History MILESTONE CUSTOM CARS: Louie Bettancourt 49 Merc

The one posted above is the third version which went over the top. I still think the second had just the right amount goin on to not be gaudy.

 

Hard to improve on this! Although sombreros would sure look nice.

 

Yes you know I would be rolling real hard in this bitch!! I do think the hubcaps would look pretty sweet on my whip and its not to late to start adding stuff and adding pinstriping all over the car.

 

LOL don't forget the scallops.

 

Ya it would be pretty hard to improve this.Even though I would go Ayala version in a restoration,I do still love this version.I think you are right about sombreros lookin good and I think I would of flushed the skirts out and im not real crazy about the Barris crest on this Ayala creation,even though it was updated at their shop.

 

I've always favored the second version.

 

I even think the hubcaps would be alright if they lost the throwing stars in the middle of them. I agree on flushing the skirts. I am surprised they didn't. Everything else about this car has been smoothed out like it was poured out of a bottle which makes the protuding skirts stand out even more.

 

EXACTLY ! (talking about the skirts)

 

My question would be that if it were found, who would own it ? Would it belong to the guy who found it or would it be legally returned to Dean Jeffries since it is a stolen vehicle that probably was not insured and he still has the title to ?
Imagine finding it and buying it for good money and the next week the cops come and take it from you. Not trying to be negative but it's an interesting question of ownership.

 

BTW, Rik, these Larry Watson photos are INCREDIBLE !

 

Thanks fer tha' POSTS...............Eny Merc, es-spec-iallt-;y Chopped an don early '50's gits MY vote'........

I lived in tha' 50's, an still do..............

Living in the Past, cause it's less expensive,

Smoked up,n tha' Great Smokey Mountains, Of Tennessee..........
Keep tha' Kool.....

 

I was wondering that myself. If Jeffries made a police report when it was stolen then I would assume the car would go back to him right?

 

Yes this is a very interesting question, I was thinking about this after I brought this thread back to the top last night.Who's would it be ? Is there a time limit of the police report? Does it get voided after so many years? This might be the reason the car is still being hidden today.There has to be some info floating around about this beauty.

 

No, it does not get voided. The rightful owner remains the rightful owner. There is a statute of limitations on the theft itself, but the rightful owner of the car remains the same if it is ever recovered.

 

I kind of figured this was the case,I didnt think the report would some how get closed.What a terrible twist in the fate of this car.

 

Jeff You never know. Maybe the paper work got lost or the police didnt write the paper work correctly since they didnt like customs.

Next time on the Twilight Zone. Dun dun duuunnnnnn!!!!

 

That probably explains why it is being hidden. If it is HIDING and hasn't been destroyed, at least there is a chance we'll see it again someday!
Now, if only Quesnels, Burgins, and Holders Mercs could be found...........

 

I'd be checking VIN's of custom Mercs at shows.

 

Great story !...

 

I was talking to a guy that swares he sayw it in the back of a trailer too.

 

Well it seems that there are more people who have heard this trailor story,it makes it a little more interesting.

 

I really have been thinking about this beauty lately.I wonder if any of these recent storys are true.
I put this version up for Sledge.....since I know if he found this car he would be restoring it exactly the way it looks right here with exception he might run the quad headlights that it had when it was stolen.

 

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If i found this bad boy id most likely restore it to the second version but with sombreros.....ok! maybe not! id do it like the ayala version for history purposes beautiful car!

 

There is a quick piece of footage of this car rolling in the parking lot at Lions dragstrip on part 1 of the Lions dvd set.It is in it's Zupan(3rd) version and it is only a couple of seconds but if I remember right it is the car.I wish I knew how to show the clip on this post.

 

Ya it would be pretty hard to improve this.Even though I would go Ayala version in a restoration,I do still love this version.I think you are right about sombreros lookin good and I think I would of flushed the skirts out and im not real crazy about the Barris crest on this Ayala creation,even though it was updated at their shop.


I don't recall seeing any recessed skirts "back-in-the-day" especially on Mercs....I think thats a newer trick starting along in the 80's or 90's.....not sayin there were none (Chevies excepted), but I don't see them in the older magazines....

Oh...I vote for 2nd version...Mercs need side trim..

 

How about this rarely seen Merc with flush skirts built at the Barris shop in 1952.

 

There were a few auto companies that had flush skirts on there cars. The 49 Chevrolet had them. Also the late 30s Lincoln's had them.

 

80`s or 90`s ?? thats good.

 

"How about this rarely seen Merc with flush skirts built at the Barris shop in 1952."


Okay Rik...I did say there were exceptions.....and I did'nt mean GM cars or 52-54 Fords or Mercurys......but I think you'll have to admit that recessing skirts on 49-51 Mercs is a realatively new thing.....

 

ok, I'll be the first to say...the third version is actually my favorite...I agree some of the pinstriping is excessive, but i love the scallop coming out of the grillshell....and the extra sidetrim on the rear quarters doesn't bother me much...

In my opinion the first version is the worst... the grill and the lack of sidetrim in the first version don't do it for me.

Even the latest version with the quad lights and stude pans I like, although I haven't seen many pictures of it that way...was it ever finished and shown in that version? would love to seee more pictures....

I guess being from NJ, my tastes are infected into liking gaudy customs. Maybe im just bored of seeing the same old merc after merc after merc. Why does everyone seem to follow a formula when building a merc? It's like they are to 'precious' to hack up into something different...Its always interesting to see a merc with quad lights and stude pans!!!


If both the 2nd version and the quadlight/stude pan version were at the same car show...I would walk up to the quadlight version first. Just sayin.