01
Technical DrawingBlueprint archive
R162
Ozark Mud Runner
The Ozark Mud Runner takes the long, low 1949 Mercury Eight silhouette and flips its priorities: clearance, cooling, and tire. The body gets squared, open-face arches that actually show the sidewall and let mud exit, with thick rubber lips taking the hits where a stock Merc would fold a fender. Matte hunter green with black patchwork keeps it honest—more backroad tool than showpiece.
Underneath is where the attitude becomes believable. Long-travel coilovers, reinforced arms, and real anti-roll control give it the suspension to land crooked and keep tracking. With 38s on beadlocks and a trimmed, raised lower body line, it’s built to climb ruts, dig through bogs, and still hang together when the surface turns into loose, fast dirt.
Release Image Studies
Image studies from every angle.
Comparison Shots
Blueprint / Collector Archive
Engineering Artifacts
The technical study and collectible interpretation of one build, preserved together.
02
Ozark Mud Runner Collector EditionCollector artifact
A presentation-grade collector artifact created for this release and preserved as part of the Widebody Syndicate archive.
Selected archive goods are available for collectors.
1949 Mercury Eight Ozark Mud Runner Collectible Poster
Price range: $18.00 through $25.00
1949 Mercury Eight Ozark Mud Runner Blueprint Poster
Price range: $18.00 through $25.00
1949 Mercury Eight Ozark Mud Runner Framed Collectible Poster
Price range: $37.00 through $75.00
1949 Mercury Eight Ozark Mud Runner Framed Blueprint Poster
Price range: $37.00 through $75.00
Technical Dossier
▧
Platform
1949 Mercury Eight
The 1949 Mercury Eight stands as an iconic piece of post-war American automotive history, capturing the essence of late 1940s design with its clean, flowing lines and solid, chunky presence. Known for its rugged yet refined chassis, this platform offers a surprisingly balanced ride and a canvas primed for both traditional hot rodding and modern bespoke builds. Underneath the stylish steel body lies a robust frame with generous wheelbase and classic suspension setups that invite creative engineering without losing the authentic vintage character.
⌘
Aero Package
600mm x 230mm hood scoop with raised mesh radiator relief section
Dual forward-facing NACA ducts (120mm wide) feeding underhood cooling
Open-arch mud evacuation geometry (no inner “shelf” to pack with clay)
No rear diffuser or spoiler to preserve clearance and avoid snag points
⟡
Chassis
Shown attacking a mud bog course at golden hour, climbing a wet embankment with the tires throwing a heavy rooster tail. It’s the kind of terrain that exposes weak cooling, weak mounts, and bad arch design—exactly what this Merc is built to survive.
◎
Wheels & Tires
16x14 Method Race beadlock wheels, matte black with red rings
38-inch 15-ply mud terrain tires front and rear
Wide track spacing to match flare width and maintain scrub radius control
High-clearance brake line routing and debris shields behind the beadlocks
▤
Powertrain
Front-mounted V8 with emphasis on low-end torque and throttle response over peak power
Sealed cold-air path fed by hood scoop, with splash-resistant filtration
Upgraded radiator capacity with ducting support for low-speed, high-load cooling
Exhaust routed high and tight with heat shielding near floor and brake lines
△
Fabrication Notes
Flares built with squared openings and reinforced mounting points to handle tire contact
Rubber arch lips designed as sacrificial edges—replaceable and fastened for service
Suspension mounts gusseted; trailing arms reinforced for 250mm travel and side-loads
Rear cage tied into chassis points to protect the tail and carry lighting above mud line
×
Design Philosophy
The Ozark Mud Runner takes the long, low 1949 Mercury Eight silhouette and flips its priorities: clearance, cooling, and tire. The body gets squared, open-face arches that actually show the sidewall and let mud exit, with thick rubber lips taking the hits where a stock Merc would fold a fender. Matte hunter green with black patchwork keeps it honest—more backroad tool than showpiece.
Underneath is where the attitude becomes believable. Long-travel coilovers, reinforced arms, and real anti-roll control give it the suspension to land crooked and keep tracking. With 38s on beadlocks and a trimmed, raised lower body line, it’s built to climb ruts, dig through bogs, and still hang together when the surface turns into loose, fast dirt.
▧Platform+
1949 Mercury Eight
The 1949 Mercury Eight stands as an iconic piece of post-war American automotive history, capturing the essence of late 1940s design with its clean, flowing lines and solid, chunky presence. Known for its rugged yet refined chassis, this platform offers a surprisingly balanced ride and a canvas primed for both traditional hot rodding and modern bespoke builds. Underneath the stylish steel body lies a robust frame with generous wheelbase and classic suspension setups that invite creative engineering without losing the authentic vintage character.
⌘Aero Package+
600mm x 230mm hood scoop with raised mesh radiator relief section
Dual forward-facing NACA ducts (120mm wide) feeding underhood cooling
Open-arch mud evacuation geometry (no inner “shelf” to pack with clay)
No rear diffuser or spoiler to preserve clearance and avoid snag points
⟡Chassis+
Shown attacking a mud bog course at golden hour, climbing a wet embankment with the tires throwing a heavy rooster tail. It’s the kind of terrain that exposes weak cooling, weak mounts, and bad arch design—exactly what this Merc is built to survive.
◎Wheels & Tires+
16x14 Method Race beadlock wheels, matte black with red rings
38-inch 15-ply mud terrain tires front and rear
Wide track spacing to match flare width and maintain scrub radius control
High-clearance brake line routing and debris shields behind the beadlocks
▤Powertrain+
Front-mounted V8 with emphasis on low-end torque and throttle response over peak power
Sealed cold-air path fed by hood scoop, with splash-resistant filtration
Upgraded radiator capacity with ducting support for low-speed, high-load cooling
Exhaust routed high and tight with heat shielding near floor and brake lines
△Fabrication Notes+
Flares built with squared openings and reinforced mounting points to handle tire contact
Rubber arch lips designed as sacrificial edges—replaceable and fastened for service
Suspension mounts gusseted; trailing arms reinforced for 250mm travel and side-loads
Rear cage tied into chassis points to protect the tail and carry lighting above mud line
×Design Philosophy+
The Ozark Mud Runner takes the long, low 1949 Mercury Eight silhouette and flips its priorities: clearance, cooling, and tire. The body gets squared, open-face arches that actually show the sidewall and let mud exit, with thick rubber lips taking the hits where a stock Merc would fold a fender. Matte hunter green with black patchwork keeps it honest—more backroad tool than showpiece.
Underneath is where the attitude becomes believable. Long-travel coilovers, reinforced arms, and real anti-roll control give it the suspension to land crooked and keep tracking. With 38s on beadlocks and a trimmed, raised lower body line, it’s built to climb ruts, dig through bogs, and still hang together when the surface turns into loose, fast dirt.
Part of
Wave 27
Swamp Beasts: Vol. 1
We’ve just finished cooking up a batch of swamp-crawling, mud-flinging beasts that make your average SUV look like a city stroller. Our builds take forgotten and unlikely candidates — from the humble Chevy Celebrity to the nimble Ginetta G4 R — and shove them face-first into the murkiest, muddiest, most godforsaken wetlands you can imagine.
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