impdb.org

IGCD

[ Login ]

1953 Mercury Monterey Convertible [76B]

1953 Mercury Monterey [76B] in The Long, Long Trailer, Movie, 1954

Class: Cars, Convertible — Model origin:

1953 Mercury Monterey Convertible [76B]

Vehicle used a lot by a main character or for a long time

Comments about this vehicle

Author	Message
modell ◊ 2006-12-17 04:40	According to IMDb, the trailer was pulled by a 1953 Lincoln during the mountain scene-
Colorado Bill ◊ 2008-03-05 06:43	The car in the movie is a 1953 Mercury Monterey with a 125 HP V8. This is the gross horsepower as measured at the time; by modern measurement standards this engine put out about 85 HP. Not enough to pull a three ton trailer up a steep slope! For the long shots of the car pulling the trailer up the hill, a 1953 Lincoln Capri with a 205 HP V8 was substituted. The two cars shared many mechanical and body components, but the Lincoln had a longer wheelbase and distinctly different rear quarter sheet metal. The side spear on the Lincoln was painted body color, and a phony side spear painted along the side of the car several inches higher to match the real one on the Mercury. A Mercury hood replaced that of the Lincoln; miscellaneous other trim pieces were added. Compare these photos: Photo 1: The Mercury. Photo 2: The Lincoln.
Paedia ◊ 2012-10-03 03:51	Colorado Bill wrote For the long shots of the car pulling the trailer up the hill, a 1953 Lincoln Capri with a 205 HP V8 was substituted. The two cars shared many mechanical and body components, but the Lincoln had a longer wheelbase and distinctly different rear quarter sheet metal. The side spear on the Lincoln was painted body color, and a phony side spear painted along the side of the car several inches higher to match the real one on the Mercury. A Mercury hood replaced that of the Lincoln; miscellaneous other trim pieces were added. Wouldn't it have been easier to drop the 317 into the Monterey? -- Last edit: 2012-10-03 04:27:01
portacker ◊ 2014-11-29 12:47	Wouldn't have been easyier to use a Lincoln to start with?
Merrill92106 ◊ 2025-06-21 22:29	Thanks the disguised Capri info, I never knew that. That's why I love IMCDb so much! I actually just bought the stream of Long Long Trailer on Prime so now I have it forever! ❤️ Couldn't they have just ordered a 53 Monterey with the bigger Capri 317 motor? Lincoln was part of Ford back then wasn't It? Although maybe that was the whole marketing purpose to send someone over to the more expensive Lincoln dealership to get that bigger 317, I'm guessing? I grew up in a fun summer holiday camping trailer family in the 60s 70s. In the early 60s we pulled a rather small rented Scottsman with a new 62 Buick Special V6 with just a regular rear mounted hitch. Lots of good memories. Then in 67 we bought our own 18' Terry trailer and pulled it with a new 67 Buick Special V6 but Dad quickly realized that car wasn't powerful enougg. So, just like in the movie the hitch company man told Dad get a more powerful car. In the movie they said heavier? Anyway Dad came home with a brsnd new 68 Grand Prix thinking that oughta do it. Not! That car was problematic from the gate! The AC constantly went out when pulling the trailer. Something also with the fuse box always overloading. And other things I can't remember but remember that car was always in the shop and I think he had problems with the dealerships honoring it's warranty. It was a fiasco car. Which was too bad because it was a beautiful green car and looked so nice photographed with the trailer. And it did work well without the trailer. But 1970 camping friends of Dad's had told him order a car with what was called the trailer package. Enter our beautiful good ole 1971 Delta 88 4dr ordered from the factory with the trailer package option which as I recall included a heavy duty truck transmission with bigger radiator and tranny cooling system, a heavier duty supposedly lifetime guarantee shocks and the whole suspension was supposed to be beefier. Oh and it included the bigger 455ci enginee which Dad purposely ordered a 2bbl carb vs 4bbl to save gas, and it worked well! Dad use to boast it got 18 mpg on the highway! We never had one problem with that car and we pulled that trailer all over the country stayed at so many beautiful memorable National Parks and KOAs probably every one the west of the Mississippi! We also had two motorcycles for me and Dad, mine a SL125 we somehow wiggled insude the trailer and Dads a SL175 on bumper racks strapped behind the trailer! So those combined with everything else that goes with traveling that Oldsmobile never let us down. I remember how that Grand Prix AC always broke down once we hit the desert or climbed any significant mountain. Always! Not once with that good ole Olds 88. The trailer says ended by the late 70s as I left home. But Dad never sold that Delta 88 that was his baby. He use call it his baby Cadillac haha. Upon his death in 1989 that car still looked and ran like new with 248k miles. The transmission was refurbished a few years earlier but the engine ran like new and was never once opened. I think everything connected to the motor was replaced but that 455 Rocket engine ran like new at 248k miles. Mom sold it after his death. Well, I know none of this is about a 53 Mercury Monterey. convertible or Lucy and Desi but it is a sort of trailer story I just thought those who appreciate cars trailers camping might enjoy reading. It was a very very fun time of life. Now at 67yo I sure miss those good ole days seeing the USA. 😊
62imperial ◊ 2025-07-06 09:52	I also wonder if the trailer used for the driving scenes might have been a shell with the interior stripped out to lighten it? Note the window blinds are always closed when they're driving so you can't see inside. Another few shots of the Lincoln: Note in the last shot it doesn't have the painted-on trim.

Add a comment

Advertising