“Apple,” as the car was nicknamed by the previous owner, wears a 1960-’61 front fender because of accident damage decades ago. Owner Dillon Merkl retained it because he enjoys the “Frankenstein look.” Images courtesy Dillon Merkl.

You’ve seen that movie, right? Where the exiled American teenager makes his mark on the Tokyo drifting scene with a ‘60s Ford stuffed full of Nissan Skyline engine? Well, this isn’t that Ford and it isn’t that Skyline engine, but it’s the same kind of thing and definitely unusual enough in reality or on the screen that it’s worth taking a closer look at.

Dillon Merkl of Brooks, Alberta, Canada occasionally likes to exhibit photos of this well patina’d 1962 Ford Falcon Deluxe in the Ford Falcon Owners Group on Facebook. The intake protruding through the grille usually raises some eyebrows and questions ensue. Sadly, the presence of a Nissan engine instead of a 302 means a lot of interest drops off amongst the hardcore Fordophiles, but those with open minds never fail to be impressed by the swap from a 2.3-liter OHV six making 85 gross horsepower to a 2.5-liter DOHC six making 250 horsepower, net, in stock tune.

A Frankenstein patina gets its 15 minutes of fame.