1949 Mercury Eight

This 1949 Mercury woodie station wagon underwent a body-off refurbishment under previous ownership that included the installation of a 4.6-liter DOHC V8 paired with a rebuilt four-speed overdrive transmission as well as a repaint in black with renewed wood paneling over a reupholstered green leather interior. Additional modifications included the addition of power rack-and pinion steering, power four-wheel disc brakes, a Ford 9″ rear end, and air conditioning. This modified Mercury woodie wagon was acquired by the seller in 2017 and is now offered with an uninstalled set of wood headliner hoops, a car cover, and a clean California title in the seller’s name. The car was refinished in black under previous ownership, and the bird’s-eye maple and mahogany wood paneling is said to have been renewed by woodie specialist Rick “Mack” McCloskey of Rick Mack Enterprises in Lakewood, Washington. Additional exterior details include chrome bumpers, curved vertical grille bars, front-fender and waistline moldings, door-mounted side mirrors, sliding rear side windows, a drop-down tailgate, and a rear-mounted spare with a surfing-branded black vinyl cover. Pushrod assemblies anchored on the body just below the tailgate reposition the hinged taillights to remain visible from the rear when the tailgate is lowered. Steel 15″ wheels are painted tan, fitted with chrome hubcaps and trim rings, and mounted with 215/70 front and 235/70 rear BFGoodrich Silvertown Radial tires. Suspension is handled by wishbones with coilover springs and KYB shocks up front as well as leaf springs with hydraulic dampers and lowering blocks at the rear. Steering is handled by a Mustang II power rack-and pinion, and Wilwood power disc brakes have been fitted at all four corners. The interior features split-back front and rear bench seats trimmed in green leather with matching seat belts and carpeting. Interior door, side, and tailgate panels are of mahogany wood, and the steel dashboard and window surrounds are adorned with Grain It Technologies faux woodgrain contour printing in maple and mahogany hues. Amenities include a Vintage Air air-conditioning system, a surfboard-shaped rearview mirror, and a clock. A removable stand-alone stereo with Bluetooth is built into a leather trunk that is secured to the rear cargo floor, where it shares space with a faux Coke-branded cooler in which the relocated battery is mounted. An ivory-color steering wheel with a chrome horn ring fronts a 110-mph speedometer flanked by gauges for fuel level, oil pressure, battery, and coolant temperature. The six-digit odometer shows 1,500 miles, and true mileage is unknown. The all-aluminum 4.6-liter V8 is said to be a crate engine of the type used in Ford’s early-2000s Mustang SVT Cobra and Mach 1. Features include quad camshafts, four valves per cylinder, and sequential multi-port fuel injection along with a Vortech air-inlet elbow, a K&N clamp-on air filter, and a two-into-one exhaust system. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a rebuilt AOD four-speed automatic transmission and a Ford 9″ rear end.