Don and Debbie Wallin of Cary, Illinois experienced the ultimate, real-life story of a phoenix rising from its ashes with their clean orange ’49 Mercury custom. Literally the story of a trick sled reborn, Don and Debbie’s Mercury underwent a ground-up restoration after being burnt to a complete crisp on its way to a car show in Tennessee in 2007.

Don tells suburban Chicago’s Daily Herald about the fire that erupted while on the road just outside of Merrillville, Indiana, “I shouted to my wife that the car was on fire and quickly grabbed the fire extinguisher from inside,” says Wallin of the incident.

The Wallins were able to gain some control over the flames that were eating-up their custom Mercury, “Two Indiana State Police patrol cars arrived, but informed us they weren’t carrying anything to put it out,” explains Wallins.

Dick Scully of Scully Customs was the man behind the Mercury’s body modifications the first time around, “Dick had moved his shop from Palatine to Palm Springs, California, and saw a picture of the burned car in a magazine,” says Wallin.

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“He called right away to make sure we were OK and wanted to be part of the second transformation,” says Don of Dick Scully’s generosity toward him and his wife. The Wallins’ Mercury body was shipped out West where it spent 7 months receiving some nice custom touches, and once returned to Illinois the coupe was fitted with a 350 small-block, complete with drivetrain and wiring, at Don Hansen’s Hot Rod Shop in McHenry.

Don and Debbie Wallin’s ’49 Mercury coupe was definitely pinned-up against some pretty scary odds, as were the Wallins themselves. But neither they nor their clean, old-school Mercury have allowed those odds to stop them from being the very best at what they do and they now enjoy an even cleaner version of their “dream car” that they can show together with pride. Be on the lookout for this new incarnation at a show near you.