In the late 1950s, Mercury used the Montclair name as their middle-tier car, above the Monterey but below the Turnpike Cruiser/Park Lane premium models.
Remember that this was an era when the various sub brands of Detroit's Big Three pretty much only made one basic car each, though that car was available in a variety of body styles and trim levels. Today we call them "full-size" cars but that's a retronym, because back then there was only the one size.
At any rate, after the 1960 model year, Mercury shelved the Montclair nameplate, only to bring it back for 1964, slotted in its old familiar spot as the mid-tier of Mercury's full-size range. (Which actually was the full-size Mercury now, since the Pink Frost 1964 Mercury Montclair sedan in the photo would have been sharing lot space with the Ford Falcon-based Mercury Comet compact.
The '64 Montclair was available in a bewildering array of configurations: two- and four-door hardtops as well as two- and four-door pillared sedans. Most variations could be had with either the distinctive "Breezeway" reverse-sloped rear window with the power-retractible center section like the one in the photos, or else a fastback roofline that added the "Marauder" designation to the car.
The base engine in the Montclair was the 390 cubic inch Marauder V-8, which had a 2-barrel carb and put out 250 SAE gross horsepower, or 260 if the buyer sprang for the optional three-speed Merc-O-Matic transmission.
Optional powerplants consisted of two more powerful versions of the 390, the 300 horsepower Marauder Super or the Marauder Interceptor, making 330 horses. Top performance options, only available with a four-speed manual, were the Marauder 427 V-8, putting out 410hp, and the snarling 425 horsepower Marauder Super 427, with solid lifters, two quad-throated carburetors, and an 11.2:1 compression ratio.
With its dual exhausts and automatic transmission, the one in the photo likely has the Marauder Super 390, as the three hotter engines all had solid lifters and buyers of a posh Mercury sedan with a slushbox weren't likely going to go for noisy lifters that required frequent adjustment just for a few extra ponies.
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