Ultra‑rare 1969 Mercury Cyclone Dan Gurney Special saved after 40 years in an American basement

A super rare 1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler Dan Gurney Special spent 40 years parked up in a basement before finally being rescued.

The slick-looking Mercury Comet Cyclone was introduced in 1964, before dropping the ‘Comet’ in 1968 to become the Mercury Cyclone.

A year after its name change, Mercury introduced its Spoiler package – offering a more aerodynamic car than the original.

And one of these rarer models was left gathering dust in a US basement for years before finally being rescued.

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The 1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler Dan Gurney Special is a very rare find

Unfortunately, seeing once-stunning classic cars abandoned is all too common, like this British-made Triumph Herald that was left to rot in a deserted house, or this entire haul of vintage cars that had been buried in someone’s backyard.

Thankfully, that’s not the case for this 1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler Dan Gurney Special. 

The Mercury had been bought new by a previous owner, but ended up being parked around 1980 and forgotten about. 

The car appeared on Lou Costabile’s YouTube channel, where restorer Everett Rutledge explained that its new owner, a man called Steve Breedlove, had rescued the car and wasted no time in getting it restored to its former glory. 

Following a complete ‘rotisserie’ restoration, the classic 1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler Dan Gurney Special looks as good as it did the day it rolled off the production line. 

Incredibly, despite its age and being parked for decades, the Mercury has retained its original 5.8-liter V8 engine. 

And it’s certainly a car worth saving, as it’s actually a very rare example.

Firstly, the Spoiler package was a relatively rare option for the Cyclone, with only 1,025 models in 1969. 

Of those, only 349 were made with this specific exterior and interior color combination, and the fact that it’s a Dan Gurney Special Edition puts it at one of just 131.  

It also comes with an AM radio, which makes it rarer again as one of only 114 of its kind out there.

The Mercury brand was a division of Ford

The Mercury brand was a division of Ford that was introduced way back in 1939 and mainly centered around mid-priced cars. 

Although no longer around today, Mercury launched some well-loved vehicles, alongside the popular Mercury Comet, the marque was also responsible for the Montego, the Capri and the Cougar.

Ford pulled the plug on Mercury in 2011, with a 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis, the final car ever produced under the name.

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