1950 Mercury lead sled “Maximus” wins 2023 Ridler Award
Bruce Harvey was the builder of Sho Bird, Rick Bird’s 1931 Chevy that won last year’s Ridler Award at the Detroit Autorama. To say that the Chevy’s radical front-end styling—incorporating two huge turbos and a chromed exhaust system—was an acquired taste is to understate the response from some naysayers. Another of Harvey’s builds brought home the Ridler Award for 2023: Luigi Deriggi’s 1950 Mercury two-door, “Maximus.”
Winning one Ridler more or less makes a builder’s career, so back-to-back titles is an an impressive achievement for his Pro-Comp Customs shop near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At the award ceremony in Detroit, Harvey told me that this time around he wanted to demonstrate that he could produce a more restrained design than Sho Bird.
Harvey sported an ear-to-ear grin after the win, but “Maximus” owner Deriggi was wearing a face of mild shock. When I asked him to wrap up his reaction in a sentence, all he could say was, “Unbelievable!”
Though not based on something more predictable, like a ’32 Ford, the “Maximus Mercury” is fairly traditional for an extreme custom car with a handful of modern touches. You may recall that one of the most famous customs ever made, often described as the most influential custom car ever, is the “Hirohata Merc.” The Hirohata car is a 1951 Mercury Club Coupe that was chopped, channeled and stuffed with so much lead body filler for Navy veteran Masato “Bob” Hirohata (by George Barris’ brother, Sam) that it spawned the nickname “Lead sled.” Deriggi has wanted a 1950 Mercury-based custom ever since he saw Sylvester Stallone drive one in the 1986 movie, Cobra. Direggi’s stable also includes a 1941 Ford and a vintage Mustang.While it may have been inspired by the Cobra and Hirohata Mercuries, Deriggi, who owns a mini-supermarket and wholesale grocery business in New Jersey, wanted something original in concept. And Harvey delivered.
The roof has a 5-inch chop and the body panels were shaved. Custom taillights and fender-mounted exhausts were fabricated along with molded bumpers. Maximus also features a hand-built grille, front spoiler, and a very cool hood scoop that echoes the front end’s general shape. The Merc is finished in a shade of metallic and pearl brown called Candy Root Beer, highlighted with a slightly contrasting airbrushed motif along the car’s beltline. Chris Boyd provided the custom-designed offset wheels: 20 and 22 x 10-inch chrome 10-spoke showstoppers.
Paul Atkins did the fully custom interior. which features tan leather on the seats (based on TEA buckets) and door panels, with color-matched headliner and carpeting. The dashboard and full length console are finished in chrome and the same root beer paint as seen on the exterior. Sparc Industries created a custom steering wheel specifically for this build. New Vintage USA provided the gauges for a custom dashboard fabricated by Harvey’s team at Pro Comp.
So much for the show, now for the go. The Merc body sits on a customized Art Morrison chassis with air suspension. Power is provided by a beautifully polished Ford “Coyote” V-8 with Borla stack fuel injection and topped by eight gleaming, chromed velocity stacks. (Everything is improved with velocity stacks!) Power flows through a Ford AOD automatic transmission and a quick-change differential.
Everyone in attendance seemed happy with the choice of winner. Well, everyone except for the remaining Great Eight finalists. Check back with us tomorrow for a rundown article on the seven runners-up
I am impressed with the “custom” cars shown in the article. I cannot imagine what they must have cost to build, but I am sure they are out of my league.
I congratulate the builders.
I’ll say this for it, it isn’t the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen – that distinction goes to last years “winner”.
You would’ve thought that the 20-year, $2 million-plus Cadillac wagon/shooting break monstrosity that win a few years back & promptly sold for $320k at Mecum would put an end to this ridiculous display but…
So we’re talking if we had Jay Leno money? Hell, I’d do like he does! Restore/build it to 100 points, drive it down to 50 or so, start over! Pick a different car from the stable every time I want to drive somewhere, or just for fun. He’d be driving this thing every now and then even after winning the award…. so would I ! I don’t believe in trailer queens. If I had something really rare and valuable it might be a mostly garage/trailer queen with little driving, but I’d still drive it a little. I don’t enjoy looking at MY car just sitting somewhere all the time. I can go to a museum or big car show and look all I want without owning.
An over the top custom creation that is pure eye candy! I grew up in the Detroit area, the motorama show was not to be missed. A fellow who lived in my neighborhood won the 1983 Ridler. My friends at the time worked for him, Ron and the guys helped me with my car. Ridler builders are car guys, they just have more money to play with. I think some are missing the point of the Ridler, its all about the best example of creativity, engineering and workmanship. Now, the beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, so obviously Ridler winners will not please all of the people. Especially first loser! Today I build my cars to drive, thats what I like, but they always garner many compliments on the paint, the craftsmanship, the beauty. I think its because of those early days at motorama. It inspired me to build them right and look the part that someone cares. Enough rambling. Beautiful car, and I think my old coworker Frank would be in love with it, he drove a lead sled to the Ford factory we worked at.
Had one back in 1950, what’s with the meteor grille ?
Very unique build. Lots of time and planning went into this creation. The headlights are old treatments tho from the late 90’s and in my opinion don’t fit this car. The color is breathtaking, although the graphics do nothing for the car, its as if they are just stuck on. The Wheels fit the car well nice job by Boyds. The build shop has to be proud, 2 years in a row…outstanding.
Who cares really about the car make, model, custom detailing, or whether it’s driven, you’ve got to admire the workmanship. These cars are built by and for us motorheads. They’re eye candy and they provide a lot of nostalgia. The showmanship including overlighting, mirrors, etc is usually the proud owner’s handiwork.
Please don’hate, but this thing does nothing for me. The owner had someone or a group of people do all the heavy lifting on this build and did no work himself. All he did was write cheque’s and put his name on the finished product. Sorry if I’ve offended anybody, but it’s just my 2 cent opinion.
I wonder if it even has lubricants in it? I’ve never put something together that didn’t at least, leak a bit of coolant. Lol
It is gorgeous though.
I’m really tired of this trend to put enormous wheels with extremely low profile (& harsh riding tires) on EVERYTHING. This classic Merc lead-sled should have wide whites and the front wheel-opening should be radiused to avoid that wheel-stuffed-up-into-the-fender look that everyone thinks looks so cool (but makes steering impossible). One more beef: why don’t any top-choppers ever lean those a-pillars back to give a sleeker profile? I’ve done it and it improves the look enormously! ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION, IAN ROUSSELL?
Bruce Harvey builds amazing full customs. However, he uses his reputation to get a lot of restorations/mild custom jobs on valuable cars. He then proceeds to do quick low quality work on these sometimes near priceless cars. I have personally seen numerous examples of this substandard work; including my original owner, low miles ’69 Mustang R Code, that I had to sue him to do over.
I hate to say this, but all I see is reflections of the building lights. These displays give me a headache. I’m sure there’s a fantastic car in there somewhere.
I see the ‘Rat Rods’ as a reaction to the Riddlers and the Boyds. Each to his own. That’s why we are the Land of the Free (except for Ca of course).