Topic: SOLVED: WTH # 216 - 1951 Mercury replica by W.W. Trevis of Brazil - inspired by Stallone car from movie -Cobra-

[sixtee5cuda]

Who created this car, what was it based on, and which specific car is it supposed to look like?

[sixtee5cuda]

Up!  After a short visit with the rookie(s), this one is ready for the experts.

[Zerk]

It's a 1951 Mercury, wildly customized, and uncharacteristically of custom Mercs, it sits on Dubs, the generic name for goofy looking trendy large diameter aftermarket wheels.

It closely resembles the JADA Toys diecast models "'51 Mercury Dub City Oldskool" model that is available in a bewildering array of scales and color schemes.

Still working on who built it and owns it.

[sixtee5cuda]

If it helps your search any, it is not based upon a Mercury, 1951 or otherwise.

[RayTheRat]

1951 Lincoln Cosmopolitan (aka 'Baby Lincoln') built to resemble the 'Hirohata Mercury', originally built by Sam Barris (although George takes credit for it)?

[sixtee5cuda]

No Barris or Lincoln involvement

[sixtee5cuda]

To push this towards being solved, a clue.

The picture was not taken in the U.S.A.

[Bill Murray]

Hispanic Country??
Bill

[sixtee5cuda]

Not from a Hispanic country

[sixtee5cuda]

Not from a Hispanic country:  The official language of the country is not Spanish

[Bill Murray]

Ok, a puzzle within a puzzle.

Just for fun, the official language of Puerto Rico is English as well as Spanish so could it be from there?
Bill

[fyreline]

I'm thinking more like Brazil, where the language is not based on Spanish but Portuguese.

[Bill Murray]

Showing my lack of attention again, I am. I should have used the term "Latino" instead of Hispanic.

I think Brasil might work, good luck
Bill

[fyreline]

Who created this car, what was it based on, and which specific car is it supposed to look like?

Just want to be sure what I'm looking for . . . I've found a couple of other photos of the puzzle car on the web, but none of the captions include much information so far (and none in English!).  So far I think it's a fiberglass replica of a 49-51 Mercury lead sled, built in Brazil. I have uncovered a couple of names but I'm not sure yet that either of them is actually the builder.  It appears to have been built on a Ford Galaxie chassis, which makes sense as these were manufactured in Brazil. As for "What specific car is it supposed to look like?", are you looking for a particular custom 49-51 Mercury - I hope not, there are (or were) hundreds of them, from the seminal Barris Customs Hirohata Merc which pretty much started the craze to the one made famous by Sylvester Stallone in the movie "Cobra".

So I still need a builder's name, and maybe the specific custom Mercury it was built to resemble. Yes?

[sixtee5cuda]

Wow, lots of responses!

LOCKED for fyreline.

The car is a fiberglass replica of a 1951 Mercury, built in Brazil (a Portuguese-speaking country as stated, not Hispanic).  You also answered another part of the puzzle, as this car is supposed to resemble Sylvester Stallone's car in the movie "Cobra".

All that is left is the name of the builder.  Which has been mentioned in puzzles before.

[fyreline]

OK, thanks for the info. I'm pretty sure this is a fiberglass body kit from Antique & Collectible Autos, Inc. of Buffalo, NY which was shipped to Brazil and assembled there. The names I have come across so far include W.W. Trevis (who I think is just a photographer), and also William Marques and/or Roberto Carlos.

Any of those worth a point?

[sixtee5cuda]

WW Trevis is the car maker (assembler) in question.  They sell (sold?) a wide variety of kit cars in Brazil.

[Bill Murray]

I did not get there in time, and far be it from me to second guess "Cuda", but I am reasonably sure this is a 1950 Mercury clone, not a 1951 model.  At least according to multiple Google sources.

Bill

[sixtee5cuda]

Yeah, the movie info does indicate 1950.  I tried, but the site won't let me change the title, even by modifying the first post.

[fyreline]

Actually I think you were correct in the first place, it's supposed to look like a 1951. Here's a rear-end shot with the distinctive 1951-style taillights: