HAMB HISTORIANS HELP -Finest Merc gathering around ~ 60th Anniversary of the 49 Merc

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As of today we have room for two more Mercs in this display. We appreciate the hundreds of requests to have cars in the show but are looking for either a couple more historic cars or a couple more well known and very traditional styles Mercs.

If anyone has any suggestions ( 0 0 MACK ? ) Please let me know. Thanks very much.


Axle

 

How about working on getting the one in THIS THREAD Axle?

 

Hey Alex,

do you have a list of what has been entered so far? Or is it a secret???

 

Rikster is keeping a list........ checkout the site below

http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_...-1/custom-car-shows-2009/2009-sacramento-aut/

Happy Trails,

Mick

 

The guy has been invited... not sure on the status!

 

Link no work!

 

Fantastic car and the entire staff invited him in but he doesn't think the interior will be completed in time. I told him that we'd take the car unfinished. Sent him his email invite with a link to Rik's site yesterday and didn't hear back from him.

Hope he changes his mind and gives the thumbs up - he'd need to decide in the next couple of days . Axle

 

Try THIS

 

Tom Black will be at the show with his 1940 Mercury...

 

Thanks Rikster,

That car above is going to be such an awesome addition to the gathering !

 

Tom Blacks Merc is absolutely stunning !

 

Say, about 20 years ago there was this TV series about 1950's Hollywood Detectives . The series was called "Private Eye". The head guy drove around in a 57 Caddy Barritz and his helper was this young James Dean sort of character that drove around in a lowered 49 or 50 Merc - lowered,shaved,nosed , decked, etc . I think it even had lakes pipes if i remember correctly.

That would be interesting to find out who,what,where,how on that Merc.

Anyone have any idea's? 00 Mack ?

 

I have it taped (not the Merc but the TV-series...) buy no VHS anylonger. The car was a black 49/50, built by Winfield. Some info from HAMB a few years ago: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27343 t

 

Is there a list of vendors coming?I hope Gene Winfield has some autographed books there.

 

are you guys still looking for the "Nostalgia Sleeper" merc?

 

We have a stock 1951 Merc coming. Thanks

 

Axle do you need a stock 49 a friend of mine has one.

 

Axle i'm talking about the Lopez merc the red one at the top. i heard that it is now in LA just bought by the new owner. are you still looking for it or is it coming. its called the "nostalgia sleeper"

 

axle, what about 51 merc john built with yellow flames(wild bill layout and pinstriping) and black carson top rolling around riverside still looking good for over 10+ years. that thing is an older build thats seen some magazine and show exposure.

 

Thanks for all of your enquiries. The Merc building is officially full. We are still excepting applications for the Merc Drive In which i have delegated to Bad Bob Rhoads. Close to 100 Merc's are expected to attend and park around the prestigious Merc building C. We welcome Mercs and 49-51 Lincolns in any shape,style,or condition.

Axle

 

Hey Axle,I remember you saying that you were going to play movies(with mercs) inside the merc building,you have to see if you can have the best scene of all time from book of love playing- "Your an ace mechanic Twiller!!" that whole scene with that merc coming down that alley is cl***ic.

 

Yes !


Actually, i wish i had the time to compile every Merc scene that has been used in every film, and put it all in one DVD. I could have it shown on a big screen in the Merc building.

We could use scenes from:

American Graffiti
Grease
Running Wild
Badlands (with Martin Sheen)
Book of Love
Private Eye
Heart like a wheel
Cobra
Streets of fire



I can't think of any others - too much on my mind to think right now.

Anyone want to make this film - i'll buy you a bunch of beers during the show .

 

Hello, I’ve been on your site dozens of times in the past, but I have recently seen the interest in the Frank Sonzogni Merc so I figured I would sign up and share a bit of info.

The owner of the Sonzogni Merc (Larry Dames) is my uncle. He acquired the Merc back in 73 when he moved down to Tucson from St.Louis. The car was burnt up back in 59 and was sitting in a junk yard until 73 when he found it and bought it, rumor has it the only reason it didn’t get crushed is the owner of the yard was gradually taking the lead out of it.

To those who are wondering why the cars is White instead of green and why it does not have the Desoto grill or side trim on it. This car was burnt and sitting in a junk yard for almost 15 years before he got it and allot of stuff was missing including the 54 Desoto grill, the original flat head as well as numerous other items.

The car was rough and in a sense worthless back in the mid 70’s so he built it the way he wanted and could afford at the time. The car is still the way it was when he finished it 30 years ago, and still has the Chrysler Hemi he put in it back then, which is why it has a louvered hood, and he still drives it all the time.

He is planning on having it at the show, baring any unforeseen complications. He may even be driving it from Tucson instead of towing it.

