Sam Barris '49 Merc Custom

[Steve H]

Hi Phil, another stunning build sir. Paint looks amazing in that west coast sunshine!  As others have said, your replica builds, which is most of what you build, are accurate, well researched, and extremely well executed. Looking forward to the next zoom meeting.

Cheers, Steve

[Phildaupho]

1 hour ago, Steve H said:

Hi Phil, another stunning build sir. Paint looks amazing in that west coast sunshine!  As others have said, your replica builds, which is most of what you build, are accurate, well researched, and extremely well executed. Looking forward to the next zoom meeting.

Cheers, Steve

Thanks Steve. I really enjoy the research and figuring out and executing the replication but always seem to struggle with the final assembly and especially the painting. 

[Mr. Metallic]

That paint color is stunning.

Nice conversion work  performed on a kit that far too many people write off. It's not a perfect kit, but it's a good starting point for a sweet custom build, and you just proved that fact.

[Phildaupho]

1 hour ago, Mr. Metallic said:

That paint color is stunning.

Nice conversion work  performed on a kit that far too many people write off. It's not a perfect kit, but it's a good starting point for a sweet custom build, and you just proved that fact.

Thanks Craig. I completely agree with your assessment of the Revell Merc kit. There is definitely a lot to like about it.

[RancheroSteve]

A great piece of history and beautiful build, Phil!

[Dan Hay]

Amazing! Really nailed it. You did a fantastic job correcting some of the shortcomings of the Revell kit.

[Watertown]

Having seen this car in person at the 2015 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, I can tell you that you've absolutely nailed it! Nice execution and attention to detail. Well done!

 

[Phildaupho]

4 hours ago, RancheroSteve said:

A great piece of history and beautiful build, Phil!

Thanks Steve - I really found the history of this car from new to the present very interesting

3 hours ago, Dan Hay said:

Amazing! Really nailed it. You did a fantastic job correcting some of the shortcomings of the Revell kit.

Thanks Dan. Not that I have any plans to do so myself but someone could certainly build a very fine custom Mercury custom by combining the best of both the Revell and AMT kits.

[Phildaupho]

1 hour ago, Watertown said:

Having seen this car in person at the 2015 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, I can tell you that you've absolutely nailed it! Nice execution and attention to detail. Well done!

Great photos Mike. I really like the view of the interior. The car currently has 1949 California license plates which I initially wanted for the model. Interestingly in the photos of the car with Sam and on the Motor Trend cover the car has 1951 plates. The Revell kit has a 51 California plate on the decal sheet so although not the same number, I used a couple of those on the model.

[Phildaupho]

Watertown's photos of Sam's Merc at Pebble Beach made me want to try to get a photo of the models interior and I have also included a photo of the engine compartment albeit a little dusty.

[slusher]

Outstanding Mercury!

[ewetwo]

Beautiful!

 

[Tom Geiger]

Great custom!  

[Phildaupho]

On 3/11/2021 at 10:05 PM, slusher said:

Outstanding Mercury!

Thanks Carl

22 hours ago, ewetwo said:

Beautiful!

 

Thanks David

19 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

Great custom!  

Thanks Tom

[BeakDoc]

Wow! A ton of work went into this bad boy and it turned out excellent. Stunning!

[Phildaupho]

2 hours ago, BeakDoc said:

Wow! A ton of work went into this bad boy and it turned out excellent. Stunning!

Thanks Chris - it was a fun project

[carrucha]

Very sharp!

[Phildaupho]

23 hours ago, carrucha said:

Very sharp!

Thanks Hector. Now its time to move on to a new project.

[HotRodaSaurus]

Lovely model. It's great to see one with a full fadeaway, this and the Ayala built 49 are my 2 favourite Merc's of that era, both have full fadaways.
Great post???

[Phildaupho]

3 hours ago, HotRodaSaurus said:

Lovely model. It's great to see one with a full fadeaway, this and the Ayala built 49 are my 2 favourite Merc's of that era, both have full fadaways.
Great post???

Thanks John - You are obviously a custom Merc historian. Your post made me have another look at Pat Ganahl's book The American Custom Car and a couple past issues of the Rodder's Journal featuring custom Mercs. The Ayala Merc is similar in many ways but with additional features like slanted b-pillars, rounded hood, spinners on the front hubcaps and a flipped front bumper over-rider. Pat wrote that  Barrises actually finished the car off with frenched taillights, custom grill and a burgundy paint job.

[HotRodaSaurus]

21 hours ago, Phildaupho said:

Thanks John - You are obviously a custom Merc historian. Your post made me have another look at Pat Ganahl's book The American Custom Car and a couple past issues of the Rodder's Journal featuring custom Mercs. The Ayala Merc is similar in many ways but with additional features like slanted b-pillars, rounded hood, spinners on the front hubcaps and a flipped front bumper over-rider. Pat wrote that  Barrises actually finished the car off with frenched taillights, custom grill and a burgundy paint job.

The Ayala Mercury was stolen sometime during the 1970s and has never been seen since. It is believed both Sam Barris and the Ayala's started both around the same time, maybe the Ayala car was even finished first, not long later Louis Betancourt took it to the Barris's for a repaint and some minor additions. Though the Ayala's did all the custom work I do prefer Barris's modifications and new colour.
 I much prefer the Sam Barris 49 and the Ayala car to Sams Hirohata car as to me that one is just a little over the top. 
I shall look for that book despite all these books being quite rare now over here(UK).

Cheers, J.

[Phildaupho]

3 hours ago, HotRodaSaurus said:

 

I would have loved to attend the Mercury display at the 2009 Sacramento Autorama that featured a huge number of chopped 49-51 Mercs. It is amazing how many of those vintage customs survived and have been. This is from Rod & Custom magazine.

[HotRodaSaurus]

On 3/16/2021 at 5:21 PM, Phildaupho said:

I would have loved to attend the Mercury display at the 2009 Sacramento Autorama that featured a huge number of chopped 49-51 Mercs. It is amazing how many of those vintage customs survived and have been. This is from Rod & Custom magazine.

All gorgeous ???

[DrKerry]

That is a beautiful build!! Finish looks flawless!!

[Phildaupho]

14 hours ago, DrKerry said:

That is a beautiful build!! Finish looks flawless!!

Thanks Kerry. The natural lighting of sunshine can do wonders to enhance a paint job.