MARVELLOUS MERCURY
Dear Classic American,
Mike Renaut offered a really interesting article in April’s Classic American, regarding the 1949 Mercury. While it pitched the Mercury as an example of Ford’s new styling direction for 1949, this is not strictly true. The Mercury was – as Mike says – a hangover from 1943, but the true epitome of Ford’s revolutionary ‘shoebox’ design was the 1949 Ford (just like the 1951 I have!). The Mercury was to have been a Ford under Bob Gregorie, but the design by Richard Caleal, working for the outside consultant George Walker, became the Ford.
Richard Caleal’s story is fascinating. He’s inducted in the Automotive Hall of Fame because of his work on the ’49 Ford, and the influence it had on car design around the world in the early Fifties.
You can read more here: https://www.automotivehalloffame.org/honoree/richard-d-caleal/
Jeremy Davies
Via email
It’s always good to hear readers’ opinions and observations on Classic American features like this!