This is a car that you simply have to see in person to appreciate fully, and it’s a Canadian-market 1949 Mercury Monarch that was chopped in 1958 by Blackie Green of Master Welders Ltd., and was subsequently showcased in the Canadian Customs 1958 magazine. Originally, the car earned the nickname, “The Phish”, and it’s certainly light years away from how it left the factory originally. The first ever ‘Monarch’ cars initially came to light in the year 1946 as a Canadian market-specific trim on contemporary Mercury automobiles. The Monarch cars featured unique bodywork elements and features that allowed them to stand out in comparison to their Mercury lineage. Three Monarch models in specific made up for the production of these cars, including the Richelieu, Lucerne and Sceptre, which were ultimately variations of the Mercury Eight, the Mercury Montclair, and the Park Lane. The Monarch brand did not last long, and after just arriving in 1946, the line was eventually dropped in 1958 in favor of the introduction of the now discontinued division and brand of automobiles, Edsel. The Monarch line was briefly re-introduced in the 1959, only to finally come to an offical end in 1961. Approximately 95,450 total cars built in a span of 15 years, and this one shown here is certainly customized to an extreme level, with some seriously impressive features. For starters, the car is of course chopped, nosed, decked and bagged. Some wild additions include a Pearl vinyl interior, a chromed dashboard, air conditioning, a 350 engine and transmission, shaved handles, and a lovely louvered hood. All-in-all, there’s a little something for everyone on this epic build, and it’s certainly bound to turn heads just about every road it drives down!
How many made? Between all variations of the Monarch, it’s believed that approximately 11,317 were built in 1949, of which only a mere fraction of those cars are believed to be surviving to this day. This particular example is certainly one-of-a-kind.
Engine: a 350 engine and transmission
Debut: n/a
Top Speed: n/a
0-60mph: n/a
Photo Credit: @am_media_ny
Research: @rarecarsonly