Sun Star 1:18 1959 Mercury Parklane Open Convertible Once again, the best band in the business - Mr. Richards on words, Mr. De Torrice on photos - review a stunner from SunStar. Review by John RIchards

Overview

By the late 1930s Edsel Ford (Henry’s son and only child, and a president in his father’s company) saw the need for a new brand to fill the gap between the everyman Ford and the upscale Lincoln. A god from Roman mythology was chosen as the new marque’s name and the Mercury Eight was born, introduced late in 1938 and launched as an independent model in 1939. An immediate success, with over 150,000 cars sold in its first few years, Mercury has remained a mainstay of the Ford family ever since. During the late forties through the fifties Mercury was in full flight as part of the Lincoln-Mercury Division, an entity which included, for a brief period, the ill-fated Edsel. By 1959 Ford was able to make the advertising claim that Mercury (celebrating its 20th anniversary) put luxury “within the grasp of 2 out of 3 new car buyers.”

In 1959, the twilight of the most flamboyant decade for American automotive styling, many manufacturers either refined or further aggrandized their premiere models. Ford took the former approach with the Mercury Park Lane by giving it a subtle but distinctive facelift. In its second year as Mercury’s flagship (having replaced the Turnpike Cruiser in ’58), the Park Lane was simplified both front and rear (particularly the grill), resulting in a quiet dignity. The side trim was integrated with chrome strips running the length of the front fenders before splitting to frame the beautiful coves, which were carried forward onto the front doors for ‘59. They widened gradually toward the back of the car, encasing a striking triangular light cluster (with space age-inspired turn signal modules) and culminating in a pair of subdued delta wings. This freshened design was long, lean and clean, dramatically capped by a massive, sloping wrap-around windshield, erasing most vestiges of the TC. At 222.8” in length riding a 128” wheelbase, weighing between 4300 and 4500 lbs. and powered by a 430 c.i. V8, it was a commanding car. Priced around $4200, the Park Lane continued to target the customer envisioned by Edsel Ford.

I find this Park Lane convertible to be the most beautiful model yet in the Platinum Collection. In terms of execution, too, it’s at or near the top. The Neptune Turquoise Metallic paint is silken with a deep shine that doesn’t glitter obtrusively, as often happens with cheaper metallic-painted models. Against this lovely finish, the splendid chrome (always a Sun Star specialty) stands out brilliantly. The grill is a myriad of interconnected rectangles. Although it’s not PE, blackwashing such a complex surface is no mean feat and it’s expertly done (as was the ’58 Buick’s Dynastar grille). The smallest accents and fixtures are accurately and lovingly rendered: bumper bolts, front fender “gun sights” (under magnification you’ll notice a tiny Mercury crest in the center of each!), the slanted antenna and finely formed wipers, like those on the recent Nash. The crystal-clear windshield glazing and lensing all around are close to perfect. Foil lettering and scripts are, again, an elegant touch. Like continental kits, fender skirts can be polarizing and this model’s striking convex chromed skirts aren’t removable. This may irritate some collectors, but to me they enhance the Mercury’s streamlined looks and their mirror-like finish is quite arresting

Though just shy of the Continental’s opulence, the Park Lane’s interior promises a ride in plush comfort with a generous array of convenience amenities. The two-tone blue color scheme has raised some doubts, but I find it pleasing. The front seats tilt forward and the upholstery is soft and convincingly textured. All interior appointments, down to the tiniest switch and chrome adornment, are perfectly scaled and installed. Oddly, some of the Park Lane’s distinctive interior options (a power driver seat with memory among them) are absent, as if this car’s buyer didn’t order them! Otherwise the dash has fine depth and presence, with an exceptionally realistic wheel: perfectly formed and scaled, with the horn ring graced by the Mercury crest. Note the delicacy and refinement of the turn signal and gear shift levers. The pedals aren’t just a simple one-piece module, but individual pieces carefully positioned on the floorboard and beneath the dash. The floor’s carpeted and includes a pair of nicely patterned front mats. There are movable visors and the boot is soft and well-scaled with creases and painted snaps. The “Mercury” embossed doorsills add the perfect finishing touch.

The 430 c.i. Marauder V8’s horsepower rating was dialed back a bit for ’59, but at 345 HP, it was still a power plant to be reckoned with. And Sun Star has really pulled out all the stops with its replication…it could well be their best effort yet in this area. Pop the insulated, front-hinged hood and prepare to be amazed by the high parts count and the flurry of wiring and plumbing. There are far too many well-executed features to mention individually, but using a penlight and magnification (yeah, this one’s worth the effort!), you can appreciate details like the timing belt and transmission fluid dipstick. I was especially tickled by the translucent blue washer reservoir with lines leading to left and right dispersal units. Judged by any standard, this engine bay easily equals or exceeds the efforts of any manufacturer in this price range. Moving aft, the trunk is fully lined, includes jacking tools (with instructions attached to the authentically braced and lined lid) and a full spare.

The undercarriage is Sun Star’s finest yet. Apart from a static driveshaft, the increased level of realism is astonishing. The engine block, suspension, chassis frame, drive train and exhaust are rendered with great accuracy. There’s soft tubing and chassis molding that convincingly represent fuel and brake lines. The working suspension looks especially authentic with rear leaf springs and shocks moving in tandem with well-hidden coil springs. The dual exhaust culminates in chrome tipped tailpipes. Sun Star has been working diligently toward chassis modeling inviting more than a cursory glance. Here they’ve achieved it.

Finally there’s the A-1 packaging and presentation with the model secured in a Styrofoam module slipped into a glossy, full color box, gleaming “Platinum” hang-fob and a beautiful reproduction of the Park Lane sales brochure. In my humble opinion the Platinum Collection now stands at the top of product lines offering this kind of fare in the $60 - $75 price segment…high praise considering the competition. Sun Star’s choice of subject matter has been uncanny and the level of execution just keeps getting better and better. If you love the great American cars from this period, don’t let this one slip away!

Legacy Motors is proud to have SunStar's beautifully recreated 1959 Mercury Parklane convertible in stock.