In honor of the Geminid meteor shower that happened this past weekend, I thought I could do something about a Mercury Comet. You’d think a Mercury Meteor would be a better choice, but that was when I still suspected the Geminids were the result of passing through a comet’s tail instead of what it really is, the Earth passing through the remnants of asteroid 3200 Phaethon, sometimes thought of as a “rock comet.” So, I’m wrong, but I already started, so we’ll just say a Comet is close enough. This brochure is from 1972, and part of it caused me to learn something about kites, something I swore to a childhood mentor I’d never do.
And yet now I broke my promise. And I regret nothing. Nothing!
The Mercury Comet was the badge-engineered sibling of the Ford Maverick, and as such was a decent-looking if pretty conventionally-engineered compact-ish car. These weren’t great cars, they weren’t terrible, they were very much of their era. As was the way Ford advertised them in this brochure.
Look at this happy couple, driving their Comet out to the middle of nowhere so they could do some archery. I assume they brought the target with them? Were they asked to go way the hell out there because their neighbors were tired of arrows thwunking into their siding and garage doors and tires? Probably.
Also, look at this, from a Mercury Comet brochure one year later:
Is this the same spot? It feels like it may be the same, just on a foggier day and with less arrows.
Okay, so here’s the part that forced my hand into learning a tiny bit about early 1970s kites. See those kids in that big field – or, is it a golf course? That guy on the left looks like he’s holding a golf bag, so, maybe? I’m sure those golfers appreciate the kids running around flying kites. But you know what? Screw the golfers, let the kids fly kites.
But let’s look at that kite in the foreground: does it actually say “Gay Space Craft?” I mean, that’s great if it does, I’m just a little, you know, surprised to see such a thing from the early ’70s. So I did a little research. And, it doesn’t actually say “Gay Space Craft.” It says this:
Gayla Space Craft! Ohhhh, that makes sense! I’m told these kites, unburdened by tails and built sturdily, had a high angle of flight and, if I may be so bold, performance that was spectacular.
I also think this kite was designed to resemble a Gemini spacecraft, based on the window size, number, and position:
Look at that! Now I know a bit more about ’70s kites! Feels good. Real good.
The Comet’s list of features was pretty humble:
“Ventless windows?” Oh boy; freed from the tyranny of vents! Flashing side marker lights – I always liked those, they’re basically indicator repeaters. “Keyless locking” means, I think, using your finger to push the locking button down. Exciting stuff.
Look at that hood scoop! And those stripes! That’s a lot of visual excitement, which is why I find this next detail so odd:
These specs list torque in foot-pounds for each engine option, but not the more expected horsepower: why? I mean, torque isn’t a bad metric, but I’m still surprised to see it used in lieu of horsepower.
But you know, the ’70s were a crazy time, what with all those people shooting arrows in fields and gay kites.
It’s the film nobody asked for….but everybody wanted…
funk music plays
Featuring stars Frank Bore-man
Gus Kissem
and Tom Stifford
with Jim Lovewell
in….
Gay Spacecraft
Splashing down June 23 in theatres nationwide.
Because a little curiosity is the key to exploration.
So the Comet required 91-octane gasoline back in 1972? Were these still specified to run leaded gas?
My family had a 1972 Mercury Monterey Custom – And yes, leaded gas was still a thing for us.
Unleaded gas didn’t become common until 1975 – when catalytic converters became mandatory.
Aw, man. That Gayla kite brings back memories. In the early 1980s, those delta-shaped kites and their vinyl-triangle, perfectly pre-adjustwd bridles were a revelation. The were so much easier to fly than the classic, diamond-shaped kites of yore. A manor part of this Gen-Xer’s childhood.
Ahh, memories. My older brother was a kite fanatic. And a bully to me and the other kids around. So when he acquired a six foot wingspan dragon kite (don’t know if the dragon was gay, you didn’t ask these things in the early 80’s) I arranged a hunting party.
When the bully got his dragon out on about 300 feet of line we opened fire with our Crossmans and Benjamins, sending up loads of 5-6 bbs at a time with 12 or 14 pumps. We heard the bully loudly whimpering, frantically pulling his line in. We got a good dozen hits on the dragon kite before he got it down and we ran for our lives. Mom took my air gun away for a month – well worth it.
A thousand times yes on the delta kites. We’d tie as many balls of string and climb on top of the sledding hill at Beverly Park, and see how high we could get it. And then go back to my cousin’s house and play Intellivision (WAY better graphics than the Atari that I begged for…)
Anyone who’s old enough knows the Gayla bat kites were the best and most 70s.
Yes, and well into the early 1980s. A stop at one of the great hobby shops in Gettysburg, PA back then was always a part of the summer ritual when we visited family. And while I do not hate the more common, modern, miniatures and cards hobby shops today, I dearly miss the ones that what were full of kites, model railroads, model kits and Estes model rockets.
The graphics on the kite ad have a real Church of the SubGenius / Devo vibe.
Why even use “Required Option” on that spec sheet? The base lists a manual as standard with NA for auto. Why not do the same with the auto on the 250? Who came up with that anyway?
Because like some other options at that time – if you wanted one thing (the optional 250) you had to get another optional thing (the extra-cost automatic)
Other options were the same way:
If you wanted the optional sunroof, you had to also chose an optional vinyl top.
If you wanted optional leather, you had to choose the optional XR7 Package for your Cougar.
Etc.
Mavericks and Comets were everywhere when I was a kid, I remember riding to school in several neighbors’. We had no bus.
Also, when those bird-shaped kites came out, my buddy and I pooled our money to buy a huge one and like 6 big spools of string. We made them into one big spool and flew that sucker over the cornfield that was across from his house in those days. We had that kite almost half a mile up (sort of), and it took both of us holding on to the spool to keep it from flying away.
So happy to learn this about kites!
The bike picture: Is that an avocado vinyl top over brown? They must have destroyed the car soon after because it threatened to actually stop time in the ’70s and keep Richard Nixon as president for eternity.
Also, if you have a gaggle of kids, why would you go for the two-door? That family must have loved the blue.
Kids are generally more limber than adults. Plus it’s cool to climb in the back. Dad also wanted to forget he had kids so he bought the two door.
Some people also just didn’t trust kids with doors because they might jump or fall out or whatever, and this is before the days of child locks.
So it’s a bit of a safety thing.
My parents bought a 2-door Fiat Palio hatch when I was born. Budget was definitely a factor, but they determined (by their own logic) that the longer door and tilt-forward front seats gave them better access to fiddle with the baby seat. Brody J makes a good point about child safety locks, as well.
It’s brown over brown.
If a dealer chose Green over Brown on the order sheet, the options checkers at the factory would have kicked it back for review and confirmation w/ the dealer.
Such a weird color combo would certainly not be in the brochure (I have a hard copy of that brochure in my files)
Back then, 2 doors were common for families on a budget – because four doors cost more.