History Did Hirohata have another merc?

I was in Calimesa,Ca a couple of weeks ago talking to a guy that is doing the body work on my friends 32.He was telling me about a 40 Merc with a carson top that was painted purple and had the Barris crests on the fenders that Hirohatoa owned.My friend said Hirohata was at the shop when he was looking at the car. It was for sale back in the 70's for $4,000.It was at a shop on county line road.The man that owned the shop bought and sold car for a living.Does anyone know anything about this car or have any pictures?

 

Look forward to this one..

 

I am not sure about another Merc but I know he did have a 49-51 Chevy for a bit before the Famous 51 Merc

 

I do remember hearing or reading about that one.Thanks.

 

subscribed !!!!!!!!!!

 

I have the feelin he's referring to that bad ass Merc w/ Cad bullet bumpers up front, w/ dual quads, carson top and is indeed purple-ish and w/ the Barris crest on the front fenders.
It wasnt Hirohata.
I guess if it wasnt specifically into customs its easy to make such a mistake.

 

Anyone have pics of Hirohata's 49-51ish Chevy? Had never heard about it.

Rikster?

 

Read about it too... but I don't have any photos to back up the story.

 

Do you or anyone have any pictures of this car?Maybe I can show them to my friend. Next time I go out to Calimesa I'll ask him more details about the car he saw in the 70's.Even though he is a car guy he almost went to work for Junior Conway it's still possible he could be thinking of another car.Thanks.

 

Used to look like this in the 70's

 

Rik.Thank you.I'll show this to my friend and see if it's the car he was talking about.

 

I'm not MR Custom so take what I say with a grain of salt. As far as I know the only car that Hirohata ever owned of any consequence is the hirohata merc. I don't doubt that he owned other cars but the only one I have ever heard of him owning was the merc.

 

i'll ask George see if he knows anything

 

i know this car was around denver for a long time...40 STUDE DUDE knows more of the car than i do..dave

 

I heard later he got into Corvettes...I also read somewhere about the Chevy,but have never seen any pic's. I thought FOR SURE,John Denich would know,haha! He's right up there,second to Rikster,with Custom knowledge.

 

That would be cool.Thanks.

 

that was the purple merc that was in denver

 

Somwhere I remember seeing an add for a customized 70`s Cad that was for sale in Old Cars weekly (About the late 80`s) that Hirohata owned.

 

i took this pic a couple years ago ,is it the same car

 

uglyfied!, but yes the same car. Who dares to put on bags to such an old custom car!!!!!

 

those bags ruin that Merc!!

 

I agree, that Merc looks so classy in its original form. Bagged, it just looks cartoony.

Would still love to see any pics of his mysterious Chevy if anyone can dig some up.

 

Talked to George today..

He doesn't recall him having a Merc before he came to the shop.. He did say he had another car before the 51 merc..possibly a chevy but he couldn't remember exactly...

 

Yeah that is the car i was talkin about, i was wrong about the dual quads, memory played a trick. I like the new darker color, but wheres the crest?
That i was sure about.

 

Thanks Evel, I guess the memory of that Chevy is lost to the sands of time.

See you at the GNRS!

 

Awesome you'll be at GNRS!!! dude its going to rule!!!

 

Here is a photo of the car with the Barris Crest.
The crest was not on the car originally, but it has been worked on by Barris. So in a way the crest is legit.




The car can be seen in the background of this photo of Sam Barris working on a 34 Ford roof. Just the rear fender and the distinctive taillight eyebrow can be seen... in primer.



But the car never belonged to Bob Hirohata as far as I know.


StrayKatKustoms Mick posted these great photos of it when it was maroon.

 

That is just INCREDIBLE you spotted the rear end of that car in the background of that Barris photo! Shocked and amazed.

Nice pics of it in Maroon...and a decent ride height!

 

Airbags on customs is like billet on street rods. Not Good.

 

Thanks for all the info and pictures.I appreciate it.Now all I have to do is show my friend pictures of that merc.