1950 Mercury Series 0CM Monterey Coupe

Built for the Sylvester Stallone movie Cobra (1986) by noted Hollywood customizer Dean Bryant, this Mercury was later updated with new paint, upholstery, and other details for the Nicolas Cage movie Gone in 60 Seconds 2 (2000), in which it was prominently featured. The low silhouette and gently rounded contours of these 'James Dean Mercs' evoke feelings of nostalgia that appeal to both customizers and movie producers wishing to recall a well-remembered part of the past.

This beautifully proportioned coupe received its radical custom treatment by noted San Francisco Bay Area customizer, Joe Bailon, during the late 1950s. Credited with formulating the first 'candy apple' paint finish, Bailon chopped the top and shaved the body for then-owner Frank Morini. First painted candy apple red and equipped with a 283 cubic inch Chevrolet engine, the custom Mercury was later repainted black by Bailon and fitted with a powerful and reliable 327 cubic inch Chevrolet engine in the 1960s. The chopped Mercury was discovered near Lake Arrowhead after sitting idle for many years and retains its original lustrous lacquer finish applied by Bailon more than thirty years ago.

Source - Petersen Museum