Finding a completely finished hot rod is not very challenging these days – just type in “hot rod” on eBay Motors and see what you get. But finding one that is exactly what you’re looking for poses a bit more of a challenge. So what do you do when you can’t find exactly what you want? You build it or have it built, of course, and that’s exactly what guitarist for the band Papa Roach, Jerry Horton did with his 1951 Mercury.

Horton's '51 Merc didn't look bad when he got it, but the shiny finish was deceiving of what it covered. Images: Bio Kustomz and the Bio Kustomz Facebook Page.

Entrusting his prized lead sled to the guys at Bio Kustomz, “Reprise” as the car is named, has been in the works for a few years, but with its SEMA Show debut coming up in just over a week, the car is coming together quite nicely. Check out some of the work that’s gone into this classic Merc in the video above from the GrinderTV crew.

Horton’s ‘51 Merc wasn’t in bad condition when he bought it, but it wasn’t exactly what he wanted. So he took it to the guys at Bio Kustomz to have it fixed up a bit.

But as is common with old hot rods, Max Fish and the crew at Bio found more than the car’s fair share of rust and a large smattering of Bondo that was almost laughable if not horrifying. So work began to recreate the lead sled – this time to Horton’s exacting specifications.To give the car the perfect look, Bio Kustomz hand formed each body panel and rechopped the roof.

Stripped down, Reprise started to come together with custom metal work from front to back.

The front clip, which was found to be fiberglass, was replaced with custom steel parts. Bio even custom made the car’s quarter panels to eliminate some of the bulk and give the Merc better lines. To top it all off, they machined completely custom one-off wheels for the car.

After all the body work was done, Reprise was sprayed with a custom mix of House of Color paint, giving the car a green chameleon-esque finish. This is sure to be an instant attention grabber with the only thing giving away that Horton’s Merc isn’t stock being the roof line.

Under the hood, you’ll find a Chevy 350 with custom Reprise finishes. As for the rest of the specs, you’ll have to wait and find out more once the car is revealed at SEMA.

Classic lead sleds are unique views into the personalities of their owners, and Reprise is no different. With Bio Kustomz putting the finishing touches on this Merc, we’re sure there will be quite the crowd at the 2012 SEMA Show looking to catch a glimpse at Horton’s unique taste in cars. So make sure to stop by the Kinetik Audio booth to see this creation in person, and have no fear – if you won’t be in attendance we will be bringing you LIVE SEMA coverage right here on Rod Authority!

Nearly jewel-like, Reprise is coming together beautifully and we can't wait to see it at the 2012 SEMA Show next week!