Customs My AUTORAMA MERC GATHERING Photos

[Rikster]

Well it has taken me a bit more time to get back home and back up to speed from this very exciting and fantastic trip from my home in the Netherlands to the not so sunny California.

I have already posted a few small movies that I made during set up and when the cars where leaving, but now its time for some photos I took of the Mercury Gathering at the 2009 Sacramento Autorama.

Thanks to John Buck and most of all to Axle and Celeste for making this Mercury gathering reality. This was truly a once in a live time experience. Seeing all these great Mercury's together in one building at the same time.

After a 26 hour day on Tuesday and a way to short night of sleep it was Wednesday and the first cars where going to arrive that day. I was so excited. The Hirohata Mercury, Stardust, and the Sam Barris Mercury where all expected to arrive that day. We only where not sure what time.
Axe was calling regularly with the drivers to get a feel where they where at.
80 miles from Sacramento, half an hour, at the gate. The excitement was almost to much. And to make things even "worse" both the Sam Barris and Hirohata Merc arrived at nearly the same time, but the trucks where parking a few hunderds jards from each other.. so where to look first :-)

One of the first cars to arrive was Jim McNiel's Hirohata Merc.




That evening I met Jim Mc Niels and his wife Sue and we talked for a long time. They where both so nice, and the passion Jim has for his car is incredible.
Jim told the story on how he restored it over a period of about ten years. And how he wanted to keep as many original parts on this car. And if the original parts where gone. He went out and looked for NOS parts to replace them with. Even all the electrical wire ends where removed from the long shot wires and added to new wires. And Jim also kept all of the "flaws" the original car had. Remember the car was built in about nice weeks. Sam Barris and Frank Sonzogni did most of the work on the car. Sam did the drivers side and Frank the passenger side. And if you look good you can see some differences in both sides. Not only in shape but also how it was made. Jim left all that in the car. And all those small little things that Jim pointed out or talked about really make this car come alive.






One thing I had never noticed in any of the many photos of this car are the painted Cadillac crest on the Hubcaps. Jim always thought the red centers where just a bit to much color on this car, so he painted them the same dark green as under the trim



I was lucky enough to not only see the car, but also hear and.. and even sit in it for a little while.






I like this photo taken from the walk way. In the picture we can see Jim McNiel (blue shirt) talking to Bill Johnsson (TwoChops) and Axle (red jacket)
Sue and Bill's wife Nancy probably talk about the shopping opportunities in Sacramento :-)




And the Sam Barris Merc...







John showed me the hubcap that was used to clear the rear axle in the trunk. The upholstered cover is to the left.
Hard to see.. but still neat..






Two other cars that arrived on Wednesday where the freshly restored and improved Stardust. And a recently built 1940 convertible for John Mumford by the Kennedy Brothers... Stardust still has its Appletons all wrapped up from the trip.




The next day the majority of the cars would arrive.

Jeff Neppl arrived with his father and his fantastic - Dick Dean chopped - 1950 Mercury late Wednesday evening... after I had already left to the hotel.




There was one transporter coming in carrying 6 (SIX) Custom Mercury's... Many people where asking the driver what it would take to park the truck at their homes.

One truck.... Back side



back side door...


Front side door...



Bill Worden arrived with his Barris Ralph Testa 1950 Mercury...



And was given a thorough cleaning for the show starting on Friday...