History MILESTONE CUSTOM CARS: Louie Bettancourt 49 Merc

So cool !

 

Hopefully with all the different storys about this car still being alive today .....let's hope one of em are true and maybe it will surface.

 

Lets hope. I would also hope that it has been store out of the elements and is in fairly good shape if it has been stashed away so no one can see it.

 

SHEEIT! Probably sittin on an S10 frame in black primer, rockin a blow'd up 305/350 with ugly facebars and an ugly grill, whyle parked out back of a bordelo in ol' mex-e-ko


" Humpty Dumpty was pushed "

 

Well, it's been six months since Dean Jefferies passed away. I wonder now, as some have said on this thread, if the Bettancourt/Zupan Merc will resurface.

It's tough to decide which of the first two versions I like the best, (I don't personally care for the scalloped Zupan version) I really like elements of both. But, because of all the subtleties and styling the Ayalas poured into this car, I think the 'original' first version is my fav.

Bring it back!

 

The sad thing about this car is what will happen if someone does bring this car out of hiding? Will they get in trouble? Is the pink slip around ? This car needs to be brought out and restored but with everything that goes with it legally,who knows if we will see it.

 

I'd be happy to just see proof that it really still exists today, no matter what the condition. I'm afraid that it may have been scrapped or dumped somewhere permenent that it never will resurface because of all the drama involved.

 

"...what will happen if someone does bring this car out of hiding? Will they get in trouble? Is the pink slip around ? This car needs to be brought out and restored but with everything that goes with it legally..."

My thoughts exactly.

I've read here, or maybe in Ganahl's TRJ articles on the Ayalas, that Jefferies might have had a lien on the car for money owed on work performed. Maybe there was a lien, maybe not. Maybe the work if any, was paid for. Maybe family or friends of Zupan felt they had legal right to the car, and arranged to have it taken back. Maybe Jefferies thought he had legal right to it too. Who knows?

But, you're right Jeff. That car, if still around really needs to be brought back, legally sorted out, and restored to it's former glory...no matter who winds up owning it.

I love that car!

 

Hey Jeff,

" maybe '' they'll find it in a container, down at the port, headed overseas They just found a Trumph, missing since '67 , down there



' A government by the people for the people my ass "

 

^^^ Wow really ? Was it an old well known bike ? I wonder if there was a crazy story with that bike like there is with this car ?

 

Jeff, story goes the bike was stolen from a backyard in Oklahoma in '67. At that time, it was built as a chopper Today it looks like a Tiger 100. The bike was bound for Yokohoma Jaypan

Maybe the Bettancourt/Jeffires Merc will surface given as how 1970 was a few ages ago? From the last photos of it, It didin't look like jus' another DeSoto Grilled black primered '49-'51 Merc

 

So Rikster, I've read that it was dragged away from Deans in the dead of night, and I've seen grainy pictures of the quad headlight version stripped down, owned by a outlaw biker gang, ect. Does anyone really know where it is?

 

Nice Merc. I like the flipper hub caps.

 

thanx for the great insight on this iconic custom

 

a couple things. I like version 2 & 3. choosing my favorite is like splitting hairs. Bo Huff and my dad were friends. Bo told my dad he seen it in the truck a couple years before he died. Bo lifted a light and said "that's it". I have no idea where or exact date. both are gone now. I was present when my dad and George Barris were talking about this car. George said he liked it best before he got his hands on it. ha. I guess you have to do what the customer wants. that is how to stay in business.

 

Bringing this back up. Let's discuss it some more...

Concerning ownership, it seems whoever the last registered owner was, takes precedent. Then if the 'ownership' legally transfers to any heirs. I'm not up on all the nuances of a mechanics lien, that Jefferies supposedly had, but isn't all that's required to 'satisfy' the lien is to pay what's owed on the work performed? Or, is there actually 'ownership' implied when someone (Jefferies) possesses a lien? And if so, would 'ownership' transfer to any of the lien-holder's heirs? I'm wondering too, if liens are required to be renewed before a certain time limit, otherwise rendered void.

I wonder about this 'cause I think it's likely the Bettancourt/Zupan Merc still exists and is 'stored' somewhere. So, I wonder how the car could legally 'come out' as it were, and be restored.

Concerning restoration, I still feel that since the Ayalas performed the majority of the modifications to create this wonderful Custom for Betancourt in the first place, despite maybe a couple of changes (or improvements depending on your viewpoint) and a repaint Barris did for the purple 2nd version, and if this car would ever surface and be restored, it should be back to the original Lime Gold Ayala version.

I read that Greg Sharp being an ex-police officer, was able to trace it's possible whereabouts to the San Francisco area, but no further than that. I wonder if Sharp or anyone else has run the number of the blue California license plate pictured in one of the last known photos of the car. That blue plate is a 'commercial' plate and was used on trucks, not registered to passenger cars. In the photo, it looks like the plate is part of a towing setup consisting of two tail/brake lights and the license plate. It was probably magnetic and could've been used by someone in the habit of towing vehicles. I remember back then it was fairly common to tow cars without a dolly or full car-hauler type trailer.

I wish if the car still exists, it'll surface and what ever required ownership be worked out, and then restored.

 

Back on this dead horse...
I'm local to the Pueblo area and recently acquired the Zupan's work truck, a '50 Ford panel truck. There are still Zupan family members around, and I met a few but didn't bring up the Mercury. I hope that when I get my Panel Truck on the streets someone will mention the Merc. In the meantime, I plan on building a '49 Merc that is heavily Bettancourt/Zupan inspired. I plan on using the Barris version of the grille, Kaiser over riders, Winfield bubble taillights, a '50 rear window, and a chrome dash. It'll be powered by a 322 nailhead backed by a Merc 3 speed overdrive. It'll be built in a completely traditional style but it won't be a clone, just a heavily influenced car. Progress should start later this summer or in the early fall. I hope to have the car sitting pretty, chopped, and in primer by Christmas 2018.

 

I lived about 6-8 blocks away from Zupan's gas station as a kid. I would ride my bike there to look at all the cool cars. At that time they owned the Bettencourt Merc, Junior Conway's shoebox, "The Flamer" Deuce coupe, and a beautiful green '56 F100, that I think was built by Dean Jefferies. All of these were "magazine cars". A few times they had all of them parked outside on display. I can still remember how beautiful the paint was and how good the interiors smelled. As a 12 year old, it was like going to Heaven!! Still remember it like it was yesterday.