Customs Phil Sauers "Old Shasta"1951 Mercury

Here are the progress pics of getting Shasta running after last being registered in 1969. Shug did the engine swap,electrical and brakes. I bought Firestone 15x7.10s and powder coated the wheels mag blue. My friend Jimmy filled the giant holes on the decklid where the 64 rivi taillights used to be.

 

I don't know if I'll ever be able to restore it, but it runs and drives now. Here's a pic of my Merc in the garage after picking it up Shugs place and driving it home for the 1st time.. January 30,2021 and also a pic of it at the 4th of July Car Show in Redlands,Ca 2021.

 

It's been a long journey to get this point getting it running and finding history. I probably have a few more things I'll add when I find them. I hope I didn't bore you guys.That's all for now!

 

I appreciate that!

 

Never saw the door in the ebay add or when I picked it up.It went missing sometime before 2008.

 

His signature was at the base of the Tree of Life as Phil called it. Can't see it too well in the pic's

 

Matts an excellent craftsman.

 

Thank you for sharing your journey, researching and locating the history is one of the rewarding parts of the hobby. Please keep us posted on any status.

 

I seem to remember that glove box door being for sale in the classifieds years ago... But it may have been in a Von Dutch post about rare items also...

 

You're welcome.I will do updates when I find any new info.

 

You might be right.Vern Hammond was the last known owner and he is a HAMB member.It's quite possible.

 

RIP Pat.
This guy helped me get into hot rods when I was a kid reading R&C.

 

I know someone will want to tar and feather me for this. So let me say I’m sorry right now. But I liked the rear end treatment with the Riv tail lights.

 

That's what I was saying, I mean the second facelift was a quality period rework as well so sure it still was a decision as to where to draw the line on the step back...each of us would likely see differently...as you have...no tar nessesary...

 

Cool story. I hope you leave it as is with its Awsome weathered Dean Jeffries lacquer job and super cool two tone interior, get it sittin how it was in the Car Craft feature
Such a cool piece of history
I remember the glove box door thread
Hope you find it someday
Thanks for sharing this cool story

 

Bet it's a kick to be able to be driving it now! Neat to see the history and your part of the story with it. I remember we got our Mercs right at the same time. A lot of water under the bridge since then...you bought a non-running car and now it's running and driving and I bought a running driving car that now isn't. Haha!!

 

I wasn't a fan of them. But everyones taste is different.I won't tar and feather you for your opinion.

 

The 1st time I met Pat was when he did the photo shoot. The second time I met him was at the book signing and he signed my book get the merc running. Every time I saw him at a car show after that he would always say; did you get it running yet?

 

Thank you! I'll probably keep it like it is and try to preserve it. I will eventually lower it and run the exhaust through the bumper tips like it was in the magazine and so my bumper tips won't scrape going up my steep driveway.Matt Townsend did this bumper for me!

 

LOL!I remember meeting you at the Merc Gathering talking about our mercs, at the time really didn't have any history on it.A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then. I do enjoy driving it,I never thought I would get to this point. Still working out a few bugs and improving a few mechanical things.

 

Such a fitting and powerful engine for this Sled...I can just imagine the rumbling thunder as the pedal is pressed...this is not to mock the flatty as they can deliver as well but yeah the Hemi is a great choice Custom or Hotrod...

 

I definitely moves pretty well compared to my old 51 merc with a flathead. I recently put an edelbrock carb and electronic distributor and it livened it up even more.

 

Here's a post from David Sauers,Phils son of his passing.

 

After studying this pic. I'm thinking this might be a pic of Dean Jeffries? It also looks like he might be wearing a shirt with his artwork?

 

It's good to see that that car is finally running and driving. I was looking at my dash out of my old 51 Merc that I bought in 1963 and had for 32 years before I sold it. I kept the original dash and put one out of a donor car in the early 80's when I got it running again. It was allegedly done in California in the 50's but there is no signature anywhere on it. It could have been done by the gent I bought it from who was a pretty skilled arts and crafts teacher who taught his students how to make laminated dash and shift knobs over 1962/63.

 

Thanks.That dash is cool! Thanks for the pics.

 

I just acquired these negatives of my 51 Merc. Anyone know any place in so-cal where I can get prints made. I haven't had any luck.Most places only do digital,Thank you!

 

Get in touch with Steve at Wormser Photography on Alabama St. In Redlands. He'll know who to use. Tell him Tim sent you. On second though he might charge double if you do

310 Alabama St STE F, Redlands, CA 92373
(909) 793-0890

 

Hey 51,

If the place doing digital is close by, then have them convert them to digital files. If they are color negs, then the digital file will be color. If B/W Original negs, then the digital file will be B/W. It is a positive win due to having a digital copy anytime you want access and able to put them together as a package for a gift or post them on a thread anywhere.

Once you get the negs printed, you will have nice photos, but that is it. They will not save themselves, and you will not have saved them to a external hard drive for safe keeping. But, if any shop prints them, then copy those to your own digital files.

If you have a good printer at home, scan the negatives if your set up allows it. They should scan into nice images. Most printers are not as good as photo store's printing techniques. But, a digital file will allow you to use any of those yellow Kodak machines at CVS / Savon-on or other places to print quality color images. Only if you have digital images on a flash drive. Costco is now part of Shutterfly and they have the same machines that make good prints at low prices as the other two places. No one machine is better than the others.

Jnaki
We used to print all of our negatives and old color slides, but our printer has other things it does for us. It is less expensive to go to those little machines to print out any color photos. YRMV

So, whoever does your work, have them save the negs to digital format and then you can decide what or how to print them. We are satisfied with the quality prints from a machine... Now, that is something we would never have thought about in the old days, but technology has matched the old style with ease and convenience.

 

LOL!Thank you!