Rare muscle car that's a piece of Ford history saved in Tennessee after it lay abandoned since Carter era
- Ford previously operated a very famous sub-brand in its lineup
- Back in 1964, Mercury released its mid-range muscle car, the Cyclone
- This particular Cyclone was abandoned since 1980 – and has recently been saved
Published on May 23, 2025 at 2:24 PM (UTC+4)
by Keelin McNamara
Last updated on May 23, 2025 at 2:28 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
The Ford brand is famous for having several well-known sub-brands.
For example, it sells luxury vehicles under its Lincoln marque.
And in years gone by, Ford sold medium-range cars through its Mercury brand.
Recently, one of the Mercury brand’s rare cars has been saved from neglect.
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
1964 was a massive year for the American car industry as a whole.
Chevrolet released its iconic Chevelle to the public.
Pontiac released the GTO, one of the most famous muscle cars of the era.
And Ford essentially created the pony car market with the legendary Mustang.
That same year, Ford’s mid-range sub-brand, Mercury, was hard at work, too.
Aside from the release of the Mustang, 1964 saw the release of the Mercury Cyclone.
The Cyclone replaced the S-22 as the performance-focused version of the Mercury Comet line.
Within the Mercury line-up, the Cyclone was placed between the Cougar and the Marauder/Marquis.
It would go through four distinct generations of production from 1964-1971.
After production ended for the 1971 model year, the Cyclone would briefly serve as an option package for the Montego, but only 30 would ever be produced.
In recent news, a very rare 1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler has been making news.
This particular Cyclone has been making news for a fascinating reason.
Because it was left forgotten in a basement since 1980.
Thankfully, this particular Mercury Cyclone Spoiler was rescued back in 2021.
Its story was recently brought to life by Lou Costabile on his YouTube channel.
Everett Rutledge, a car restorer, and current owner Steve Breedlove discussed the car’s origin story.
They explained that, after being abandoned since 1980, it was found in the basement of a private home.
As it turns out, this Dan Gurney special is just one of 114 ever made.
This Cyclone Spoiler underwent a comprehensive restoration, and was returned to its showroom appearance.
“It’s an incredible piece of Ford performance history,” Rutledge said.
“To find one this original and this rare – especially with such low mileage – is almost unheard of.”
It is always extremely cool to see rare cars being unearthed and revived to their former glory.
To find a Mercury Cyclone Spoiler in such pristine condition is like finding gold dust.
Keelin McNamara is a content writer at Supercar Blondie from Ireland, covering cars, technology, and lifestyle. Despite being a Law graduate, he discovered his passion for journalism during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has worked in the industry ever since. Outside of work, he is an avid MotoGP fan, and is a self-confessed addict of the sport.
