Rideau 500
The standard Rideau was dropped after the previous year and this was the lowest price Meteor in 1973. It was the Rideau 500, sold through Mercury dealers in Canada as a lower price alternative to the Mercury Monterey, which was its nearest comparison.
Three body styles were sold. These were the 2-door coupe and 4-door sedan. The coupe was a hardtop and the sedan had b-pillars. The third was a basic 2 row station wagon.
A 351 CID 2bbl V8 was standard in the coupe and sedan. In the wagon, you’d find a 400 CID 2bbl V8 as included equipment. The bigger engine was an option in the ‘strictly passenger’ versions.
Optional in all, though more rare, were a 429 CID 4bbl V8 and a 460 CID 4bbl V8. The Rideau 500 for 1974 was the same basic car, but the 429 V8 was no longer offered.
In 1975, the Mercury Monterey disappeared from U.S. offerings, but the Rideau 500 held on in the Meteor line. A new grill and hood ornament were in the cards this year. The last year for the Rideau 500 was 1976, which gave the car little to no changes.
