Blame James Dean, Sam Barris or just plain good design but 49-51
Mercurys seem to have been gifted with a universal appeal few cars
possess. When one gets turned into the quintessential lead sled
like this 1951 Mercury, that appeal goes through the roof. The
recipient of a comprehensive frame off restoration, this Merc
features unbelievable paint and body work, a potent Ford V8 and a
custom interior that most cars dream of having. With numerous
awards including Koolest Kustom at Goodguys Ft. Worth, this '51
easily navigates the line between awesome driver and crowd pleaser.
If you're in the market for a timeless custom that delivers on
every possible front, don't miss out on this one. When a car comes
together as well as the Merc, it's easy to take for granted just
how much work went into the build. Starting out with an all
original steel body, every piece was carefully crafted into the
final product we have today. At the front, a nosed '49 Mercury hood
sits between a pair of '49 Mercury fenders for a subtlety custom
look. Up top, two and a half inches were removed from the roofline
to create a sleeker profile. During the build, a new firewall,
inner fenders, floor, rockers and rear quarters were also added to
replace unusable original pieces. Once all those sheet metal
modifications were blended and all panels were laser straight, the
body was shot with an even coat of gloss black. The depth is
unbelievable, and all reflections are mirror like. Naturally, panel
fitment is excellent as well with nearly perfect gaps all around.
In true hot-rodding tradition, the brightwork comes from a wide
variety of cars. The front grille originally came off of a '57
Buick and has been reworked to incorporate a 1949 Mercury
centerpiece. Underneath that grille, three bumpers were used in the
creation of the slick smoothed front bumper. At the corners, Buick
headlights borrowed from a '53 Skylark were frenched in for a
modern look. Unlike many custom front ends, this one flows
perfectly without making a fuss about how much work went into
creating it. At the sides, Lincoln Zephyr push-button door openers
replace the factory handles, offering the shaved look without
losing functionality. Above the buttons, new tinted glass, rubber
and window felt button up details many overlook. Under the rockers,
decorative side pipes offers some nostalgic flair. Out back, the
sloping trunk lid features a hand-painted white pinstripe framed by
a pair of '56 Packard taillights. To accommodate those taillights,
the ends of the rear bumper were chopped approximately two inches
on both sides. All modifications were obviously well-thought out
and executed at the highest level possible. Under the sleek hood,
this sled remains Ford-powered thanks to a completely rebuilt
390cid V8. Under the trick dual scoop chrome air cleaner, a Demon
625 carburetor sends atomized fuel in factory Ford intake that's
been powder coated silver. At the sides, cast iron heads are
dressed with chrome Mercury valve covers. Below those valve covers,
billet wire looms neatly route MSD spark plug wires from the
distributor which is concealed under a Ford branded leather cover.
At the front, a power coated water pump, chrome alternator,
polished Sanden air conditioning compressor and fan all reside
behind the five-core aluminum Griffin radiator. The engine breathes
through cast iron exhaust manifolds that exhale into a true-dual
exhaust system. Presentation is excellent with gobs of chrome right
down to the bolts. Best of all, the 390 starts immediately, runs
cool and gets a reported 15.5 miles per gallon at cruising speed.
Crawl underneath and you'll find a clean chassis coated in durable
Rhino Liner. Backing the 390 is a fully rebuilt C6 automatic
transmission with braided steel lines and a 24" finned aluminum
cooler for some functional style. From there, power is channeled to
a Ford 9-inch rear housing 3.50 gears. The ground scraping stance
comes courtesy of a double A-arms with coil-overs up front and a
4-link with coil-overs out back. When the roads get twisty, a rack
and pinion setup reduces steering effort while power front disc
brakes and rear drums handle stopping. If you're looking for the
brake booster and Wilwood master-cylinder in the engine shots, you
won't find it's been relocated to underneath the dash. At the
corners, chrome steel wheels are topped with hubcaps from a 1950's
Cadillac and wrapped in Coker wide white wall tires. Press one of
the Zephyr push buttons and you'll find a jaw dropping white
interior. A set of custom chrome door sill plates welcomes you
inside while offering a place to tuck the edges of the fresh black
carpet. Above them, restored bucket seats make room for driver and
passenger alike. If those seats look familiar, they're out of a
1964 Ford Galaxie. The rear window tray was extended approximately
five inches to accommodate the Galaxie rear seat which still
features its XL logo. The sweeping center console is also out of
Galaxie and features tons of storage behind the shifter. Wrapped in
chalk white Naugahyde, Ford parts blend in seamlessly to the retro
interior. All aluminum seat trim and garnish moldings have been
chromed and show brilliantly. From the driver's seat, a 1961
Cadillac steering wheel sits atop a chrome tilt steering column.
Behind it, a surprisingly original dash painted body color houses
Dakota Digital gauges and a host of modern amenities including
controls for the under-dash air conditioning system. In the glove
box, a Kenwood head unit with integrated satellite radio sends
signal to updated speakers including a 10" sub hidden in the trunk.
To the sides, custom door panels retain their vintage Mercury look,
updated with the same white Naugahyde. Up top, a white headliner is
the final piece that rounds out this glowing cabin. Behind the
backseat, the trunk features black carpeting and custom white
panels that mirror the interior scheme. The battery is hidden
behind one of the panels while a custom enclosure in the center
conceals the gas filler neck. Documentation for this car includes
manuals for nearly every installed component. There is also a spec
sheet that covers most of the modifications. Amazing to look at,
comfortable to ride in, fun to drive and built better than some
modern luxury cars, this Merc is the total package in every way
possible. If you're ready to own the very definition of American
cool, don't miss out on this incredible 1951 Mercury Options
include: AC, AM/FM cassette, CD player, Hub Caps, Power brakes,
Power Seats, Tilt Wheels, Radial Tires, wide white walls, vinyl
interior. To view the car in greater detail, including 100+ HD
photos and HD video, please visit www.gatewayclassiccars.com. For
more information please call the Atlanta showroom at 678-894-4833
or e-mail us at
[email protected]. See more
at:http://www.gatewayclassiccars.com/ATL/602/1951-Mercury-Coupe
