Skip to content

AUTO STAR: '49 Mercury apple of Kaczmer's eye

“It’s a great cruiser car, it’s not a high-performance car,” Kaczmer said. “It’s a driver. It gets driven everywhere— It floats around very nicely on the highway.”

COCHRANE— Ray Kaczmer has always had a passion for cars, and his 1949 Mercury two-door coupe is the apple of his eye.

The candy apple red Mercury, commonly known as the lead sled, has been extensively customized.

It has been chopped and lowered to create a unique and robust look. The car has airbags so it can be lowered allowing it to ride low to the ground. The roof has been modified to sit five inches lower  in the front and eight inches lower in the back.

One of the more unique aspects of the Mercury is the large fender skirts bubbling out of the rear created out of a 1949 Mercury hood.

“The curves of the hood were built into the fender skirt to give it some nice curves,” Kaczmer said. “It gives it a lot of style."

The customized job has transformed it into a “sleek and sinister-looking cruiser.”

It has a mix of components manufactured by Mercury, General Motors, Chrysler and Peugeot.

The lead sled was originally designed and restored by his uncle who completed the project in 2000.

Kaczmer’s uncle later sold the car in 2009, but through some detective work by him and his cousin he was able to find and purchase it again in 2015.

Kaczmer had always wanted to get his hands on a Mercury after falling in love with the body styling watching his uncle work on the ride.

Kaczmer has not completed any major modifications to the Mercury since he purchased it, but has diligently maintained the ride so it is ready for shows. 

Minor changes he has made include the addition of an electric fuel pump and extra driving lights to make the vehicle more visible on the road.

The Mercury boasts a GM 350 engine and drive train.

The majority of the leather interior is Peugeot and includes a custom-installed sunroof.

“It’s a great cruiser car, it’s not a high-performance car,” Kaczmer said. “It’s a driver. It gets driven everywhere— It floats around very nicely on the highway.”

The Mercury has visited more than 200 cruises and shows in Alberta, British Columbia and the United States since his uncle first built it.

In 2018 it placed in the top 10 of the Red Deer Superrun.

Kaczmers love of cars is a community affair, and since 2014 he has served as the president of the Cochrane Classic Car Club.

The club was established in November 2011 by its first president Ken Hutchinson. The first car show was held in late September 2012.

The club later launched a not-for-profit organization to support Cochrane charities, local businesses and the community at large.

During the better weather summer months the club hosts weekly car shows and member gatherings on Thursday evenings at different locations around Cochrane, including at automotive businesses.  In recent years membership has been sitting around 60 to 70 members.

“It’s for members' socialization and to display their vintage rides,” Kaczmer said.

The Cochrane Classic Car Club hosts a show and shine in mid-September in the Historic Downtown. It was cancelled for the second time in 2021 due to COVID-19 public health measures. The show typically sees around 1,000 people attend and more than 200 cars participate.

Membership of the club is represented by a diverse selection of classic vehicles with members ranging from 20 to 80 years old.

“We encourage the young people to come in even with their tuner cars. We want to learn what they are doing and they can have a better understanding of some of the older cars,” Kaczmer said. “If you have the automotive passion then you are welcome to join the club.”

Cochrane Classic Car Club recently partnered with Cruise Cochrane, Kaczmer said, to help grow a community bound by a shared passion.

“They’re complimentary. It gives our members two alternatives— We can display or we can cruise,” Kaczmer said.

For more information on upcoming cruises and shows in town visit the Cochrane Classic Car Club Facebook Page or Cruise Cochrane website.

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks