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Icon founder Jonathan Ward loves to cover fashionable expertise beneath a layer of patina. He calls his blends of outdated and new Derelicts, and just lately he introduced what is perhaps probably the most excessive automobile within the sequence to Jay Leno’s Storage.
It could seem like a worn out 1949 Mercury Coupe on the floor, however this final sleeper has an electrical powertrain cobbled along with Tesla tech. The Derelict Mercury broke cowl in 2018, however this video offers a extra detailed have a look at this artistic construct.
A pair of electrical motors are mounted the place the transmission was, retaining the inventory rear-wheel-drive system. Whereas some electrical conversions of basic vehicles retain the inventory transmission, Ward mentioned this Mercury’s factory-installed 3-speed guide transmission was made superfluous by the twin motors’ mixed 500 lb-ft of torque.
Within the area vacated by the engine, you may discover controllers, cooling {hardware}, and a few of the Tesla battery modules (extra are positioned over the rear axle) organized like a basic V-8. Ward mentioned he needed a glance that might enchantment to old-school scorching rodders, whereas additionally optimizing weight distribution. Collectively, the battery modules add as much as 85 kwh of capability, which Icon mentioned in 2018 are good for 150-200 miles of vary.
A cooling system based mostly round a semi truck air con compressor manages battery, motor, and controller temperatures, in addition to the local weather management. Like different Derelict builds, the Mercury has a customized chassis with fashionable suspension and brake parts.
Paintwork is identical situation it was when the Mercury was bought from a Southern California proprietor off Craigslist. This era of Mercury was well-liked with automobile customizers, so many survivors have been chopped and sectioned into lead sleds. Ward retained the inventory look, although, as each he and the automobile’s purchaser discovered it interesting. The one styling modifications are lowered suspension and 18-inch wheels sporting the inventory hubcaps.
Icon Derelict 1949 Mercury Coupe on Jay Leno’s Storage
Ward and Icon discovered some intelligent methods to keep up the old-school. The inventory fog lights had been rebuilt with LED parts, and cost ports for CHAdeMO and Tesla Supercharger plugs had been hidden behind the entrance license plate and within the location of the inventory gas filler, respectively. And whereas the inside’s leather-based upholstery is new, it was aged to match the remainder of the automobile.
Icon has churned out a number of Derelict builds over time, together with a 1971 Mercedes-Benz 300SEL with the center of a C6 Corvette ZR1, however they’ve all been gasoline-powered. The engineering behind the Mercury’s EV conversion, and Ward’s dedication to the Derelict theme, makes it stand out even amongst these different builds.
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