Rick Dore’s Stunning Mercury Eight Lead Sled:
A Masterpiece of Customization
Rick Dore is very much a customizer who knows what to do with a Mercury eight. Born in New York, Rick had a passion for all things automotive from a very early age. Influenced by the classic coachbuilders like Figoni & Falaschi, America’s pioneering customizers, and the amazing concept vehicles dreamed up in that era, Rick has created an unmistakable style of his own. His early career was spent in Arizona, where he styled and built a large collection of top award-winning custom cars.
He and his friend Keith Dean took just 6 months to build this one. And no flat head 8 here, they used an 05 Chevy 350 that produced some 300 hp, over the double to the original, remember this is a Lead Sled”. Borla’s stainless exhaust created the good sound. The top as as usual chopped, and the nose smoothed and corners was rounded, and the hood tot his trademark little scoops, and the head lights was of course Frenched. The bumper was all custom with integrated bumper horns from a late Cadillac.
The Engine
The engine was a chevy that produced 300 horsepower, a must have, and they used full instrumentation, and a 8 tube radio was an option. Sam Barris built the first “lead sled from a Mercury eight, a very famous car. All the interiors was made in Leather, with lots of had built panels, armrests and seats, and that standard Mercedes wool carpet.
Colorado Custom
Colorado Custom provided 15×6 wheels with the usual Cooker radials. What was something very new way of working was that he took a completed 1980 GM chassis for the car to rest on, and he added air ride by Grunion. As usual it went on the show circuit soon after it was done, I saw it first at Sema show Las Vegas and at once made a deal to shoot it in Arizona. All Rick’s cars are made to be drivers and we had so much fun that sunny afternoon outside Phoenix..
Click on the image to see great photos of the car, made by Peter Linney
Technical specifications:
- Engine: 2005 Chevy 350
- Horsepower: 300 hp
- Exhaust system: Borla’s stainless exhaust
- Wheels: 15×6 from Colorado Custom with Cooker radials
- Suspension: 1980 GM chassis with air ride by Grunion
Related:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Eight
- https://keithdean.com/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Dore
- https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/enthusiasts/10-classic-mercury-models-worth-every-penny/ss-AA1N00jB