Here are a couple pictures of the XM-800 getting exhaust installed on it for the first time ever. It was done by Tim Bolen at Kenwood Muffler and Brakes in Duluth and he did a masterful job bending and fitting the pipes. As you can see in the pictures there were a bunch of tight bends to make. First of all, here is a picture of the XM-800 in the trailer ready to go to the muffler shop The last time you saw it in a trailer was the day I got it home when I purchased it and it looked like this: Here is the XM-800 up on the rack followed by a few more pictures of the work in progress:

Narration: "Hello, I'm Tom Maruska and you're witnessing history being made as the 1954 Mercury XM-800 concept car drives into view. You see, the XM-800 was a push car when new. It was common for auto manufacturers to not make their concept cars fully functional for cost saving measures. The XM-800 lacked certain drive train components needed to make it drivable. I installed these missing components when I restored the XM-800. The XM-800 was designed by John Najjar of the Lincoln-Mercury Design Division of Ford Motor Company in 1952. It was built in late 1953 and is crafted entirely of fiberglass. a new challenge in the auto industry and Fords first venture into fiberglass. Even the bumpers are fiberglass and chrome plated, likely the first plastics ever to be chrome plated. I restored the XM-800 over the winter of 2008/2009.The windshield and rear windows are plexiglass. The Xm-800 features power windows, power seats, power brakes and sual exhaust. All quite commonplace in todays automobiles but something quite amazing in 1954. It also features power opening and closing hood and trunk lids as well as a power reclining front passenger seat. These are features you still not available in todays autos. Other features include bucket seats front and rear, something not repeated in the auto industry until Pontiac did it in 1960. It has center consoles front and rear which contain controls for the seats and windows as well as a place to store personal items and cigarette lighters and ash trays. The XM-800 has an aircraft inspired instrument panel which includes a new instrument, a tachometer, which tells the engine speed in revolutions per minute. Many of the features from the XM-800 show up in later Ford products, particularly the 1956 Lincoln Premier. The XM-800 is the first ever Ford product with fins. The XM-800 premiered at the February 1954 Detroit auto show alongside the all new Thunderbird and as we know, the Thunderbird made it to production but the XM-800 did not. If built it would have been built of steel. The XM-800 was featured in the 1954 movie "Womans World" starring Fred MacMurray, Lauren Bacall, Van Hefflin, June Allyson, Clifton Webb, Arlene Dahl and Cornell Wilde. Miniature models of the XM-800 were free inside boxes of Post Grape Nuts Flakes cereal. The XM-800 appeared in Many Auto magazines including Motor Trend, Road & Track and Car Life The entire history of the XM-800 and it's complete restoration can be seen by visiting www.tbirdsquare.com Here is a view under the hood of the highly chromed fully detailed all new mercury overhead valve v8 engine. As you recall, earlier Mercury's had the flathead engine. This is the lift for the power opening hood system. The new concave grill was designed to improve air flow for more efficient engine cooling, and the air scoop on the hood is also functional. Deeply hooded headlights would show up on many later Ford products. The XM-800 sports unique bright wheel covers with the mercury medallion adorning the centers The exterior door handles appear from nowhere at a touch to let you inside the XM-800 On the inside the door handles are cleverly faired into the armrest of the door panel. Here is the aircraft inspired instrument panel and steering wheel. If you visually remove the white ring of the steering wheel you can see the chrome aircraft inspiration. For the first time seat and window controls are located in the center consoles front and rear as well as cigarette lighters and ash trays as well as a compartment for personal items and road maps. The XM-800 has a beautiful 13 panel headliner with practical tinted pull down sun visors. The exhaust exits the powerful V8 engine through unique openings in the ends of the rear bumper. Many variations of this will come in future Fords. The interior of the trunk is fully upholstered and has a light on the underside of the lid." PAGE 16