In 1948, Lloyd Templeton bought a second-hand Mercury, with a V8 prepared for racing. The new owner wanted to make it a one-of-a-kind vehicle and turned to a Des Moines coachbuilder. The car was rebuilt from parts from Chrysler for the hood, from Chevrolet for the fenders, from Hudson for the trunk, from Dodge for the grille and from Pontiac for the bumpers. Actor Bob Hope was to make a movie with this car but the program was canceled. Nonetheless, Hope continued to use the car for some time before reselling it.