Ford's upmarket Mercury division joined the midsize muscle car wars in 1966 with the newly redesigned Cyclone GT, offering a potent and highly integrated performance car with abundant standard and optional features and Ford's 390 CI and 427 CI V-8 powertrains. Another redesign for 1968 brought a new, aero-efficient fastback body style, perfect for NASCAR speedways, with the Cyclone now part of the Montego model family.

The Cyclone GT nameplate was dropped for 1969, and a ferocious new attitude came with the new fastback-only Cyclone CJ. Aimed at street dominance, the Cyclone CJ was powered by the formidable, race-winning 428 Cobra Jet V-8 engine, laughably underrated by the factory at 335 HP and a more believable 400lb-ft of tire-shredding torque. Ford's rugged Toploader 4-speed manual transmission, Competition Handling package, low-restriction dual exhaust, blacked-out grille, wild paint colors and optional Ram Air hood with racing-style retaining pins rounded out the CJ. According to experts, just 3,261 of these uniquely styled and very serious high-performance machines were produced in all for '69.

Documented by its corresponding Elite Marti Report, this Competition Orange 1969 Mercury Cyclone CJ is extremely collectible and rare as one of 91 produced with its paint and trim combination and the only equipped with its specific features and options. Power is delivered by a matching-numbers 428 CI Cobra Jet V-8 engine with Ram Air induction, rebuilt and bored 0.030 over and paired with a Hurst-shifted 4-speed manual transmission. A businesslike black interior with a front bench seat provides creature comforts, and a pushbutton radio is the sole concession to civility. The result of a frame-on restoration reusing many original parts, the Cyclone's already considerable performance is enhanced by a Mother Thumper camshaft and a great-sounding Borla Attack exhaust system. As offered, this 1969 Mercury Cyclone CJ is a singular example of one of the rarest and most uniquely styled and formidable American muscle cars ever unleashed on the public.