I do not recall ever seeing any build pictures of Bob Hirohata's 51 Merc. Rikster's site does not seem to have any. I would think that they must exist,Barris documented alot of their work in process. I would like to see if there are any pics out there.
I know they where made, and they are still around. But the people who own them are not willing to show them. They think they have gold in their hands, and are are not willing to share this important part of custom car history...
Check this thread by Twochops. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=108801 If I remember right there is a couple of in progress pics (not actual build pics, just seen in the background). You'll see lots of neat Customs while on your quest. Good luck (there's almost 50 pages).
how about a look at what the shop looks like now, where all the magic was made http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&i...split=1&gl=us&cid=15183420989274483911&li=lmd
I'd rather see pics of the car as the current owner found it, and what it looked like before restoration. I've seen a few somewhere.. maybe Rod & Custom. how cool would it have been to get it running and drive it to a big show before the time that everyone knew it had been found. if it were mine I don't thing I would have restored it, but just cruised it around all worn out looking until somebody gave me a few buckets full of cash for it.
I think the person who owns the car today, bought it off a used car lot in the LA area many years ago. Also think he used it as a daily for a while, then retired it to the garage shown in Rikster's pic #2. The present owner was befriended by Pat Ganahl, and I think that is how the restoration got started. If this info is wrong, please correct me. As for driving such an icon around in the rough until someone offered crazy money for it, all I have to say is ... there ain't that much green paper! Obviously, the present owner of the Hirohata Merc agrees.
Well that sucks.....I knew they had to exist. The thing I really would like to see is how they made the side window frames and how the interior trim was finished off around the side windows.
Funny thing is, since it's been restored, what real value do they hold now? I could see hanging on to them for the right restorer to come along, and want them- but apparently...they weren't really needed. So now that the car has been restored, is this a case of greed?
I think it is so cool that Jim McNeil has hung onto it for decades. He's obviously NOT some rich guy and I'm sure he has been offered crazy money for it many times, and could do a lot with a huge wad-o-cash. Yet, he keeps it. When I saw him with it at Autorama, it is obvious that it means more to him than an investment.
that's what's his name spraying the car in that last pic..I remember reading that he has a lift in the paint booth so he can get the bottom edges of the fenders and quartes..pretty slick
Yeah, much, much moe betta than shooting a car on jack stands, whyle rolling around the booth on a creaper! Swankey Devils C.C. "Spending A Nation Into Generational Debt Is Not An Act Of Compassion!"
Very well stated. Jim is obviously from a time before rodding was all about fuckin' money. I'm sure he has had many offers of stupid amounts of money, but he is a true believer in the idea of ownership, stewardship, and passion. You could tell by the restoration write-ups, he has a connection to the car that money has nothing to do with. Irregardless of how you feel about it, he is the owner, and is probably very glad of it, I know I am. It's refreshing to see someone who embraces the real VALUE of hot rodding beyond the dollar sign. OK, end of pontification.-MIKE
I agree. When I saw Jim and the Merc at the 50th GNRS in 99 I thanked him for keeping and restoring this Kustom icon.
Not to go OT, but it sure bums me out now that the REAL car is restored, that the darn clone is around..... Clones are cool when the REAL car is gone for sure, but they're just confusing when the real one IS still around and gets restored.
Very Kool point. It says a lot about McNeils love affair with the Hirohata. I agree with ya, you know that he was offered a lot of $$$ for it. The clone played an important role in getting me into kustoms. Years ago when I saw it at the Starbird show, I fell in love with it and have loved kustoms ever since that day. If I had the money, I would clone it today and I'm only three hours away from Jack Walker's clone. If guys weren't cloning them, a lot of us wouldn't get the opportuntiy to see how kool they were. Sad to say I hadn't seen the original Hirohata yet.... That is my own fault. Kool is kool no matter if it is a clone or not. I would like to see the two Merc together. Wouldn't that be an kool photo op. Happy Trails, Mick
cool pix Rikster... thanks. as for my comment about selling it... I don't own a home, I drive a 76 Volvo so to keep a car worth that much would be a bit silly in my situation. on the other hand, my 49 chevy I bought 33 years ago will never be sold, of course no one will offer me crazy money for my car.
Dirty Doug owned the Hirohata car for a few years, and if memory serves there were some pics of the car during that time in either one of Roth bio books, or one of the books Roth published. Ganahl should do a little book about that car, wouldn't take him very long and it'd sell at least a few copies.
Would pics of the clone build suffice, at least for the window channels and so on? I'm sure they can be had, I'm pretty sure Street Rodder or one of the other mags covered the build.
Well you could look up the R-C article on the Merc Sam built before Hirohita that was crashed, it shows close ups of the same windows. I think there was a small change on the Hirohita but this is where the treatment came from... Or maybe it will stifle people too unoriginal to come up with their own stuff from making more cookie cutter cars. Custom is supposed to be about making something different than the other guy, to make your car stand out. If that is not the point why not keep it stock so it looks like all the others...Besides couldn't a person set on coping it look at a picture of the car's windows and come up with something ??? Seriously how is this a loss to custom car history? I'd agree only as related to up keeping the original if the information was needed to keep it exactly as it was but only the original. Restoring or rebuilding a lost a car or even a past form of a custom that had many versions is cool but nothing is more lame than clone of someone else's work that still survives...
i've seen a few posts here on making the windows, in fact that post about the winfield class shows how gene does it... not sure if they are exactly how the hirohata was done, but they might answer a few questions....
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