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About Herald and news. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1942-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 27, 1956)
FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 1956 I PAGE TWO HERALD AND NEWS, KLAMATH FALLS, OREGON ,,' ' '..V. BIGGER IN PERFORMANCE, power and appearance, this new 1956 Mercury Monterey coupe emphasize! the lower silhouette of the entire line or Mercurys tor itjj, wirn u moaeis in three leriei Moneleir, Monterey end Custom Mercury offers en impressive variety of color end fabric combinations. A new Mercury Safety-Surge V.8 engine with 312 cubic inch dis placement further enhances Mercury's acceleration and power throughout all the driving range. ' ' Mercury Phaeion Revealed As New Four-Door Hardtop The Mercury Phaeion new, luw-sllhouclle, four-door pillarless hardtop with more eye-level visi bility from the rear seal man anv iour-door hurdlop on the road la announced bv Mercury Division. F. C. Hellh. general manager ot the Mercury Division and vice president of Ford Motor Company, said the new model "has an extra margin of viewing area and un equalled ease of entrance and exit for rear seat passengera." The new Phaeton derives its name from a distinguished ances tral lineage. At the (urn of the century. Phaetons were a type of light, four-wheeled, open horse drawn carriage. As automobiles re placed carriages, the most luxur ious of the four-passenger touring cars of Ihe Twenties were known as Phaetons. "The new Mercury Phaeton com bines the open-air spaciousness and freedom of these orlplnnl Sport Phaeton touring cars with the 1056 Mercury's outstanding styling," Mr. Relth said. Initially offered In the Montclalr series, the Phaeton will be available Inter In the Custom and Monterey series. A five-Inch band of ribbed, bright metal extending across the roof forward of Die rear window and down to the beltline on Ihe rear doors, distinguishes the Phaeton from other Mercury Montclalr models and makes It easily recog nizable. The new model Is only 5flJ4 Inches high and Is more than 17 feet long. Rear doors are hinged on a strong pillar, anchored firmly to the floor and frame. The pillar extends only to the level of the door tops. With Ihe rear doors Inches of entrance room, making it easy either to enter or leave. Side visibility on the Phaeton is unusually good and rear seat pas sengers do not have to lean for ward to ootain a clear view. The Phaeton la powered by Mer- cury'a all-new 1856 snfety-surge V-8 engine with 525 horsepower and a compression ratio of 9.0 to 1 combined with the fully-automatic Merc-O-Matic drive. A 210 horse power V-8 encine also Is available with standard transmission. Like all 1956 Mercurys, the new mode) has a safety steering wheel and five other "crash-tested" safety icaturcs. Tne Phaeton fealures Mercury's new "flo-tone" color styling and Is available in 38 "flo-tone." 31 con- ventional two-tone color combina tions and 14 solid colors. Distinc tive Interior trim schemes utilize new woven plastic, vinyl, and cloth materials which range from ultra modern to conservative patterns and blend with exterior body colors. ' A CAR WITH A FUTURE, the M-Turnpilte Cruiser, is a striking experimental Mercury de veloped by the Mercury Division of the Ford Motor Co. It features transparent plastic "butter fly" openings in the roof over the two front seats. They automatically rise when the doors are opened, making it easy to enter the car. Side windows extend along the entire side end wrap fully around the corners. Only 4.4 feet high, it was developed to complement the modern Ameri can freeway.. After its showing in the east, it joined automobile shows over the country. Basin Motor Co. is the Mercury dealer here. Riding Comfort Emphasized In Mercury's J 956 Models The riding comfort, handling and road holding ability for which Mercury has built a reputation for several years, seta new stan dards even for Mercury in ihe 1956 models. The Mercury chassis Is engi neered to provide a luxury ride on all types of road. Long-ieaf rear springs adjust automatically to the road tension and double acting shock absorbers provide cushioned comiori. Ball-Joint front suspen sion, exclusive with Mercury in Us field, has earned II a reputation for superb handling. j Brake adjustment has been re- j duced to one point on each drum ' by adopting a fixed anchor tea-1 lure to replace the adjustable i anchor pin. Tills reduces Ihe pos-' sibility of poorly adjusted brakes. I A double screen sai an plastic i tiller in the fuel tank fillers the j nas belore It enters the fuel line keeping out Impurities and even filtering out water caused by con densation. ' j A new 13-volt electrical system! In the 1956 Mercury makes Ihej engine much easier to start under any weather conditions because 11 ' increases cranking speed by 50 1 per cent. j A poppet valve In the power brake unit permits Ihe brakes to i retain their vacuum reserve much ' longer when Ihe engine Is off for long periods, such as for overnight parking. Mercury also offers a choice of three transmissions each one de signed for smooth jet responsive performance under all driving and road conditions. A new throt tle linkage In the Merc-O-Matic transmission makes tne automatic shifting smoother in all speed ranges. Upshift from first to sec ond has been revised to 41 miles an hour from 36 miles an hour. Mercury's two other transmis sions, a smooth and quiet conven tional transmission and Touch-O-Maiic overdrive also are available. Dual exhausts, for better econ omy, faster acceleration and high er top speed, are standard on Montclalr and Montereys and on the Custom station wagons. They are available at extra cost on other Custom models. Another exclusive in Its field is Mercury's power lubrication sys tem. Optional equipment on all models, the Multl-Luber lubricates chassis bearings automatically by merely pressing a button on the instrument panel. New sealed beam headlights hav ing higher low beam w ithout glare u.to oncoming traldc are standard. Tubeless ures are again standard equipment on all Mercurys. idina Aided rr tJ VMs ,. I . 