As far as the cars future, I have been bugging him for over 15 years to restore it back to its original look but with kids, work and other cars, that has yet to happen. He has told me that if he can get his chopped 51 conv. going so he will have a Merc to drive, he will start to tear the car down and restore it back to its original look, Although the interior will more than likely be different, it was pretty hideous looking and he can’t get himself to match the interior, I can’t say I blame him for that.

Here are a couple photos of the car when he got it.

 

Hello Axle I was wondering if you had interest in including the Charlie Lopez 49 Merc as it also is a Historic Show Car built in the 1970s I just bought the car and its on the way back to California here are a few pics for your Consideration

Thanks!
Conrad Garcia

This was taken in the 70s






This was in 1974 prior to door and sunroof mods




The car is a Fresh Barn Find this is it today

 

These last two posts are the best in the whole thread!!!!!!!

 

Wow, those are two great posts indeed. BlownFish, I tried contacting your Uncle Larry at his Tuscon home every day for a month straight. I finally got his St. Louis Address,mailed him a nice letter and invite, and he called me right away after receiving it.

He is excited about the show and i am happy to have such a historical Barris car in the display. Like the rest of the show attendee's he will be receiving a custom embroidered jacket with his name on the front and a chopped merc on the back. So many people i have spoken to over the past few months didn't even know his car existed !
Can't wait !


Mr. Bomba - Conrad Garcia,

Unfortunately the inside of the building is totally full BUT, as you might of read, we are having a very neat outdoor gathering simply called "MERC DRIVE IN" and close to 100 Mercs and Lincolns are expected to park all around the Merc building. We welcome cars of all shapes,years,and conditions, and we more than welcome you to bring your new Charlie Lopez Merc to the event !

Again guys, this has taken months to organize - every day and night we've been on this. It has been stressful at times but i know it'll be worth it when that special weekend happens.

SPECIAL THANKS ONCE AGAIN !

MARK "MORTY" MORTON ~ AKA MR. HOP UP.

ROBBIE RADCLIFFE

RIK HOVING

CHIP CHIPMAN

LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST - MY WIFE CELESTE !

 

Rikster,

The black flamed `50 Mercury Monterey with the nerf bar style grille and bumpers, you mention here was painted by Gene Winfield for one of his customers back in the late 1950's. The owner did all the fabrication, then sent the Merc to Winfield's for paint work. I believe this is one of very few attempts or possibly the only attempt Gene tried at painting flames. I believe he felt more comfortable with painting solids, metallics, candies, blends, and fogging. We did not include this Mercury in Gene's book, "The Legendary Customs Cars and Hot Rods of Gene Winfield", that I wrote, simply because we only had a magazine cover, Car Speed and Style and the publisher was already screaming about the amount of color photographs and magazine covers we had sent. Thanks for including this Mercury in your list, it is certainly an important car.

David Grant

 

The black flamed `50 Mercury Monterey with the nerf bar style grille and bumpers, you mention here was painted by Gene Winfield for one of his customers back in the late 1950's. The owner did all the fabrication, then sent the Merc to Winfield's for paint work. I believe this is one of very few attempts or possibly the only attempt Gene tried at painting flames. I believe he felt more comfortable with painting solids, metallics, candies, blends, and fogging. We did not include this Mercury in Gene's book, "The Legendary Customs Cars and Hot Rods of Gene Winfield", that I wrote, simply because we only had a magazine cover, Car Speed and Style and the publisher was already screaming about the amount of color photographs and magazine covers we had sent. Thanks for including this Mercury in your list, it is certainly an important car.

David Grant[/QUOTE]

Hey David
It's about time you showed up here. Good talkin' to you today.
RodP

 

Crossroads,

The Mercury you are referring to in the short run television show, "Private Eye", driven by Josh Bolin, was built by Gene Winfield. Actually we prepared two cars for the show. I was working for Gene at the time and lucky me, I got to drive one of the cars over to Univeral Studios and drop off. One car came from Beaumont, California and the other came from Arizona. Both were painted black with bubble skirts and both had Cal Custom style grilles which Gene manufactured, by hand. Not many people remember these cars. While I was writing Gene's book, The Legendary Custom Cars and Hot Rods of Gene Winfield, I asked him what became of the cars, and he seemed to have tabs on at least one of the cars, if not both. Somewhere I have photos of these cars in front of Winfield's shop in Canoga Park, California send me an e-mail address and I will send them over.

Thanks,

David Grant

 

Hey David
It's about time you showed up here. Good talkin' to you today.
RodP[/QUOTE]
Rod,

You are one of my all time heros in the custom car world. I am blessed to know you and greatful you allowed me to stop by your shop on Ivy Steet in Salinas for the first time in the summer of 1981 when I was working in Monterey. I can still remember just about every car in your shop that summer, like Harry Bradley's El Camino, the Cliff Inman Chrysler, your lowered Buick, not to mention the `51 Mercury 2 door project in the backyard that you offered to me for $1,500. I was just a poor college student trying to save money. With all that you have done with custom cars, you are truly a renaissance man.

Keep up the great work.

David