Pic of the Day

I'm starting something new for Suffocation Nation, a pic of the day post. The main reason is to go through some of my old stuff that I may have forgotten about or some of my favorites and bring them to light again. Some may be historical cars, some of great importance within our culture, or some that are just cool. I'm sure this idea will evolve, so watch for updates and send me some feedback on what you like.

The Sam Barris Merc is going to start us off. This car is an obvious choice for me as it's probably the most historic custom of it's time. It's widely regarded as the first chopped Mercury (although many debate the Quesnel Merc was chopped first), but that's not why I'm putting it up here. This photo represents something more. The restoration of the car was completed by Brizio's shop just in time for the West Coast Kustoms show in Paso Robles, 2007. The Daryl Hollenbeck paint-job was so fresh the vapors could be smelled when approaching the car and the tail-lights and interior had yet to be installed. This was one of the greatest moments in recent custom history as the younger generations had the opportunity to see what started it all, yet it was also one of the worst as it marked the last Paso. The show has continued in Santa Maria, but much of what made Paso special is gone forever.

So take a close look at this picture, marvel the profile of this beautiful 1949 Mercury and the mile-deep paint, but also check out the background....the Paso Robles Inn and the people tell a story as well.