Photos from the CC Cohort by nifticus392
“Now in the Lincoln tradition…” is how Mercury referred to their new models of 1965. One could argue buyers took to that claim. After a small dip in sales for ’64, the revamped boxy Lincoln-inspired Mercurys of ’65 moved production numbers again to over 300K units overall. And here we got a nice surviving one from that rebound year, carrying that Ford/Mercury nicety of the period, the Breezeway roof.
I guess is a sign of the passing of time when much about a car has to be explained to the uninitiated (those familiar, can skip what’s coming). What’s a Park Lane? Mercury’s top-of-the-line full-size offering for ’65. Not only carrying higher trim and more luxury options but also the largest engines. Under that hood, either a 390CID or 427CID V8 was to be found.
What’s a Breezeway? A short-lived Ford offering, from a period when the company constantly looked for new niches in the automotive marketplace. A concept born in the 1950s, with an inward slant that promised “clear views in rain or snow”. And on hot days could be opened for “… breezeway ventilation.”
And finally, what’s a Mercury? Technically, Dearborn’s upper-medium brand slotted between Ford and Lincoln. Something that in hindsight, Ford regularly had a hard time making true and often seemed to forget about. But that back in ’65 was still trying to make a case for. Hence, the ’65s, built “… in the Lincoln tradition…”
Related CC reading:
Car Show Classic: 1965 Mercury Park Lane Breezeway Sedan – The Old Neighborhood
Junkyard Classic: 1965 Mercury Park Lane – The Interrogation
Since the questions about the 1963-’68 Mercury Breezeway models came up recently on the AACA Forum “For Sale – Not Mine” regarding examples offered for sale, here is my response to provide context. And a small correction: The Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1946-1975, edited by John Gunnell states the model year production for the full-sized 1965 Mercurys was 181,701 built. The 300K+ total includes Comets which distort the issue.
Admittedly the coved roof is incongruous with the rest of the design, but it was not only to provide the flow-through ventilation function but was also to primarily provide Mercury dealers with at least one unique model differentiated from the Fords with which it shared all other body styles. Mercury dealers who were living on Comet sales from 1960 on, enduring the lackluster sales for the full-sized 1961-’62 models, when the Mercury was little more than a slightly restyled Ford, demanded more distinctive styling and some feature unavailable elsewhere they could sell. L-M designers reached into their bag of styling gimmicks, pulled out the breezeway rear window from the 1957-’58 Mercury Turnpike Cruisers and 1958-’60 Lincoln Continental Marks. The tooling bill was pretty reasonable, requiring only a roof shell and ancillary window trims, apparently even utilized the functional window components from the station wagon. All this still fit onto the basic body shells shared with Fords but gave the Mercurys a distinct look and finally a feature to sell. The sales improved so the dealers were placated.
Recognizing the appeal of the 1963-’64 breezeway two-door body was lacking, being replaced by the rising fastback popularity, only the four-door sedan bodies were offered for 1965-’66. The severe rectilinearity of the 1965-’66 styling accommodates the coved roof style as well as it was going to ever be. The more curvaceous 1967-’68 styling wouldn’t have so the feature became invisible, a rear window that retracts two inches under the slight overhang of the inset rear window. Mercury hedged its bets, anyway, offered the conventional roofline sedans for 1965-’66 in parallel.
For those who like a full-sized 1960’s car in good condition for a reasonable price because their popularity hasn’t driven up prices and presents a unique feature, these breezeway Mercurys are hard to beat. Guaranteed at any show, this now-curious feature will attract a lot of attention.
That’s exactly the reason they did it, and very well put.
Great post with a side of juicy details! 😉
I wasn’t aware that the breezeway roof made it past approximately 1965. The ones I’ve seen personally had the fully retractable window. As a kid, I wasn’t put off too much by the roofline because of the novelty ad function of the breezeway window.
Would love to see some pictures of the ‘67 and ‘68 breezeway Mercuries.
