Inspired by Greatness

This Pro Street 1978 Mercury Zephyr is a Gen-Xer’s Missing Link

- Jesse Kiser

The ’80s Pro Street look is making a resurgence. The subculture of fat tires and big burnouts share one common adjective: ridiculous. Then there’s the meshing of cars explicitly built for events like Power Tour—slim on excuses and big on driving. Jeremy Hart’s ’78 Mercury Zephyr is the perfect meshing of both: a Pro Street build that’s meant to drive.

When Jeremy turned 14, his dad said it was time for a father-son project. “I just wanted a Fox-body Mustang,” said Jeremy. “Like every 14-year-old kid.” Then his dad showed him a Ford Fairmont. “I told him it was the ugliest car I’d ever seen.” Despite his protest, his parents purchased the Zephyr and gifted it to Jeremy on Christmas Day, 1993. For those unfamiliar, the Fairmont and Zephyr share the same platform and body, with the Merc featuring a different grille and taillights.