Been along time since ive heard or seen anything on this Mercury...clean lines and a good deep color....would like to see any recent photos or news on it...
Stardust and Midnight Sensation(51 Merc). Two mercs that that set made a big impact on customs in the 80`s. Both build styles still look good today.
It was at Sacramento a few years ago as part of the Merc display. I can dig up a few pictures when I get back to my computer. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
The Stardust Merc is THE most influential car of my life. When I saw it at the Sacramento Autorama back in the early 90s it completely changed my thoughts on what kinda car I liked - I've been hooked on fat fender taildraggers ever since, and finally got around to building my own years later. I even did a painting of it soon after seeing it that now hangs on the wall in my office.
One of the best for sure and huge influence on me as a kid! They did a beautiful job on the restoration but the stance is all wrong. I wish someone would pile about 10 sandbags in the trunk.
An amazing ride but I do agree with sledge,it could use some lowering in the back for that speed boat appearance,otherwise its a classy,influential mercury
I saw it in Sacramento and again at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. I always liked Stardust, but when I saw it in person, I didn't even know it was the same car. Like everyone else said, it's raised up a little. The paint is also different, and they took out the sculptured mohair/naugahyde interior and replaced it with more of a standard custom interior. I liked the original interior better, the one that's in the car now looks exactly like a million other "custom" interiors out there.
yeah but all the mercs like this have that stance its good to see something different, i mean it looks horrible from certain angles but it does give it a long, 'sinister' look from the rear.
Those ones I posted from '09 are pretty much how the car looks now. I had just been refinished at the time. I think it was redone at Brizio's maybe? Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I took these in 2011 at the GNRS.. it shows how the wrong stance can kill the looks of a great custom. It now actually has a slight forward rake!!! And Yes DrDave you are right on Brizio's doing the restoration. Darryl Hollenbeck did the new paint. Interior in 2009 And this is how the interior used to look. Leatherette and Mohair.
I believe it is no longer owned by D'Agostino, right? And the new owner decided on a refresh (which I do prefer the new interior, and of course Hollenbecks paint is top quality), but it begs the question: Why raise up the rear when this car is definitely meant to be a tail dragger? (Matranga clone) I am guessing it was bottoming on the frame and the new owner didn't want to tear into it enough to do a C notch or something? At any rate, the new stance sure did kill the look.
I bet it was scraping the bottom edge of the fenders and tail. He didn't want to ruin the new paint, and figured a couple inches would never be noticed. He was wrong.
Gorgeous car, but the rear needs to sag a bit more....IMHO I prefer the Rudy Rodriquez Merc. as the best ever in the history of the world...
it may sound crazy but i like this stance. in a practical ocean of taildragging 40' mercs this one stands out. and isnt standing out what this whole culture is about? it also gives it an aggressive look. makes it look a lot longer as well. but of course, opinions are worthless. thats why its called 'my two cents' instead of 'my five dollars'
gracias for the pics...beautiful car, and one of my favorites, love flow of it...but i agree needs to drop in the back....i did see it in 2011 GNRS......but forgot camera ...SHIT ,,....
I search Rudy's name regularly to see if he is ever going to build another custom. His Mercury was the best one ever built. Genuinely nice guy and so much talent. Stardust roof and rear window never worked for me, but it always had a nasty stance. With that gone, it looks awful.
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