CONCEPT Car! 1956 Mercury XM Turnpike Cruiser
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- This 1956 Mercury XM Turnpike Cruiser CONCEPT Car Began as a Model in 1953 and was sent to Italy with a F-250 Truck chassis and new 292 Y-Block V8 to be built.... then shipped back to the US to be final assembled and embark on a Massive PR journey that made an impact on many Car Magazines and Shows.
After 1957 it was neglected and almost lost to long term storage, changed hands a few times until finally restored to its former glory by Tom Maruska. It now resides at the Muscle Car Museum in Melbourne Florida.
#antiquecars #autohistory #turnpikecruiser
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Totally amazing that this car even EXISTS in this day and age...let alone in this fully restored condition!!
The task of restoring this car with all of its one-off features would drive most men to the nuthouse, regardless of money.
Bravo to the gentlemen responsible for this, and thank you for showing us the finished product.
Stunning concept car. It has alot of Mercury styling to it. Videos on TH-cam on it. In 2017 when it was found and purchased it was a rotted out husk. The guy who restored it did a phenomenal job.
I agree!!!!!
I don’t know what to say other than magnificent. 👍👍
Thank you so much 😀
Awesome peice of automotive history
We agree!
Wow, this color just screams 1950s… and there is so much of it!
I am glad someone has gone to this much trouble to so beautifully display this amazing concept car.
I agree - thank you!!
That thing is just UNFAIR levels of cool man!!
40’s,50’s and 60’s America simply just had the best looking cars on the planet. Especially concept cars.
What a bloody horn lookin thing!!
Great presentation that you have all the facts in you spit them out real nice that's a beautiful car wow
Glad you enjoyed it
those clock pods are DOPE! holy smokes that be my daily for sure .. unreal
I agree, when I saw those floating pods it took the car to another level for me… Thanks for your comment!
Beautiful !
Thank you!
Excellent 👍
Thank you! Cheers!
Super Cool - 1950s - that's amazing!
Sure is!
*Can't believe this guy has the prototype for the turnpike cruiser. Some people have all the luck ! ... And money ... 🤭👍 p.s. The Jetsons didn't premier till 1962. Wonder what happened to the van transporter.
You’re right, it’s more the jet-age era. Yes that can transporter is likely long gone, but wouldn’t it be amazing to re-create it and use it for carrying this car around!
Whoa! Insanely cool. Love this design
Thank you! Cheers!
Since the design began in '53/'54, the jet-age inspiration is fascinating to behold... the swept back wing motifs on the doors, the vertical stabilizer trim on the seat back sides, the gauge clusters suspended like engine pods, the B-52 engine pods on the front bumper, the acrylic canopies over the interior, the myriad of styling details... the designers had a field day! Gotta love the optimism of the time!
Thanks and I appreciate you pointing out a few details we didn’t mention … 🙏👍
I am a GM guy but I love this car .
Thank you for your comment! I’m more or less like them all… But sometimes you have to look a little harder to get there 😂
Wow, an incredible car that probably very few new exited. When I was a kid our family Doctor had a Turnpike Cruiser.
This is a one of one only.
@@danielulz1640 • I think Jim is referring to the Doc having a production Turnpike Cruiser. My family had a '59 (bought used by my step-dad from a step-uncle) that had many of the styling cues, though less exaggerated. Probably the longest passenger car I ever drove. Thankfully Mom's car was a compact '62 Olds F85 Wagon that I took my road test on (parallel parking the Merc took WAY too much space!).
My Dream Car💕
I have to say it’s captivating
@@BarryTsGarage yes💕
color looks like dreamsicle orange if you remember dreamsicles.
I remember and great description … 👍
Exactly.
What a cool piece of history! So nice it was restored and is now in the best of hands! Thanks Barry for the video!
Glad you enjoyed it, uncle Mark! Thank you for your kind words, and I’m amazed at all the helpfulness you provide on your channel for repairs… Carry-on!
@@BarryTsGarage Trying! You are doing a super job on your channel. Always some really good content. Great winter here. Nice and warm, like 32 F most of the winter! Way better than the -40F we usually have.
Trick, I agree with you 100% love seeing Cars restored so that the public can appreciate them.
Glad you’re getting off easy this winter! 👍
@@BarryTsGarage Yes, you remember! Our area way better winters than Winnipeg. But yes, this winter has been super nice.
Remember when cars used to be fun?
Exactly!
What a shame that this unique car was left outside for years to go to hell !
