Charles’ 
Slide of the Week: April 8th, 2004
1961 Mercury Comet - Van Nuys, California - 1963
This is a proper portrait of a very lovely young suburban Miss. She has a buoyant bubble hair-do, smart sailor dress and sensible ‘61 Mercury Comet, all perfectly posed in front of a classic Southern California ranch-style tract home. The Comet, one of the first American compact cars, is most noteworthy for its spellbinding cat-eye taillights. This particular car, finished most handsomely in black with a red interior, is sporty and formal at the same time.
I grew up with the cars of the 50s and 60s. They made a really big impression as a never ending parade of them filled my dad’s used car lots when I was a kid. From what must’ve been just beyond my toddler-hood until I was eight or nine, I spent many a Saturday at the car lots going from car to car getting in every one pretending to drive it. I entertained myself that way for hours on end. Their space age cartoon style lines and shapes, endless palette of kooky colors and merchandisable model names inspire my imagination to this day.
In the realm of space age model names, Comet wasn’t the only one. There was the Mercury Meteor, Ford Galaxie, Hudson Jet, Dodge Dart and Plymouth Satellite. Fancy fish inspired a few. There was the Rambler Marlin, Plymouth Barracuda and Corvette Stingray. The Plymouth Roadrunner, Ford Falcon and Studebaker Lark were named for the birds. The wildlife continued with the Chevrolet Impala, Mercury Cougar and Buick Wildcat. Ford really got into the horse kick with the Mustang, Pinto, and Maverick. Weather conditions inspired a few. Remember the Plymouth Duster, Mercury Cyclone and Rambler Typhoon? For those racy types there were the Rambler Rebel and Dodge Dart Swinger. From the world of fantasy there was the AMC Gremlin and Kaiser Dragon. And yes, there was even a Dodge Phoenix.
GOD BLESS AMERICANA AND AMERICAN AUTOMOBILIANA
Charles Phoenix
Los Angeles
April 2004
Sets this Slide belongs to:
Transportation
8 Comments on “1961 Mercury Comet - Van Nuys, California - 1963”
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July 27th, 2006 at 12:35 pm
Ok, this was my mother too - she had a white 61 Comet S-22. I hope to find one of those sometime - just the taillights alone are enough to make it a head-turner, but the interiors are so nice, with the bucket seats & chromed center console! Thanks for your diligent archeology!!
October 20th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
My mother had one of these when I was little. It may not have been this year’s model, but it did have the fins! It was turquoise green!
June 3rd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
i have a white 61 s-22 for sale
June 18th, 2008 at 11:47 am
I think I spy another little Comet in the garage - this one a ‘63 Sport Coupe, by the look of the redesigned tail panel.
Adding to the list of bird names, don’t forget Studebaker’s other flier - the Hawk!
June 23rd, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Hey Clark whatdaya mean STUDEBAKERS’ OTHER car?
This is a MERCURY COMET not a Studebaker Lark! Another “Bird” car for ya besides the Studebaker Lark and Hawk like the Thunderbird, Falcon and Firebird!
June 23rd, 2008 at 3:29 pm
OPPS, we ALL forgot the AMC Eagle! How could we forget the proud American Eagle?
June 27th, 2008 at 8:46 am
The 1960 Comet was supposed to be a small Edsel. In fact on my 61 S-22 the keys are Edsel Keys that were reworked to look like a C instead of an E. When Edsel was K-O’d in 1960 Comet was sold through Mercury dealers and was not officially a Mercury until 1962. Even the part numbers were Edsel part numbers until 62.
August 15th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
The Mercury Comet was my first car in 1969! It had been my grandparent’s and I loved it. I think in ‘69 in Phoenix I still had the bubble hair-do as well. Thanks for the memories.