Man, I would consider myself a "hot rod" guy but I would love a 41 Ford custom! great thread, great cars! Keep postin, please!!
Here is a couple of pics of my Uncles 37 Club Cabriolet. Its very mild and hopefully will be in my garage soon. My uncle has passed away and the new owner has the car for sale. Want to make a few minor mods to it and cruise it -fryguy
Thanks Django, there is a cool story behind it. My uncle was a dirt track racer in the 50's. He won this car in a grudge match. My dad remembers helping drag it home because it was in such bad shape. He finished restoring it in 61. And owned it till his passing in in the early 2000 's. Working on a deal to buy it back from the current owners son.
What plates? I didn't even notice them. LOL!! That is so Kool, I love the heavy looking tail dragger... Thanks for posting the pics. Yes trade them pout for '47 plates...
For someone who is contemplating building a prewar car in an early customs style, what it the proper tire combination? Is is white walls or blackwalls? Are the tires in the front taller than those in the rear to aid in the taildragger or motor boat stance? Anyone care to chime in their thoughts or opinions?
The tires as you have noted are super important. The size would be the same all around and the actual size to use depends on the car itself. Hovering around 6.00s and 6.50 16's. I always think its good to do mockups with a buddy's tires to get a feel for what you want. If you can't do that try to find a car with the stance you like and do your best to find the size used. Blackwalls or Whitewalls, well that's up to you and there was transition during these years so both would be acceptable. Personal preference would drive that. Personally I would like to see the Calori '36 in Whitewalls but he hated them so that's why it wore blackwalls. Hope this helps... Sent from a pay phone
Thanks for the info Blackie. The Calori 36 is a benchmark car for me. It does look like an early custom to the eye but underneath there was a Hot Rod in there. That car looks sweet in blackwalls but I think running wide whites would really set it off but thats my opinion. It also runs a little even with maybe a slight rake to the rear but thats it. Not the dramatic Taildragger stance for the time period.
glad this thread is still active! I have been collecting parts for the last 2 years or so. I think I have most of the hard to find stuff now! now just gotta find a car to put it on. haha Im thinking a 37-38 coupe, or carson topped coupe. Maybe GM or other mopar. Ill have to save up, and finish my roadster first though..
Interesting Merc for sale on ebay. Looks like the one in the photo on the first page. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Geor...1386276?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item3a759de924
Well its not the same car, and it is not the car they say in the Ebay auction. The car in the auction is built from the left over Johnny Zaro Barris built 1940 Mercury. Personally I have no idea why the people who bought the left over parts from Kurt McKormick did not rebuilt it as a coupe, but instead choose to built it as an over chopped convertible and have ever since called it the Sam Barris Mercury. I have send the seller of the ebay ad an email asking him why he was selling it as the Sam Barris Mercury and gave him proof that the car was built from the Johnny Zaro Left over parts... something if treated well good for some good money as well. But he has not respond to my email... naturally! So the car in the ebay auction is NOT the Sam Barris 1940 Mercury. It does have some Barris history, but that has been basically destroyed by the people who rebuilt it to this modernized custom.
Oh my... You got it all covered here, Rik. http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_...stom_cars/barris-1/1939-mercury-conver/#media
No way, i have been waiting to find a set of these for a long time! I even got in a verbal shouting match with some weirdo on Craigslist over another set! haha
Rik, its hard to tell from those pics but was any height taken out of the tops? Wasn't sure if there was just a little taken off the top.
This whole thing still bugs me out. The convert on Ebay still has more pounds of original Zaro metal than Kurt's "Zaro car" which only has the original roof and dashboard. To me, the Ebay car IS the Zaro Merc and should be rebuilt that way.
How could that be if the car I the auctio is clearly a 39 not a 40? Edit: ok VIN is a 40! But front sheet metal And dash are 39!
Yes and no... The ebay car has a larger percentage from the original 1940 Mercury that Johnny Zaro bought. But what made the Johnny Zaro Merc specially was the chopped top that Sam Barris performed... of course in combination with the rest of the customizing. But the most customized part was the top, and that is on Kurt's Car. Basically neither of them could be called the Johnny Zaro Merc anymore. However I do like Kurts Merc a whole lot better than the Ebay Merc!
This is the Johnny Zaro Mercury as Kurt McCormick bought it. The car had seen many grille/front end changes in its live. And the 39 Merc was the last one before Kurt got hold of it.
There is a lot more to a car than a chopped roof no matter who chopped it.Bubba67....I agree with you a 100% . This is why I was so hardpressed to have Kurt bring his Alcorn Merc to Customs then and now instead of what people refer to as his "Zaro" Merc.
I note in pics of "dismembered" pink Merc with Kurt sitting alongside ,that the lower body remains is still on the rolling chassis frame , wonder which frame is under the ebay car ?
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