1 aTl Ila1lt"iiill"e "nMBaaWI3J ! ' . ''aMtvr' u - - "... : " - ' ! In Mercury The riding comfort, handling ana road holding ability for which Mer cury has built a reputation (or several years, sets new standards even tor Mercury in the 1956 models. The Mercury chassis is engi neered to provide a luxury ride on all types of road. Long-leaf rear springs adjust automatically to the load tension and double - acting shock absorbers provide cushioned comfort. Ball-joint front suspen pension, exclusive with Mercury in its field, has earned it a reputation for superb- handling. Brake adjustment has been re duced to one point on each drum by adopting a fixed anchor feature to replace the adjustable anchor pm. This reduces the possibility of poorly adjustrd brakes. A double screen saran plastic filter in the fuel tank fillers the gas belore it enters ihe fuel line keeping out impurities and even filtering out water caused by con densation. A new 12-volt electrical system in the 1956 Mercury makes the engine much easier to start under any weather conditions because it Increases cranking speed .by M per cent. A poppet valve In the power brake unit permits the brakes to retain their vacuum reserve much longer when the engine is oif for long periods, such as for over night parkins. MERCURY'S NEWEST MODEL - the Montclalr Phaeton features etra eye-level visibility for rear seat passengers end unequalled ease of entrance and ,it. It i, low-silhouette, four door pillarless hardtop only 58 inches high and more than 17 feet long. The new Pfcaeton is powered by Mercury's safety, surge V-8 engine with 225 horsepower and 9.0 to I com. pression ratio. A 210 horsepower V-8 engine also is available with standard transmission. Like all 1956 Mercurys, the new model has a safety steering wheel and five other "crash-tested" safety features. The Mercury is sold by Basin Motor Co. j Ford Improves Shock Absorbers Ford engineers havt improved shock absorbers, brakes, rear axles and trans missions in the;r 196 cars. A chanfe in valve design for tvnfi front und rear snock abwrb rrs re-miis in a better ride in the new models. More strength has been designed into sedan rear xle bousinc by means of a spherically shaped housing rear cover of thicker steel. An internal baffle has been de sicned into the housing to provide dtrectrd-tlow lubncatjoa to differ ential bearings. Continental Mark II Shows Enduring, Tasteful Design A modern version of one of America's most admired cars re turned to the automotive scene last (all, when theoiew Continental Mark II was introduced In dealers' showrooms across the nation. Styled with a functional and en during design, the Continental is produced to meet the strictest quality standards In the automo tive Industry, according to William C. Ford, vice president and group executive of Ford Motor Company and general mannger of the Con tinental Division. "The Continental." Mr. Ford said, "Is designed for an exclusive market a prestige market con sisting of persons with good taste who want an automobile embody ing distinction, luxury, dignity and quality." The beauty of the car's "modern formal" styling, he added, "lies in lla proportions and fundamental composition of line and form, de rived largely from the best charac teristics of the former Lincoln-Continental." Retained In modern form are several of the most distinguish ing features of the earlier car, in eluding a long hood. comDact pas senger compartment, a distinctive rear roof quarter, short rear deck and a unique spare tire mount. The tire rests inside the luggage compartment beneath a .molding stamped Into the rear deck lid. "From Its inception, the Conti nental was planned to appeal to the owner's Individual taste.',' said Mr. Ford. "We have deliberately tended toward restrained and hon est styling, and we- believe the Continental has a 'personality' that will satisfy a real affection for fine cars." Use of the "Mark II" designa tion, a departure from the practice of identifying American-made cars by model year. Is based on the assumption that the LIncoln-ComI- nental produced between 1940 and 1848 constituted the Continental "Mark I" series. Mr. Ford said such a designation will serve to emphasise the basic body design of the Continental rather than of any particular year. Believed to be the lowest of American production cars with both a front and a rear seat, the Continental Mark II is only 4 feet 8 Inches high. This height has been achieved, without sacrificing head' room, by means of a modified ladder-type frame developed by Con tinental Division engineers. Tests indicate that this design, charac terized by tubular construction of crossmembers, affords exceptional torsional rigidity, which enhances the car's smooth ride. The Continental Mark IT is a two-door "hardtop" coupe, avail able In 14 subdued exterior colors and five two-tone combinations. The only optional feature is air conditioning. Among standard fea tures are the automatic