My '51 Merc, can you help me out...

OO mack, I couldnt find the post Maratta Choped Merc. Is there anouther way to find it or maybe I spelt it wrong. Let me know. ETHER

 

I found it! Searched "Maratta chopped Merc". On the first page,a few threads down.

 

I think your Merc is nice but I would get rid of that front bumper. sometimes people try to be different but it just doesnt come out as nice as they thought. like badbob said make it to your liking F everyone else

 

And traditionally 14's or 15's with hubcaps... Nobody does 17's of any kind or even some kind of custom rim? I saw one in that long Merc thread early on, looks like some sort of fancy wheel.

 

Easy First aid kit, including new stance, tires and some stainless:

 

15 inch wheels with hubcaps

 

Dang at's a creat 'shop! Thank you! I hate to ask, but could you chrome the grill?

 

Sorry too much work, but it will get better if you chrome it.

I can do full illustration, but it costs, here are some earlier works.:
http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/custom_car_graphic_art/janne_kutja_custom/

 

Nice work,but you forgot the bumper....Looks much better!

 

Yes, but it was first aid before the ambulance.

 

I agree too losing present bumpers.

 

depends do you want 50s or 60s style. I know more about 50s but to get it there get the origional bumpers and chrome the grill and mabey add lakepipes. The interior like the one picture above would be 50s period correct. These changes would make it period perfect but it all depends on what you want to do, its your choice

 

How about this interior , and check out the hood scoop .

 

Please do not do any of the above......WTF......no offense IceBox......I think the bumpers and loud paint is killing your Merc.....$.02

 

Hey Royal,Thats a 51 Merc front bumper on a 51 Merc.

 

Just a dumb question, but are you sure you would want to go more trad with that car? Not that it isnt what you want tastewise, but it looks like that thing is done to the 9s in that 90s streetrod dress...might be a ton to undo that, whereas starting wtih something less finished in any direction would be easeier?

Looks like a nice chop indeed. Def bumpers out, grill chrome, tail lite change but that can be later, window stainless, lower, wide whites and nice hubcaps, all in all that stupid stuff will make it a whole diff car.

 

I think hes talkin about the original Merc on this thread. I had to read that a few times myself.

 

I'm open, I'm interested to know what makes something trad in a 50's, or 60's way... If it's easy to rehang Merc bumpers I'd probably go that route.

 

I don't think you have anything that would require drastic modifications. Bumpers sould be easy. Grill...easy. Tires...easy. Interior...easy,but not cheap! Putting some trim on the windows might some thought. You aren't too far away from your goal.

 

Ice Box....that's just wrong!!!!,lol!!!

 

I like the brizo bumpers...

 

WTF? Never seen ANYTHING that those bumpers looked good on!

 

Any pic of a Brizo bumper, Google had nothing.

Thanks for the input guys. Okay, now tell me why you guys don't like the taillights. I don't personally care either way just curious.

Anyone have a line on nice rechromed bumpers? So you say a regular 51 is fine for the front but a 50 would be better in the back due to the modifications? Let me know thanks! Bob I am sending you another pm in a little.

 

Google yourself out to yer garage, your ribbbed front bumper.

I think they meant 50 bumper front, 51 rear prolly.

 

John,
Try searching under "Briz" you'll get lots of hits. As for selling them I know yogi's and Chevy's of the 40's have them.

As for the rest of you, I am really surprised at the responce this has got, well not Bad Bob's.... seems we never agree on anything! =) Briz bumpers is one of the most well know custom touches of the 50s. I have seen a ton of them on taildraggers, low riders, customs etc.. Talk about traditional touches ...brizo bumpers gotta be high on the list.

 

It's would be hard to beat a 49-50 bumper and grille.
TwoChops

 

Yeah but they're ass. If they are so hot lookin I would love to see some kickass Merc customs where those junks add to the appearance, not detract.

 

john, your car is really not all that bad. the car has all the basics covered. problem is, the bad stuff is over shadowing the good stuff. you need to do some studying. find the era you like best and go with it. be carefull not to "mix" the different trends from different eras. easy thing to do sometime.

kustoms started real smooth and sleek. as the car show trophy bug started clouding everyones minds things got a little out of hand. things got real silly in the sixties as everyone was trying to out do everyone else. style took a back seat to "WOW".

if i bought your car today this is what i would do to it. i would redo the headlights, they are tunneled a little too much. meaning the headlight itself is too far back on the hole. the bumpers would have to go in favor of factory 49 or 50's. i would cut down the front pan as it appears to stick out too far. i would replace the grill with a straight bar from a 51 kaiser. lower the spot lights. lose the lakes pipes. replace the tires with wide whites. replace the hubcaps with 49 cadillac caps. the whole car should be lowered a little more. this next one is real personal to me only. i never cared for red mercs. don't know why. just don't like it.i would sand and prime the car untill i got ready to paint it.

photos hijacked from riksters site

early 50's style




mid 50's style



late 50's early 60's style




see the progression of "do dads"?

 

Sorry Terry,but I just don't like them. Especially on a Merc! It's not about traditional or not,they just look bad. The only place I see alot of them is at the Gold Chainer shows.

 

Guess thats why we don't all drive little brown Pinto's eh? LOL. Different likes and dis-likes for everybody. I am just surprised how many negetives there has been. I've had them on 3 different cars, my 47 merc, my 47 Ford, and a little bug I ran 3 ribs on. We have a 63 VW in the shop now we will be putting them on as well.

I remember a time when everybody wanted them, and they have been around a long time.

The factory bumpers like on the rag top above just hangs out to far for me. It looks like a sexy girl with a hell of a under bite. If I was going mild custom, or resto rod, yes stock works. Custom with chop, frenched lites, etc. Briz baby!

Oh, but yours looks good Bob!!! LOL!!!!!