Late 70s and through the 80s was a time I spent growing up dead in the center of Hot Rodding ans I have absolutely NO respect for the ****ing ugly styles of the time. That thing is UGLY but has possibility's to be way cool. Doc.
Thats why Pabst started making beer cans out of Aluminum That car wouldnt even make a good looking beer can. WTF
Ok i stand corrected the car was a good looking car the first time around but the thing needs to be restored to what it was before the hack job. it might not be sectioned but the hood is a lot shorter than stock. where is it now anyone know? well i was eyeball deep into street rods then and the NSRA so i never got to see many customs. but the custom craze was about gone during those "Dark Years", it really wasnt till the early 80's that it started to pick back up again.
some pretty weak stomachs, I bet dress sense and taste in wallpaper was questionable back then also, It can go again, its not that bad, to many old diehards around!!.......
I think this might of been the before look, maybe not. Oh, well.........Before and after look............. CRUISER
It would be so cool to see this '41 Merc returned to it's former glory, I had a '41 Ford done in the earlier style. I hate the billet wheels on the red version, even hate those so called California rear view mirrors more. * First picture was posted by mistake. CRUISER
Man O Man! What a chop! (for those of you that don't know, "chop" is 50's/60's slang for putting someone or something down. Remember Carol in American Graffiti?). Somebody needs to get that car and return it to it's former self.
I'd love to get my hands on that little beauty......The car has huge potential.......It would be a very easy project to turn it back to it's former glory.....I can't believe there's so many guys that don't see through the bad pipes and flares and paint.....That's all pretty straight ahead stuff to change.....you guys go ahead and drag some junker out of the desert, and I'll come by in my tail draggin', rag-top Merc and check on your progress....lol...
Yeah it really isnt that far off from what it was, visually. Wouldnt take much to change it back, just a LOT faster Id ***ume. I bet the interior is all 80's-d out tho. Maybe some TVs in there that don't work or a Zack Morris phone on the center console.
I really don't think it is so bad, Side pipes actually look pretty good on there. Flares are not my taste, and the convo pros aren't really jarring. Rim change is pretty easy though for the traditionalists. Which begs the question: which tradition are you being traditional to? Quite a few customs from the 50's are super fugly in my eyes, far worse than fender flares could ever be. there now, everyone is en***led to my opinion.
Here’s a picture of Kasper and I setting up the display for the Merc at the downtown Milwaukee car show fall 1971. As for dress sense? Check out my polyester pants, stylish shirt and sideburns and my kitchen was harvest gold. My kitchen now is stainless and granite. Get it ?
Yes, we get it, the 70's were a horrific dark ages with regards to taste, thanks for the reminder. Good style is good style no matter when it came from.
You guys are ***s... that car is rad. Lots of cars got ****ed up.... it looks lame now, but it's not far off. Way to state the obvious. I'd love to see a better picture of the intake manifold setup. Hey 7"Chop, did you live in milwaukee back in the day? It's always rad to find another old wisconsin hot rodder.
Jonnycola I grew up next to Milwaukee in St.Francis .I knew a few guys that went to Wales. If you know what I mean?
A lot of cars got personalized throughout the years according to the era and trend of the time. Some eras were better then others. I say, back to the original build myself. Just my .02.
Haha, well, I guess it depends on how old you are... either they were crooks or they had T.B. I'll have to email you sometime, I've got some questions about a couple cars that ran around the area back in the day. Do you have any more pictures from back in the day? It'd be great to see them.
Vince, thanks very much for getting back to me and for the additional pictures of the car. As one who saw the car shown in it's original form (magazine feature), I was thrilled to death to walk into the shop one day to see it being "updated"!....I thought it had been lost forever, and was very happy to see it again, even with the flairs and Thrushes. It was NOT my favorite incarnation of the car, but it was an old Custom that was having new life breathed into it and I was thankful to see it. I still love the '41 and don't understand why some guys here can't envision this car redone/restored. I know it takes a lot of talent/$$$$$ to take it back, and there are a lot of owners who got into their dream cars by the skin of their teeth and can hardley tear into them for a rebuild without ample amounts of cash....that should be apparent. I'd love to own one of these hagged out '70's cars if it was in that form....I'd be honored...Maybe the redo could come later....I'm not a snob...I thought the Billet Crew were the snobs....we have our own right here...........It's too bad, but the current owner of this car wouldn't be welcomed here after all the trash talk....hey, he's a car guy...I think he should be cut a whole lot of slack...... I had stopped to take some photos of Carls' '37 Tudor Sedan that sat in the back of the shop for a time. It too had some then fresh Purple Lace done over the White Pearl. It was during the time your Nova was being done. Thanks for that pic too! T'was music to my eyes! Bill Block of Kenosha was having several cars done in that timeframe as well....The Sectioned '40 Tudor Sedan and his Full-fendered T spent quite a bit of time in the shop too. I now live about 6 blocks right down the road from Kasper....you would know better, but I hear he's semi-retired now, but I see him at all the local shows even now. I'll get back to you personally with more questions...I'm sure you know the answer to most of them....I just wanted to stop in here and thank you again for digging those photos out....They are a real treat for me....Thanks very much.....(JP) Centurion9
as of this past summer, the original builder, Ken Adamec, was building another car and still involved in the car hobby.
I wonder what Ken thinks of his car now...and in California? Bill Block battled Diabetes for many years....We're probably more familiar with his cars than we think. The last one I saw was his '46-'48 Ford Coupe and Display rig. That was at the UW Parkside Shows...I'll try to find some pics to post. Thanks Vince and OG 001 for all the updates......Centurion9
Bill Block is the guy originally responsable for the car in my avatar pic.( wich is in my garage) do you milwaukee guys remember it?
Very Barris from 6os and 70s, I think. A very few mods and it would be sooo cool, sorry I dont agree with the rest of you, guess Im too old and have no taste. I have, however, spent lots of time in art galleries so maybe i am tainted.
I don't know if Ken knows about his car or that it is in Ca. Block's Ford coupe has been through 3 or 4 owners in the past 5 years.
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