1950 Mercury Coupe "Fred's Lead Sled"

Generously Lent by Dan & Brian Lenox

•          First customized to mimic the style of the famous George Barris

•          Formerly owned by New England hot rod legend Fred Steele

•          Virtually unchanged in nearly 50 years

This 1950 Mercury Coupe was customized in the 1960’s and 70’s and has recently been displayed at multiple distinguished concours events on the East Coast. This Merc began its custom life in Saddle Brook, NJ under Paul Vigilant, who began to customize it with inspirations from the Barris brothers and other West Coast builders. Vigilant chopped the top, modified the hood, and added Lincoln canted quad headlights, among other changes. After being sold in 1964, a Chrysler Hemi was installed, but the excessive power led to an accident in the late '60s. By 1974, the car ended up with Fred Steele, a legendary East Coast hot rodder, who spent two years restoring it with fresh body & paint work, a Chevy 350 engine, 400 turbo transmission, and a '71 Ford rear axle. Now owned by our friend and hot rod historian Brian Lenox, the car has been shown at the Audrain Concours in 2021 and at The Gathering in 2023.

Fred Steele was one of the most respected hot rodders not only in New England, but throughout the country. He customized numerous cars including two stunning purple Fords, a Model A sedan and a 1932 Roadster that were reunited here at the Audrain exhibition The Street to the Strip: New England Hot Rods. Fred was one of the hot rodders responsible for bringing attention to East Coast hot rods as the hobby grew during the 1950’s and 60’s.

Fred had a dream inspired by classic custom road trips documented in Hop Up and Rod & Custom magazines. In 1976, he embarked on a 9,000-mile round trip journey across the U.S. with his wife and young daughter, visiting car shows and landmarks, including the Tulsa Nationals, Bonneville, and Disneyland. Along the way, he completed the car's interior by going south of the border for a real Tijuana Tuck ‘n Roll.

Fred continued driving the Merc to major events until the late 90s, when it was parked. The Lenox family acquired the car in 2018 and it was reintroduced to the world later that year at the Ty-Rods Old Timers' Reunion. Since then it has been shown at the Audrain Concours, The Amelia Island Concours, and the Greenwich Concours. To this day, the car has been wonderfully preserved and virtually unchanged since 1976.