As seen in the Catalina vs Strato Chief thread cdngmfan correctly identified the green wagon in the background. Anybody else wonder how he knew it was a Meteor and not a Ford?
This would be a very rare and interesting car to save. I saw this when I visited Cheviac last summer and it caught my eye, along with the 57 Pontiac sedan delivery he had. What's there looks pretty solid too. Maybe with a good 4 door parts car it could be done. All the rare 2 door trim is there.
If that car was ever done, i have no doubt that it would be the only one in existence. You have got to love these super rare and special models, so beyond the norm and the boring.
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1957 Pontiac Pathfinder Deluxe sedan restored 261 six
1974 Chevrolet Caprice Estate wagon low mileage original 400 V-8
The initial 1949 Meteor was introduced on June 25, 1948, at the same time the Ford Deluxe and Custom series were introduced across North America, and shared the new postwar full-sized Ford bodies, chassis, and powertrains but with unique trim. It used a Mercury grille and was powered by a 100 bhp (75 kW), 239 CID flathead V8 similar to that used in 19461953 U.S. Ford passenger cars. Meteor, as well as the Canadian Ford, kept the flathead V8 engine through 1954. The new OHV V8 which US Fords offered beginning in 1954 was not introduced in Canada until the 1955 model year. The following year, Ford of Canada introduced a six-cylinder engine for Canadian Ford and Meteor cars. Meteor models continued to use the Ford body with unique items such as grilles, taillights, and moldings. The 19521954 Meteors used Mercury instrument panels and dashboards. In mid-1954, some Niagara and Rideau models began using Ford instrument panels and dashes. These cars were named Niagara Special and Rideau Special and were priced around C$67 less than regular Niagaras or Rideaus.
In 1954, Meteor changed to its own series names. The entry-level car was called just Meteor, replacing Ford's Mainline series. The mid-level Ford Customline became the Meteor Niagara, while the top trim level Ford Crestline became the Meteor Rideau. A rebadged, Canadian-built version of the Ford Ranchero was added in 1957, and continued to be produced until 1959 as the "Meteor Ranchero."[1] The Montcalm series was added in mid-1959 as a counterpart to Ford's new Galaxie models.
Meteor was discontinued as a brand name after 1961 for a number of reasons. The Meteor name was selected for a new vehicle introduced in the Mercury line, the intermediate sized Mercury Meteor, beginning in 1962, and the entire Mercury line had already been dropped down in price (moving closer to the niche previously served by the Meteor brand in Canada) due to slow Mercury sales and the discontinuation of the Edsel brand.
Interesting note from Wikipedia article:
Meteor was a marque of automobiles offered by Ford in Canada from 1949 to 1976. The make was retired for the 1962 and 1963 model years, when the name was used for the Mercury Meteor sold in the United States. It succeeded the Mercury 114, a Canadian-market Mercury based on the Ford, the "114" name being taken from the car's wheelbase.
It complemented the Mercury, and gave Canadian Mercury-Lincoln dealers a car to sell in the low-price market, against the Canadian Pontiac. Similarly, Canadian Ford dealers offered the Monarch, a line of cars based on the Mercury models, to compete against the Oldsmobile. This was due to the dealer structure in Canada, where smaller communities might have only a single dealer that was expected to carry a full line of models in both the low- and mid-price classes. From 19491959, Meteor typically ran fourth in overall sales, behind Chevrolet, Ford, and Pontiac.
The initial 1949 Meteor was introduced on June 25, 1948, at the same time the Ford Deluxe and Custom series were introduced across North America, and shared the new postwar full-sized Ford bodies, chassis, and powertrains but with unique trim. It used a Mercury grille and was powered by a 100 bhp (75 kW), 239 CID flathead V8 similar to that used in 19461953 U.S. Ford passenger cars. Meteor, as well as the Canadian Ford, kept the flathead V8 engine through 1954. The new OHV V8 which US Fords offered beginning in 1954 was not introduced in Canada until the 1955 model year. The following year, Ford of Canada introduced a six-cylinder engine for Canadian Ford and Meteor cars. Meteor models continued to use the Ford body with unique items such as grilles, taillights, and moldings. The 19521954 Meteors used Mercury instrument panels and dashboards. In mid-1954, some Niagara and Rideau models began using Ford instrument panels and dashes. These cars were named Niagara Special and Rideau Special and were priced around C$67 less than regular Niagaras or Rideaus.
In 1954, Meteor changed to its own series names. The entry-level car was called just Meteor, replacing Ford's Mainline series. The mid-level Ford Customline became the Meteor Niagara, while the top trim level Ford Crestline became the Meteor Rideau. A rebadged, Canadian-built version of the Ford Ranchero was added in 1957, and continued to be produced until 1959 as the "Meteor Ranchero."[1] The Montcalm series was added in mid-1959 as a counterpart to Ford's new Galaxie models.
Meteor was discontinued as a brand name after 1961 for a number of reasons. The Meteor name was selected for a new vehicle introduced in the Mercury line, the intermediate sized Mercury Meteor, beginning in 1962, and the entire Mercury line had already been dropped down in price (moving closer to the niche previously served by the Meteor brand in Canada) due to slow Mercury sales and the discontinuation of the Edsel brand.
Interesting note from Wikipedia article:
Meteor was a marque of automobiles offered by Ford in Canada from 1949 to 1976. The make was retired for the 1962 and 1963 model years, when the name was used for the Mercury Meteor sold in the United States. It succeeded the Mercury 114, a Canadian-market Mercury based on the Ford, the "114" name being taken from the car's wheelbase.
