Features Kustoms blues? I need to see some kustoms....

What ever happened to the ''Startling Starfire''? I last saw in it in St. Louis owned by Kurt McCormick in the 70s or 80s.

 

From Kustomrama:
"The car swapped hands before it ended up in Kurt McCormick's posession. Kurt sold the car to a guy in St. Louis where it sat outside for several years. The Startling Starfire is still around, and is currently undergoing a restoration."

https://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Ralph_Ferks'_1954_Oldsmobile

 

Love this shot. Thanks for posting the pics and the link. Never took the time before to see the details of the "Startling Starfire"




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Always liked this car (here stuck in the mud at Gettysburg around 2003).
Later sold to someone out west.

 

Now that is trick..... it must have a name?

 

Think it was called The Rebel.

 

Thank you.
When I win tonight's Powerball, I will look you up.

 

Vancouver BC car. I believe it was called Purple People Eater.

 

"Rudy's Green Flame" Merc, with its iconic paint job, ended up in the Garlits Museum, looking like any one of a number of other Mercs (albeit Hemi powered).



"...and the beat goes on."

 

Whats the story, why did they change it.

 

I have wondered the very same thing..

Dave

 

I wonder if anyone has counted the number of different paint jobs that Ron Aguirre had on his 'vette over all it's versions?

Dave

 

I saw that Merc in 82 in Des Moines. As wild as it was---It needs to be cloned. Kinda like an old kustom with a lowrider paint job.

 

I think I have some of the story, but my timeline might be a little off. I know I've read the story about the "Green Flame" Mercury somewhere, but I'll be damned if I can find the magazine it was in.
I read back when the TV show Happy Days started, the producers had planned for the Fonz to get a chopped Merc to use on the show. According to the article (I wish I could remember where it was from), they were having a chopped Merc built for the show. But, before it was finished the show's format changed and they no longer shot scenes out in the parking lot of Arnold's Drive-In (I think this was after season two or three). So, the chopped Merc was never used.
The Green Flame Merc was the car they were going to use. The Merc was driven a lot and the use of it really took a toll on the paint job. I believe that Garlits bought the car in about '82 or '83 and re-did it in the milder maroon and white version.
I remember I was so bummed when I found out the Garlits Merc was the old "Green Flame" car. Even then when I was a young teenager, I asked myself, "Why would anyone change the paint job on such a cool car?"
When I was very young, my Dad worked at a trash company that used to be right down the street from where I live today. My Dad's boss was a really cool guy that was into old cars--mostly hot rods and T-buckets. Every now and then he had one down at the shop. I always loved going down there with Dad hoping to see one of Roy's cool cars.
I remember in Roy's office he had all kinds of car pictures and posters. Most of them were hot rods with women posing next to them wearing not much more than a smile. Among all the girlie posters, there was Robert Williams' print of "Devil with a Hammer and Hell with a Torch". I loved that print--still do. It was hung kinda low on the wall so the "Green Flame" Merc was just at eye level for me. I remember sitting in that office many times sipping on a Canada Dry Ginger Ale just staring at that Merc. It really made an impression on me.



I remember years later seeing the Merc in one of those Show World Rod Magazines. I bought a copy and promptly took out the picture of the Merc and hung it on my bedroom wall. It was one of my favorite pictures ever. I still have a copy of it hanging in my garage.



I found a few pictures that @Peter Pan of Chicago took years ago, including a rare shot of the car from the rear.





Now tell me, why hasn't somebody built a clone of this car? I think it would blow everyone's mind, including my own! E