Kudos to that man that restored it over several years.
AGREED
quite possibly the nicest 56' ever built ever seen by human eyes or otherwise...
The display trailer is quite impressive also
Incredible Machine, never get tired of seeing it, every time I notice something new.
Thanks. Good point!
Too cool!!! Love that air cleaner and double bullets on the front. Awesome style everywhere!
That is a great piece of history 👍👍from🇨🇦.
Thank you!
what a time capsule 3:40 the exhaust thru the fender was mimicked by many auto makers thru the mid '60's.3:49 love the baby Dagmars, probably what they looked like when she was in grade school.3:52 Packard Caribbean!
So nice to hear Tom talk about this without creepy Charles Phoenix talking over him. Amazing restoration.
It's gorgeous. I'm not a usual orange color person, but I really like that. Thank you.
Great - glad you enjoyed it!
Very cool!!
It’s like they took every style gimmick of the time and tossed in on there.
Well there were a few unique things in there…
The 1957 Mercury was designed from this car, I know I had one with the dual headlights !!
Wow, only a few cars had the quad headlights in 1957, the mercury, Cadillac, Eldorado, imperial, maybe one or two more I don’t know I think I’m missing somebody… Very cool thanks for sharing
@@BarryTsGarage I reason for that is the first Mercury's produced in 1957 were single headlights then mid-year they decided to start putting quad headlights on and that was the start of ALL cars having quads in 1958 and on up for many many years that was a BIG face lift for the BIG "M" gobbs of chrome.....😊
That's not a F250 front suspension. Guess it's custom made.
Beautiful '56 🤜🤛
Thanks, Cheers!
I wouldn't mind that interior and glass panel roof today! Amazing it still exists.
I’m with you!
Look at this car Wow ! Now look at these Crossovers Hybrids EV’s Dodge’s that never change year after year plastic junk built with no SOUL ………
Its so diferente & diferent car.
Congratulations.
It's very possible that Ford Engineer Fred Goodell worked on this prototype. He worked on the Lincoln Futura, and would go on to be Carroll Shelby's chief engineer from 1966 to 1970. I knew Fred, great guy, knew his stuff. I interviewed him for a Mustang book I wrote. This is one incredible car!!! Exquisite restoration!
Thank you for your comment, would love to know if that could be verified… I always appreciate added info on any of the videos… Thanks!
I'll get back to you, I'll check my notes, Fred also engineered 1967 and 1968 Shelby coupe prototypes. See "Hunt for Little Red" on YT. I was interviewed.
Wonderful!
Forerunner of the ground breaking Edsel.
Dealership’s were clamoring for a piece of the predicted Edsel pie.
There was a similar looking Mercury on the Twilight Zone where the lady couldn’t get rid of this hitchhiker dude.
The restoration process of this car would make a phenomenal video or series of videos. Thanks for THIS video….Mac
Thank you, if I find the opportunity, I will do it!
I think that it has.
Please DON’T SLAM THE DOORS! You will have to slam them every time as it messes up the latches.
That really pisses me off when they slam the doors like on a old Chevy truck.
We need that kind of beautiful designs and quality on today's cars.
I had a ‘56 Mercury Montclair in Persimmon . Beautiful color.
1 of 1 ridiculously beautiful!
👍👍
One cool car , love the colors! Almost a floating top ! The trans tunnel is to wide , otherwise this is one great car !!
Wondering whats its worth.
As a child of the 60s, all the cool cars had fins. Bring them back I say!
X Dios!!!! Antes sí sabían hacer las cosas!!! Precioso x donde lo mires!!!🤩🤩😍😍😍😍😍😍😍❤❤❤❤👏👏👏
I'll tell you you look at a car like that and you say how did they do it
Thanks for the history lesson really appreciate the time and effort you put into it, I watch your YT videos especially the ones that show y’all working on Flatheads, I have a 51 and 53 pickup trucks and your videos are amazing, I sent you a message once about Publishing a book about Rebuilding Flatheads, your the best Flathead guy I’ve ever watched, I know there’s some good ones out there, but you’re the best in my opinion ! About your concept car, the only word that comes to mind when I see it is incredibly immaculate ! Thanks again !
Thank YOU!! I spoke with Ed about your idea... he's "thinking about it." He has a lot to do for a young guy in his 80's... so we'll see!
A lot of this concept went into the 58 T bird . Very nice !
Similar time frame where GM’s Chevrolet division was toying with the Impala nameplate.
