I am fortunate to be the new caretaker of the John D'Agostino designed custom 53 Mercury Monterey called Royal Tahitian. What I know so far...it was built in the early 80's in early 60's custom style. We believe it spent much time as a show car/trailer queen. If you have knowledge and/or photos of the Royal Tahitian, please share. I will get some photos up later. It is raining now.
thank you! that is how it appears today. we have seen some older photos with it riding on wider whites with some bullet wheel covers. does anybody remember this car from its show days?
There is a small picture at this link, with a wider white (which looks much better to me.) http://books.google.com/books?id=W1...age&q=John D'Agostino Royal Tahitian.&f=false Great score!
thanks for the compliments! yes, I agree, the wide whites and custom bullet wheel covers look better. the dilemma...it drives so damn nice with radials. Maybe some radial wide whites. Now to find the right wheel covers.
No man... You gotta put G78-15s on that car. Radials just won't do! It will drive fine with bias tires on it - promise.
Nice car! Looks great with the skirts. Has a real late '50s look to it. The wheelcovers look like a '57-'58 Dodge Lancer cap with four extra bars on the spinner and a bullet added to the center.
Awesome to see these old kustoms popping up and being saved Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
seems I have a set of NOS G78-15 wide whites in stock. now to find the wheels and wheel covers. just wondering how this warranty would work?............
very nice, yup white whites and wheelcovers. If, the Merc top weren't so tall, I would move the chopped C10 and we would talk. Curt R
I am challenged with a couple of things: finding eight bar wheelcovers and the idea of getting skirts painted to match thirty year old paint...a shade of red no less. I am giving thought to putting some bullets on the moon caps and going with some wide whitewall bias ply tires (just to appease Mr. Youknowwho)
It truly depends on what YOU want. For the mid-60's look, it varied were you where but as it sits now, it's damn close....chrome reverse with baldy's and narrow white walls. The mid-fifties to late fifties look had the wide whites and spinners. Early 60's had both styles. I was never a fan of bias tires even when that's all you could get. For safety sake, use radials. You can go to Coker and get the BFG Silvertons, or to Diamond Back Classics for a more modern wide white wall radial
Good for you man! I spent a fair bit of time last week looking at the "for sale" ad for that car.... Even if you didn't haggle.... You got a great deal! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
from the book "Classic Customs and Lead Sleds" " The Royal Tahitian was a '53 Mercury that D'agostino had Bill Reasoner build for him in 1986, Reasoner painted it in red candy, and it won a bunch of big trophies before John traded it for the Winfield-built Jade Idol in 1987. "
GREAT score bobwop! Will take some real skill to match a candy red for your skirts, but someone out there can do it! The car is so well done that it kinda rocks either look when it comes to wheels and tires. Having said that, wide whites are just so classy! Bias ply is the way to go for looks, but you cannot beat the drivability of radials (as I'm sure you know) and if your roads are not up to the standards of the south west, well, good luck with that choice! That car is so purdy.. -Dave
A friend of mine...in Lower michigan has d"agostinos 53 merc. I saw him last week and it was for sale.Now if john d; Built ~~~more than one 53 merc...?????????? he can help ~~~~~ bob s
Congrats on a great acquisition. Hope you're able to drive it a lot and not let it become another trailer queen!
"A friend of mine...in Lower michigan has d"agostinos 53 merc. I saw him last week and it was for sale.Now if john d; Built ~~~more than one 53 merc...?????????? he can help ~~~~~ bob s" While your friend's garage was probably full last week, this week there is a empty spot!!!!
"No man... You gotta put G78-15s on that car. Radials just won't do! It will drive fine with bias tires on it - promise." Sure, if you want to just drive around town.....but I PROMISE he'll much more enjoy the car with wide white radials (either Cokers or Diamondbacks)....and really, who cares....? drove my Merc to Paso with belted tires and then again with radials. the difference was noticeable as far as ride and handling were concerned and nobody noticed or said anything about the change....Sorry Ryan but I think you're wrong.
The Jalopy Journal
