What I Saw Today

So, earlier this week, this olelongrooffan was asked by thejeepjunkie (I also had to put ten bucks worth of gas in his CJ2A for the pleasure of the ride) to attend the annual holiday gathering over at my favorite parts friends place, Beachside Auto Parts, down in sunny Daytona Beach, Florida. These are the parts friends who, while I was considering it, told me that should I purchase an International Scout I would need to find new parts friends. Yeah, those guys.

Anyway, after enjoying a freshly grilled burger compliments of Robby and the gang, this olelongrooffan stepped out into the parking lot filled with vendors fresh from the PRI show down in MickeyMouseLand and checked out the grass parking lot out back.



It was damn sure worth it as this olelongrooffan spotted yet another cool old car.



Yeah, the god's likeness that adorns the full wheel cover hanging on the front door of my Taj Mahal also was affixed to the rear deck lid of this sweet old coupe.



And this one was the top of the line model offered by this now orphaned blue oval subsidiary. It included a console with a floor mounted shifter for that Merc-O-Matic transmission.



I am confident those studs on the seats must be hot as h*ll in the summer time heat down here in the Sunshine State, especially as this coupe does not possess an air conditioning unit.



Those metal accessorized pedals were a part of the option package that included that console. And the second from the left knob on that dashboard



provided the motivation for this rear window to travel up and down, similar to a traditional station wagon from back in the day.



No my friends, it was not a lowly Monterey nor a mid level Montclair (which I had first thought), no, it was the top of the line Mercury Park Lane with the Breezeway roof line.



And while this olelongrooffan has seen several of this body style vehicles over the years, they have always been Montclairs or Montereys and sedans...



This rough old, top of the line, coupe was sold at this year's Turkey Rod Run for $2,500 and is destined to be shipped off to Germany to its new owner next week.



And while the paint is fresh on this one, the bondo in the rear quarters, the paint on the formerly chrome rear bumper and the overall pitted condition of the body chrome on this one is unfortunate, the frowning rear bumper sums it up best.

But, then again, one man's junk is.......