THE "HIROHATA MERC" HAS ALWAYS BEEN one of my Favorite Customs of ALL-TIME, and in the very first Interview that GEORGE BARRIS and I did a few years back I wanted to make sure that was one topic that we covered.
George has such a great facilty for remembering complete details of ALL of the cars that he (and Sam) built, so I think you'll find out some truly fascinating information about this true Legendary Kustom that you may have never known before.
This is the car that started many Industry Trends: Buick Sidetrim on Mercs, Turning a Sedan into a Hard Top, Organic Two-Tone Paint, Fadeaway Fenders into the Scoops/Rear Quarters, Floating Grilles, Frenched-In Lincoln Taillights, etc.
It is with great pleasure that I present to you the true story of the building of : "The Hirohata Merc". Enjoy ! JK
(Above left: Bob Hirohata and his '51 Merc. Above right: The restored Hirohata Merc owned by Jim McNeil.)
(Above left: The New 1951 Mercury Monterey. Above right: Ad for the New 1951 Mercury Sport Sedan.)
EXTRA PIX !
(Above left: Bob Hirohata gassing up the Merc ! (How low can you go ?!); Above right: The Merc at the Barris Shop )
(Above left: The restored Hirohata Merc; Above right: One of George Barris' original sketch designs for the Merc as featured in the March, 1953 Issue of Motor Trend Magazine)
Be sure to check-out George's Website to see many, many more of the fabulous cars that he's built: www.barris.com
SPECIAL NOTE: Some photos on this Page courtesy of Barris Kustom City, Rik Hoving, Kustomrama, and the Petersen Museum.
