Art & Inspiration A Study in opinions. Favorite historic customs

Damn, I've been fighting this computer trying to post pics with my original post. One more time. just know I'm trying. I have the know-how, simple copy /paste, or load file, computer says no can do..... fool. I had the Geek boys in, still same results. I' ll take one more stab at it then take up Anthoneys line " I HIT COMPUTERS WITH HAMMERSS"

 

Not just me?

figured I got blackballed or something

 

I have been getting a message my files were too big. same with you guys? most of my pics are small. spent an hour doing a scan, then got rid of some crap that got loaded on my computer. here's the message I'm getting.. I did load a few. now this

 

one of my favorites since I first saw it in Lodi or Merced in the 70's.

 

The Polynesian blew my mind as a kid, still have the little book featuring it!

Mercury’s always my fave a few from back when ….

 

Hello,

(These are not customs per se as per the topic originally listed, but as the thread goes to the next page, one may come across the same thing that @49ratfink had happen to his post. The changing of the latest digital cameras and Phone cameras has added a new thing to posting photos, as too large for the page.)

The days of the 5 mp phone cameras or digital cameras is long gone. The industry has upped its game and now it is common to see 12 mp on the average and up to 20 mp for middle of the road cameras. But, the high end cameras can go up to unheard of amounts. The larger MP allows larger digital prints without much loss of detail. Still, one needs to take into account the image, compose the photo for a concise detailed image and not have a hot rod in the middle of a row of trees in order to get the whole scene.

The hot rod will not come out clear if that composition is the main emphasis. If the hot rod is larger and the surrounding crapola is minimized, then the enlargement for the hot rod should be clear. With a stable platform when taking the shot, tripod or mono pod, focus, and good clear sunlight, all work to make a good photo.

Yes, with our new digital cameras and even the Iphone set at 24 MP, the photos will come out clear, most of the time. ( See above restrictions and helpers)

Jnaki

So, the resulting majority of photos saved on your own laptop or desktop computers takes up a lot of space. When printing, it gets squeezed down to the size needed. But as one posts the largest overall photo from the Apple Iphones, it will be large as a standard. Now, one has to take the photo and reduce the overall size.

Open your photo in the standard photo program. Find the RESIZE section. Open that up and now you will see the size it is in currently.

If the HAMB image says it is too large, then when you are on this site, reduce the width and height of the original photo. As you change one side, it automatically changes the other to keep the proportions.


Now, you can copy the altered image and paste it to the HAMB thread. If it is still too large, then follow the same steps and make the width x height smaller yet.

Yesterday, I had to change several photos from the storylines on other posts to make them fit into the final HAMB threads. YRMV

Today, I followed my own advice and made each one smaller in size, but yet, they showed up almost full size. Once the saved photo from your files is adjusted, then it easily is pasted within the printed story line.

 

Being dumber than a box of hood ornaments regarding computers, I kept getting the message about the "too large for server" also. I had no idea what that meant so I just walked out to the garage and beat some metal into submission.
Came back later and it worked, so whomever did whatever to the thing, thank you.

And regarding @anthony myrick getting blackballed... that will never happen until we discover something that he WON'T drive, then his happy ass is history.

 

X-Sonic

I wouldn’t even call it the “best” or “most stylish” custom, but it is a favorite and it is historic for a few reasons (one of the earliest cars with bubble top, early hydraulic suspension, and painted a few times by Larry Watson)

It’s so wild, I can’t help but smile at its audacity.

 

Thanks to all who have taken time to participate it has been, "enlightening," and enlightening at the same time. What do I mean? It boils down to my use of the word ICON. I meant world class Icons, not thinking, (wrongfully so on my part), of personal Icons, shame on me).
I'm glad many were/are included here, it makes it so much more informative to the Hamb world at large, thank you to those who covered for me.
Now..............Until I can replace this corrupted piece of #$%^&* COMPUTER , and finish up getting my wife into a state care facility, I will be silenced.

Maybe Moriarty, you would post pics of the Ala Kat, Lil Coffin, and El Mador for me??

See ya round HAMBERS (GUYS} 11:34 8/6 Pacific Time

 

The Barris version of the Bettancourt Merc. Best '49-51 ever built IMO. Loved the Ayala version with their magnificent trademark smooth flowing custom work and the original colour but it needed a bit of trim added back on and I think Barris did a great job of that.

And the first version of Watson's Brougham. A perfect custom. I feel he took it too far with the chrome tape in the alcove down the side of the car when he redid it.

 

One of my favorites.Jim Davis a friend of mine I occasionally have breakfast with on Saturdays was an original member of the Berdoo Krankers with Ron Aguirre. He remembers Ron working on the X Sonic in a little one car garage .A couple of other buddies, the Fishbecks remember a car show at Rialto High School and seeing other guys with lowered cars using boards to get over a curb. Ron pulls up in the X Sonic pumps his car up and drives over it. They were in awe!

