Joe Brienza's 1949 Mercury

Joe bought the Mercury in 1951 and wasted no time in transforming it. The original flathead was replaced with a powerful 1948 Cadillac engine. Six months later, seeking even more performance, he swapped that for a 1950 Oldsmobile engine paired with an automatic transmission—creating a combination he remembers as running exceptionally well. The Mercury’s exterior went through several transformations, from black to turquoise blue, eventually ending up in a striking two-tone. Joe experimented with grilles, first using the 1951 Ford grille seen here. This version did also feature a shaved hood and hooded headlights. Photo from The Joe Brienza Photo Collection.

A photo of the Turquoise version of Joe's Mercury. Photo from the Joe Brienza Photo Collection.

The Official New York Division Supporter Shirt - Click here to order yours today.

1949 Mercury owned and restyled by Joe Brienza of West Islip, New York. Joe bought the Mercury in 1951, and it didn't take long time before before pulled out the stock flathead engine and installed a bigger 1948 Cadillac mill in it. He kept the original drivetrain. It ran good, but it was too heavy, so 6 months later he put a 1950 Oldsmobile engine with an automatic transmission in it. Joe remembers that that combination ran very good. The Merc went trough many stages. It was first black, then turquoise blue. Later on Joe painted it two-tone. He changed the grille two times. In the beginning he ran a 1951 Ford grille. That grille was later replaced with an Oldsmobile grille. In 1956 Joe traded the Merc even for a 1936 Ford 3-Window Coupe.