1951 Mercury Eight Is a Retired Hollywood Star, Needs a New Home

Introduced in 1939, the Eight was also Mercury's first automobile. The division had just been established in November 1938. Created to fill the gap between Ford and Lincoln, Mercury's first car obviously slotted between the Ford Deluxe and the Lincoln Zephyr.

The first-generation Eight remained in production through 1941, when a notably redesigned version arrived in showrooms. The second-gen Eight was discontinued in 1942 due to America's involvement in World War 2 but returned on the production line between 1946 and 1948.

Mercury built one final third-gen version between 1949 and 1951. The Eight was discontinued to make way for the Monterey, which debuted in 1950 as a range-topping version of the full-size car. All Mercury Eights were powered by Ford's iconic "Flathead" V8 engine. The final-generation Eight is usually favored by the hot rod crowd. 

The 1951 two-door coupe you see here is somewhat of a mild hot rod. It may look stock from a distance, but it hides a few day-two mods. More importantly, it spent much of its life in Hollywood. Not only was it owned by a famous produced, but it was also used in two films.

Specifically, the coupe was gifted in 1968 to Ed Spielman, the creator of the Emmy Award-winning television series "Kung Fu" (1972-1975). The car was used in "The Lords of Flatbush," a 1974 comedy film starring Sylvester Stallone. In 1976, it made an appearance in "Next Stop, Greenwich Village," starring Lenny Baker and Christopher Walken.

It's unclear what happened to the car after that, but Spielman commissioned a multi-year restoration that was completed in 2014. The refurbished Mercury won the Best Touring Car award at the Ventura Motorsports Gathering Concours. And to be honest, I can see why.

Although it may not be as flashy as other Eight-based hot rods, this two-door coupe is quite the elegant classic. It features a two-tone, gray-and-black exterior with burgundy pinstriping, plus an all-leather gray interior. And I love the fact that it looks mostly stock.

Sure, it rides 15-inch wheels, relies on disc brakes, and features aftermarket gauges inside the cabin, but that's hardly radical. As for the engine, the original "Flathead" V8 is still under the hood, but it has been rebuilt and enlarged. Originally displacing 255 cubic inches (4.2 liters), the engine grew to 276 cubic inches (4.5 liters).

It also features a few upgrades, including Ross Racing pistons, a Scat crankshaft, and a Holley four-barrel carburetor. Topped by polished aluminum Offenhauser cylinder heads (which look really sexy), the engine produces "over 200 horsepower." For reference, the 1951 Eight was factory rated at 110 horsepower.

If you're a fan of mild hot rods with a celebrity past, this 1951 Mercury Eight is currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer. It has a current high bid of $10,000, with the auction set to end in five days. The vehicle is now in Scottsdale, Arizona.