2015 Pebble Beach Mercurys
2015 PEBBLE BEACH MERCURYS
The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance creates a class of historic 1949-51 Mercury Customs for Sunday, August 16, 2015
Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
Once each year in August about 200 of the most prized collector cars and motorcycles in the world roll onto the fairway of what is often called the best finishing hole in golf — the famed eighteenth at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Tire meets turf and transformation occurs: the stage is set for one of the most competitive events in the automotive world. The occasion is the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Originally a small social event paired with a road race through the pine and cypress forests of Pebble Beach, the Pebble Beach Concours has grown into the top-ranking collector car competition in the world. People from all over the globe come to compete in or simply witness and enjoy the Concours here at Pebble Beach.
The Concours is not a contest of speed, but of elegance. Automobiles and motorcycles are judged for their historical accuracy, their technical merit and their style—and the best garner reward and recognition.
The 2015 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance will feature the following following marques and special classes:
• Ferrari
• duPont
• Pope
• Designs by Carrozzeria Touring
• Postwar Cunninghams
• Mercury Customs
• British Prewar Sports Cars
• Japanese Motorcycles
As in several years before Ken Gross, renowned automotive journalist, has been in charge of the organization of the bi-annual Hot Rod and Custom Car special theme events at the Pebble beach Concours d’Elegance. For 2015 the theme is 1949 – 1951 Mercury Customs. Historic Mercury Customs, built before 1960, that had major magazine coverage, back in the day. In addition to the Historic Mercury Class, they are planning a seminar about Mercury Customs at Pebble Beach for Thursday, August 13th at 3 PM. For this Seminar Ken invited Pat Ganahl, George Barris, Larry Erickson and Rik Hoving to be panelists. Ken Gross will be the moderator at this seminar.
Ken Gross has already invited several Mercury Custom owners to bring their Historic Custom Mercury’s to the event. At this point some of these on the list have been approved while others have not given their final ok. But over all is looking really good and the Mercury Class will be filled with some high quality Historic Custom Mercury’s that will be shown at this prestigious event.
Here is the list of confirmed entrants:
- 1950 Mercury coupe Wally Welch (Justin Mozart)
- 1949 Mercury coupe Sam Barris (John Mumford)
- 1951 Mercury “Hardtop” Bob Hirohata (Jim McNiel)
- 1950 Mercury convertible Ralph Testa (Bill Worden)
- 1949 Mercury coupe James Dean (National Automotive Collection: Rebel Without a Cause)
- 1951 Mercury convertible Fred Rowe (Sam Pack)
- 1950 Mercury coupe Leo Lyons (Geoff Hacker and Rick D’Louhy)
All the historic Mercury’s have to be approved by the Pebble Beach Selection Committee which meets in March.
The National Automotive Collection is sending the James Dean Rebel Without a Cause 1949 Mercury which will be used as “stock” reference to compare the historic customs to.
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John Mumford will bring the Sam Barris 1949 Mercury.
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Justin Mozart will bring the Wally Welch Ayala/Barris built 1950 Mercury.
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Bill Worden will bring his Barris Kustoms built Ralph Testa 1950 Mercury convertible.
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Geoff Hacker and Rick D’Louhy will bring the Leo Lyons 1950 Mercury which is currently being restored in Florida.
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The Bob Hirohata Mercury owned by Jim McNiel.
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The Barris Kustoms built Fred Rowe 1951 Mercury convertible.
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Ken is still looking for some other historic Mercurys and would be really interested in finding out more on the old Louis Bettancourt, Johnny Zupan 1949 Mercury, the Jerry Quesnel 1949 Mercury, or…. If you have any suggestions, or know more about the current whereabouts of these or historic custom Mercury that would fit this event, then please contact us.
More info on the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance can be found on the Pebble Beach Concours site.
We will keep the Custom Car Chronicle readers updated about this event. And report back when the list of Historic Custom Mercury’s is final, or when other news comes available that is worth to report. This will be a very special event with some of the most historic Custom Mercury’s on the perfect lawns of Pebble Beach with the ocean as back drop.
Last update June 9, 2015
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This will be a kool line up, I wasn’t aware that Darryl Starbird’s “Fabula” was still around. Do you have some current pics of the Merc?
Mickey, this is the list provide by Ken Gross, I have not seen any photos of the Fabula how it looks today. Time will tell, if I know more I will share it here.
Are you going Rik????
Torchie.
Wow looks to be a very cool event!
I wonder if they are going to stick to their rules of no modern drive trains for this mercury class ?
Interesting. Quite a compliment to be invited Rik. Hope you can make it.
The time span for inclusion goes from making cars look good to making them look something else.
Looking forward to seeing the Mercs on the lawn. I’ve been covering Pebble Beach for the last three or four years and I try to get the custom car guys to attend. Maybe this will bring them out and they can see all the other wild looking (classic) cars that cover the lawn too. I will be in the front row of that seminar too! See ya there!
cool get togather,
Really looking forward to this, and I hope I can make it in person…either way, Rik’s coverage will be excellent.
I will be shooting Pebble Beach for Kustoms Illustrated, looking forward to a great day at the at the Concours.