1 gearing. The seller notes that fifth gear is currently blocked off due to speed restrictions in road rally competitions. Additional underbody photos are provided in the gallery below. Photos from La Carrera Panamericana events are included in the sale, along with spare parts, safety gear, memorabilia, and other documentation.