There was no shortage of chopped Mercs at the show. Johnie Dail's bright red '51 has classic touches like frenched lights, a narrowed '49 Merc grille in a molded shell, '54 Merc taillights, and flipper hubcaps, but sports a more modern 454 engine between the fenders and an updated, classy tan leather interior with bucket seats and molded door panels.

Dig the profile on James Carswell's '54 Ford convertible. It's got all the classic mild custom elements, including a '54 Chevy grille, '56 Packard taillights in extended quarters, a continental kit, and Cad caps.

Pearl orange and pearl white pigments help show off this chopped custom Merc. Among the many custom mods are DeSoto dentures, frenched and slightly peaked headlights, frenched stock taillights, and a '59 Chevy dashboard setting off the custom white interior.

Daryle Kauzlarich shows how far a little restraint can go when crafting a mild custom Chevy. Frenched headlights, shaved emblems and handles, frenched '56 Chevy taillights, and a little tasteful pinstriping were all his '52 needed to earn the U.S. Radiator Coolest Custom award.

Ron Giroux hitched up his wagon--a '61 Chevy Parkwood--and hauled it all the way from Connecticut to Charlotte. Devoid of emblems, the low longroof looks slick with yellow-over-white paint and Boyd Coddington wheels.

Black primer, green wheels, spider caps, and whitewalls are the simple ingredients giving Kevin Vaughn's '53 Plymouth Suburban a cool look.

We're pretty sure it has been around for a while, but this '68 Pontiac still shows the custom potential lurking in fullsize late-'60s rides.