Paul Vigilante's 1950 Mercury

A photo of Paul Vigilante with the Mercury. According to later owner Fred Steele, this iteration was completed in 1964. Photo from The Fred Steele Collection, provided by Brian Lenox.

According to Ray Soff, this photo was taken down the street from him in Garfield, New Jersey. "The A&P is gone now, and there is a middle school there." Photo from The Fred Steele Collection, provided by Brian Lenox.

The Merc was wrecked in 1970. By then it had received a Chrysler Hemi engine. Photo from The Fred Steele Collection, provided by Brian Lenox.

The Merc undergoing restoration in 1973. Photo from The Fred Steele Collection, provided by Brian Lenox.

1950 Mercury originally owned by Paul Vigilante of Saddle Brook, New Jersey. Restyled between 1956-1965, Ray Soff knows the car well, and he remembers it being built at Monego's Body Shop. "When I saw it, Paul was putting quad lights on it." Ray would walk past the body shop and see him working on the car after work. "He would pass my house and I would come out and see the car coming past my house around 5 pm."

According to Ray, it was sold to Lenny Zazzaro from Paterson, New Jersey. Back then it had a Hemi engine in it. Around 1970 Lenny put it up for sale. "He wanted $1000 for it." Later on, the car came up for sale for $500. A pinstriper known as Mr. J bought it. The nose was hit while he owned it, and he put a stock front on it. "A guy in New York had it before Fred bought it." Fred Steele rebuilt it in the early to mid 1970s.

Brian Lenox bought the car from Fred's family after he passed away.