HAMB HISTORIANS HELP -Finest Merc gathering around ~ 60th Anniversary of the 49 Merc

I wanted to mention the Lopez Merc... but was a bit afraid of the responce to it. I aways liked it. To me it was an important car. Back then there was no custom car publications imported into the part of the Netherlands where I lived. Except for the obscure Chrome and Flames magazine. They futured the Charley Lopez Mercury with Gullwing doors.... WOW...
Good to hear its still around.






OZ Kustom One bad Apple Mercury



Clone of the Gene Winfield Merc...

 

Lee Luceros car was not the one in the movie,Book Of Love.That car was however another Dick Dean masterpeice

 

Thanks so much for all of your info,suggestions, and enthusiasm guys !

I'm getting updates and info every hour on the hour, but i still need info on the following:



John D'Agostino - would like either the Midnight Sensation or the Stardust (or both)

Ralph Testa - Merc Convertible

Fred Rowe - Merc Convertible

Paul Braggs 51 Merc Convertible

George Lange - 41 Merc Convertible from St. Louis (was in Rodders Journal recently)

Lee Lucero - Black cherry 51 Merc

Any help locating the current owners with email addresses,phone numbers,or mailing addresses will be appreciated. All info will be kept discreet. Thank you

 

one of the "cobra" stunt cars sold on ebay a few years ago. the outside looked like the movie car, the inside had a heavy roll cage and lots of switches. it was the one the he spun around and started shooting while driving backwards. still had the bullet holes in the trunk lid. it had been prepped for road racing. the add lead me to believe that maybe stallone was still the owner. bunch of cloak and dagger shit about the high bidder getting to meet the owner.


although the "cobra" merc isn't what we consider the perfect chopped merc. i think it should be included in the show. everyone knows it, i still use "like the one in Cobra" to illustrate to people what kind of car i have at home. they always say "oh yea, thats bad ass". being what felt like the only chopped merc fan on the planet when the movie came out, i was really exited about it. the car has wedged itself somewhere into chopped merc history.

 

I second Midnight Sensation..
<img src=http://www.johndagostinokustomkars.com/images/51%20Merc%20Midnight%20Sensation.jpg>

Axle... Pm Rod Powell, RodP on the HAMB.. I don't know for sure but he might know a little more of where it might be located.. and he also might be able to give you a few more ideas of Mercs to find..

Good Luck with all of this, sounds great!
-Juan

 

I have a sneaking suspicion that the Midnight Sensation is down here in So FL. Last I knew up north, it was redone by Bill Bugsy Romanello.Visually it was close except for some subtle but ornate striping.A few months ago I heard the car was drivin down the street a block from my house here in West Palm .Two weeks later I got another call that the car was sighted at a local cruise night.When I talked to Ray Soff he told me Rmanello lives somewhere around here now.

 

Oh and last I knew the Fred Rowe merc was owned by a guy named Kirk White in Pennsylvania.Im sure this info can be confirmed by Bill Laymon of Bethel Park Penn who owns the killer chopped light blue 54 Merc that was recently featured in the Rodders Journal.He discovered and restored the car.

 

Hirohata's nose to nose would be very cool. I didn't realize the Charlie Lopez merc was still around.

 

So who owns the car that was in the movie I wonder? Any pictures of it? I havent seen the movie in a while but I remember that merc just looked perfect!

 

Yes ,the car was absolutely fucking ultimate.It had stock frenched lenses and the roof was a masterpiece.Ive seen the car in pic coverage .It now ass some ass rear view mirrors on it,stock hubcaps with a set of barely whites and the stance didnt look right.I used to love the illustrations that Kent Bash did of the car and I always wondered why he also drew the car in some pics as a tribute to Scott Guildner who also fucking rules?

 

I've got Autorama fever all of a sudden...

 

This was the one from "The Book Of Love" See the difference between it and Lee Luceros?Which ones better?????????????????????????????????????It was in Street rodder in the very early 90s as a feature car.

 

More of both Mercs can be found here...http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103070

 

Axle,

How much space does the special exhibit has. How many cars are you planning for this?

 

We have a couple nice mercs in our club, I'm sure they will be there..

 

Rik, at first i thought about a dozen cars,then twenty. After seeing the response we're receiving in just a matter of a few days the sky is limit and the producer of the show is willing to go all out and use one entire building fully dressed with memorabilia,posters,pipe & drape,carpet,etc.
I can gather 50 of the worlds top Mercs if we wanted. What do you guys think ?

 

If you can find this car for me that would be much appreciated.

 

How about 60 since it's the 60th anniversary of the 1949.

 

Why not, they got 75 dueces together last year at GNRS.

 

Man I reeeeeallly wanna be there for this.

 

this is the only # i got of bragg's he gave me a biz card.
(805) 467-9536

here's bill reasoner's
shop # (510) 938-3131
here's frank DE Rosa's shop #
510 439-5115 or 510 439-1987

here's
elegant customs by Dean
office # 805 298-0073

i have to ask this. is Neil Emory still with us? i have his card and was just wondering.

here is the guys # to his shop who told me about franks merc that was in Tucson still he might be able to help you out or at least give you his name and you can do a search. i don't remeber his name but he is the owner.
the shop is called Leon's automotive in Tucson,AZ
i think he is still there the # is 520 293-2333

also Paul Bragg has a son that took over his shop i think and the last time i talked to Paul he said he had a automotive paint store next door so if that # doesn't work let me know maybe i can get a good one for you.

i hope that helps on your search

 

Sixty would be kool.

 

Than you REEEEEALLY should come!!!!!

 

sounds amazing. we're going to try and make it. the chop is almost done being fixed and should have a sweet skin once jesse is done.

 

I just wanna clear up that Elegant Customs by Dean should not be confused with Dick Dean.Dean Bryant is a guy that I forst remember when he jumped on the scene with a kiiiiler stealth black chopped merc with a roof to fuckin die for.The car was so slick it was unreal.People on this thread are saying that he started with a Cobra movie merc .If this is true,its almost irrelevant because his car was all his own when he was done with it and did not resemble a Cobra movie merc in the least.The top alone was a masterpiece unlike the shitpales in Cobra.What I find funny is that when he first brought his car out,the headlights were not even frenched .Meanwhile the ones in the movie that Eddie Paul built had frenched headlights.

 

So, does anyone know if any "Cobra Mercs" still exist ? I did hear there were 3 cars built for that movie? I actually think it would be neat for the public to see one in this display. So many non car purists do relate to these custom masterpieces as "oh yeah, like the cobra car".

 

I think I saw that Merc at Los Banos in the early '90's. Dark tinted windows, only a small skull logo here and there. That car was one of the few that kept the crease between the roof and catwalk.

On the show, if there was a special parking area outside for the "regular" Mercs, I'd bet you'd end up with one of the largest gathering of Mercs in a long time.

 

that be Dean.
that's why i posted his # the merc was bad looking with the blacked out windows..
i didn't care much for the flames he put on it, kinda bubble gummed it.
it was also in gone in 60 seconds, i think.

 

what about the Sam Barris tribute merc

 

Kool idea Mike, I'm only 1,831 miles away..... I would be interested in driving out.