SuperMerc
Meet 1970 Cyclone Spoiler II: the baddest Mercury never made
by Tom Shaw
photos by Tom Shaw
It would have been nice to see Cale and the boys duking it out on NASCAR tracks behind the wheel of a lightning-quick fleet of Spoiler IIs. It would have been great to have seen these beauties in showrooms and on the street back then, but that’s how it goes sometimes. But at least we can admire the lone, awesome creation that deserves the name, “SuperMerc.”
Ford’s Aero Timeline
1962 The Starlift, a proposed optional lift-off top for the full-size Galaxie designed to reduce aerodynamic drag, is cancelled.
January, 1963 The now-famous Fastback Galaxie is introduced in Monaco, Monte Carlo, site of one of Ford’s high-profile endurance racing victory. Also introduced there: the mighty 7-liter 427 engine.
1969 Torino Talladega and Cyclone Spoiler II, limited production intermediates, modified for improved aerodynamic performance, meet NASCAR’s sales requirements and begin appearing in races. Among those running Fords that year was NASCAR’s winningest driver: Richard Petty.
July, 1969 Designs are finalized for the King Cobra. Styling clays for the Cyclone Spoiler II promise even better aerodynamic performance thanks to a smoother backlight area.
August, 1969 Budget cuts force the cancellation of the King Cobra and Cyclone Spoiler II programs. The program falls victim to budget cuts. Only a tiny handful of prototypes, already outside Dearborn at its racing teams, survive.
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