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

ummm........because I have one...

 

Duh..........

Some things are just because they are...

 

It was a good looking car when new. Then Sam Barris Chopped one. And it was cool. Then the cool guy in school got one, and if he was cool, then if the other guys got one, they would be Cool, and thus a trend was born. And they are still good looking cars.

 

They only became cool after this.

 

If you have to ask, you probably won't get it.

 

If my memory is still working right....I think Sam Barris bought a '49 when it was about a year old. He saw the potential for a great custom right from the start.
He was right.

It's one of those designs that is just "right" as it rolled off the line and perfect for customizing. Ford's are the first choice for hot rods and customs for a simple reason...the styling in the '30s and '40s was better than anyones else's, at least in affordable cars.

For example:
'32
'33/'34
'36
'39/'40

 

Nah, Hollywood slapped that together for the movie because they'd already been cool 20+ years. Same reason why there's been hammered Merc's in other movies such as American Graffiti (another quick movie build), California Kid, etc.

When compared to a stock, clunky 1948 car, the 49 Merc was a milestone in design. They looked great stock (James Dean's) and thanks to early 50's builds by Barris, Ayala, etc. they looked even better.

Songs have helped push popularity, but sometimes I wonder if the mainstream guy driving a flamed PT Cruiser with fuzzy dice to cruise night and calling it a Hot Rod, misinterpreted the whole gig.

For the O/P; if you chose the Desoto in post #9 (I hope not), you really don't get it.

 

Cool comes first. Movies and music follow.

Wayne's World and Bohemian Rhapsody didn't make AMC Pacers cool.

 

because "they" said so

 

Not sure why anybody would ask that question unless they were not a car guy or gal.

 

maybe?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm_Sz-D1B5g

 

Back in the day a Hudson was called a "poor man's Merc."

 

been a "car guy " all my life and never liked the mercs---like the work and the look some customisers have done ---but they are heavy and slow looking and only have a cult following, never popular across the spectrum---the hudson is a better looking merc...

 

They may have said that, but Hudson had "that look" in 1948. Slab sided integral fenders a whole year before anyone else. And the prices were comparable.

 

This was surely not the case; trust me, I was there.

 

Ever heard of the word quintessential?...representing the perfect example of a class or quality.

The 1950 Mercury is the quintessential Custom much like the 1932 Ford is the quintessential Hot Rod!

Some will disagree but it's hard to argue with history.HRP

 

X2 ...plus Hudson kicked ass on the track in the early 50's

 

"why are '49-'51 Mercury's so coveted?"

Because you can't make anything else look this good.

 

I find it interesting to see what others think.
Is that good enough for you

My opinion.

The cool factor just oozes out of them
whether straight from the factory or customized.

Just like a '63 Buick Riviera.

 

1967 there was a 50 merc on the back row of the local car lot,the hood was unlatched so I lifted it up, the plugs had been removed from the passenger side head, I guess the engine was toast. The salesman walked up to me and said, give me $50.00 and you can take it home, I had the money saved up so I went home to discuss it with my dad. He was so unreasonable, after all I was 11 years old, I needed that merc. You see even though I hadn't seen Rebel without a cause, or heard 49 mercury blues,, I understood,, yes I understood......

 

When I was quite young I saw old photos of my dad's 51 Merc (which you can see in my albums here). I knew then it was the coolest car ever
and I had to have one some day.



Didn't know anything about movies or songs about Mercs.

 

Because only the coolest, best looking, hip, rich,swave, de-boner guys drive them.


Yes a "49"

 

Kaiser had it a year before Hudson.

 

I was being extremely sarcastic.

 

I think the real question is, with their popularity since new, why is so little available for these cars? It still blows me away that the 49-50 grille surrounds are not reproduced. I realize it's a fairly complex shape to stamp, but the demand for them would be huge!

 

Tell me about it, I have been looking for trunk hinges for my 50 for a year now.

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

My guess is that is wouldn't be as huge as everyone thinks is probably the reason. It's not a part that is usually badly damaged on most Mercs so the only guys that would buy them would be guys looking to customize the front of another car (or like me use two on the front of a Merc) and I am not really sure how big that market would be. I get the feeling it is one of those things that because they are fairly rare and thus expensive to buy everyone thinks everyone wants them and they would sell like hot cakes.

 

Looking for hood latch assembly for 51 Lincoln
The Lincoln looks like the mercury just longer wheel base by 7 inches Over-all-length 222.5in vs 206.8 for the mercury.

 

Really, and here I was always under the impression that Henry Ford died in 1947! I guess ghosts really must exist!!