Ford’s Lincoln-Mercury Division joins the Supercar Sweepstakes with the ’66 MERCURY COMET CYCLONE 390 GT!
No longer a compact model, the Comet-Cyclone lineup for 1966 received styling and big-block power updates to compete with midsize models from GM and Chrysler, as well as Ford’s revamped Fairlane. The most stylish and powerful model – ’66 MERCURY COMET CYCLONE 390 GT – came stock with a 390 cubic-inch FE big-block with four-barrel intake and dual exhausts under its scooped fiberglass hood. It generated 335 horsepower. A red Cyclone GT convertible paced the 1966 Indy 500.
In the youth-driven 1966 Supercar/Musclecar market, Ford continued to play “catch-up” with GM’s enormously popular GTO, Chevelle SS396, and Oldsmobile 4-4-2. In 1966, Pontiac sold an incredible 96,946 GTOs. Dearborn’s top entries were Fairlane and Comet Cyclone GT/GTA models with 390/335 big-blocks. They weren’t quite there yet.
To stay in the drag racing limelight, Ford contracted with suppliers Holman & Moody, Bud Moore, and Bill Stroppe to build 390 and 427 Stock, Super/Stock, and A/FX Comets and Fairlanes. There were also more serious factory-influenced efforts, including Match Racing cars with Logghe Stamping tube-frame chassis, fiberglass flip-up bodies, and fuel-guzzling injected SOHC 427 engines pumping out 1,000 horsepower at 8,000 rpm!
Eight specially-prepared C/S and C/SA white w/red stripes 1966 Comet GTs, owned by Lincoln-Mercury Division, were shipped to California for the NHRA Winternationals, and other national events to be driven by pro drivers, including Billy Lagana and Eddie Schartman. At the time, the C/S Comets were running 13.00s @ 105-106 mph, while the NHRA C/S National records were 12.73 seconds elapsed time and 113.17 mph.
1966 NHRA C/STOCK COMET GT 390 FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS
CYLINDER HEADS: C60E-R
VALVES: Intake: 2.037-inch; Exhaust: 1.56-inch
PISTONS: 10.5 – 1 Compression ratio
CAMSHAFT: Hydraulic Lifter, .481/.490-inch-lift, 270/290-degrees, duration w/ Dual-rate 265-pound valve springs
INTAKE MANIFOLD: Medium-Riser, Cast Iron
CARBURETOR: Holley 4150, 600-cfm.
For the 1966 model year, Ford outsold Chevrolet for the first time in five years. Together with Mercury, they sold more than 2.5 million vehicles. It was a great year for racing and car sales, and especially for carguys.
For complete details on the ’66 MERCURY COMET CYCLONE 390 GT, and the complete Comet/Cyclone model lineup, please visit OVER-DRIVE magazine @ https://over-drive-magazine.com/2025/05/01/1966-mercury-comet-cyclone-fact-sheet/