DESCRIPTION HAS BEEN UPDATED

This custom 1951 Mercury Eight coupe is finished in a blue exterior with pinstriping on the nose and decklid, which has had its badging removed. It features dual spotlights and Cadillac wheel covers. Inside, the two-tone blue interior retains a period appearance. Beneath the hood, the Flathead V8 engine remains, but has been upgraded with Offenhauser heads and an a Offenhauser intake, all mated to a column-shift manual transmission. Additional vintage-style speed equipment, such as a finned oil fill cap, contribute to the period look of the build. An alternator has been installed for improved electrical system performance. In addition to the dual-exit rear exhaust, a pair of side-exit "lake pipes" tucked below the rocker panels make the car — already modified to sit lower than stock — appear even closer to the ground. The "Kustoms of America" badges found on the lake pipes' caps reference the club founded by designer and builder George Barris. Ford products have always been popular targets for customization, but when Ford's Mercury division debuted the all-new Eight for 1949, it was unveiling a car that looked sleek and modified right from the factory. This did little to stop artisans like Gene Winfield and George Barris from going even further, chopping, shaving and lowering their way to the radical lead-sled look that is still popular today. **TITLED AS 1951 MERCURY UNKNOWN**