Mercury was hitting on all eight cylinders in the mid-50s thanks to cars like this gorgeous 1956 Mercury Monterey hardtop. Wearing Mercurys Blue and White paint scheme and packing a rumbling Y-block V8, its a fantastic heavy cruiser for the guy that thinks Fords are just too ordinary. Add in a few upgrades and it becomes a favorite car for cruise nights and long-distance runs where comfort matters. Mercury's styling was a bit more extroverted than Fords, and the longer chassis allowed designers to create bodies that were a bit more upscale-looking. The 56 models were slightly revised from 1955, adding those peaked headlights and the wide chrome grille and bumper assembly that make this car easy to recognize even from a distance.