Claude Troudt's 1950 Mercury Convertible

1950 Mercury Convertible owned by Claude Troudt. Troudt's Mercury is a custom car that has connections to several prominent figures in the custom car community, including Larry Watson, Dick Dean, and Larry Lorenzo. Troudt, who was involved in custom cars and motorcycles from the mid-1960s, has kept his Mercury as a "low-buck" project over the years, maintaining its personalized design and modifications. Photo courtesy of Claude Troudt.

Dick Dean masking flames on Claude's Mercury in preparation for the Larry Lorenzo/Jeffries design to be applied. Photo courtesy of Claude Troudt.

Larry Watson striping the flames on Claude's Mercury in 1992. The car featured a Larry Lorenzo/Jeffries design, with Watson adding his signature touch during a Watson weekend get-together. Photo courtesy of Claude Troudt.

Photo courtesy of Claude Troudt.

Claude and Larry Watson in front of the Merc. Watson, who was known for his iconic paint jobs and pinstriping, jokingly referred to his friend Troudt as a "Showoff." "If Watson liked what you did, he'd call you a "Showoff" with an expiative thrown in," Troudt told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama in 2024. Photo courtesy of Claude Troudt.

Larry Lorenzo's 1950 Mercury, featuring a flame job that became widely recognized. Due to his close friendship with Larry Watson, Watson was often credited for the paintwork on this car. The design, however, was Dean Jeffries', and it later inspired the paint job on Claude's Mercury project, with Watson adding his signature striping as a humorous tribute.

Von Franco did an artwork for Claude of the Merc...and its owner. Photo courtesy of Claude Troudt.

A photo of Claude with his high school ride, a 1951 Mercury, taken around 1967. Photo courtesy of Claude Troudt.

1950 Mercury Convertible owned by Claude Troudt. Troudt's Mercury is a custom car that has connections to several prominent figures in the custom car community, including Larry Watson, Dick Dean, and Larry Lorenzo. Troudt, who was involved in custom cars and motorcycles from the mid-1960s, has kept his Mercury as a "low-buck" project over the years, maintaining its personalized design and modifications.

Design and Collaboration

In the early 1990s, Troudt worked with legendary customizer Dick Dean to apply a design conceived by Larry Lorenzo and Dean Jeffries to Lorenzo's 1950 Mercury. Troudt and Dean chose this design as a light-hearted tribute to their friend, customizer Larry Watson. Although Watson did not create this specific design, he had often been mistakenly credited for it due to their close friendship.

The "Showoff" Paint Job

In 1992, Larry Watson himself striped Troudt's Mercury during a Watson weekend get-together. Watson, who was known for his iconic paint jobs and pinstriping, jokingly referred to Troudt as a "Showoff" when he saw the car. "If Watson liked what you did, he'd call you a "Showoff" with an expiative thrown in," Troudt told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama in 2024.