The most highly modded SSR in America (DUW)

[Donny Carlson]

This is the third SSR for this owner. Ironically, the first one he owned was bought back by Chevrolet under the lemon law for electrical problems. He then bought his wife an '06 Aqua Blur, then bought an '06 six speed for himself as a project car. He proceeded to highly modify the exterior and interior as well as installing a polished Magnussen supercharger and lots of other enhancements (lowering springs, sway bars, rear end). In a a way, this is the Legal Knevil (or TwoManyFords) of the SSR world.

I'm not in love with the flat black paint (he was going for a rat rod vibe), but the mods are impressive and really change the appearance of the truck:

http://www.ssrfanatic.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=13 603&d=1148568983


http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/1/1/3/6/100_0324.JPG

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/1/1/3/6/100_0322.JPG

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/1/1/3/6/100_0328.JPG

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/1/1/3/6/100_0318.JPG

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/1/1/3/6/100_0333.JPG

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/1/1/3/6/100_0339.JPG

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/1/1/3/6/100_0350.JPG


He just changed out the exhaust system and put on better looking tips:

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/1/1/3/6/100_0375.JPG

And here's the owner with his modded SSR and his wife's truck which has some mods itself.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/1/1/3/6/100_0377.JPG

[martyo]

I hope he likes LK better than I like Sinsster.

[blackf0rk]

That is one fugly truck. Props for the mods though - a lot of time and effort no doubt! :)

[Breadfan]

Cool, hope he has OK luck with the Magnussen, I hear they blow bearings from time to time, ask me how I know. :)

I too give props for something different and something modded.

Personally not my cup 'o tea, and I agree I think it's quite ugly.

I late model car with thousands and thousands in mods is NOT a rat rod.

Interior looks nice though!

[blackf0rk]

A late model car with thousands and thousands in mods is NOT a rat rod.

Yea, but it's got flat black paint... :P

[Zack]

That thing is junk

[BAD MERC]

Well I have been schooled. I thought they couldn't get fuglier. That car needs to be shot and buried.

[rocknrod]

Poor bastard can't build a real hot rod...

[TAF]

I think it looks pretty cool...like a modern-day, high performance "Rat-Rod"...thanks for sharin' Donny!

[Joe Walsh]

Although I can appreciate all the time, effort and money spent on modding that SSR...
Why dedicate all those resources towards making a cool NEW car look like a half finished 1950s 'POS' jalopy??? :dunno:

P.S. I know this is all subjective, but that 'primer paint' just DOES NOT work for me.

[merc6]

flat black only looks good on bad @$$ S.W.A.T. vehicles
http://static.flickr.com/27/49872521_e99542a2c4.jpg?v=0

[Joe Walsh]

He'll get really tired of everyone asking him: "When are you going to finish the paint prep work and what color are you going to spray it?"

[Bluerauder]

I think it looks pretty cool...like a modern-day, high performance "Rat-Rod"...thanks for sharin' Donny!
I agree .... it's a cool lookin' ride. :up: With all the work he's put into it, you would think that he could peel the stickers off the new tires. :rolleyes: That leads me to believe that it is more for "show" rather than "go".

[Smokie]

Donny is not for me, I like yours better.:)

[Vortex]

That weird grille reminds me of the truck Roy Scheider drove in the movie "Sorcerer".

[DEFYANT]

I kinda like it. I has a 50s Merc look.

Investing lots of money into late model cars seems to be what we do too..

[Mike Poore]

[quote=DEFYANT]I kinda like it. I has a 50s Merc look.
quote]

Yep, same here, Charlie!

BTW, those stickers on the tyres; there are different rims on the first photo, and I can't put my finger on it, but something looks different about the interior in that first one. :dunno:

[Bluerauder]

...something looks different about the interior in that first one. :dunno:
No headrests or maybe even no seats yet. :D

[94_302]

I like the flat black but I don't really like the rims, although they don't look that bad on the flat black.

[Donny Carlson]

No headrests or maybe even no seats yet. :D

Yeah, the first shot is just after painting. The headlights and the seats are not in, and the stock wheels and tires are still on.

I think it's an interesting project, but I don't like the choice of flat black paint (I would have gone for glossy and maybe a Mike LeValle flame job). He shaved off the original door handles, which I think are one of the better design features of the truck, for handle the 30's. I think he should have left the handles shaved and used a remote release a la Chip Foose. The mirrors were also shaved, and again he selected a 30's style mirror. I like the concept's mirrors, which were 50's era style.

The wheels are one-offs and I think they defeat the lowering of the truck. I'm a fan of the OEM wheels, but there are some interesting aftermarket wheels for SSR's I like. These not so much.

The grille is a throw back to the 53 Corvette:

http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/bv/images/53corvette_1.jpg


Personally, I like a lot of the elements of the concept that were dropped for production. The side mirrors, rear trim bar, tail ights and valance. I especially like the creased windshield (the back window is also creased) to match the ridge on the hood, roof, and bed cover.

http://z.about.com/d/trucks/1/0/X/6/ssr_200concept_gal1.jpg

[Mike Poore]

[quote=Donny Carlson]. I think he should have left the handles shaved and used a remote release a la Chip Foose. The mirrors were also shaved, and again he selected a 30's style mirror. I like the concept's mirrors, which were 50's era style.

The grille is a throw back to the 53 Corvette

I thought it was an older vette grille, but couldn't place it. I was thinking more like '66 or '67. I knew of some guys who used that style grille in 50's Merc's, and it worked very well. The big thing was shaving the doors and chrome, along with frenching the lights, and like you, think the door handles don't work and could have been replaced with remotes for a much cleaner look.

I must admit in that one photo where the hood sort of droops down into it's catfish mouth, a different paint job might have saved it.