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History Curly Tremayne's Merc at TRJ Show

Discussion in 'Traditional Customs' started by 'Mo, Oct 1, 2013.

  1. 'Mo
    Joined: Sep 26, 2007
    Posts: 7,432

    'Mo
    Member

    It was good to see this one again. Chopped at Rod Powell's by Butch Hurlhey, it was the subject of a How-to Chop article at a time when few customs were being built, and really helped jump-start the entire custom hobby. Other than needing a repaint, it appears unchanged.

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    Last edited: Oct 1, 2013
  2. straykatkustoms
    Joined: Oct 30, 2001
    Posts: 22,308

    straykatkustoms
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Very Kool! When I first saw the pics on FB, I wasn't for sure if it was the real one or a
    clone. I didn't notice the license plate unitl your post. One of my all time favorite kustom
    Mercs.

    More pics that I stole (borrowed) from Lyle Willits. Thanks Lyle!

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    Last edited: Oct 1, 2013
  3. Eric H
    Joined: Apr 2, 2006
    Posts: 972

    Eric H
    Member

    Still a good looking car. Thanks for posting.
     
  4. koolkemp
    Joined: May 7, 2004
    Posts: 6,005

    koolkemp
    Member

    As a kid who devoured car magazines,This Merc, and Sam Fooses ford coupe in the same issue really cemented my life long love of customs, thanks for posting the pics.
     

  5. hrm2k
    Joined: Oct 2, 2007
    Posts: 4,839

    hrm2k
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Curly's Merc is now owned by Frank Morawski here in Bel Air Maryland. Frank treats it the same way he treats The Carrillo Roadster, The Super Bell Coupe, and Roland Leong's 1964 Top Gas dragster. The car is as original as possible to the build. When something is needed for the car, the search becomes a full blown search for NOS parts only. There has been talk of a restoration but it will have to wait it's turn in line.
    I saw this car the first time I went to his house. I must have looked like an idiot ( no needed comments ) staring at the car because I knew the car..........just didn't think I would find it that day sitting in his garage.
    It is kind of cool to go to our local Saturday night cruise in at a local walMart and find it sitting in the lot with all the other cars
     
  6. straykatkustoms
    Joined: Oct 30, 2001
    Posts: 22,308

    straykatkustoms
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I wasn't at the RJ show, but this was by far my favorite (it was a Merc) because of the
    historical factor. It's not the Sam Barris Merc, but when I saw this in the magazine for
    the first time. It was very inspirational more to me then Sams. Kool to hear its in good
    hands.
     
  7. Mudslinger
    Joined: Aug 3, 2005
    Posts: 1,964

    Mudslinger
    Member

    I remember that Merc. I have an old magazine somewhere with it in it.
     
  8. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    I'm not a custom guy in any way shape or form, but I LOVE that car and always have. Just like KoolKemp said above, it was the Rod&Custom and 1001 Costom and Hot Rod Ideas coverage in the late seventies that did it for me. Coincidentally, If you asked me the same about Foose's coupe you'd get the exact same answer.
     
  9. Nice made my day!
     
  10. 'Mo
    Joined: Sep 26, 2007
    Posts: 7,432

    'Mo
    Member

    Last edited: Oct 2, 2013
  11. Oh, shoot yes. Talk about your iconic builds...
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    What a gorgeous car.
     
  12. ph8ed4life
    Joined: Dec 27, 2010
    Posts: 93

    ph8ed4life
    Member
    from AZ

    Man, what a great piece of history!! That's great to see it in such good original shape.
     
  13. Ranunculous
    Joined: Nov 30, 2007
    Posts: 2,465

    Ranunculous
    Member

    John,any idea who 'striped the glove box door and airbrushed the dash?
    Thanks!
     
  14. Rot 'n Kustom
    Joined: Sep 24, 2004
    Posts: 2,086

    Rot 'n Kustom
    Member

    A great car, one of those that stick in your mind for a long time.

    From Custom Rodder, February, 1980.
    Here;s how she looked when new, with bodywork by Butch Hurley, paint by Rod Powell:

    <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/davetartaglia/10060022595/" title="Curly00 by DaveTartaglia, on Flickr">[​IMG]</a>
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 1, 2014
  15. BrerHair
    Joined: Jan 30, 2007
    Posts: 5,006

    BrerHair
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Been trying to get somewhat caught up on my customs understanding/knowledge lately . . . I'm taking a self-taught "Customs Appreciation 101" at Hokey Ass University (even though I lean toward the need louvers ? philosophy of "Go Fast trumps Pretty in a landslide") . . . let's face it, beautiful customs sure are a pleasure to gaze upon . . . anyway, as I was saying, thanks for bringing this one to my attention. Beautiful.

