Mercury Speedster

The Sportabout

​This 1922 Mercury-bodied Model T speedster is powered by a late-production Model T engine with Frontenac Model S overhead valve conversion, and downdraft Winfield Model SR carburetor. The car’s Model T two-speed transmission is augmented with a Warford under- and over-drive auxiliary transmission. This Mercury “Sportabout” body features an entry door on the right, passenger side, which was not available until late 1922.

The Mercury Body Corporation

​In November of 1920, Charles E. McCormick of Lexington, Kentucky received a patent for a speedster body design. A prototype based upon this patent aroused considerable interest, so McCormick and three of his University of Kentucky fraternity brothers organized the Mercury Body Corporation, to market and produce it. The firm’s new factory was located in Louisville, Kentucky at 2821 Garfield Ave. 

Mercury's two-passenger speedster body was originally designed for the Ford Model T chassis, but in 1923, they introduced a slightly modified version for use on Chevrolet 490 Superior chassis. The initial body design did not include any doors, but a passenger side door was added in response to customer requests. Also available were cycle fenders, convertible tops, headlamps, windscreens, lowered frame rails, cast aluminum steps and other body-related accessories. Mercury's products were sold either direct or via regional Ford and Chevrolet dealers in the United States and Canada.

​Mercury's two-passenger speedster body was originally designed for the Ford Model T chassis, but in 1923, they introduced a slightly modified version for use on Chevrolet 490 Superior chassis. The initial body design did not include any doors, but a passenger side door was added in response to customer requests. Also available were cycle fenders, convertible tops, headlamps, windscreens, lowered frame rails, cast aluminum steps and other body-related accessories. Mercury's products were sold either direct or via regional Ford and Chevrolet dealers in the United States and Canada.

The Mercury body featured high quality construction and was one of the first speedster bodies built with die-stamped steel panels and all-welded construction. 18-gauge steel body panels were electrically seam-welded and built with two channels that attached to a bare chassis in four places. The floor was 14-gauge and covered with linoleum.

Image Courtesy of Classic Speedsters

​K.G. Pulliam, Jr., one of the Mercury founding partners, moved to Los Angeles in 1921 and established a western sales branch in Los Angeles. Mercury’s body kits and accessories were sold either direct or via regional Ford and Chevrolet dealers in the United States and Canada.  

However, by 1925, the demand for Mercury’s Speedster body had declined. The firm turned to producing commercial bodies such as a soda bottle-shaped Nu-Grape Soda advertising car. In late 1926 Mercury Body was sold and reorganized as the Jackson Body Company of Louisville. By 1928 Jackson Body of Louisville had also ceased operating.

​It is believed the Mercury Body Corporation manufactured 1065 total Sportabout speedster bodies -- 472 Ford bodies and 593 Chevrolet bodies. Less than 75 total examples are known to exist today.