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The Hirohata Merc is a 1950s custom car, "the most famous custom of the classic era".〔(Favorite 50 Rods & Customs ), ''Rod & Custom'', December 01, 2003〕〔''Rod & Custom'', 8/89, p.12.〕 Setting a style and an attitude, it had a "momentous effect" on custom car builders,〔DeWitt, John. ''Cool cars, high art: the rise of kustom kulture'', University Press of Mississippi, 2001. ISBN 978-1578064021 , p.69.〕 appeared in several magazines at the time〔DeWitt, p.70〕 and has reappeared numerous times since, earning an honorable mention on ''Rod & Custom''s "Twenty Best of All Time" list in 1991.〔 The impact may be measured by the fact that, after more than fifty years and numerous owners, it is still known as "the Hirohata Merc".〔DeWitt, p.80〕 ==Construction== Constructed in 1953 for Bob Hirohata,〔''Rod & Custom'', 8/89, pp.12 & 14.〕 it was designed and built by George and Sam Barris, assisted by Frank Sonzogni.〔(Jalopy Journal ).〕〔''Street Rodder'', 1/85, p.111.〕 It started out as a 1951 Club Coupe.〔(Barris.com )〕〔The same body style as D'Agostino's Merc. ''Street Rodder'', 1/85, pp.52-3.〕 Nosed, decked, and shaved, the top was chopped four inches in front and seven inches in back, and the vertical B-pillar was reshaped so that it curved forward.〔 The rear window had its posts removed, and was raked steeply forward, requiring a new roof piece to be fabricated.〔 Side trim was replaced with that from a 1952 Buick (the spears),〔 augmented by grille teeth from a 1952 Chevrolet (three ''per'' side)〔 and functional scoops. The front wheels are fitted with traditional sombrero ('47-'51 Cadillac) hubcaps.〔 Skirts were added, fitting flush.〔 Three '51 Ford grills were used to custom-fabricate one, and the bumper was fitted with dagmars.〔(Barris.com ) Visible in the photo.〕 Barris used a vee-butted windshield,〔 a very common customizers' trick in that era, rather than a one-piece windshield, which was available on the '53 Merc. He added Appleton spotlights,〔〔(Barris.com ) Visible in the photo〕 frenched the headlights (which were fitted with '52 Ford rings),〔 and added '52 Lincoln Capri taillights.〔They are identical to those used on D'Agostino's Merc. ''Street Rodder'', 1/85, pp.52-3.〕 The exhaust pipes were routed out through the rear bumper, beneath the taillights,〔 and a pair of radio antennae were frenched into the rear quarter panels.〔 The Hirohata Merc was painted in two shades of green, a total of thirty coats,〔 which were applied by Junior Conway.〔DeWitt, p.72.〕 The interior was upholstered with tuck-and-rolled naugahyde. The dash, seats, and headliner were white with dark green inserts, matching the exterior lower body color (below the Buick spears).〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Hirohata Merc」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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