Mercury Voyager

As with the Commuter, Colony Park, and Mercury sedans of the time, the 1957-1958 Mercury Voyager was constructed using a body-on-frame chassis.[2] Sharing its chassis with the rest of the Mercury range, the Voyager is built on a 122-inch wheelbase.[2][3]

During its production, the Voyager was offered exclusively with V8 engines. For 1957, the standard engine was a 312 cubic-inch "Safety-Surge" V8, producing 255 hp, with a 368 cubic-inch "Turnpike Cruiser" V8 producing 290 hp as an option.[2] For 1958, Mercury revised its engine offerings, introducing the MEL-series V8. A 383 cubic-inch "Marauder" V8 producing 330 hp, was standard for the Voyager, with a 430 cubic-inch "Super Marauder" V8 was an option, producing 400 hp.[4] The Super Marauder V8 was notable for becoming the first American mass-produced engine to reach an output of 400 hp.

For all four V8 engines, a 3-speed "Merc-O-Matic" automatic transmission was used. In a break from Ford and Edsel, Mercury used dashboard-mounted push-button controls for the automatic transmission.

During its production, the Voyager was offered in two body configurations: two-door and four-door. Produced solely as a pillarless hardtop, a forward-facing third-row seat was offered on four-door Voyagers, expanding seating capacity from six to nine.[5][6] In a design that would be modified on later Ford/Mercury station wagons, the rear window lowers into the tailgate, which folds flat against the load floor.[1]

For 1958, the exterior underwent a minor revision. Along with the standardization of quad headlamps, more conservative front styling was added.[7] While the revision was centered around an effort to better integrate the grille and front bumper, the "pie-wedge" taillamps were replaced by a "rocket-style" design, along with additional chrome trim on the C-pillar.[6]

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  1958 Mercury Voyager (street rod)
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  1958 Mercury Voyager (street rod)
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  1958 Mercury Voyager, rear
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  1958 Mercury Voyager dashboard