Rare car to turn heads at Beach Hop
Classic cars are there to be driven says Pat Mcgrath
As the only one on the road in New Zealand, Pat and Jackie Mcgrath’s 1957 Mercury Monterey Montclair is sure to be a head turner at this year’s Beach Hop.
The Te Puke orchardist bought the car last year after it had been languishing as a to-do project.
“The people who brought it in [from the US] were going to do it up for themselves, but it sat there for about four years and what with Covid and everything, they decided it had to go,” says Pat.
“Their loss was our gain. It wasn’t certified or anything, so he got it certified it, got it on the road and we picked it up in November. It’s the only ‘57 Mercury on the road in New Zealand, so it’s a bit of a rare car.”
The car carries both the Monterey and Montclair badges as the model’s name changed part way through 1957.
“It has all its badging, like it came out of the factory,” says Pat. “It came from Arizona and was bought by someone in North Carolina, and he put it in a shed for 15 years.”
At some point before it arrived in New Zealand, the car was given a new engine.
“From a 312 motor, it’s gone up to a 429 big block, so it’s quite nice to drive. I’m still doing some work on it to get it driving the way I want it to, but we’ve done that with all our cars. I like them to drive really nicely.
“I’m putting in new suspension rubbers and things like that, just so’s it drives nice. We’ve done the rear springs up, had them reset and new springs put in to make the car sit up a bit nicer and put a big front sway bar in it which keeps it a lot more stable on the road.”
The cross ply tyres replaced with a set of radials.
“We’re quite happy with the way have been white wall it looks at the moment.”
Pat and Jackie first went to Beach Hop in 2006 and have missed just one since.
“We are very lucky in New Zealand that we’ve got a really good car culture and we’ve got some really nice cars,” says Pat.
The couple went to Americarna, a car-focused celebration of American culture in Taranaki, last month.
“That’s a really nice event that we enjoy,” says Pat. “There’s a lot of driving in it which we like. We go to Beach Hop mainly because a lot of our mates go and we have a good time together.
“They don’t drive the cars as much, but they do park them up and leave them on display, so it’s good for the general public to see the cars.
“I know a couple of people who have show cars and I take my hat off to them for what they do, but I’m definitely not into that.”
He says the Mercury is there to drive, even though there is always a risk that comes with that.
“It’s got a few marks on it, but it’s 63 years old and it hasn’t had a full restoration or anything like that — it’s had a bit of a paint touch up, but it’s basically how
States.”
Pat says cars are his “thing”. “It can be quite relaxing working on them, I enjoy it — but sometimes it can be bloody frustrating.”
He used to drive a speedway super saloon, but gave up in 2005 then, when he sold the car four years later, he bought a 1934 Plymouth which is now due for a restoration. Pat and Jackie also have a 1959 Dodge.
They are members of the Bay Rodders Club. “They are really good people who help each other out.” it came out of the