Frame Off Built Sedan 4.6L Supercharged V8 6 Speed

If any car epitomized the term "sleeper" in our inventory, it would be this 1940 Mercury Sedan. If you are more a fan of the Muscle car era, you might not ever take a look at this beautifully restored Merc. On the outside it appears to be 100% original, and even the interior incorporates the 40's throwback look. You would never know that this Mercury is capable of running with some of the best in our showroom.

The beneficiary of a complete custom restoration in 2010, today this Merc packs 550hp under the long hood thanks to a Supercharged Saleen V8. That's not a typo, this 1940 Mercury has almost 600hp lying in reserve under your right foot. From time to time we can tell when cars won't last long in our showroom, and based on the looks this Mercury has already got, it won't be long before it gets loaded up and heads to a new owner.

Originally the Mercury was purchased at the Moonshine Festival in Dawsonville, Georgia, as an original un-restored survivor. However we don't know what possessed the previous owners to perform the build that they did, but we do know the results are incredible. Like we've already stated, visually the body features that classic look that car guys love. At the front of the body that is covered in a single stage Marina Blue, you'll see the chrome bumper that rests in front of the original 1940 Mercury grille. The gorgeous grille is flanked by two big headlights that rest on the large front fenders. As you make your way up the hood you'll see adding to the hidden power is the Mercury Eight lettering below the stainless steel trim that runs the length of the body. The blue is accented quite nicely by the red steel rims and the dark red interior. As you make your way to the back of the car you'll see chrome door handles, a split rear window, and a chrome fuel filler. At the very back of the car you'll find two rear tail lights that rest above the chrome rear bumper that hides the dual exhausts from the Saleen power plant very nicely.

Saleen's oft-repeated motto has always been “Power in the Hands of a Few”. And with this Mercury, there's LOTS of power in the hands of VERY few. Locked, loaded and ready to roll, the 24-valve, single overhead cam monster that rumbles under the aforementioned hood is, by far, the car's biggest selling point. Originally leaving the factory with a 239 cubic inch flathead V8, the build team opted for the Saleen powerplant that came from a wrecked Saleen S281 that only had 500 miles on it at the time of its unfortunate demise. Thanks to the addition of Saleen's Series VI supercharger, it twists a killer 550 horsepower into 525 lb./ft. of tire melting torque! The Saleen's install is exceptionally clean, and looks like it was meant to sit within this Mercury. The hot mill is a melting pot of machined and natural finishes that contrast well against the car's bright red paint. And best of all, this muscle-bound sleeper will fire up in any weather, drive thousands of miles before anyone needs to turn its bolts, and certainly lay waste to almost any old school muscle car that's brave enough to pick a fight.

Bolted to the supercharged mill is the Saleen 6-speed manual transmission that came from that same S281. From there the power travels down the driveshaft to the Strange Engineering 9-inch rear end with a 3.90 limited slip differential with 31 spline axles. The suspension also received a good amount of work as you will note that there is a coil-over front suspension and at the rear you'll find leaf springs that have been upgraded with a rear sway-bar and traction bars. Stopping power comes courtesy of a Hydra boost supplied Power Disc brakes at all four corners. In front of those brakes you'll find the 15” painted steel rims that have been wrapped in BF Goodrich Radial T/A rubber.

Open the doors and you'll find an extremely tasteful interior that combines spectacular red vinyl with chrome hardware and blue accents that tie into the exterior. The firm bench seat is supportive, yet feels soft enough to take a nap on. In front of that seat, a bark blue painted dash hangs what looks like stock appearing gauges and a big blue steering wheel. Under that dash, high quality wool carpet anchors color-keyed floor mats beneath the foot pedals and re-upholstered kick panels. In the center you'll see what looks like straight drive controls to those that don't know about the 6-speed manual transmission that it controls. Above the driver, a full-length headliner anchors an oval mirror in front of the split front window. Behind the front bench seat is another bench seat that carries plenty of room to haul 2 more passengers in the back. An aftermarket air conditioning system, trunk-mounted CD-player, and stereo controls in the glove box, add in a lot of nice features that make this car ready for the long hauls. Most importantly though, keeping with the sleeper theme, anyone that looks into the interior will be none the wiser about how potent this Merc really is.

This 1940 Mercury Sedan is ready to surprise and impress. If you've been looking for a car that is wildly unique, and features a mixture of show and go, then this is the car of your dreams. Another thing to consider is the fact that this vehicle has never been shown competitively, and it is more than capable of picking up awards at car shows. But trust us, it won't last long under our showroom lights. Call, click or visit http://RKMotorsCharlotte.com for more information.