I first ran into Zach Hughes’ ’51 Mercury when it went cruising past me at the 2024 Rocky Mountain Street Rod Nationals kick-off party. The mellow ride was everything we think a custom should be and while most builders ditch all the cool ’51 Mercury parts trying to outdo the next guy, I love all the creativity Zach put into the version he had been dreaming of since seeing his first one over 30 years ago. There’s no way to call this a mild custom, but it certainly walks that line in a way other ’51 Mercs don’t. The starting point he deliv- ered to April and Shannon Manley at Pot O’ Gold Kustoms was a super clean ’51, completely stock but the top was chopped hard, providing some great inspi- ration that the trio molded to perfection. Zach wanted a driver first and foremost and he
knew most of the mods he wanted so he could be seen cruising the custom cross-country. It was an easy decision to toss the OG frame and slip in a brand- new unit from the Roadster Shop. Their REVO IFS chassis features a custom tubular IFS with RideTech shocks, AirRide bags, Baer four-piston brakes, a big splined anti-roll bar, and power rack and pinion steer- ing. The rear suspension is a Ford 9-inch on AirRide running RideTech shocks, a four-bar with a Panhard bar, and Baer disc brakes. The original flatty was com- pletely locked solid, so a small-block Chevy 383 was procured from Blueprint Engines topped with Holley Sniper EFI, Patriot headers and a Champion radiator to cool the beast. Everything is backed up with a driv- er friendly 700R4 automatic overdrive.
26 NOVEMBER 2025
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker