Sectioned, Dropped, Chopped 1950 Mercury Lead Sled Is Not an Average “Gangster Cruiser”

Just take a moment to admire this 1950 Mercury that got turned over the years into a glorious Lead Sled. And now imagine this happened in part at a Pennsylvania home shop, with just two guys tinkering away in their garage. And only afterward did it reach the professional hands of a dedicated aftermarket outlet.

But let’s backtrack to the moment when Shawn Davis, the affable host of the AutotopiaLA channel on YouTube, greets us by announcing that he’s got a treat. This “truly extraordinary, very beautiful car that I know nothing about.” It’s best to be frank. So, the owner cues in and explains the ‘50 Merc doesn’t have any “lead in it anymore,” although it fully adheres to the traditional Lead Sled custom way of life.

Instead, it has turned into a true mind-boggling masterpiece of craftsmanship with a four-inch (10.16 cm) chop and a 2-inch (5.08 cm) sectioning of the entire body! Of course, it’s laid out to the ground as close as possible on air shocks front and rear (with the ability to go back up 1.5-inches/3.81 cm), complete with a Ford Mustang II front suspension setup. But that’s just part of the fluid looks.

The attention to details is also astonishing – including the newly leaned-back glass that has a six-degree rack to keep the perspective matched to all the other glorious changes. After ogling at the exterior and getting our jaws back into place, it’s time for the other traditional parts of the video (embedded below).

Case in point, the interior takes us back (from the 3:14 mark) to immemorial times via the white and Red Pearl combination as well as the ‘58 Ford T-Bird seats with a reclined driving position. But there’s no time to dwell inside for too long, as we also need to discuss some of the oily bits from the 3:48 mark.

After popping up the hood it’s clear the show must go on. Both visually and technically. As the owner explains, we are dealing with a fuel-injected Chevy Performance ZZ4 350ci engine developing 385 horsepower. The motor is hooked up to a Turbo Hydra-Matic 700R4 four-speed automatic transmission and a Positraction 3.73 rear end.

Then, from the 5:53 mark, all that is left to do is take out this veritable “gangster cruiser” and enjoy the ride...