One car that dominated the 50s and 60s was none other than the venerable Mercury Eight. Iconic and stately, the ’49 to ’51 models eventually became the renowned representation of the lead sled.

The label itself came years later, attributed to a builder’s extensive use of lead while shaving, filling, smoothing, and blending body panels into a boulevard-rolling work of art. Since then, the Merc has become one of the most customized cars in American history.

It all goes back to when Bill Schmidt began working as an automotive stylist in the Lincoln-Mercury Division of Ford Motor Company during 1940, where he proved instrumental in working on various Mercury and Lincoln vehicle designs. Eventually, he would go on to draft designs for most of Lincoln’s lineup in the early 1950s.

Schmidt probably never expected the Mercury that he created would become such an endearing and sought-after vehicle by car enthusiasts decades after its production. It is certainly a testament to the impact of his timeless ideas.

Southern California businessman and contractor Dave Martino was a long time hot rodder and car collector. He always had a place in his heart for the ‘50 Merc. He’d had his radar on in search of one for some time.

Finally, he found one in San Mateo, California. Sure, it looked rough around the edges, but Martino was determined to have his dream car. He bought it, shipped it home, and began making notes on what needed fixing.

Interestingly, the previous owner had the legendary master chopper, Dick Dean, lower the roof 3 1/2-inches as well as french the headlights and taillights, which Dave felt gave the car a special dash of history worthy of restoring. Through a friend and fellow rodder’s suggestion, Martino took it down to Dana Manier at the 401K Club Hot Rod Shop in Anaheim.

Wow, Look At You Now Baby!

In the end, it all led to lead. As is typical with so many projects, whether it’s a full build or just tweaking some details, the more you get into it, the more you do. That’s exactly what happened to Martino. He turned Dana and his 401K team loose for an 18-month time period to do a first-class build on the one car he’d always wanted.

Bernt Karlsson, Manier’s go-to man for metal finishing, is a true artist who utilizes the time-honored techniques of sheet metal surface development using pure lead. Bernt also laid down the custom-mixed DuPont purple pearl paint, giving the car an excellent color that screams classic custom. The end result is a paintjob that gracefully accents the Merc’s body lines and highlights every exterior detail.

Speaking Of Color

When it came time to decide upon what shade of purple to lay on the Merc, Manier mixed and shot about 5 samples of his own special mixes for Martino to review and select. After much self deliberation, Martino went for a deep plum hue that proved to be the perfect decision. 

From the nine-tooth DeSoto grille to the completely smoothed and shaved body, the finished result is a fine example of the clean style that typifies 50s customs.

The perfect complement to the Merc’s paint is the butter soft and cream-colored leather stitched up by Ron Mangus and team. The pleats in the door panels and seats are reminiscent of tuck and roll upholstery. The seating and interior not only look good but feel comfortable as well, making for a relaxed cruise down the boulevard on a Sunday afternoon.

Notice the vertical chrome grille feature in the dash—a beautifully executed accent to the interior’s monochromatic color scheme. The HVAC, stereo controls, windows, and locks are all cleverly concealed in the center console.

Moving down towards the wheels you’ll realize those babies aren’t just hubcaps. They’re 20-inch, five-axis CNC billet aluminum chunks of rolling art. They were beautifully designed and precision-machined by Mike Curtis of Curtis Speed. The supposedly whitewall tires aren’t actually what they appear to be. A portion of the billet wheel itself was painted to create the illusion of a whitewall.

Additionally, the center caps were also CAD designed and cut by Mike Curtis. The wheel and whitewall machining process took many days, but the final results are outstanding.

There are two key factors in getting a jaw-dropping hot rod or custom’s look just right: one, getting the size and design of the wheels on point and two, nailing the stance. Martino hit the nail on the head with his Merc by using GenieAir Suspension with an AccuAir air management system. It rides smooth and as you can see, creates a great stance for the car.

The car is slated for a complete drivetrain upgrade, which should be happening now that the 2014 Grand National Roadster Show is over. Currently, The Martino Merc sits atop an Olds chassis and is moved by an Olds drivetrain.

Manier’s team is planning to eventually install a new LS series small block, brought to life by an EFI system, while the tranny will be swapped out for a GM 700R4. All of that is going to be packaged and detailed into a painted, polished, brushed, and show-ready engine bay.

You can’t go wrong when you make an investment towards the right car and the right plan. The results speak for themselves. It goes to show, if you have a dream and a vision for something that really pushes your button, save your lunch money and go for it.

Be sure to check out Rod Authority’s exclusive gallery of Dave Martino’s 1950 Mercury below.

(Editor’s Note: Sadly, Dave Martino recently passed away. His love of classic cars resonates strongly with those he loved and worked with. Rod Authority sends out its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Dave.)