{{Short description|Full-size automobile produced by Mercury (1952-1956)}} {{Use American English|date=October 2024}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox automobile | name = Mercury Custom | image = File:55 Mercury Custom (9132688304).jpg | caption = 1955 Mercury Custom 4-door sedan | manufacturer = [[Mercury (automobile)|Mercury]] ([[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]) | related = [[Lincoln Cosmopolitian#Second generation (1952-1954)|Lincoln Cosmopolitian]]<br>[[Lincoln Capri]]<br>[[Mercury Monterey#1952–1954|Mercury Monterey]]<br>[[Ford Crestline Skyliner]] | model_years = 1952–1956 | assembly = Main plant<br>[[Wayne, Michigan]]<ref name="flory 50s" /><br>(Branch assembly)<br>[[St. Louis, Missouri]]<br />[[Maywood, California]]<br />[[Metuchen, New Jersey]] | body_style = 2-door sedan <br> 4-door sedan <br> 2-door coupe <br> 2-door hardtop <br> 4-door hardtop <br> 4-door station wagon | class = [[Full-size]] | layout = [[FR layout]] | predecessor = [[Mercury Eight]] | successor = [[Mercury Medalist]] | engine = {{convert|255|cuin|L|1|abbr=on}} [[Ford Flathead engine#255|Flathead]] [[V8 engine|V8]]<br />{{convert|256|cuin|L|1|abbr=on}} [[Ford Y-block engine#256|Ford Y-block]] [[V8 engine|V8]]<br>{{convert|292|cuin|L|1|abbr=on}} [[Ford Y-block engine#292|Ford Y-block]] [[V8 engine|V8]]<br />{{convert|312|cuin|L|1|abbr=on}} [[Ford Y-block engine#312|Ford Y-block]] [[V8 engine|V8]] | transmission = 3-speed [[manual transmission|manual]]<br />3-speed [[Cruise-O-Matic|Merc-O-Matic]] [[automatic transmission|automatic]] | wheelbase = {{Convert|118.0|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}<br/>(1952-54 all, 1955-56 wagons)<br/> {{Convert|119.0|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}<br/>(1955-56 exc wagons) | length = {{Convert|202.2|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} | width = {{Convert|73.5|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} }}
The '''Mercury Custom''' is an automobile which was produced by [[Mercury (automobile)|Mercury]] for the 1952 through 1956 model years.<ref name=Gunnell>John Gunnell, Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975, Revised 4th Edition, pages 513 and 516</ref><ref name="flory 50s">{{cite book|last=Flory Jr.|first=J. "Kelly"|title=American Cars, 1946-1959 Every Model Every Year|year=2008|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers|isbn=978-0-7864-3229-5}}</ref>
The Custom was introduced as the base model series in the 1952 Mercury range, replacing the original [[Mercury Eight]] that introduced the all-new [[Mercury (automobile)|Mercury]] marque.<ref name=Gunnell/> It was positioned below the upper trim package [[Mercury Monterey|Monterey]] which was also introduced in 1952.<ref name=Gunnell/> The [[Mercury Medalist]] displaced the Custom as the base model for 1956,<ref name=Gunnell/> with both series discontinued for 1957 as Mercury was being repositioned as a luxury line above [[Edsel]] for 1958.<ref name=Gunnell/>
For the first year, 83,475 4-door sedans were manufactured with a listed price of US$2,040 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|2040|1952}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars {{inflation-fn|US}}), followed by 25,812 2-door sedans for US$1,987 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1987|1952}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars {{inflation-fn|US}}). Color choices were extensive, listing 10 single selections and 17 two-tone choices, and the standard list of equipment included broadcloth upholstery, rubber floor mats, and electric clock, luggage compartment light and chrome window surroundings. Optional equipment included a heater and windshield defroster, radio with antenna, and fog lamps. For 1953, the color choices expanded considerably to offer fifteen single choices and thirty nine two-tone selections.<ref name="flory 50s" />
For 1954, production totals recorded that the Custom was losing ground to the more upscale Monterey, while being moderately more expensive, with continued lack of popularity of the Custom for 1955, as the introduction of the Montclair continued to encourage sales away from the Custom.<ref name="flory 50s" /> The introduction of the [[Mercury Medalist]] in 1956, which was more modestly priced to the Custom further eroded sales of the Custom which was the last year.<ref name="flory 50s" />
<gallery widths="200" heights="135"> File:1952 Mercury (14575676170).jpg|1952 Mercury Custom Sport Coupe File:1953 Mercury Coupe (16057541842).jpg|1953 Mercury Custom Sport Coupe File:1954 Mercury Custom (29663862342).jpg|1954 Mercury Custom 4-Door Sedan File:Mercury Custom Station Wagon (1955) 1.jpg|1955 Mercury Custom Station Wagon File:Flickr - Hugo90 - 1956 Mercury Custom.jpg|1956 Mercury Custom 2-Door Sedan </gallery>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{commons cat}} {{Mercury Vehicles}} {{Mercury historic timeline}} [[Category:Mercury vehicles|Custom]] [[Category:Cars introduced in 1952]] [[Category:Cars discontinued in 1956]] [[Category:1950s cars]] [[Category:Sedans]] [[Category:Coupés]] [[Category:Station wagons]] [[Category:Rear-wheel-drive vehicles]]