1946 Mercury Station Wagon

It was natural, then, that when the upscale Mercury line was introduced for 1939 a Mercury wagon would follow. That happened in 1941, when Ford and Mercury bodies were rationalized; from that year on the extra four-inches in the Mercury wheelbase were inserted ahead of the cowl. Although the basic wagon bodies were the same, the Mercury used higher grade finishes, color-coordinated top fabric and all-leather interiors, and of course it had the larger Mercury engine.

Accordingly, it sold at a higher price, $125 above the Super Deluxe Ford. Wood for the station wagons came from Henry Ford's forests in northern Michigan. Initially it was sent down in rough form, then cut and shaped and assembled into bodies by the Murray Corporation of America in Detroit, one of Ford's body suppliers.

From 1940, however, the Ford operations at Iron Mountain took over all body operations, and the units were shipped complete to Dearborn for installation on chassis. When automobile production resumed after World War II, virtually all manufacturers brought out slightly updated versions of their 1942 models. Ford and Mercury were no exception.

Mercury adopted a much bolder grille, with eight fine-tooth vertical "combs" flanking a vertical divider, four to a side. The twin-horizontal fender trim of the prewar cars continued, but the lower of the two strips was now much bolder. The hood ornament, too, was revised, as were the hub caps.

Fords and Mercurys were now mechanically identical, but the makes still differed in wood finish and interiors. The price differential had risen to $200. An older restoration, this 1946 Mercury wagon is very attractive in Dynamic Maroon.

The red leather interior and black artificial leather roof are both correctly done. The wood body is nicely varnished, showing only slight discoloration from age. The brightwork is all in good condition, and the car rides on wide whitewall tires.

The mileage shown is just over 71,000 and it runs and drives well. The years 1946-1948 were the heyday of the Ford woodie, with more than 50,000 built. The Mercury model, however, remains a rarity.

Just 2,797 were sold for the 1946 model year, barely a tenth the production of the corresponding Ford model. This is a chance to acquire one of the rarest models of the most desirable American woodies.