What is the tag on the driver's door down below the vent window? I see it in the pictures, but have never seen a close enough picture with enough detail to tell what it is.....and I've never seen the original in person. I've just always been curious what it was. Thought it might be a mounting plate for a removeable rear view mirror, but that seems like an odd dodangle to leave hanging on there so would guess it is something else.
No, not the Barris crest...that is on the front fender. This one is in the driver's door below the vent window. Hmmmm....if it does say Hawiian, wonder why you'd put a tag like that in that particular place.....I don't have one on mine that says "German".
That is just the kind of cool tidbit I was hoping for. In pictures it seems just an odd sort of barb stuck on there like that breaking up the flow of things....so I figured it had to have some sort of significance. I like neat information like that....thanks!
Im sure Kurt McCormic WISHES he owned it, but he never has. Jim McNeil has owned the car since the late 50's (I think around 59?).
I know he was making a huge effort to find & purchase it in the early '80s...I have a Hot Rod pic of him walking around at a car show, with a sandwich board sign saying something to the effect of "Reward offered for information leading to the location/purchase of the original Hirohata Merc". Heard later that he was having a clone built. I thought I read somewhere that he had finally got the original in the '90s. Guess that would be "not".
I used to know what it said... but now I'm unsure so I have to look it up again... cant find the do***ent right now, but what I do know is this... At one point when the Merc was painted lime gold with dark green a side mirror was added. Not many photo's do show it, but below are several that show the odd looking side mirror. The first photo is from Barry Mazza fantastic photo collection and show not only the odd side mirror on the door, but also a none Cadillac hubcap. Original a 49 Caddy Sombrero was used which was later replaced by a 1953 model, first when the car was still seafoam green and they where still in place when the car was repainted lime gold. Apperently at one point these hubcaps where added... not a wise thing in my opinion. Here the car has the 49Caddy Sombrero's and lime gold paint and the side mirrors. But here the car was also lime gold and had the 1953 hubcaps but NO side mirrors. The Megan Boyd photo of the restored Merc (below) shows the enblem... in the exact same location as the side miror once was. So yes the enblem must have been added at one point to hide de holes drilled for the side mirror. Still kind of odd to leave the enmblem on the car after it has been restored to its firs seafoam green. And this is an enlargment of the enblem. It sure looks like its says Hawaiian... But I'am nost sure. I have it writen down somewhere. I will find it.
looks to be saiing "the hawaian" even suppose Bob could have hawaii family roots?, did he call himself the hawaiian or did he call the car that?
Sure enough looks to say Hawiian to me, too. So now we are back to why would it say that? Makes sense to have once put the tag on to hide the mirror holes, but I have to agree with Rikster....why leave it on in the current restored state when it seems as though Bob is not the one who put it on? I guess maybe because it has always been there since Jim got it and wanted to keep it on there, or he was the one who originally put it on....?
And why were the mirrors added? To tow a boat. Aren't there pics of thar car with BOTH the mirror and the emblem?
While we're discussing it, anyone have pictures of the original dash pinstriping? I've read about it several times but never seen a picture. Interesting stuff.
Yup .... that's probably why they were added ...... Rikster should have pictures of the car with a boat and trailer in tow.
An ex-coworker of mine, if I remember his story correctly, is Hirotata's grand-nephew or grandson or something. I have no reason not to believe him since he otherwise (to my knowledge) knows nothing about kustoms. I just remember asking him on his first day if his whole family was into cars (he is a Honda guy), and he said, "Yeah, kinda. My dad is into muscle cars and my [grand-uncle/grandfather/whatever] built some famous Mercury." The guy is Japanese, so I asked, "Was your (insert relative here) named Bob Hirohata?" He replied that indeed it was. I'll try e-mailing him to see if his family might have some photos of what you're looking for. Can't promise that he'll reply with any info, but I'll give it a shot.
Towing the boat... with mirrors. restored Merc, with original (restored) Von Dutch pinstriping (photo by Megan Boyd)
i think the hirohata was originally called "the hawaiian" because that was a custom trend at the time, many famous cars had south pacific names: tahitain, polynesian, etc. i think i read thats how hirohatas car was named...
I'm still going with monogramed initials- but would be happy if someone proved me wrong and I learn something new.
It would make sence... but I don tthink so. Bob named his car the "Mercillac" in the October 1953 Rod & Custom article called "Kross Kountry in a Kustom". Noweher in this article the name Hawaiian appears. But the name Mercillac was named several times in the article.
Rikster, you never cease to amaze me... what an awesome article, i never knew it existed. dumb question, why was it referred to as "mercillac" is/was it caddy powered or something? also doesnt the dutch striping on the glovebox have a name? something like "the decline of the modern man" or something along those lines, i think i read that a few years back...
The rest of the article.... (Visite my site to see larger versions of these... click "Get original uploaded photo" on the botom left of each photo) Cadillac engine was installed just before the Kross Kountry Trip... TRJ photo of the restored engine... I believe the pinstriping is called "this is the City"
In my humble opinion, the Hirohata Merc is without a doubt the most beautiful custom ever.... and I think I'd say that even if it wasn't also the most famous.
I went to the Grand National 50th at the Cow Palace just to see the Hirohata, and I'm 100% sure it does say "the hawaiian", my buddy and I have called it that ever since. I had hoped to see the Ala' Cart there also but only a clone of it was there.... I've molested the real one since then though at its semi secret hideing place.
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