When I started my 1939 Mercury Coupe project in the summer of 2003, I had no idea it would take me more than 10 years to complete. I’ve always been a Ford/Mercury guy and when my brother-in-law Mike found a stock ‘39 Merc Coupe in Michigan, my wife Melody and I headed north to bring it back home to Florida. Once it was in my shop and a plan was in place, it was gutted, braced and chapped 4-inches by my friend Len Monigold and myself. Feeling my Wheaties after it was chopped, I also nosed and peaked the hood, shaved the doors and decklid, and hardtopped it.

I knew it needed rockers and a little floor work, but when I stripped it I found rot from the running boards to the drip rails, and no one makes patch panels for a first year Mercury. After several miles of MIG wire, plus lots of grinding and hammering, I had it roughed in. Charles Crenshaw did the final bodywork and sprayed the custom blend blue paint. The stock trim, grill and bumpers were retained. I boxed the stock chassis, added a Fatman X-Memeber, Mustang II components and disc brakes. Parallel leaf springs in the rear hold an 8-inch Ford rear end with 2.79:1 gears. The driveline was completed with a ‘65 Buick 401 cubic inch Nailhead V-8 engine and Turbo 400 transmission, while a Walker radiator handles the cooling.

The interior features a ‘39 dash with VDO gauges, a ‘59 Impala steering wheel atop a tilt column, plus blue and white tuck and roll upholstery. Power steering, brakes, windows, cruise control, Vintage Air and heat, and a Secret Audio system round out the creature comforts. ‘57 Caddy caps, wide whites and skirts complete the 50’s look I was after.

My years of hard work were recognized when I was awarded an NSRA Safety Rep’s Pick at the 2017 Southeast Nationals Plus in Tampa this past April. CN