The Darrell Gwynn Foundation is auctioning this replica of the Wood Brothers #21 Purolator Mercury, driven to victory by David Pearson in the 1976 Daytona 500. The sale will take place at the Barrett-Jackson event in Scottsdale this January.
The Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale is a big event, and one that has come to be known for a number of special feature sales, often to benefit charities, in addition to the collector-car lots that serve as its core. Among the highlighted lots this year is a Mercury that was built to commemorate the Daytona 500 win of David Pearson over Richard Petty in the 1976 race, when the two drivers tangled on the last lap and wound up in the infield; Petty couldn’t get his car started again, while Pearson managed to get the Wood Brothers Merc out of the grass and over the line for the checker.
The tribute Mercury is a Montego built by Gateway Classic Mustang and donated to the Darrell Gwynn Foundation for the auction, the proceeds of which will go toward continuing the work of the organization. The car features a Ford Racing crate engine, a 521-cubic-inch 385-series V-8 (429/460 family) fitted with aluminum Ford Racing Super Cobra Jet cylinder heads, a mechanical-roller camshaft and 10:1 compression to produce 609hp and 630-lbs.ft. of torque. The engine is backed by a Tremec five-speed manual gearbox and a Ford 9-inch rear axle.
Gateway Classic Mustang handled the build of the tribute car, starting with a worn-but-decent '76 Montego; build photos on the company's website illustrate that the car needed more rust repair than its outward appearance might suggest.
A well-worn regular production Montego served as the starting point for the project, which the crew at Gateway then dismantled to begin the process of repairing, restoring and modifying on the way to creating the replica of Pearson’s #21. Because the project was being done in conjunction with Barrett-Jackson, Sherwin Williams got involved by providing the paint, from its line of Barrett-Jackson Collector Color Series of automotive refinishing products. Drawing from the B-J Collector Color charts, the Montego was covered in a base of Snow White and then the Purolator livery was created using Red Hot Chili Pepper and Blisterin’ Blue.
With the body and chassis reunited, the Ford Racing crate-package 521 big-block is installed; a Tremec five-speed was used to back it up along with a built 9-inch Ford axle.
The Darrell Gwynn Foundation was founded in 2002 by NHRA World Champion drag racer Darrell Gwynn to provide awareness, prevention and support for paralysis, with the ultimate goal of finding a cure for the condition. Gwynn was paralyzed from the chest down following a crash of his dragster during an exhibition run in England in 1990. His work with the foundation strives to create increased awareness of spinal cord injuries and to better educate people – particularly high school students – on the dangers of risky behavior that can lead to such injuries. The foundation also operates a national Wheelchair Donation Program, maintains a patient assistance fund and provides financial support to various research programs aimed at finding a cure for paralysis.
The auction of the Mercury will happen on Friday, January 21, 2011, at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale. You can also see more on the Mercury, including lots of build photos, at www.gatewayclassicmustang.com.