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| '51 Mercury Coupe |
| Transportation Supervisor, Henry Travers first saw the 51 Mercury coupe; in its original form, in the spectator's lot at a stock car track near Sonoma. It had the same wheel-covers and whitewalls that appeared in the film. However, after it was purchased it too was taken to Close and Orlandi's where it was prepared for the movie in a slap-dash manner. The car was made to look good on film only with no regard for practicality or function. For example, rather than cut the rear window to fit the new 4" chop job, the stock piece of glass was just slid down into the body panel and covered up with bondo and paint. The side-rear quarter glass and wing windows were simply removed and the door windows were left rolled down during filming. The headlights were frenched by simply bondoing the headlight trim rings to the fenders. The original grill opening was rounded and a spare bumper lying around the shop provided a makeshift grill bar. Many of the weld seams from the chop job were left exposed in the interior and can be spotted in the film. Finally, after the hood, trunk and doors were shaved, the car was painted Cimarron red. All the modifications were done within the span of about 2 weeks. |
| The 51 Mercury was on display at Universal Studios for several years after the films release. At some point, Big Daddy Roth aquired the car, then sold it to former Stray Cats leader, Brian Setzer. |
| Apparently, Setzer bought it sight unscene, without knowing it was the Graffiti car. Unfortunately, the car didn't run when he bought it. In a 2001 interview Setzer said, "Graffiti or no Graffiti! (laughing) I had to get rid of it at a really embarrassing price, it was just a big pile of junk." Although the Merc was a "pile of junk," it's apperance has spawned a lot of copy-cats that look and run much better than the submarine-like original. |
| The '51 Mercury coupe featured in American Graffiti looks slightly miserable in the morning sun. It was on display at Universal Studios for several years after the film's release. |
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| The stock 255.5, V-8 flathead engine topped with a Ford-Holley two barrel carburetor was left untouched. |
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| So where is this classic Merc today? Rumors, stories, and hints exist as to its exact whereabouts. Some say it�s rusting in the back lot of a repair shop on the New York, New Jersey border. While recently Bo Hopkins heard it�s in the process of being restored on the west coast in a Los Angeles body shop. One thing�s for sure, uncertainty and lack of knowledge add to the mystery and legend of this classic film car. |
| The Graffiti Merc as it looked when when it was owned by Brain Setzer. |
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