 

The AMT '56 Ford kit has the parts to ALMOST do this car correctly... the custom grille is too tall and needs cut down considerably to match her.

 

I’m not a custom guy but when I think custom the Hirohata Merc is the first thing that comes to mind. Although I’ve seen it before the LIL Coffin upon inspection in this thread trips my trigger like never before. Of course anything by Roth is Uber cool and Iconic in my mind. I can’t rate them as they all tie.
Thanks @34Larry

 

Jerry Quesnel's '49 Merc is my favorite from "back in the day", especially after it got painted purple. Everything about it: perfection.

 

Dang near perfection

 

Some I like!
Jonny Zaro's 1940 Mercury
Doug Rice's 1939 Ford
Duane Steck's 1954 Chevy Moonglow
Louie Bettancourt's 1949 Mercury Ayala Version and Johnyy Zupan's, Barris version

 

51 posts, and not a single one of THE Sam Barris Merc. You guys should be ashamed.

 

It's interesting how everybody has different view. Makes the hobby interesting. For me the Zupan version of the Bettancourt Merc is a clowned up version of a great car. It's an example of adding for the sake of changing a car without adding anything to improve the look of the car. I understand why it was done but it ruined a near perfect car in my eyes.

 

Or the Matranga Mercury. I figured someone would have added it by now! Guess I get to.



Buster Litton’s Ford is just as iconic and awesome.

 

Ooh yes, I have a few iconic favorites...

 

PatSurf... That IS my mom posing by the wagon!

 

Hello,

Until I sat in a real bubble top custom car with the A/C blasting at full power, I could not stand sitting inside of that dome style, clear Plexiglas top. As soon as the top came down, and the A/C was on, it was like a sauna. Then it started to get cool, but as we rolled out from under a big shady tree shadow, the sun hit us like a giant fire stick. It was hot despite the A/C. We could not raise the top while driving, that would be a disaster.

Why wouldn’t the A/C just take over the cooling? It had something to do with the dome magnifying the hot summer So Cal sunshine in an inland park during photos. No, it was not Daryl Starbird’s Predicta, but, it was close. A modified T-Bird with swoopy lines and chrome reversed rims. But that bubble top raised and lowered was sort of cool. Until it wasn’t.

As soon as the sun hit, it got warm and then the A/C was still pumping, but it felt like something was choking me while sitting there watching the owner steering us around the park parking lot. Luckily, no one was there and we had the roads all to ourselves.

Jnaki

As cool as the Plexiglas bubbletop was down, it was like being trapped in a cage with no way to get out. The owner chuckled at my discomfort and I held my breath until we got to a shaded area again and then I asked to stop for a rest. I am not claustrophobic as I have been inside the Disneyland sub many times. And the old Pike Bathysphere ride. Those were tight quarters, but other people were on the rides at the time.

So my discomfort at the Plexiglas dome had its bad moments and yes, I know the original one is just for shows. Since it was so famous at the time of the photo shoot, I had already visited the editors and explained what I was going to photograph/ present to them. They were ready by the time I got everything presentable.

As luck would arrive, the editors all said the color photographs were outstanding with the blue sky, the green trees and grassy areas without any interfering. But, it was a T-bird build similar to the famous Predicta. So, no, they would not touch it with a 10 foot pole. Two other magazines said the same thing. It was a different, but similar custom version of the famous custom car. So, no go this time around.

No, I do not have any photos. I felt badly about the negative return from the editors of three magazines I talked to about the future article. So, I gave all of the 2.25 x 2.25 Ektachrome color slides and all 35 mm film strips to the owner of the custom dome top T-Bird.

Note:

The clear top dome is just for show as it does not make for a street cruiser on any day or night cruise. YRMV

But, the one thing the So Cal version had a better profile as the dome was larger and looked proportionate to the whole T-Bird custom body. Not a pop up like the Predicta.

The So Cal version had a larger arch in the Plexiglas dome that made a better proportion of the clear top. A few inches in front and rear made the difference from being a pop up dome to a streamlined flatter dome, with good head room inside due to the lowered seating arrangement of the So Cal version. Of all the photos around for the Predicta, there is no full side version. It may be due to the odd pop up feel/look to the dome.

 

All the previous cars are great. Can’t argue against any one of them. But the car that blew me away is Larry Farris’ Tempted Once.

 

Lots of crackers have been posted already..................................Matranga, Hirohata, Jade Idol................

Here are some of my favourites

The Jack Calori '36 Ford Coupe



Southern California Plating '35 Ford Phaeton



Tommy the Greek '36 Ford 'Vert



Mario Colalillo '59 Cadillac



All of the cars I have posted, I didn't actually decide that I liked them. They all blew my mind when I first saw them (Being a youngster, I have only seen Mario's Cadillac in the flesh)

I have many favourite '40 Mercury Customs but need to have a ponder and pick one that hasn't been posted

Cheers Turns

 

Sam Barris/Nick Matranga Merc!