Chassis Number: 51SL34730M
Uniquely American in many ways, the custom-car craze truly found its calling in the late 1940s, blossoming throughout popular culture in the following decade. For many owners, the restyled early post-war Mercury coupes have been the way to go for these changes, and the 1949–51 cars quickly became an open canvas for custom “lead sled” ideas. This 1951 example had a larger bearing on that reputation than any other vehicle, as it is considered to be the purest initial refitting of this model. Always associated with the hobby’s most famous names, this is the Bob Hirohata Merc. This car’s history is well known, documented through the pages of numerous magazines during the past 70 years. In 1952, young Bob Hirohata had just returned from a stint in the Navy. He owned a 1949 Mercury that featured some mild customization work done by the Barris brothers, Sam and George, prior to Hirohata’s military service. The Barris custom business, started in the war years (when Hirohata had actually been among the Japanese-American citizens the Roosevelt administration interred) was now growing rapidly in its new Lynwood, CA, location. When Hirohata saw Sam Barris’ own just-chopped ’49 Merc, Hiroharta bought a basically new ’51, took it to the Barris shop and told them to go all out with a radical customization. Not only did the Barris crew agree, but they also decided that Hirohata’s car would be used to showcase their skills at the 1952 Motorama show. It took 97 days to complete, and the result was unlike anything seen before.
