Features Can a kustom be kool without skirts?

In the process of doing some rust repair on the Merc. Going to have to change out the lower rear quarters and I'm thinking about maybe running the Merc without skirts. The Pharaoh's cruised a Merc years ago, Dave Stuckey and Rick McGregor owned one a few years ago. You don't see Many kustoms running around with out them so it made me think Can a kustom be kool without skirts?




Do you have more pictures of skirtless kustoms.... Happy Trails, Mick

 

I built my old 53 without skirts. When i sold it the buyer wanted them on so i painted and installed them for him.
It looked very nice with, but i personally loved the look without.
It still was a kustom through and through, but i felt without gave it a little attitude....for lack of a better word.

Tony

 

I don't like skirts, so my vote is yes. A custom is your vision of the car, subtle changes that improve the flow, if you're following a formula or worrying about someone else's opinion, you're missing the point. Make it yours.

 

The ONLY thing skirts belong on is a shapely female ass! Sorry, I don't "get" customs, but by far one of the biggest reasons I don't is this obsession with covering the back wheels...

 

The good thing about skirts, they go on and off very easy! I wish I would have used that line in High School!

 

Imagine how things in Mercury World would have been had Bob Hirohata left them off his Merc

 

This '51 was in Fort Smith, Arkansas a couple of years ago, and then it had chrome wires with blackwall tires, which I liked better than the smoothies on it now. It is now in Houston (was a no-sale on eBay a couple of months ago)

 

I prefer them on but here's mine with them off.

 

Skirts are a personal choice, I hardly ever run them on my T-Bird and actually like it better with the mags. The skirts are a 40's to early 60's look. Depends on what you like.

 

skirts help give a lower profile, and make things look a bit more sleek. without them it gives a Merc more of a Hot Rod look.

 

For sure !!

 

I can't stand skirts on anything other than a young lady. I like to see the rear wheels showing.
So yes, they can.

 

They are fine without skirts, there is no rule that says a custom needs them, they are just a matter of personal taste.

 

Not a fan of most skirted rides. I need to see the "Muscle" and the "Hot Rod" in a car and skirts usually hide that. Your Merc is fantastic! -rick

 

I think skirts only look good on some cars. 49-51 Mercs would be one example. But those cars look good without em too. I really don't like them on any 30's cars (or a 40). They're absolutely hideous on a 57 Chevy or Pontiac. And those big cruiser skirts (I think they're called) look terribly gawdy. At least on the cars I've seen with them

 

Here's a couple of pic's of my 51 Merc Mild Custom back in the mid 50's.

 

...As long as you are going to go with big bubbly cruiser skirts, you might as well cut to the chase and add another 600lbs or visual weight and do a continental kit on the back... 'Course, with all that, it might make some sense of the goofy assed "tail dragger' drop in the back from hefting all that crap!

That tail down stuff only works on a few, mostly pre war tear drop shaped cars. On anything past about '52 it's a non player.

 

Of course a custom can look good without skirts. I personally find skirts ugly.

If you're gonna go the skirt route, you might as well go with the whole 1950's Mexican low rider look, with the little dingle berries across the tops of the windows and the whole ball of wax.

 

View attachment 2808540 View attachment 2808540 I have skirts for my 48 , rarely put them on , they look bulky to me as they lay on top of the fender instead of flush with the wheel opening

 

Examples from Rikster's site:

 

Plenty of kustoms look fine without skirts (mine included), but most of them look better without skirts.
Best I can tell from my old "little pages" magazines, skirts were passe by around 1957 or so, but in the '48-55 era that I love so much they pretty much ALL have skirts. But I actually like shoebox Fords better without skirts. I actually took them off of one I bought years ago. It all depends on the shape of the rear wheel opening. Mercs can go either way to my eye.
But like raprap said, they're pretty easy to take on an off (like hubcaps), so it's not exactly a lifetime commitment.

And as for you, need louvers?, it's not about covering the rear wheels it's about creating that "wet bar of soap in the wind" look. If you buy my car some day you can take off the skirts and bloomers in my driveway, drive over them, and throw them in the woods for all I care. There is a reason why Baskin Robbins has more than one flavor of ice cream!

 

Ignore him. He seems to like to go on threads about customs, announce that he hates them and then pontificate about how they should be built.

 

No skirts no care.

 

Thanks guys for all of the quick feedback and kool pictures. I prefer Skirts and eventually they will be on the Merc,
just trying to go a different direction them I'm use to. Like Dave said, I can always switch back and forth.

 

those old Mercurys (even bone stock ones) IMHO, look best with skirts. By, the way, for years (late 40s thru early 60s) my parents drove Mercurys. Their first one was a 40 and the last one was a 61.

 

I was wondering why someone who didn't "get" customs was watching and bothering to comment on a custom forum?

 

My Cad would be naked without them

 

I like skirts, married one. However, as far as your vehicle. Check your stance, profile. Some are better with, some not so much. Up to you and the look you're goin for.