Joe Bailion built a 50 Merc for Sunny Morris in the mid 50s. It got awards at the Oakland Grand National Roadster Show in 1960 and 61. I know it was restored several years ago, anyone know where it is or have pics? Unchopped and dark blue. .........OLDBEET
believe me, you don't want to see it now...it was turned into a billeted, tweed interior mess...don't know why guys have to fuck with these historical cars to build that kind of shit...there were pics of it in it's current state on here somewhere...i'll see if in can find one...
Joe told me he redid it for a customer and the guy gave it to his 16 year old daughter for her birthday. Sent it East? Not my favorite Merc, but looked good the first way....OLDBEET
I must have read a dozen posts on what happened to this Merc and I am still confused. Fact: when Mr. Merc owned it he had it chopped. Then in this street rodded version pic the car looks like it is "un chopped"??? Also, the rectangular detail around the front wheel well is missing. No one would in their right mind would go to that much work (un-chopping). Or is that just the front end of the Sonny Merc attached to another body? Then finally to add more confusion, the last pics show the street rodded version with the expected chopped top.
It just doesn't look like the same car. The hood looks different- and the grille opening is more like a stock merc than the early version. Seems like something is VERY fishy.
I'm thinking the angle of that front 3/4 shot of the street rod version is taken at a weird angle making it look unchopped....as far as the side coves go, it wouldn't have been hard to remove them, same holds true for changing the shape of the hood opening....unfortunately, i believe its the same car....here is a side shot, obviously chopped...
Mike,The roof is clearly the same.I agree that the front 3/4 photo looks a little distorted.I just talked to Joe Maneri who painted the car for Mr Merc and he was in disbelief when I showed him this thing.Its the car.
I hadn't thought of that but it makes sense. Another possibility is in this day of digital resizing of pics, someone goofed. They might have resized the pic and forgot to retain the aspect ratio. In other words, they might have narrowed the pic more than they shortened the heightof the pic. Well, whatever, what a shame.
Can't say I loved the first version, but I DEFINATELY HATE the second version!!!! That's just wrong...
Oh! feel very unwell. Any pics of the original version front and rear, looks like someone didnt know when to stop.
Another sad thing is, Mr. Merc (Sterling Ashby) had Joe Balion do the restoration work on it in the late 80's. I knew he sold it, I just assumed it ended up with a collector somewhere who would at most paint it back to the original blue, and save it as another 50's survivor. Evidently whomever bought it had no idea that it was a "historic" early custom. What a shame!!!!
That's just wrong. I also never considered it one of my favorites, but why go and build a street rod out of a historic custom. Woulda been miles ahead starting with another car. Hopefully they saved everything they took off....
I wish you had it back too and restored it back to the way it was. I think your merc was in the same issue of Car Craft as mine,July 1957. I'll have to look when I get home tonight.
The Jalopy Journal
