Customs Buck Owens 51 Merc - Barrett Jackson

There's a lot here that I do like, and whoever built it apparently did so with very good craftsmanship. But the paint job and upholstery colors are not for me.

This car feels like a genuine period build that got "upgraded" in the American Chopper era. I have a hard time believing the person who decided to put that 4 carb Cadillac engine in there with a stick shift is the same person who picked out fuchsia pink with red white and blue decal-looking flames and machine-layout embroidery.

 

That's one of those cars that you either become the current keeper of or you catch hell from a group who believe that you committed a total sacrilege if you repaint it and have the interior redone to more of what would be traditional custom without the personalization. It sure has a lot of things going for it if you did want to do a redo though.

 

Good eye on the od pull, that would be awesome!

 

Hell yeah... I would drive it as-is. I even like the color.
Bets on what it will go for? I'm in at $62k...

 

So that begs the question; what makes it Buck Owens' Merc? Is it the paint and interior? The car as a whole? The whole car in this iteration? It's a debatable question. If a new owner bought it and had the car repainted and a new gut installed, is it not still Buck Owens' Merc? If Buck Owens wasn't the original purchaser of the car, what makes it anymore his car than that of the previous owner(s)? His fame? Or is the car's ownership by a legendary country music artist simply one chapter in the history of the vehicle?

I'd imagine someone who is a fan of his music might bid on it, or some individual who wants to show the car with a show board highlighting the previous owner to make the car more unique/interesting. I think, generally speaking, the styling would be off-putting to a real die-hard custom guy and a full repaint and interior would be a large expense of money and labor if the car itself was expensive. If it could be acquired for essentially "project car" price, then sure. But I think it's going to be more expensive than that.

 

Barrett Jackson on top of their game per usual, the description starts out "This custom 1959 Mercury", oh well. I wouldn't be surprised if Dwight Yoakam bids on it and buys it, kind a car guy himself as long as there is a true connection to Buck on this car.

 

My only question is: if there is enough clear on it to allow removing the (God-awful) flames without ruining the candy red paint.

My guess $40K tops

 

Oh so true! I flipped on the TV last week and happened to catch a bit of a car auction (Mecum?). A full Custom 49/50 Merc rolled across and went for only about 25k. Had an excellent looking chop and tasteful body mods. I thought to myself, the builder didn't even get his bodywork and paint money back out of the sale.

 

Someone in Bako or a Music Row Guy to preserve it then I’d understand leaving it as-is.
However I’d be completely OK and for someone getting it for cheap, stripping all the Gawd Awful off of it, picking a subtle color (Black) for me, clean and simple upholstery, and putting it into a much Kooler state.

That Car has an A list of parts in a Kooky wrapper.

That guy could always have a photo album to verify that just because somebody famous and dearly loved owned it didn’t mean it had to stay in a confused state.

for example any car out of Grease……………

 

Look great without the flames and lettering

 

Maybe they are vinyl!

 

I agree. Does it state anywhere it was Buck's car, did he buy it or did he have someone build it for him, or is it just a fan who liked Buck so much he adorned his car with what he figured Buck would like?

 

Grinning to myself here, I bet Dave Giesler, of the Pioneer Auto Museum out at Murdo South Dakota, steals it for 35 K and gets it delivered for free as well !

Neat car, but as so many have stated, its not everybody's cup of tea.

 

Now Buck's other car, that he bought from Bill Ross, is very nice, for a 46 ford !

 

. . . didn't Buck have a bar in Bakershogan with a custom car in the backdrop?

 

How about a picture of buck with the car

 

It's sad that someone added all of the lame graphics and lettering when all the car needed to begin with was a couple spears of side stainless.

 

Exactly! One straight stick along the sides, even the color wouldn't be bad like that. Instead it got a set of flames that look like some lame shit you'd get along with a model kit but never use.

 

Who built it? Well known builder? Buck have it built? What’s the history on the car?

 

It got them Red neck, White sock, and Blue Ribbon flames lol

 

A couple thoughts, I am a firm believer of you care the caretaker of an old historic hot rod, custom or racecar and not it's owner.

However, in this case it is a car that famous owned maybe had built at a later date but the car it's self is not famous or historic so to make changes and knock the ugly off it, but while respecting Buck Ownes legacy wouldn't be out of line.

The first thing I would do is ditch the A/C, the flames

I am also thinking the flames are an addition by someone who doesn't know car who's thought is they would add value.

Buck Ownes was famous and a car guy, it's not as if this was a car people knew and associated with him like Marty Robbins 33 Ford Devil Women



Or Brian Setzer's 32

 

Call me weird but I kinda like the car and if it was in my garage I would leave it alone. I get the flames because he always played a red white and blue Fender and for flames they are tastefully done but you can tell that they are an afterthought. But you have to admit the driveline is way too cool!!

Just my .02

 

John D'Agostino posted on FB that the Buck Owens' Merc sold for $50k.

 

That is an excellent description! (And not just for this car I might add.)

Model kit flames is going on my list along with tennis shoes, St.Bernard keg and kick stands.

 

$50K is not bad for a car of that quality, I don't think the Buck Owens connection played into that too much and I'm sure the flames and other tacky add-ons did it no favors. But at that price, the new owner did well, even if they decide to spend a few bucks undoing some of the things that were added to it. I've seen plenty of people dump more than $50K into builds that were much less appealing than this.

 

Too clear up "the buck owens merc" It was built in the 90s by Paul Harper of Rosyln,Wa. it did not have the ugly flames on it or the goofy stitching on the interior. He and Bill Ross drove there customs down to Paso from Washington that must have been 2002 that Buck Owens was there and bought both cars that were parked next to each other. Bill custom Ford is the green one Marty Strode posted a picture of above.

 

It was built in the 90s by Paul Harper of Rosyln,Wa. Didnt have the ugly flames or stitching in the interior. Buck must have done all that.

 

Yes Bills old ford was pretty neat. Buck Owens bought the merc and the ford at the same time in Paso I think it was 2002. They were parked next to each other.