MILESTONE CUSTOM CARS: Louie Bettancourt 49 Merc

[Sledge]

Originally Posted by Groovybaby6

Who took those photos with the blue/yellow CA plates?

The Zupan family still operates a landfill company, that's where Johnny was killed.

I thought about calling and asking about the car but I probably would get hung up on!

It's been a lot of years, ya never know they might be willing to talk. Worth a try!

[Groovybaby6]

Has anyone actually asked Jeffries about it?

Brad Masterson told me that years ago, someone called Dean and said they had the car and were willing to sell it back to him, he said, "I already own the car!" and hung up.

[Sledge]

Originally Posted by Groovybaby6

Has anyone actually asked Jeffries about it?

Brad Masterson told me that years ago, someone called Dean and said they had the car and were willing to sell it back to him, he said, "I already own the car!" and hung up.

If thats true then it wasn't too smart. Im sure it was probably just his gut reaction to say that but what he should have said was "yeah sure" "I'll buy it back", then have the cops waiting when they arrived with the car. And by doing that he probably pushed the car back into hiding until after he dies.

[Groovybaby6]

Who knows if they were telling the truth or not. It might have just been a scam to get $$$ from Jeffries. If it is true, then the car might be in one piece still!

[bubba67]

Originally Posted by Groovybaby6

Who knows if they were telling the truth or not. It might have just been a scam to get $$$ from Jeffries. If it is true, then the car might be in one piece still!

I'm pretty sure that mysterious phone call was back in the early 80's. That response from Jeffries could have made the guy scrap or ditch the car.
Remember, back in the 80's, that car's history was not important anymore and I'm sure nobody was waiting for Jeffries to die so they could bring the car out as Dean wasn't that old then.

[shoebox1950]

Originally Posted by Sledge

Thats a tough one Jeff. Both versions are great of course, but I gotta be honest, the 2nd version is what really does it for me. But I dont know.....If I had, I would probably restore it to the Ayala version but use the Barris grill! Would I go to hell for that?

Restore the original to the 2nd version, then clone the first and third, or vice-versa....hahaha...kind of like the Larry Ernst Bel Air...shit, seeing the Bettancourt come up to the surface for air in ANY condition or version in our lifetime would be alright with me.

[shoebox1950]

Originally Posted by JeffSled

I really have been thinking about this beauty lately.I wonder if any of these recent storys are true.
I put this version up for Sledge.....since I know if he found this car he would be restoring it exactly the way it looks right here with exception he might run the quad headlights that it had when it was stolen.

HAHAHA...Jeff, that's funny...great pic, btw...that trim is weird though

[00 MACK]

Originally Posted by thesupersized

ok, I'll be the first to say...the third version is actually my favorite...I agree some of the pinstriping is excessive, but i love the scallop coming out of the grillshell....and the extra sidetrim on the rear quarters doesn't bother me much...

In my opinion the first version is the worst... the grill and the lack of sidetrim in the first version don't do it for me.

Even the latest version with the quad lights and stude pans I like, although I haven't seen many pictures of it that way...was it ever finished and shown in that version? would love to seee more pictures....

I guess being from NJ, my tastes are infected into liking gaudy customs. Maybe im just bored of seeing the same old merc after merc after merc. Why does everyone seem to follow a formula when building a merc? It's like they are to 'precious' to hack up into something different...Its always interesting to see a merc with quad lights and stude pans!!!


If both the 2nd version and the quadlight/stude pan version were at the same car show...I would walk up to the quadlight version first. Just sayin.

Welcome to Jersey.

[00 MACK]

I'd take the first version which might look average to some but Im visualizing it in some slime yellow color going down the road in 1951.

[Groovybaby6]

I asked my friend from Pueblo this morning about the car again, the last time he saw it was 1963 outside the Zupan's gas station and it still had the CA plates on it, which is odd.

I noticed a pic in this thread of Roth working on the Rotar and the Merc was sitting next to it so that has to be '63 or later.

I noticed another thread that said Zupan sold the car to Dean Jeffries, that's the first time I've heard that, as far as I know, Zupan shipped it out to LA to have the (gulp!) quad headlights & rolled pans installed.

Had he just kept the car the way it was, none of this would have happened!

Damn you Johnny!!

[BICKFORD]

HISTORY LESSON TIME!!

Just bring this back up incase someone might have missed it.

[BICKFORD]

HISTORY LESSON TIME !!!!

Look these guys build cars that were CLASSY not TRASHY. Maybe for people will start building CLASSY CUSTOMS again.

[bubba67]

Originally Posted by bickford

history lesson time !!!!

Look these guys build cars that were classy not trashy. Maybe for people will start building classy customs again.

wtf ?

[BICKFORD]

History lesson time !!!!

[BICKFORD]

Great customs!!!! These are not over chopped,looking broke on the ground, and flow from the front to the back. I love these threads!!

[JeffSled]

Originally Posted by Rikster

Here are two still of the excellent Barris DVD from Mad Fabricators.

Never been seen before photos of the Bettancourt Mercury, and the Zupan Mercury. The interior shot shows the location of the Appleton Spots really well.


If you are a custom car fan and you dont have the Barris DVD yet..... better order one HERE, this one has a TON of fantastic never been seen before photos.

Two great pictures right here.

[wingspread7]

Anyone know the power train info.? Looks like an OHV engine in those detailing shots.

[Rikster]

Originally Posted by wingspread7

Anyone know the power train info.? Looks like an OHV engine in those detailing shots.

[JeffSled]

I absolutely love this pic of Johnny cleaning his engine.I wish I could of heard what this Merc sounded like with that rocket in it.

[hotrod1940]

Missing cars like this Merc and the Dean Porsche are intriguing to say the least. Sitting somewhere, but where?