1951 Mercury Series 1CM Custom Hardtop Coupe

This 1951 Mercury custom was modified over a three-year span beginning in 1997 and borrowing parts from a wide range of automobiles. To start, the car's front suspension is swapped in from a 1972 Chevrolet Nova, retrofitted with disc brakes; the rear end, meanwhile, is a four-link setup built around a 1977 Chevrolet El Camino axle. The frame has been modified to visually lower the vehicle, while hydraulics work to actually adjust the ride height as desired; and a 350 cubic-inch V8 backed by a TH350 Turbo transmission sits under the hood. A custom-fabricated center console is flanked by bucket seats from a Pontiac Grand Am; and the driver sits behind a Dakota Digital dashboard and 1967 Cadillac steering column. The wheel covers are also Cadillac pieces, off a 1957 car, while the headlights are early Honda motorcycle units 'Frenched' behind 1953 Mercury headlight doors. The taillights are 1949 Lincoln, and the rear window from a 1950 Mercury was adapted to make up for a four-inch chop to the roof. The doors and trunk lid have been smoothed and had their corners radiused, and power windows and remote door locks have been added. The hood has been shaved and 'dolphin-nosed,' while the front and rear bumpers have similarly been smoothed. The whole car wears Viper Red paint.