Mercury 1949 - 51 custom & mild custom galerie

Kool photo

BODY / KUSTOM MODS:


TONS of Kustom Body Tricks
Chopped Top
Louvered Hood
'53 Desoto Grille
'55 Pontiac Side Trim
'52 Buick Tail Lights
'51 Fender Skirts
Frenched
Shaved
Rounded
~LOWERED~
Custom Canted Headlights




Shaved Trunk w/ Popper in Gas Filler Compartment
Shaved Doors Handles, Uses Magnet Opener, Very Cool!
VERY Straight!
Paint that will Put your Eye out in the Sun!




~Started with a Body that you would never find again,
only had a piece of metal the size of a golf ball that had to be cut out, rest of it was dead on solid

PAINT:
Custom Metal Flake
=Has 3 Color Bases, Flake, Then tons of High Solid Clear Coat
buffed to a Smooth Finish

INTERIOR:


Show Winning, Custom High Dollar Ultra Leather Interior is SOOOO SOFT!
Has Heat and Air Conditioning!
Mercedes Front Seats
'64 T-Bird Wrap Around Rear Seat
`Power Seats
`Power Windows
Console is super comfortable to rest your arm on.
CUPHOLDERS even!
Super Nice Carpet
Custom Leather Wrapped TILT Steering Wheel
Very Comfortable
All Glass New and Good Except crack on the small driver Wing Glass.
CD-DVD Player has full swing out LCD Monitor for DVD, etc.
Tach in Clock Position
*Cd Player is not hooked up as I never could stop listening to the lake pipes long enough!

SUSPENSION:
Lowered
1969 NOVA SS Front Clip!
Rear End is '79 Trans Am, 242 Posi Rear
Great Take off and Highway Gear. Just Perfect

THE ENGINE / DRIVETRAIN:


Motor is a Crate 350
Very Nice Oil Pressure, around 75 start and 60 once warmed up.
350 Turbo Automatic, Very Smooth Shifts
Lake Pipes are Hooked UP like they should be, no Fakes!
Mufflers are nice and Deep, but Uncap the Lake Pipes for an even Cooler Tone!
(I just leave them off, I love the sound!)
Power Steering
Power Brakes, Stop Perfect

TIRES / WHEELS:


Wide White Wall Radial Tires
Caddy Hub Caps, Real

Built by Bill Ganahl’s South City Rod & Custom, Rogers’ Merc started with humble beginnings. “I wanted a thirty thousand dollar flat black Merc custom,” he said…”That’s how we started out. But once things got rolling and Bill and I began to collaborate and dream, the project took on a life of its own. I’ve never really done things half speed so it’s not too surprising we went all in. We saw the possibilities of what it could be and Bill was the man to take it there” said Rogers, a financial advisor on the San Francisco peninsula.

Ganahl, a second generation hot rodder, spent many years as an apprentice working long hours at Roy Brizio Street Rods, honing his craft. He was introduced to traditional hot rods & customs at a very young age growing up in Southern California. His daily driver to and from Brizio’s shop all those years was a ’50 Ford sled. Indeed, it’s as if he was born to build THIS car. He’d be the first to admit however, he had a lot of help along the way.

Upon first glance, the Merc’s perfect, radical 4-inch chop grabs you and won’t let go. The top and forward-slanted B-pillars were artistically executed by Matt Townsend (Townsend Customs & Hot Rods). With that critical step done, Ganahl added the evil ’53 DeSoto grille, ’50 Merc rear window, ’49 Merc dash and laid in the ’55 Ford side trim featuring Packard spears. The rich, mile-deep candy blue House of Kolor paint was sprayed by Joe Compani.

The engine bay, long ignored by most custom stylists is just as beautiful as the car’s sleek exterior. Ganahl hand fabricated a complete set of engine compartment panels to house the painted and lettered “Chevrolac” (Chevy small block with custom made Caddy valve covers). Underneath it all is a full Art Morrison chassis. And get this – it drives just as well as it looks, requiring nothing more than a “pinky on the steering wheel” according to Ganahl. He should know – he DROVE the Merc 60 miles from his shop in South San Francisco to Pleasanton for the show! We’re guessing the ride back home across the San Mateo Bridge was a sweet one with the Custom of the Year trophy riding shotgun on the period-perfect blue & white tuck & roll upholstery.

