Rear before: And after: I've modified '51 Merc overlay skirts to fit the rear 1/4 panels and installed Kustom Kraft dummy spots and that should be all that's needed now. The funky cast aluminum skull above the license plate has been replaced with a club plaque now too. It was a quick way to conceal a tractor gas filler that the previous owner had installed.
There's a list of things I like about the changes you made to that car... the freakishly large exhaust pipes are not on that list. You lost me, but refer to my above post about things being subjective.
Not to derail the thread any further, but IMO that '56 Mercury is an imaginative, interesting, and damned fine looking custom car.
I know ...I know, the exhaust cans detract from the vintage theme, but they definitely help out with flame thrower volume out back. Here's a pic with standard diameter tail pipes for ya.
only thing im against shaving is window trim and beltline trim, emblems and doorhandles gotta go... sidetrim usually should stay but not be stock
Again very subjective. The Louis Bettancourt Merc had both window and beltline trim shaven and IMO is one of, if not the best Custom Merc ever built.
I think door handles can be cool on pre war suicide door coupes, and post war suicide door cars. There is something cool about grabbing the front and back door handles to open the doors be it a Continental, Eldorado Brougham, or Merc. The Bulletbird is a nice exception as well. While I think it is neat that they carry on the flying goddess hood ornament of the 30s, I'm fine with custom finned Cadillacs loosing the hood ornament, but the I think the crest and v should stay.
i will probably keep my door handles on my truck, but the emblems will have to go. they totally screw up the little bit of flow the truck has.. poor thing (it cant help its ugliness) i usually dont support doorhandles on a kustom, but it seems that its been the norm lately, and when i read my magazines i find myself looking for cars with doorhandles, so im keeping them on mine just because everyone else is leaving theirs off. antennas? hell no. with all the newfangled things for radios its not very hard to keep the antenna out of the equasion and still have a radio. trim? well, heres where i get REALLY specific. get rid of it, but not all of it. a small piece of side trim will do wonders in keeping a nice flow with the car. it also breaks up the acres of shiny laquer and gives the car some character. all in all, if its a cool, different part that has good functionality, KEEP IT. thats what gives the car its own character and style.
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