Autoblog

Another one for @dfelt

"The Merc pairs an electric powertrain with an untouched-looking exterior, save the lowering and a few hard-to-spot details that point to its heavily modified character. Look underneath and you'd see a full Art Morrison custom frame. The patina, sometimes overdone, looks lovely here over the greyish green paint. A Derelict badge and one of Ward's signature lizard sculptures are apparent on closer inspection. Underneath the original gas cap is a cleverly placed Teslasupercharger connector, and behind the license plate is a CHAdeMO receptacle.

Inside, lovely period-appropriate fabrics and leather set off the more involved details. Power windows operate via the original manual window cranks. Digital gauges made by Andromeda have a vintage design. A/C vents now perforate the dash but look like they could have been original. Same with the new switches, bezels and so forth, which operate modern components.

The coolest part is under the hood. The battery controllers and some of the Tesla-sourced batteries (there's a full 85-kWh set of Tesla batteries spread around the car) are placed underhood and slightly resemble a V8 engine. The electric motors, which make roughly 470 lb-ft of torque and the equivalent of about 400 horsepower, reside where the traditional transmission would be. Even the underhood wiring gets a vintage-style woven cloth loom. The EV conversion was "co-engineered" by Icon and Stealth EV."

Absolutely

 

Looks cool, but it's ruined underneath.

It is hard enough to find one that is not chopped, channeled, or otherwise distastefully customized.  But to rip out its heart and drop in a soulless, whirring robot in its place is... unconscionable.

Very cool custom, glad to see a stock body instead of the usual trite chopped top. I'm sure the driving experience is much more enjoyable with a modern drivetrain, modern brakes, modern suspension than with the '40s hardware. 

Probably rides & drives like a hybrid camry. Where's the fun in that?

I think it probably is very fast and fun.

However, it is a beautiful car, I would rather they restored and painted the body in some cool color.

39 minutes ago, ykX said:

I think it probably is very fast and fun.

However, it is a beautiful car, I would rather they restored and painted the body in some cool color.

Totally agree, while being cool to see, I have never been a fan of the rusted look. Rather it be cleaned and painted in a lovely color. Though I suspect they wanted the rusted look to shock people as an ultimate sleeper to more modern cars. Yet even painted and looking sharp like what you posted would have still shocked anyone when the awesome electric power train left the modern car in the dust.

11 hours ago, balthazar said:

Probably rides & drives like a hybrid camry. Where's the fun in that?

Seems like it would drive more a Tesla Model S.  Fast, quiet, smooth...not the creaky horror of driving a 70 yr old car with primitive brakes, suspension, steering, etc. 

Edited October 31, 20186 yr by Robert Hall

"creaky horror" ?

Just now, balthazar said:

"creaky horror" ?

Perfect for Halloween...

The purest will always want everything 100% OEM. Yet the modernist in me says bring the undercarriage of the auto to the 21st century and enjoy those lovely curves modern style.

I agree with @Robert Hall that the modern under body they built with the drive train for this car would make it handle exceptionally well compared to the creaky horror of it's day.

?‍♂️

I enjoy looking at old cars for their styling at car shows--whether original survivors or restorations, but I really wouldn't enjoy driving them.  I like the driving dynamics of modern vehicles w/ strong brakes, good handing and steering, predicable reliability, and most important to me--- comfortable and adjustable seats, a modern sized steering wheel w/ adjustable column, and modern cabin amenities (not to mention modern safety equipment). 

  I'm not 85, so driving something from 1949 just doesn't resonate w/ me...seems like it would be more tedious and tiresome than enjoyable. 

I do like the idea of resto mods that combine modern drivability w/ the classic styling. 

Edited November 1, 20186 yr by Robert Hall

I'm not 85 either, but driving something from 1940 is an incredible experience. If all one wanted to get out of the vehicle is visuals, one can stay home and look at pics on a screen.

The purest will always want everything 100% OEM.

The Purist may, but there are other categories of enthusiasts.  'Period' is an excellent example; minor improvements/upgrades but nowhere near making a 70 year old car drive like a Corolla.

Edited November 1, 20186 yr by balthazar

14 minutes ago, balthazar said:

I'm not 85 either, but driving something from 1940 is an incredible experience. If all one wanted to get out of the vehicle is visuals, one can stay home and look at pics on a screen.

 

The Purist may, but there are other categories of enthusiasts.  'Period' is an excellent example; minor improvements/upgrades but nowhere near making a 70 year old car drive like a Corolla.

I doubt very much that this car drives like a Corolla or a Camry.

In the sense that there is no sensory value in it, I do not doubt it one single bit.

400hp, 470ft/lbs torque...RWD.  I'm sure it drives great..no Camry or Corolla would drive like that..

camry V6- 301 HP, 3500 lbs, 14.3 in the 1/4.
Merc starts out at the same weight stock, but no doubt it gained hundred & hundreds & hundreds of pounds. Tesla Model S is 4700-5000 lbs. I think it'd be much closer to a Camry than people suspect.

Something modern/ slippery/ glossy seems fine to me to be dead silent.
Something 70 years old and rusty should be making visceral noises; a hot rod.

I find this akin to putting one of those Rolls Royce grille hoods on a VW bug.

Edited November 1, 20186 yr by balthazar

I like Icon's stuff a lot, BTW : excellent blend of patina'd, under-the-radar performance classics. The Merc looks awesome (duh; it's a '49 Merc!)