Max is a 1946 Mercury Coupe built by Murpho’s Rods and Customs in Buda, Texas. The car has extensive custom body and chassis modifications that include a reworked frame, a full air ride suspension system, Mustang-II front clip, and modular Ford motor backed by a six-speed manual transmission.
The body mods include a 4-inch chop, shaved drip rails, and a custom firewall diamond-quilted to match the running boards and the interior. Max has a molded front grille surround, and the hood is nosed, decked, stretched and shaved.
Max has full molded fender skirts and seamed front and rear fenders. The deck lid is bobbed. The front bumper is from a ‘56 Oldsmobile and the rear bumper is tucked and pinched and bumperettes used as the taillights.
Max was painted in house using the Matrix paint system. The upholstery is 1940s Art Deco style and was completed by Sculpt Garage San Marcos, Texas.
Max was built over the course of about 5 years. Originally, the project started out as kind of a smaller job, but a chop morphed into a full custom — it evolved and became a snowball kind of thing where it became the car that you see here today. It was a very involved and extensive build.
Max has won several national awards included being a fine line pick at Darryl Starbird National Rod and Custom Car Show in Tulsa, Best Early Custom at West Coast Cruising Nationals, and has won multiple best-of-shows across the country, in addition to being a Mother’s best pick for paint and the Lone Star Roundup. Max has also been featured in a Car Kulture Deluxe magazine, issue 78.
