If you're a longtime reader of Auto Album, you might already know about the rare Meteor and Monarch cars Ford Motor Company built in Canada, for Canadians only!
If you didn't know, however, all through the 1950s and beyond, Canadian Fords and Mercurys were joined by two additional names: the Meteor, a Ford-size car offered by Canadian Lincoln-Mercury dealers; and the Monarch, a Mercury-size car for Canadian Ford dealers.
These additional brands were conceived in order to give all Canadian FoMoCo dealerships a wider range of cars to offer. And it's also given car collectors a great incentive to seek out these scarce Canadian mutants, similar to Fords and Mercurys but with their own peculiar grilles, taillights and side trims.
The first Monarch appeared in 1946; the first Meteor in 1949. Not many of these Canadian cars have ever reached the United States, unless brought in by an owner who moved across the border. They were not sold new by dealers in the United States.
So, should you ever find a Meteor or Monarch from the 1950s for sale at an affordable price, it would be a wise investment.