Memphian David Cecil has a love for restoring cars, like his deep purple ’49 Mercy Coupe. “Everybody needs a hobby. It’s a good to have something you love to do,” says Cecil.

It’s easy to spot Memphian David Cecil’s ’49 Mercy Coupe on the road. The car is one of a kind.

The deep purple (a Ford paint called “Thistle”) Mercy, which was restored by him and his son, Scott, has a ’54 Desoto grill and bumper and signal lights from a ’55 Chevy that are placed upside down. “It’s a custom car — there’s nothing out there like this one,” said David.

The gauges are by Pontiac. All the knobs — shift, radio, air conditioner, pretty much everything on the dash — were custom made by Scott. The Oldsmobile seats have air bags. “It’s what they call a custom lead sled,” said David.

Make and model of your favorite car (full description): My ’49 Mercy Coupe that my son, Scott, and I restored together. It took three years toplete.

Does your car have a unique history: We found it sitting on the side of road for sale in Alabama,ing home from a trip to Georgia. It was in bad shape. There was a lot of rust, no seats — it was just a shell.

What is the make and model of the first car you ever owned: 1954 Chevrolet Hardtop Coupe

Do youpete in car shows: No. We’re just in it for the fun. We restore cars because we like to. It’s a great hobby. Women like dress shoes, houses — men, we like cars.

What advice would you give someone thinking of restoring a car: Find a car you like and have a goal and stick with it. It’s best if you have your own space to work from. Of course, you can always put money in them, farm it out and let someone else do the work.

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