Automakers love to revive names. Remember when Dodge revived the Lancer name for 1985 after a 13-year respite? What about the Mercury Marauder, which was brought from the dead and the name applied to a full-size performance sedan for 2003-04? Our Pick of the Day is another Mercury, a 1966 S-55 two-door hardtop. It is listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Knightstown, Indiana. (Click the link to view the listing)

The first time the S-55 nameplate was used was in 1962. A mid-year cousin to the Ford Galaxie 500/XL, the Monterey S-55 was Mercury’s first full-size two-door hardtop and convertible with the sports-car dash of bucket seats and console. Other features of the S-55 included padded instrument panel, electric clock, back-up lights, pedal dress-up, and clever console ducting from the heater to the rear seat. Horsepower wasn’t an issue with the Monterey S-55, as the standard engine was a 292 V8, though a 406 in two states of tune were available for performance enthusiasts.

There were some big changes at Mercury for 1963 as the company introduced Breezeway styling with a reverse-slant C-pillar and retractable backlite for two- and four-doors. Not the sportiest look for the Monterey S-55 two-door hardtop or new S-55 four-door hardtop but, mid-year, Mercury introduced the Marauder sub-model that featured a semi-fastback roofline that was offered for the Monterey Custom and the Monterey S-55. For 1964, Mercury discontinued the Monterey S-55 model.

There is another story that will be woven into the saga of the S-55, and that is Ford Motor Company’s FE-series engine. First appearing in 1958 as a 332, 352, and 361, it was enlarged to 390ci in 1961, 406ci in 1962, and 427ci in 1963, the latter two being dedicated high-performance engines. Ford also created a 428 in 1966 to have a torquey seven-liter workhorse. Rated at 345 horsepower, it was produced for three years in basic form and served as the basis for the 428 Cobra Jet. Ford created a special model to introduce the engine in the lineup: the 1966 Ford 7-Litre.

Mercury didn’t miss out either. That car was called the S-55. Aside of the standard Super Marauder 428, the S-55 two-door hardtop and convertible included bucket seats, console with either four-speed or Merc-O-Matic, dual exhausts, deluxe steering wheel, unique body side-striping, deluxe wheel covers, and distinctive S-55 and 428 badging. At the end of the model year, Mercury had built 2,916 S-55 hardtops and 669 S-55 convertibles. The S-55 was carried over and slightly updated for Mercury’s 1967 redesign, though now as a similarly equipped package for the Monterey two-door hardtop and convertible. Sales collapsed to 570 S-55 hardtops and 145 S-55 convertibles, so the S-55 disappeared.

This Turquoise Frost 1966 Mercury S-55 two-door hardtop is claimed to be rust-free aside of one spot above the right rear tire. Originally from Montana, this S-55 has 78,205 on the odometer. “It’s the original 428 [and it] starts easy and runs without smoke or noises other than the right exhaust manifold gasket leaks at back,” says the seller. “It has new dual exhaust with Flowmasater-style mufflers.” Brakes are power drum, as power discs did not become a standard part of the S-55 until 1967. “Front bumper chrome is really nice. Back bumper has some pits on one end,” adds the seller. “The rest of the trim looks really good.” The paint was redone over 20 years ago but has lost its luster, plus it appears an aftermarket vinyl roof was added along the way.

Inside, you’ll find a really nice original white interior with no cracks or tears, plus the driver’s seat is power-operated. Window sticker also points to limited-slip differential, remote trunk release, deluxe seat belts, remote control mirror, Studio Sonic speaker, deluxe wheel covers, and heavy-duty suspension.

Remember when sellers used to use “needs a little TLC” in their ads? That would be the perfect way to frame this vehicle – looks good and is all there, but a little bit of work would make it quite nice. Big Mercurys with sporting features don’t appear for sale often, so does $16,500 hit that sweet spot?