When reflecting after the big win, Ganahl summed up the project simply, saying “We tried to build a classy, subtle Merc custom that didn’t have flaws. One that could be driven long distances. That became the ultimate focus of this car.” Mission accomplished Bill!

As for the car’s plans? “Oh I’ve got big plans for the car,” said owner Nick Rogers. “I plan on loading up the family, and cruising the El Camino to go get ice cream.”

Fellow finalists for the Goodguys 2013 Mother’s Custom of the Year Award included John D’Agostino (’40 Cadillac), Tony Cuevest (’49 Merc), Don Kirk (’40 Ford) and Jeff James (’54 Chevy).

 

 

 

 

Pat Ganahl is a legendary journalist and mainstay in the hot rod world, so you can imagine how much his son Billy must know about kustoms. Billy works at Brizio Street Rods during the day, and finished this ’51 Merc in his spare time to debut it at GNRS.



Pat’s nickname is Too Tall Ganahl, and we can see why in this shot of him admiring his son’s work. The look on his face tells it all. A proud father he must be.



The white valve covers and original Caddy air cleaner really pop against the deep blue paint.



A ’49 Merc dash was swapped in and the interior was tastefully dressed in dark blue and white.



Just like the Model A pickup, this car pushes stance to the limit without going too far. Some cars would look ridiculous this low, but the Merc pulls it off.



When people evaluate a chop they are looking for a flow from the front to the back of the roof. This car nails it. Kustom fans will always have their “perfect Merc chop” and I suspect this car just jumped to the top of the list for many.

wOow...

1949 Mercury
- Chopped 3.5 in.
- Roll Pans (front/rear).
- Nosed, Decked, Shaved Handles (electric).
- Frenched Headlights.
- Phantom Lake pipes.
- All body seams welded and filled.
- Frenched LED tailights.
- Hidden, flush mount antenae.
- Custom fender skirts.




Monarch Grill with vertical bars removed.
- Stock dash with custom instrument cluster (billet).
Chassis
- 1972 Pontiac LeMans (stretched 3 in).
- Complete rebuild of all suspension parts.
- KYB gas shocks.
- Front coils – stock.
- Rear coils – custom station wagon, shortend to suit.
- Pontiac Power steering with GM Van column.
- Custom built Cross flow Rad.
Drive Train
Engine: 350 cu. in. Chev, 194cc heads, flat top pistons,
mild cam, Holley carb., Edelebrock Man.
Tansmission: Turbo 350, shift kit, 2500 stall convertor.
Differential : Rebuilt stock 72 Pontiace 2:73 gears.
Brakes: Drum front/rear, Power Mustang II.
Interior – Mauve Vinyl, Burgundy Wool Carpet.
- Seats – Oldsmoble, Split bench (front).
Rear- Stock Merc with centre arm rest.




LeCarrea Steering Wheel (Billet/Vinyl wrap).
- Rosta Cruise Control.
- Vintage Air.
- Stewart Warner (Black Face) Guages.
- AM/FM Cassette Stero, power antenae.
- Power one piece door glass.
- “V” Butt Windshield.
- Billet Interior Door Handles.
Chop, Complete Chassis, Roll Pans, Seam welding, and assembly done by owners other half (husband).
Rough Body work smoothed and blocked by Vern Hebert and Randy Rear.
Finish Block sand and paint with flames by “Wavey Davey” Ent. – Winnipeg.
Interior by “Otto’s Custom Upholstery” – Beausejour, Mb.
Glass by “Sir Ronald” of Fort Rouge Glass – Winnipeg.
Engine by Paul and Gil at “Joe’s Machine – Winnipeg.
Transmission / Differential by Gordy and Wayne at GW Transmission – Winnipeg.
Rad and Air by “Dr. Don” – Gem Rad – Winnipeg.
Body work – “Tricks of the Trade” by Ken Haller.
Without all of these fellows, my “Snow Ball from Hell” would not have happened.