- Richard Browne
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- Added 30 Jan 2006
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The 1949-51 Mercury's bulbous lines with its fadeaway fenders gave rise to its popular name "Bathtub Merc". The car became a sensation when it was featured in the James Dean movie "Rebel Without A Cause". Although Dean himself preferred sports cars such as the Porsche Spyder, to his fans, the Mercury was "James Dean's Car". Sam Barris was the first of many custom car builders to chop down the new Mercury. So many were modified into these definitive 1950s "lead sleds" that a stock one can be hard to find today.