1956 Mercury Monterey Custom Coupe

The Mercury was Edsel Ford's idea to market a car slotted between the low-priced Ford and the upscale Lincoln. Introduced in 1939, Mercury shared bodies with its Ford sibling albeit with unique grille and trim work to differentiate it from its less-expensive counterpart. The 1949 Mercury, styled by E.T. 'Bob' Gregorie, was the first time that the Mercury was not a copy of Ford styling. Made even more famous in the movie Rebel Without A Cause starring James Dean and Natalie Wood, the car went on to become a 50's cult classic.

This particular custom was commissioned by LeRoy Kemmerer in 1958 and it was designed and built in 1958-59 by the legendary Gene Winfield at the Winfield Rod & Custom Shop in Modesto, California. It was rescued, preserved and restored in 1979 and more recently, re-restored, repainted and returned to its original 1959 configuration by Winfield.