The 1967-’68 breezeway was a feature fitted into the regular four-door sedan body which they also sold without the breezeway rear window for 1967, except all 1967 Park Lane and Park Lane Brougham four door sedans are breezeway equipped. For 1968, the breezeway ventilation was a $58.35 option for the four door sedans.
The attached shows a somewhat rundown example with the rear glass retracted two inches under the roof overhang. The only other telltale a 1967-’68 sedan is a breezeway is the power window switch to the left of the steering column.
You can find pics online easily. One was for sale, not long ago. Was a “67”.
The ad for one of those “classic car” dealers came up on my screen.
I went to the dealers site and the “Merc” was one of the featured cars.
When I was a kid a nice retired couple down the street had one of these. One day the man allowed me a close look at the car. I remember being fascinated with the electric rear window. Since that time I don’t think I’ve ever seen another Breezeway in the wild.
A sharp car with a really cool roof feature.
In a way, the Mercury Cougar from 1983-1988 aped this roof design, and the next generation also, however the side window was a near perfect square instead of a rising sweep.
Not mentioned are a few great features of the Breezeway design. During these years, air conditioning was considered a luxury item and most cars didn’t have it. Having a Breezeway permitted the heat in a Mercury to be swept out of the car. The open back window sucked air through the dash vents and side windows like a Hoover. The other reason for the Breezeway was cigarettes. Half the adult males smoked during these years and a Breezeway removed cigarette smoke out of the Mercury’s cabin like no one’s business. Finally, flow-through ventilation was yet to be a part of the driving experience. Believe it or not, it took nearly another decade before manufacturers started designing flow-through ventilation, common in all cars today. Even when it is raining, the Breezeway permitted the ability to ventilate the cabin in a Mercury.
So, it wasn’t just a look – the Breezeway had benefits as well.
Trying to sell ‘breezeway ventilation’ in a time when air conditioning had become more standard (particularly for cars allegedly ‘in the Lincoln tradition’) seems a tricky proposition.
Air conditioning was still a $430 option for the mid-’60’s Mercurys. Added to the $2,700-$3,300 base price dependent upon model was a big leap for many buyers.
I stand corrected 🙂
I like this .
There’s a beige one not far from my house, it’s always clean and tidy plus current tags .
-Nate
This one looks great. The wheels don’t go with it though.
Besides the retractable rear window, ’57-’58 Turnpike Cruisers had stylized air scoops at each upper corner of their TC-specific windshield. Air flow through each could be opened and closed from the car’s interior. Opened and with the back window down an inch or two allowed flow-through ventilation with the side windows closed.
It’s a handsome sedan, even if I don’t see “Lincoln” when I look at it. The C-pillars of the Breezeway used to bother me like the “upside down” headlights of M-Body Chryslers, but I have come to appreciate both. There are more unorthodox styling trends today than a reverse-slanting rear backlight.
The rear-quarter view is it’s best angle, IMHO.
I first spotted one of these as a little kid, around 1973.
I thought the styling was too serious. As I found the Fuselage Chryslers (for example), more appealing. With their softer edges, more predictive of 1970s styling trends.
The Breezeway was an interesting concept, but doomed to a short life. Factory A/C was becoming more and more popular by 1965, approaching a 40% take rate that year and hitting 50% in 1969. Factory A/C destroyed any argument in support of the Breezeway window. Also, the Breezeway wasn’t a particularly good looking car and Mercury hedged its bets by also offering a traditional four door, much better looking IMHO. A nice, quick, fix to differentiate Mercury from Ford, but it was never going to be a long-term solution.
Not that strange to anyone growing up with British Ford Anglias around (I did). The British cars were poverty models and never had the breezeway option, thereby giving up the one big advantage of the design – particularly given the fact that Anglias never had any aircon option…
For a while, all cars and SUVs looked like teardrops. Now, looks like the boxy shape had come full circle.
Take a look at the Hyundai Santa Fe, recent Chevy Traverse & Suburban, Lincoln Navigator, etc. Boxy is good!!
Nice to think that Mercury is setting the pace again.