Just curious...why are '49-'50 Mercury's so coveted?

Rarity? Coolness factor? Music association?
Thanks in advance...

 

coolness.

next question?

 

Because 65 Comet is what my mom scrubbed the toilet with? Jk maybe cause they are older?

 

I think it was because of the James Dean movie "Rebel Without a Cause". (1955)
Dean drove a 50 Merc coupe in the movie.

 

One word ICON

 

Uh, I think that's backwards. The Merc was used in the movie because it was THE cool car to have.

50 Merc/Custom = 32 Ford/Hot Rod

 

Why 32 fords???? Why do blondes have more fun????

 

this should help explain why

 

this is why.

 

As stated by several others, they make the coolest customs. 51 should be inclulded in your list also. 49-51 are the desirable years.

The only rare ones are the high roof models like the green one is thesupersized's post.

 

I'm beginning to think I asked the wrong question...nevermind.

 

Some things just look right from the factory. The 49-51 Merc is definitely one of those things.

 

It's the music association for sure. You nailed it.

 

I think the music and/or movie association and popularity feed off of each other (same with the "deuce"). They are in songs and movies because they are popular which then makes them MORE popular. Like a fire that creates it's own wind.

 

Everyone is just so wrong why. The real reason is because a long long time ago in a not so far away place someone customized one and told everyone how cool it was, then everyone else started to do it to be cool as well. All i can say is thank got it wasnt an amc pacer!!

Seriously, were just having fun...dont take it personally...

 

Maybe that explains why the "409" is so revered?

 

Exactly, it was an overlooked engine choice until the Beach Boys came along.

 

I think I'm getting the hang of this...

 

49 - 51, and it's because the were already cool when they left the factory.

 

Well, I think they are fugly

 

I never heard the song: "Crazy 'Bout a Prius!"

 

The lines. It's all about the lines.

 

Really look at a 49 or 50 Merc. The lines, the dash styling the whole package. It is in my opinion on the edge of art deco and a wicked looking car in stock form let alone a chop and shave. It was cool from the moment the designers finished the conceputal drawings. Hell even the name Mercury is cool which is derived from the messenger of the gods of Roman mythology.

 

Then why not similar years of Hudson?

 

Real car people don't do things because of songs.

They were customised from when they were virtually new, eg. Sam Barris version. And he was using already established techniques way back then then. When applied to the new Mercuries, it was like a duck to water. As a starting point using established methods, they just worked. And still do.

Similar year Husdons, they just don't work as well. Close, but no cigar.

 

They are one of those rare cars that has a lot of appeal. For a great deal of hot rod guys it's the 32 ford, for customs it's the 49 merc. The one thing I see these two having in common is they make a bitchin car. The design of each one takes a bit of effort to really screw up, where as with other makes you have to put in a bunch of work just to make them cool.

 

The '49 Merc design was slated to be the '49 Ford body. Henry said it was too expensive for a Ford, so he grabbed a design study off the lab floor and decreed it to be the '49 Ford, and kicked the better design upstairs as the new Mercury.
That supposedly explains why the '49 Ford had add-on trunk hinges and a stick to hold the hood up, it was never finished to production standards before being rushed into production.

 

Your shitting me, right?

 

Lots of racers didn't think so in the early 60's. But that's sort of drifting off topic------again.

 

According to Ford historians that is true. Also the Lincoln Cosmopolitan was originally to be the Mercury. I'm glad that part didn't work out.