The early sixties Impala’s had very taught lines with the ability of the type W 409 V- 8.
Minimal over the top styling and less heavy Crome treatment and the crossed racing flags on the SS models were a sales hit.
The gloss black convertible version with red interior a very striking piece.
So much style experimenting going on in the 50’s and early 60’s! 1957 Mercury was VERY different from the 57 Chevy.
There were no Jetsons or interstates circa 1956.
Thanks for your comment. The interstate highway was enacted and funded in 1956, so this lines up well. As far as the Jetsons, they followed the Mercury with Jet age styling, right? 👍😃
I was fortunate enough to attend the Amelia Island Concours this year and spent a lot of time looking at this magnificent machine 😍. I spent a while in the tent across the lawn in front of the Mercury while it rained 🌧 in the afternoon. I give credit to all the owners of those beautiful classics to brave the nasty weather. But in typical Florida weather, the sun 🌞 came out and time for pictures 📸.
Congratulations on the awards 👏
Thank you for your comment… Yes, that downpour in the middle of the show definitely added some extra challenges to the day! Great that you were there, too!
D'ya ever notice, all the concept cars they made that never made it to production, should have? Like"we just made this to sit it out back and rust and the production car we made to sell....not near as cool. hmmmm.....?
Concept car live in a completely different world from start to finish. 👍
The jetson was in 1962 six years after this, buck rogers was in 1939. I really question all his statements.
I get it, I think he was trying to present the idea of a future vibe as opposed to factual show dates. Do you know a lot of Car guys can give you pretty good dates on cars, but not so good on movies and shows. I am one of those, too, lol.
xm turnpike cruiser 👍👍🚗🚗
what a gem, this car is CLEARLY on the block for the most unique, beautiful, on and on vintage 50's car ever built OMG they should have pulled the pin on this one.. that roof tucks back into the truck electrically right? please demonstrate please!!!!
The roof looks removable, but it is not. It seems to just float on top of the glass, very cool design. Thanks for your comment!
Only the center section of the rear windshield retracts.
Awesome vehicle!
Gotta love the Beer Overflow Cup behind the right rear tire (3:38)😂
Classic
God forbid if ever the car got into an accident! Imagine the cost to repair!
Absolutely GORGEOUS car!!
So true!!
58 mercury very similar.
Absolute Dreamboat!
The Jetsons premiered in September of 1962. No one was watching that cartoon in 1956!
True. It’s more like this car could have been an inspiration for the Jetsons. Certainly the same vibe 👍
@@BarryTsGarage - Okay. Great point!
That car is orange.
Oh yes, it is!!
The Jetsons was a 1960's TV show.
Yup. Same vibe tho.
its Fernandina
That’s true. Ed tongue tied that one… he’s forgiven though - we all do it.
If there is anything uglier than an American car, it’s an American concept car.
Ok then.
That is a beautiful concept car. I'm glad it got saved, but its kind of an ugly duckling.
I love the flamboyance of it anyway!
It's BEAUTIFUL!!!
Not in the least. Great looking car
Never seen anything more genuinely entertaining than 1950s space-age galactic stupidity! The inherently useless stylistic redundancies are utterly captivating!🤣
Thank you yes I also thought it was very entertaining… These concept cars are very interesting from the point of view of understanding what culture and style mindset was going on at that time and then it begs the question. I wonder how people will view our stuff in 50 years from now!
Well said.
WRONG ! .....the Jetson's were not on T.V. in 1956.
It’s a reference we can relate to to describe the vibe. Maybe this inspired the jetsons!
I read about this ravishing car in one of the Old Car publications I subscribe to. It has independent front suspension. The F250 truck had a solid axle in front and leaf springs. This car was built on a car chassis, not a truck chassis.
I doubt the engine came out of a truck, as trucks were still using the older 23o and 272 Y blocks. The big trucks used the LIncoln 317 engine.
They shipped a 1954 F 250 truck chassis and drive train to Ghia in Italy to have this concept car built at a cost of $80k; they modified the chassis and drive train to fit their needs; if you look under the rear axle there are 10 leafs on each side, you are correct in the front suspension has been changed from the straight axle during there build. Once the car arrived back in the States, they modified it even more@@BarryTsGarage
Great - thanks for adding that detail, Ed!
I'd call that color Gag Me Orange Sherbet. 🟠 Immaculate overall.
😂👍
Gaw jus absolutely gaw jus ❤