It complemented the Mercury, and gave Canadian Mercury-Lincoln dealers a car to sell in the low-price market, against the Canadian Pontiac. Similarly, Canadian Ford dealers offered the Monarch, a line of cars based on the Mercury models, to compete against the Oldsmobile. This was due to the dealer structure in Canada, where smaller communities might have only a single dealer that was expected to carry a full line of models in both the low- and mid-price classes. From 19491959, Meteor typically ran fourth in overall sales, behind Chevrolet, Ford, and Pontiac.
My above comment was wrong, I just discovered that there was a Mercury Meteor sub-model offered in the US for 1961, but it was very different from the Canadian Meteor.
It's a little confusing, as the name was shuffled around somewhat during the 1960s. AFAIK, here is a rough summary of what happened (just doing this from memory, so feel free to correct anything I have wrong):
- Up until the end of the 1961 model year, Meteor in Canada was a unique brand of vehicle that utilized Ford bodies with unique styling cues, such as the one I posted the brochure pic of. It was intended to give Mercury dealers a lower-priced brand sell. The reasoning was along similar lines for the creation of unique Canadian Pontiacs using Chevrolet chassis and running gear to give Pontiac/Buick dealers a broader range of pricepoints, similar to Chevrolet/Oldsmobile - Ford had a slightly different philosophy but similar intent to cover a broader market range with its dealers.
- From the ad you posted for a 1961 Mercury Meteor, it appears that Mercury in US added it as a sub-model for 1961 only (?). I did not know about it until I looked it up today (brochure page below). It is definitely a Mercury body, and is decidedly different from the Ford-bodied Canadian car.
- To add to the confusion, in Canada, Ford dealers also had the Monarch to sell, which was used a full-size Mercury body with unique trim - to give Ford dealers a more upscale offering to help them compete in the mid-price segment.
- For '62-'63, the name was placed on a US mid-size Mercury branded vehicle, which was replaced by the mid-size Comet for '64 (which was a compact before '64).
- In Canada the Meteor nameplate reappeared for 1964 on a lower-priced version of the full size Mercury, which continued until sometime in the early '70s?
Man am I glad you posted that picture! When I was a teenager pumping gas I used to fuel up a dark blue S33, a 1966 in navy blue. There is NO doubt in my mind it was an S33 but everywhere I look online all I can find is an S55.... I suppose the S33 is a unique Canadian model?
If I remember right the engine was odd too, I think it was a 410?
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
I wasn't going to wade into this because I would expose myself as knowing something about Fords. On a GM enthusiast site that is akin to pouring honey on yourself and standing on an ant hill.
The Meteor in Canada was a Ford, sold as a value car at Mercury dealers. There was a corresponding car, the Monarch, that was a Mercury sold as an upscale line at Ford dealers. Then for a year or 2 the Meteor was a U.S. car based on the new unibody Fairlane. That silliness stopped for '64 when the Meteor was once again what it had originally been.
Ford has been playing footsie with names for eons. Now even there is a new EV SUV called E-Mustang. Years ago they had a fox-based LTD. Cougars went from being a ponycar to a luxury car to a boring intermediate line during the fox platform era. Oldsmobile also wore out the Cutlass name since it adorned the most popular car line, so they threw it on slow-sellers hoping people would only read Cutlass then buy.
That '61 Meteor wagon would have an equivalent Ford in a 2-door Ranch wagon. Thinking out loud about parts donors. BTW the door chrome was the first thing I saw in i.d'ing the wagon as a Meteor.
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67 Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe, Oshawa-built 250 PG never disturbed.
In garage, 296 cid inline six & TH350...
Cam, Toronto.
I don't judge a man by how far he's fallen, but by how far back he bounces - Patton
Man am I glad you posted that picture! When I was a teenager pumping gas I used to fuel up a dark blue S33, a 1966 in navy blue. There is NO doubt in my mind it was an S33 but everywhere I look online all I can find is an S55.... I suppose the S33 is a unique Canadian model? If I remember right the engine was odd too, I think it was a 410?
I test drove a Canadian Meteor Rideau with 352 engine in it, at ripe old age of 15. I remember the engine cubes, because the seller was telling me it was an experimental F**d engine, with commonly known F**d engine being a 351.
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Prince Edward Island
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
I wasn't going to wade into this because I would expose myself as knowing something about Fords. On a GM enthusiast site that is akin to pouring honey on yourself and standing on an ant hill.
I wasn't going to wade into this because I would expose myself as knowing something about Fords. On a GM enthusiast site that is akin to pouring honey on yourself and standing on an ant hill.
LOL... I've never let that stop me...
I wish Johnnee had said that. I'd gladly pour honey on him while he stands on an ant hill...
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
I wasn't going to wade into this because I would expose myself as knowing something about Fords. On a GM enthusiast site that is akin to pouring honey on yourself and standing on an ant hill.
LOL... I've never let that stop me...
I wish Johnnee had said that. I'd gladly pour honey on him while he stands on an ant hill...
I was thinking of you and your diabolical hatred towards "Johnnee D". I thought to myself, "yes, I can throw my support behind a good cause..."
In actuality, there is nothing wrong with Johnnee D except for the weird European sentiments. Next time I see him I will actually buy him breakfast or lunch (if I just said "breakfast" then some of you weirdos would get the wrong idea). Sick-o's.
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67 Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe, Oshawa-built 250 PG never disturbed.
In garage, 296 cid inline six & TH350...
Cam, Toronto.
I don't judge a man by how far he's fallen, but by how far back he bounces - Patton
, with commonly known F**d engine being a 351.