transmis sion, power brakes and power steering, and power-operated vent, side and rear-quarter windows. Controls for the front seat and all windows are set into the arm rest at the left of the driver, while In dividual window controls are con venient to each passenger. Door handles are recessed but readily accessible, and grips built Into both arm rests enable passengers to close the doors easily. The simply designed Instrument panel consists of four clusters weld ed into the top of the front panel near the steering wheel and clear ly visible to the driver. The dash board and instrument panel are covered with Imported leather to match the upholstery- Heater and ITwm DRIVERS OF THE NEW CONTINENTAL MARK II will sit at' the approximate center of the 218-inch car, behind a hood stretching nearly six feet in length. A wraparound windshield with door pillars sloping back increases forward visibility, while the closed roof quarter characteristic of the former Lincoln Continental is retained. The front end features a fine, die cast honeycomb grille topped by the gently sloping hood and the four-pointed star which makes up the distinctive Con. tinental hood ornament. The Continental is sold by Basin Motor Co. recirculating air controls are com bined in a throttle-type arrange ment built Into the top of the trans mission housing, between the driv er and the front seat passenger. , While the horsepower of the Con tinental Mark II engine has not been announced. It ranks with the highest In the Industry and is con sidered more than adequate for top performance. Such features as cast aluminum rocker arm covers and chrome fittings give the new over head valve V-- engine an appear ance all Its own. Each engine Is tested as a unit on a dynamometer. All transmissions also are vehicle tested before being shipped to the Continental plant. Following assem bly, all components of the Conti nental Mark n are given a fi nal check on a test track. Special air intakes at the leading edges of the rear quarter panels are cast into the bodies of cars to be air conditioned. Register-type air-conditioning ducts set into 'the headlining eliminate the need for visible plastic ducts. The arrange ment of ducts and vents makes it possible to heat or ventilate all parts of the interior simultaneous ly. The Continental Mark II exclus ively Is built In a plant especially designed for low-volume, high-quality production. The car will be sold through Lincoln dealers who have signed a Continental sales agreement. COLORS Except for one day, a person could drive a different model-color combination of 1956 Chevrolet for each day of the year. Calculating from the number of models IB, and the number of paint combina tions offered 10 solid colors and 14 two-tones, there are 364 model color combinations. For the 365th day. the statisticians suggest a Corvette. Mercury Leads Style Parade Low-silhouette styling in all three series, more massive appearance from the front and new sweep side mouldings readily set the new 1956 Mercury apart as a style leader. And exciting new color and fabric combinations make Interiors more luxurious than any previous Merc ury. .Besides increasing its total num ber of models to 13. Mercury for 1956 haa extended to the Monterey and Custom series Its low-silhouette styling pioneered last year in the Montclair. The new Monterey and Custom coupes are almost two inches lower than la'st year. In addition, the regular Monterey four-door sedan and the Custom four-door and two-door sedans are lower than previous models. A newcomer to the Custom series is the lower-priced "Medalist," a two door sedan with less elaborate ornamentation than the regular Custom two-door. A new hood ornament features a bright finish block "M" with a winged effect and Incorporates a Mercury head on a gold finish background in the center portion. Product identification is spelled out by the name "Mercury" in block letter individually mounted on the upper Impact bar. Chrome mouldings which sweep back along the side to new blister ornamentation incorporating pronounced horteontal wind splits accentuate the long, graceful lines. A new Mercury crest and script are located on the side of the front fender. TINTED CLASS While ordinary glass allows tl per cent of the sun's heat raya td penetrate the interior of an auto mobile. Solex tinted glass on the 1956 Plymouth allows only 35 per cent of these rays to enter. SEE IT ATJt THE AUTO SHOW! MERCURY'S ALL-NEW, TRULY DIFFERENT 4-DOOR HARDTOP SEDAN TH i ! LB D LvvJ WhLBtin a - - 1 - - - I trA,Ww ,Kmmmm, - .. V.a:-...- ' ;-';-.--,C;V..,tf.r-Sf;.?. Y, .V j It's a major advance in 4-door hardtpps! Exciting, distinctive styling marks this magnificent car as a Mercury Phaeton wherever you see it The BIG M Phaeton is designed to give full, all-round visibility for every passenger ... the breath-taking feeling of open air . . . easy entrance and exit for front and back scat passengers. And there's power to match its beauty in a great, new SAFETY-SURGE V-8 engine. Here are more good reasons why any Big Rfl is the Big Buy! sV New Safety-First design. ..widest choice of safety features in its field ic New Flo-Tone color styling and Two-Tones k New interior richness and luxury k Dual exhausts available as standard equipment in most models ir Greatest choice of power features, including power lubrication exclusive in its field Improved optional Merc-O-Matic Driva ir Consistently higher trade-in value SEE THE 19S6 MERCURYS AT THE AUTO SHOW ARMORY JANUARY 28-29 COME IN AND DRIVE THE BIG M BASIN MOTORS 424 So. 6th St.
