An icon of the customized automobile period, Bob Hirohata’s 1951 Mercury custom-made by the Barris store, will go up for grabs on the Mecum Kissimmee (Florida) public sale to be held Jan. 6-16.

The rise of customized automobile tradition paralleled scorching rod tradition within the submit World Conflict II interval. Many outlets in Southern California started customizing 1949-’51 Mercs, utilizing the slab-sided our bodies as clean canvases for his or her imaginative and prescient of what automobiles could possibly be. Chopping the tops, channeling the our bodies, and shaving the trim for a smoother look remodeled what was in any other case deemed a frumpy design.

The Hirohata Merc is seen as the top of Merc lead sled design, and is acknowledged as probably the most well-known customized of all time. Constructed by the Barris brothers, George and Sam, at Barris Kustom, it acquired all the appropriate modifications to make it look modern and chic, however not overstyled.

The primary modifications reworked the profile. The store chopped the highest 4 inches within the entrance and 7 inches within the rear, leaned the the rear window ahead, and changed the B-pillars with channel inventory to provide the coupe a hardtop look. To present the automobile its low stance, the Barris brothers minimize the entrance coil springs, C-sectioned the rear body, de-arched the rear leaf springs, and set the rear on two 1.5-inch decreasing blocks.

Alongside the perimeters, the Barris brothers changed the straight fender trim with rounded trim from a 1952 Buick Riviera that gives a delineation for a two-tone Ice Inexperienced and Natural Darkish Inexperienced paint scheme. The brilliant shade was a departure from the various darkish colours on customs of the day. Massive fender bulges have been added to the rear, fronted by practical handmade scoops embellished with enamel from a 1952 Chevy grille.

On the entrance, the grille was shortened and a brand new handmade grille bar inserted. The bumper was modified, the headlights frenched (the trim rings molded into the fenders for a cleaner look), and wraparound parking mild moldings have been made utilizing 1950 Ford elements. The hood misplaced its chrome and was prolonged and reshaped to suit with the brand new grille opening. The rear was given frenched 1952 Lincoln taillights.

Inside, the automobile acquired a rolled and pleated upholstery. Famous pinstriper Von Dutch utilized his artwork to the sprint, and Hirohata himself made his personal teardrop sprint knobs from plastic.

As soon as the customization was full, Hirohata had the engine swapped with the mill from a 1953 Cadillac, incomes the automobile the nickname “Mercillac.”

The automobile gained a number of awards, was featured in quite a few magazines, and appeared within the 1955 film “Runnin’ Wild.” Hirohata drove it for a couple of years, then offered it in 1955. In 1959, a highschool pupil named Jim McNeil discovered it on a used automobile lot. He drove it till 1964, after which put it away. It resurfaced in 1989, when Rod & Customized editor Pat Ganahl coaxed McNeil into restoring the automobile with the journal’s assist.

The revived Hirohata Merc appeared on the Pebble Seashore Concours d’Class in 2015, and was then added to the Nationwide Historic Automobile Register.

Now, this piece of automotive historical past could be yours. We’ll see if it sells and the way a lot it goes for in January.