I looked through quite a few pics this morning and didn't come up with anything....on this week's car or on the Merc Mark asked about. Some of the characteristics looked familiar, but I struck out. I did have a fun little W.E.H.T of my own this week. Way back when, the first custom Merc I recall seeing in person was Ralph Hansen's freshly finished green '50 with yellow flames. Ralph was friends with Jeff Johnson of HAMRD Merc fame (WEHT #?) and they built their Mercs together in the early 80's. Anyhoo, last I saw Ralph's Merc was about '91 and then nothing. I don't think it was ever in any mags or anything. I've always wondered what happened to it and then, lo and behold, the other night I was browsing eBay and there is was. Different paint, interior and suicided doors, but I recognized the grille, Lincoln tail lights, louvered hood and wood dash. Sure enough, it's still around. I even googled Ralph, came up with his number and talked to him the other day. He had come to the idea it was probably in a salvage yard somewhere and was as surprised as me to see it was still around. They are still out there...maybe in disguise, but surely they are mostly all still out there....somewhere!
I am going to post this up anyway. Last night I was looking for Ernie's Dodge and came across this picture on carnut. After Jim posted the photo he had, I went back to get the one I had seen. BUT, this is a '49! I had just assumed this was Doug's...... my mistake. How many of these things were running around back then!?!
That's a great story Doc! Always fun when a car from the past returns. By the way, Jeff Johnson's Merc was W.E.H.T. #23. Man, that was quite a while ago! You know guys, with Ernie Baker being such a Mopar guy and the Wichita kustom scene being what it was, I'm sure there were quite a few kool late 40s and early 50s Mopars running around. I'd love to find one like this sitting around waiting to be discovered and put it back on the road! Funny story about Doug and his red oxide '50.......... He rolled up to the gal doing the interviews at the '86 Spectacular. She asked him a few questions and commented on how low the car was. She asked if it had hydraulics and Doug replied "No, but we can make her bounce though". Doug and all his passengers all started hopping up and down in the seats to make the car bounce up and down. So comical! I remember the first time I watched the video I was drinking a pop when that part came on and I ended up spraying Pepsi all over the place. What a mess! E
Since Sancho posted one that looks like Doug`s. I`ll post one I can`t get out of my head. Similar but different. It even has a scoop ahead of the rear wheel. I think its a Dodge? It even has hubcaps that are similar to Ernie`s.
I'm very far from being an expert on the old Mopars, but I'd guess that this car is a '51 or '52 Plymouth. It is disguised very well with all the custom mods to it. I'd gladly cruise it any day of the week! E
Okay, here`s one that was at the Custom Car Revival in 2015. He was from up state New York or Maine. More than likely it`s not it. But good lookin none the less. At least the hubcaps are the same. Any other similarities Sancho.
I actually looked at that one too. I was trying to compare the shape of the top on both. These two cars have a very similar "overall" look but here's the thing I noticed; look at the horizontal top edge of the vent windows. The top of the vent window on Ernie's is considerably longer. I can see someone updating everything else (fender scoops, front end, spot lights, skirts, etc) but it seems like a whole lot of unnecessary work to change the vent windows on a finished chopped car....
I had super with him and his wife in Indy. Seems like he said he bought the car out of the Midwest. Cars in his area were full of cancer. But it might be just my bad memory. Or me wanting it to be the car we are looking for. I did find a pic of Jack Hughes Malibu with hubcaps all around it. This is the car I think of when his name pops up. The Olds came at a later time. I don`t think I`ve posted this car yet. A build style not seen very often. View attachment 3632807
Well, yesterday I had this post all typed up in response to Sancho's question to how many of these Mopars were running around back then.....but it seems I never clicked "post." So, anyhow....here are 3 that were at the Hangin' Dice show in '88 (at least I think they are 49/50 Dodges...hard to tell for sure. )
View attachment 3632451 Where are they?? Sorry I'm a little slow....... LOL! I loved the Limo that Gary Mundy's son in law (Mike) built. Would be kool to own it today.
Haha! Sancho, that's the same picture I saw when I was googling Mopars to see what years the ones I posted might be.
Rosebud. Or do you mean Pinky. These were taken in Springfield Illinois KKOA show. See the double taillight spears.
That's cool, Jim! Great history through pictures. I knew "Rosebud " was "Pinky", but you beat me in posting the information, and I hadn't tried to search out photos yet. Are the "Rosebud" pictures recent? Is the car still around? E
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1950-Ford-O...ash=item41cd6ba6e4:g:0D8AAOSw689ZizXC&vxp=mtr link to the ebay auction
Not faring too well with just 1-1/2 hours left in bidding....$6.6K and looking for $28K. Update: never sold and bidding stopped at $6.6K
What Ever Happened To..........? number 77. 1939 Ford Sedan Owner: Ray Grimm Detroit, Michigan Sedan? Hmmmmm.......Well, yes and no. Ray Grimm started with a '39 Ford sedan, but that didn't last long. He decided that he wanted a chopped Carson topped convertible, so he got to work. The top was removed, A-pillars cut down and then a Carson style frame was made. It was stuffed and covered with white vinyl, and viola, a custom Carson top convertible was born. Ray built this car completely at home with the help of a few good friends. The car had the big three modifications: chop, channel and section. This is a huge amount of work, but Ray and his friends pulled all this off in just about a year! The results were stunning. The car was painted red. On video it looked like kandy red, but in some of the pictures I've found it looks like a straight red. Either way, it looked great! The car was pinstriped in white, and from what I saw on video the car had "Wild Cherry" lettered on the trunk lid. I don't know if the car had hydraulics or not, but it sat plenty low. I found the car on the '84 Leadsled Spectacular video that was shot in Des Moines, Iowa. I watched all the other videos I have, but '84 was the only year I saw it on. I did find a few small pictures of it in magazines. There was a small picture of it in the January '84 issue of Classic and Custom on page 32. It was in the magazine's coverage of the 3rd Annual Leadsled Spectacular that was held in Springfield, Ohio in 1983. There was also a picture of it in Custom Cars by Hot Rod volume 2 #2 printed in 1984 on page 29, also in Leadsled Spectacular coverage from '83. So, obviously Ray was in attendance in '83. The last magazine picture I found of it was in the May '84 issue of Classic and Custom on page 35 in their coverage of Lead East in 1983. Ray was making the rounds to the big custom shows in '83 and '84. I also found one picture of the car on Rikster's site that was taken by Kustom Lincoln Lady. I can't say which show it was taken at, but I'm sure you guys that were there will be able to identify which Spectacular it was taken at. After the photos from '84, the car dropped out of sight. I'm not sure if Ray sold the car or just quit going to the shows, but it seemed to disappear. This was a pretty radical car for the times. People just weren't cutting the tops off of sedans and making Carson styled convertibles. Hopefully it is still out there, maybe with Ray behind the wheel! Until next time, have a Happy Labor Day and make sure to get that sled out and cruise, cruise, cruise! Take care! E
i sent that pic to Debb and she said she took it at the muddy river run in Fort Wayne. I also sent her a link to this thread, hoping she becomes a regular here @KustomLincolnLady
Moriarty just told me about this thread, don't come to the HAMB much anymore. That Merc has been my very favorite forever. I remember it from the early KKOA shows. Peter pan posted a pic of it redone just a couple of years ago. Still does it for me!!. Ok off to read this thread. Thanks Mark!
The Jalopy Journal