    But wheel covers, man, where are the wheel covers?
     
  16. hrm2k
    Joined: Oct 2, 2007
    Posts: 4,839

    hrm2k
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Frank and I have talked about this many times. He knows it wasn't a von Dutch job. It was one of the early stripers known for dagers in the designs..........

    I will try to find out
     
  17. Ranunculous
    Joined: Nov 30, 2007
    Posts: 2,465

    Ranunculous
    Member

    Too colorful for Von Dutch and not like his style.Thanks John!
     
  18. Ferbz51
    Joined: Dec 2, 2005
    Posts: 56

    Ferbz51
    Member
    from Austin, Tx

    As many of you know, that car was built in Salinas, Ca at Rod Powell's shop. Having grown up in that area, the first time I saw the car was in the early 80's when I was in high school. It caught my eye bombing down the freeway with it's Candy Tangerine paint burning my retinas. I soon learned what kind of car it was, who built it, who owned it, etc. I educated myself and learned all about traditional customs and swore I'd own one someday. That car inspired me then and it still does. Thanks for posting! So glad it's still around...
     
  19. hrm2k
    Joined: Oct 2, 2007
    Posts: 4,839

    hrm2k
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I just talked with Frank. He discussed the car with Rod Powell a few years ago. Powell said that there was a local striper named Tommy the Greek who hung out at the shop when the car was being built. He felt that Tommy did the dash in the car.
     
  20. Ranunculous
    Joined: Nov 30, 2007
    Posts: 2,465

    Ranunculous
    Member

    The three "teardrops" on either side of the centered striping job scream Tommy the Greek style.Didn't know he pulled designs in multiple colors like the middle piece?
    Thanks John!
     
  21. young51
    Joined: May 11, 2009
    Posts: 47

    young51
    Member

    Great to see this car getting the recognition it deserves. FYI Butch is alive and well in Shasta these days, we modeled Curly's Merc when we chopped my in-progress 50.
     
  22. JeremyJames
    Joined: Aug 11, 2008
    Posts: 432

    JeremyJames
    Member
    from concord NC
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Such a good looking car. I spent a ton of time looking this car over at the revival and even more time looking it over in the hotel parking lot.
     
  23. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Now it makes sense, I spent time looking at the photos the guys had posted from the Rodder's Journal show and that Merc rang looked real familiar but it didn't click at the time. I studied that article for hours when that issue came out as I was putting my 51 Merc back together after it had sat behind my grandfather's barn for ten years waiting for me to move back home.
     
  24. Frank said the dash was done by Tommy The Greek, but when I sent the photos from Franks garage, last year, to Rik, he captioned the photo as dash being painted by Rod Powell. I think it is believed that Tommy The Greek pinstriped the glove box door. I can't confirm any of this, one way or the other. :(
     
  25. From the 2012 KOA "hall of fame" show, in Hanover, Pa.

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  26. Rot 'n Kustom
    Joined: Sep 24, 2004
    Posts: 2,086

    Rot 'n Kustom
    Member

    From Hot Rod Magazine Custom Cars Annual, Vol1, No 5, 1983

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  27. Rikster
    Joined: Dec 10, 2004
    Posts: 5,795

    Rikster
    Member

    These are Rod Powell's words after I asked him about the Dash on Curly Tremayne's Mercury.

    " I did paint the dash for Curley. The style came from the motorcycles I had done years before. In those days Curley was a helper in my small shop on Griffin St. He liked this style of paint so much at that time he had me add it to the sail panels and door jambs of his '65 Riviera. Years later, when we were finishing his Merc I added the same designs to the dash. The pinstriping on the glove box door is not my work. It is not part of the original look of the car.
    I hope this helps.
    Rod"
     
  28. It was also featured in the August '77 issue of 1001 Custom & Rod Ideas.
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    (Sorry for the crappy-pictures-instead-of-clear-scans but it's all I got...)
     
  29. Feature article:

    (Arrgh, Photobucket is temporarily having a brain fart...)
     

    Attached Files:

  30. straykatkustoms
    Joined: Oct 30, 2001
    Posts: 22,308

    straykatkustoms
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Kool pics Lyle, thanks for posting them...
     

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