Finished in Feather Gray with a black soft convertible top with subtle red piping, this 1947 Mercury Eight is sprinkled with chrome and brightwork, including the front and rear bumper guards, front bumper wings, twin spotlights, a left-hand reverse light and amber fog lamps. In typical Mercury fashion, the car is also peppered with other unique brightwork and trim that helped set it apart from the Fords of the day, letting people know it was a bit more upscale. Powered by a 239 CI flathead V-8 engine and a column- shifted 3-speed manual transmission, it rolls on wide whitewall tires with body-colored steel wheels adorned with polished beauty rings and Mercury hubcaps. The interior sustains the upscale feel with a sporty overtone, red carpeting, seatbelts and vinyl surfaces comingling with red leather upholstery with gray patterned cloth inserts, wood-grain and artistic metal trims spicing up the look, along with the ivory gauges and steering wheel. This special Mercury Eight has been donated by the seller, with the proceeds set to benefit the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. When first introduced for 1939, Mercury was priced similarly to Buick, Oldsmobile, Dodge and DeSoto, and it was meant to fill a gap between the upscale Ford Deluxe and the Lincoln Zephyr, appealing to a youthful, but professionally-oriented, market. For this reason, a major component of Mercury advertising was efficiency and economy, which Edsel Ford, who spearheaded the launch of Mercury, felt was of high importance to this market. Considering its size, it was surprising that it could achieve 20 MPG, but indeed, it was proven to have done so, outclassing the competition in that field. With styling reflecting both the Ford and Zephyr, the family lineage was obvious, and with interiors boasting fine materials and a healthy number of standard features, Mercury quickly asserted itself as a viable contender.
