Say what you will about the positives or negatives regarding the Ford Fairmont and it’s Mercury Zephyr twin. They were a great downsizing step for Ford. They ushered in a chassis that has merged into legend. They were light and economical, if a bit old-tech and plain. But in their standard shape, they were just plain. Their build plan was on-par with every Lego automobile built from a box of parts: two axle sets, one chassis, and the flattest panels outside of a sheet rock job. It truly does not get any more basic in design when everything is either a square or a rectangle. In fact, the only circles I know of on one of these cars involves the gauge cluster, and they break up the square gauge pod. 
Take note of this particular Zephyr’s gauge pod, because that isn’t the standard kit. That’s four-eye Fox fair, the original form. And that’s a great hint into this Mercury’s overall form: this is a Mustang with legroom and a nice, airy cabin. It can romp and play all you like, but treat it in a mature manner and this Zephyr could easily be a neat daily driver that gets okay fuel mileage for what it is. Can you dig it? Because we sure can!
The car my parents had when I started driving was a 1978 Mercury Zephyr Villager station wagon, dark blue with wood grain side panels. Unfortunately, it was the 200ci I6 with a C4 (I think). I must have been a weird kid at the time or it was just a sign of what was to come, but I remember drawing pictures of it with big and littles, a hood scoop and other 70′-80’s cues. I never figured we would be fixing up a wagon later in life…the wife’s 66 BelAir.
I took my driver’s license test in my Mother’s 1978 Zephyr Z-7. I always imagined this type of transformation. Way cool