What's your opinion of this custom?

Nice car but I would de-accessorize it.

 

Thanks so much for coming and posting here! I am glad that you took this thread in the honest light it was intended and you don't know how sick I felt when I realized that I had somehow missunderstood something you said and interpreted it as your husband had "passed". Please accept my apologies for that! I love your car and totally understand what your doing with the "time capsule" and applaud it. Does this mean I can come look at your car again without being punched?

 

Glad to hear your husband has NOT passed,haha! That probably was a shock! Also happy to hear that the critisim about the car didn't offend you. Car guys ALWAYS "I would do this if it were mine...",to other peoples cars. Completely harmless,I assure you.

 

nice custom... if you take away the stuff that the guy with the pt cruiser stuck all over his car at the last show.. BUT THATS WHY GOD INVENTED CUSTOMS SO IT COULD BE CUSTOM!!!

 

What, no "intro" by Hoxbar?? The nerve!!

Just kidding.

Welcome, and glad to hear your husband is still among the living.

 

Glad to see that Diane and Herman saw the positive reaction to their car in this thread that I also saw. Since they have had this car out and to many car shows in the past, they have probably heard all the experts already chime in on what they would do differently if it was their's. Nothing different than what we read here.

If it was my car, I would take it as a complement that the car raised this much discussion.

Neal

 

I agree

 

Welcome to the HAMB and I'm glad to hear that Herman is doing good. I did a search and
didn't find anything so I didn't bother Ross with it. Keep cruizing the Merc and I hope to
see ya guys in Denison next month.

Happy Trails, Mick

 

i like all mercs . i dont know how you could screw one up ! really nice car !!!!!! steve

 

You two keep on keepin' on, and enjoy your "time capsule". It's very cool!

 

Guess you never saw the "Halloween Merc",with the spiderweb hood and life-size skulls for a grill,hahaha!

 

looks good to me.

 

Doesn't get any better then having your Merc signed by Wolfman Jack..



Happy Trails, Mick

 

Always Kool looking at that Merc.... Lot of history... Glad you got the naked lady hubcaps... More kool history!!!!

 

I think Herman did a beautiful job on the car. I'm glad to hear that he is still alive and well. Herman, don't change a thing, she is a beautiful 81 restored Merc. I love it. In 10 years this will be back in style and the less is mores will be copying her. Just like my old shoes. Haha.

 

I like the color of it.

 

Out of respect for our brother gone on, its perfect! It has taken me a long time to stop judging other peoples builds, if I do I try to just keep my opinions to my self. ~sololobo~

 

I remember the 1980's as a time when Customs were being discovered all over again. The K.K.O.A. and West Coast Kustoms had been formed.There was a huge revival of everything 50's. A lot of customs seemed to have anything associated with that era attached to the car....sort of a one size fits all style of car!
Rich Aanerud owned this Merc in the 1980's in California.The car was driven to many events all over the West Coast and yes , it was even driven down Fremont Dragstrip. Rich and the Merc. moved to Phoenix in about 1987.As you can see from these photos the car has been kept as a great example of what a 1980's custom looks like.​

1980 Fremont Dragstrip ,Calif.​

Orange County Labor Day Cruise 1986​

 

R&C Ron, Thank you so much for the pictures of the Merc. I will try to copy them and put them in our book. Sandra and Dean Aanarud have sent us a lot of the Merc in the beginning. I can't believe people can find pictures they took about 30 years ago! We have stories from them and another man who used to go to shows with them. Cool history!
Diane

 

Your Welcome .......My Pleasure!

 

It sits nice and the bodywork looks good to Me but Personally I think it has way too many trinkets, Looks like a J.C. Whitney fan got hold of it !

 

in the mid 80's i would of been a big 10, and i would of thought it was the coolest merc ever with all the stuff, especially the caps! being that im a little older and more defined...well no maybe not, its a little too themed out for my tastes, but the car in itself is a damn nice looking merc! nice proportions and stance, custom stuff like the shortened merc stainless. ive never been fond of bubble skirts, on anything, but i wouldnt think twice about having it sit in my garage! that is one of best mercs ive seen come out of the 80's

 

I gotta tell you, it never occured to me when I posted pics of this car up that we'd be seeing pics of the same car almost thirty years ago! Wow..that's just cool.

 

This is why the HAMB is so kool. Thanks Ron for posting the pictures.

This is why I love this Merc. It is obvious not a traditional kustom, but that doesn't make
it not kool. The Merc was built in the day when I fell in love with kustoms. It is sad that
times fly so fast but early 80s is a big part of the Kustom history. How many guys would
be into kustoms today with out KKOA.

I just pray that the nineties high tech style Merc don't come back. If it does I screwed
mine up.

Happy Trails, Mick​

 

Mick, I'm going to do my best to come to your show next year. I'm hoping to have my (slightly OT) '66 C10 shop truck at least roadworthy by then but if not I'll still try and attend. I was pretty bummed that once I found out about it I had missed it already for this year!

Back on topic for this thread I was really hoping to go see this merc again this weekend in Ardmore but it looks like my daughter's soccer is going to kill show going for a month or more... Well, I'll just have to try and suffer through!

 

What a thread! When the car arrived in Phoenix she looked just as she does today,but with the bare lady caps. She spent her weekends cruising the night away and could be seen hanging out at the Burger King on Central Ave., with all the other gear heads. The "Wanderer" always drew a crowd,as Kustoms were being resurrected and the fifties were also. This ride screamed fifties and gave the viewer plenty of memories. How many rides have been signed by Wolf Man Jack?

Both of my boys have since built Kustoms and became interested after seeing this Merc. If I owned this ride I wouldn't change a thing. She is a legend in her own time and deserves to be keep as is.

One other comment. When she showed up at car shows she would have a matching tear drop trailer in tow. Once again she knew she was built to wander and knew the meaning of good times!

 

It's a Merc. Sled what's not to like ?

 

are you kidding,,,,,,,,,,that car is bad ass !!!!!!!

 

amen!

 

Nice old 51 merc! Looks like Packard tail lights back there. Pin stripes a little on the too much side, but they liked it that way!