“The Hirohata Merc” ~ 1951 Mercury Sports Coupe Built by Barris Kustoms

The Hirohata Merc ~ 1951 Mercury Sports Coupe built by George Barris Kustoms
The Hirohata Merc ~ 1951 Mercury Sports Coupe built by George Barris Kustoms

The 1951 Mercury Sports Coupe built by Barris Kustoms aka “The Hirohata Merc” is the embodiment of the custom car craze that became popular in post-WWII America!

This chopped Merc helped set the trend for many custom cars to follow and made an indelible mark on America’s automotive history.

The Hirohata Mercury ~ Part I

What makes a proper “Custom” car and how were they different from Hot Rods of the same period? We dive into the world of Customs in Part I of the “Hirohata Merc: Custom Legend” documentary…

The Hirohata Mercury ~ Part II

In Part II of the “Hirohata Merc: Custom Legend” documentary, we take a look into what made this particular custom Merc so special compared to other cars of the era.

It’s fine details and flowing bodywork made it stand out among the crowds and become a car show headliner across the country! But what would happen once the custom car craze began to die down?

The Hirohata Mercury ~ Part III

Jim McNiel was in for the find of a lifetime when he cruised past a used car lot and spotted one of the most iconic custom cars ever built for sale. He ended up taking home the Hirohata Merc for $500 and has kept the car his entire life!

Find out how this iconic car helped bring people together in Part III of the docu-series “Hirohata Merc: Custom Legend”…

The Hirohata Mercury ~ Part IV

When Jim McNiel decided to restore the iconic Hirohata Merc, he knew he had to do it right. With the help of many of the original workers who built the car at Barris Kustoms back in the 1950s, they brought this piece of kustom royalty back to life!