Looking for any history on this 1951 Mercury. My father bought it in an estate sale in the early 90s. These pics are from before we got it and cleaned it up. It was in poor shape as it was stored outside but it had some unusally body mods. The top was chopped with a very heavy angeled B pillar and the door window frames were removed from the door and welded to the body. It also had welded on scoop style side skirts and a continital style deck lid and extened rear fenders.
don't know the car, but that front end treatment is WAYYYY too heavy looking. Be interesting to know its history for sure. dj
Just found a few more old pic's. All these pic's must of been taken before 1990 as i just found a few old pics of it dated 1991 close to it beeing redone and finished by us. When we got this merc we found a large color photo graph of this merc packed in a box of parts in the trunk. The picture had gotten wet and was falling apart but you could see this was once a finished car that must of been at a show or two as there was a few trophies lined up in front of it.
Come on now someone out there must know something about this merc. I know these pic's are very poor quailty but it is all I have of it before we got it. Here's two pic's of that merc after it was reworked of my dad & me buffing the car. A few years after we finished, showed and sold this merc we got an e-mail from an guy with the old attached pic's. He claimed it was orginally built by a famous builder out of in LA area in the 80's.
No butty knows nothing ????? or just not talking ????? Rikster you got anything maybee just an old picture
"He claimed it was orginally built by a famous builder out of in LA area in the 80's. " Just a guess, but maybe Dick dean? It's not typical of his style of work (cont. kit) but if he built to the customers wishes.... Dean did a lot of chops. Maybe talk to Keith Dean? There was another guy in the LA (Orange county?) area back in the day that did a LOT of chops. I believe his name was Al Helerud (sp?). He was always featured in magazine how-to's (Truckin Magazine, etc). I seem to recall he worked for the shop that did all the limo stretches back in the 80's. They also did a lot of trucks, mini trucks, etc. with chops, suicide doors, etc. This car with the "limo continental kit and "front air dam" fits their style. Can't recall the shop name but IIRC the owner was an Italian kid (Vinny?)who hailed from NY and set up shop in LA which turned out a lot of custom work.
Hey Rikster thanks for looking. Hot Rods Ta Hell thanks for all your imformation. I know Vinney. I do not think Vinney had any thing to do with this car as he tryed to buy it from us back in 99 and if you know Vinney he sure would of said something by now. I am trying to find the true history of who orginaly did the chop and the side skirts. The e-mail i got with the old pic's had the builers name as Hatfield or something close to that so I did ask Gene back in 99es if he was the orginal builder but answered me with a riddle. Maybee I did then maybee I did not. Gene please take another look at this car and let me know if it's a yea or nay. I knew Dick fairly well but it newer crossed my mind to ask him about this car as he is out in the Hemet area but I guess it could of went to Barris who then sent it to Dick. I will try George & Keith just maybee they will rember something. Again Thanks, Rick Erickson
Hi guys, Neither my father, Dick Dean, or myself ever did a "back porch" on a Merc. My guess would have been Al and Vinny. The airdam really looks like Al.
I think the air dam looks like a cow-catcher! Hey Erickson, check with TAZHOG (Jeff) here. He had a KRAZY Merc from the 70/80's and may be able to offer some insight. Glad to see you made a tasteful custom out of it, you guys do the most amazing stuff!
Hey Keith thanks for the reply. I really did not thing your dad had anything to do with this merc as he did know about it when we had it. Next time i see Vinny i will ask him if he rembers anything about it. Thanks daddio211 for your reply and kind words. I will send a pm to TAZHOG. This is what it looked like right after we rebuilt it. Sorry for the poor picture quailty Thanks, Rick Erickson
I remember seeing that Merc in a pink version! It was published in the Swedish magazine "Power" in the early/mid 80's.
Thank you RPW. That's it for sure. The 80's . I am fairly sure that artical is writen in sweedish but not sure. I can not read it so can somene tell me if it say's anything about who built the car. Chop, skirts etc. Where was the car built and showen Thanks again, Rick Erickson
Yes, it is Swedish. The text was a bit odd, but well, here it is! Top of the chops 9 inch cut away - enough to satisfiy the one that want to "cut everything" The '51 Merc that Sergio Bugarin own is without means one of the most modified cars that currently is rolling around on the streets of Los Angeles. To see this Merc in the traffic, driving along with all modern cars, is unreal. It is like a car from outer space! Sergio is a very big custom car enthusiast and he owns two very modified and by that also less practical cars. But who cares if it takes 30 minutes just to get out from the backyard. Thats nothing... The Mercury is really customized. From the 9" (22.5cm) chopped roof to the extended rear fenders and the modified front. The interior had to be modified as well. New seats have been made and there is only 10cm between the floor and the seat, and due to the small glass area, whats going on in the traffic is more guessing for Sergio. The wild paint is sprayed in pink metalflake and abouve that flames are painted in red candy. Electrical door locks and hydraulics are typical for lowriders and of course standard on a "wild custom" built by a guy with Mexican heritage. This Merc might not be the prettiest one, but it is one of the toughest! Capitions: Sergio needs to sits real low to have a chance to look out. 9" chopping is a lot. The background of the wheel covers is unkonown, probably custom covers from the 50's. The wheel dimension is 5.60X14. The interion is sewn in velvet. Even the transmision tunnel is covered by button tuffed velvet. In Sergios ownership there are two customs, this 51 Merc and a 48 Chevrolet Sport Coupe, both radical cars. The rear fenders are extended and the tail lisgts sits deep, telling that "this is a a REAL custom"
Hey thanks again RPW. Found the statement about Sergio needs to sit real low to have a chance to look out real interesting. My father and I took this car to a show back in 2001 that was about a 1 hour drive. I was the driver and about half way there on the 91 frw i realy felt like i need out of this car but that was not a option so i decided some fresh air would get us there even thought the ac was working fine I opened the door a few times. When we pulled into the show to park we were swarmed with people wanting to look at it but all my father & I wanted was to get out of it.
That's awesome! Now find Sergio Bugarin to see if he can tell you who did the original chop/metal work. I bet Al Hellerud. I looked up his Sergio's name on Zaba search and there's only a few in Ca.
Wow. If that's the same car with all the 70's kustom mods removed and replaced (new roof, skirts, rear fenders etc) I would think it would have been easier, faster and cheaper to of built another from a stock merc. Does anyone know if it is still owned by the person who bought it from us or is it now owned by someone else ?
Oh shit i saw this car in long beach and had no idea it was the same car. I saw this mercury when you Ericksons had it at an west coast kustom show around 00. I think you guy's won best kustom or something with it. To me it is was one of the baddest 51 mercury's ever built. It's really sad they are changing it so much. Love your work. Someday my mercury will be in your hands
Al? Naw... Maybe Vinnie in prison I know it wasn't me..i didn't need glasses until i was 50 mike dean
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