Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2005
1951 Mercury
Shows/events • Weekly Cruise Nights
BY BRIAN BEAULIEU
Journal Staff Writer
Back in the 1950s, tank-like 49-51 Mercurys were a favorite with customizers, as they were called then. Owners would chop and channel them, adding parts from other makes and from the J.C. Whitney catalog. This car harks back to that era.
It's a father-son project of Tony and Gary DiLorenzo of Johnston. Tony, who is retired, had one in 1955 -- he has the photos to prove it -- and in 1998 decided it was time for another. His daughter found it for him on the Internet, and he went to Las Vegas to check it out.
It was love at first sight when Tony saw the slanted '39 Nash roof that was welded to the stock, high windshield. He had the car shipped back and began working on it. But he took ill and Gary, a body man by trade, finished it under his dad's watchful eye.
The Merc has so many different parts the list sounds like a Johnny Cash song. There's '62 Oldsmobile taillights, turned on end, '59 Cadillac parking lights and seats, a '49 Mercury dash, a '55 Chrysler grille and a '52 DeSoto front bumper. And the wheel covers are from a '57 Caddy.
The drive train is the mandatory hot-rod setup, a Chevy 350 V8, with four-barrel carburetor, coupled to a Chevy automatic transmission. There are dual exhausts through the chrome side pipes, but soon those will be just for show and the exhaust will come out of ports behind the front wheel wells.
Gary says the restoration, finished a year and a half ago, took two years. The special Brandywine paint changes in the light, evoking the hot rod era. Father and son share the driving, and the credit, at car shows and cruise nights, where there are always plenty of admirers.
ENGINE/TRANSMISSION: 350-cubic-inch Chevy V8; Chevy turbo automatic.
COLOR: House of Colors Brandywine.
MILEAGE: 12,000 on rebuild.
PLATE: Antique 2084.
CAN BE SEEN: A&W, Smithfield, on Tuesdays, Scrambler's, Woonsocket, on Thursdays.
CONDITION: Pristine conversion.
If you have a classic car you wish to be considered
for this feature, please e-mail bbeaulie@projo.com with
details.
Shows/events • Weekly Cruise
Nights
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
The cruise night season is just about over, with a couple of exceptions. The Gold cruise at Gold's gym on Route 109 in Millis, Mass. goes every Friday night from 6-9 through the end of the month. And the North Attleboro cruise night, which began last month, is held every other Monday night through Nov. 7. Hot rods and classics meet at 6 at the Super Stop & Shop on Route 1, and at 6:30 take a cruise to a different destination each time, making a stop or two along the way.
The weekend show scene continues on a limited basis through the end of the month. This Sunday, the Toys for Tots Fun Run sponsored by ...will be held at Johnston Memorial Park, Route 6. See the listing for admission requirements.
OCTOBER
Oct. 9 -- Fun run, Memorial Park, Route 6, Johnston, 9-3. Admission is two canned goods, plus toy for Toys for Tots.
Oct. 10 -- North Attleboro cruise night, Super Stop & Shop, Route 1, 6 p.m. Cruise to mystery destination begins at 6:30).
Oct. 16 -- Knights of Columbus, 304 Highland Ave., Attleboro, 9-4.
Oct. 16 -- Swedish car day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline, Mass., 10-3.
Oct. 23 -- Studebaker day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline, Mass., 10-3.
WEEKLY CRUISE NIGHTS
Over for the season.
To list an event, e-mail information to Bbeaulie [at] projo.com, phone (401) 277-7179, fax (401) 277-8175 or write to Brian Beaulieu, Journal Features Department, 75 Fountain St., Providence, RI 02902.
