Guitar World - 1985 May. One Gone Rockabilly Cat Brian Setzer

 

Good Luck finding anyone on the planet who doesn't know Brian Setzer plays guitar, but I'll bet far less know he is into cars and even less would guess that at one time Mr S owned the Pharaoh's Merc.  

 

 

Not a Copy,Clone or a Tribute the Real Deal

 

 

I have read that he said it was the worst car he had ever owned. It was constantly breaking down. 

 

 

Brian had a bunch of work done to the car. Ed Roth is credited for the fresh paint and stripes at the time and even the hand lettered Runaway-Boy on the quarter panel.

 

 

Stories have circulated for years that Setzer bought or sold the famous low rider to or from the lead singer of Van Halen. Years of research point to it being just that ..A Story. Diamond Dave has had his share of Merc's.. just not this one.

 

 

Fact is that Brian sold the car to a man in New York and it's still there.

 

 

If your into the Mercury you've probably also hear the "Death Merc" story. Once again "Story" Nobody died in the car!! Wrong movie....that was in Christine. 

 

 

Silly side note I have over 200 posts on this site but as I was labeling this I noticed that I had never posted an article from 1985 before. Put that in the done column! Then I started looking and all I need to cover the years 1972 to present is articles from 1988 2014-15 and 16. Looks like I need to pry the door off the graffiti vault and see if I can fill in the blanks. Till then enjoy... Jeff

Martin's Brush with The Wichita Kid....Steve Fitch

I get lots of email and it's really great how many people will take time to share personal American Graffiti stories with me. Most are something small or private. After reading Martins story I begged him to let me share it. In his email Martin paints a nice picture of his day with Steve Fitch.

Thing is I have been looking at these pictures for years. I found them on the net or got them from the  Graffiti underground, but I never knew the story behind them. After talking with Martin the only bummer for me is that Martin said he had a bunch more pictures from that day but he couldn't find them.

Hey Martin I'd still love to see them if you ever find them.

                                                                                                   Jeff


From Martin
The way I found out about Steve Fitch having the cars was he had an ad in the back of Hot Rod magazine selling the 55. I called him up and told him there was no way I could come up with the $20,000 price he was asking back then. That was in the 80's, forget what year, that was more than what my house was worth at the time LOL. Anyway, I explained that I would really like to see the car and told him my story. He said sure, come on up! I have the '32 also! Man I was blown away!

He was really nice, my brother and my cousin who lived in Wichita at the time went to his house to look at the '55 first. He lived in a typical 1960's era house. Had a tiny one car garage that housed the '55. There was nothing in there but the car (in AG trim) and the wheels and tires used on the car when it was a TLB car, they, the TLB tires and wheels were sitting by the door that led to the kitchen of the house. He pulled the car out and my brother took several pictures as Steve and I discussed the the history of the car.

After we talked and took the pics he invited us inside and we had a look at all of his AG memorabilia, it was excellent! He had posters, magazines, you name it!

The '32 was at his mom and dad's house just around the corner. Same style house, single car garage. The deuce fired right up and we talked about it, took a bunch of pics....By this time I felt as though I was imposing, not a serious buyer. He was ready to take me and the deuce for a ride as it needed a wash. I turned him down, can you believe it! On my way back to Guthrie I said to myself why did you do that? LOLOLOLOL

Martin with his butt parked in Milner's Coupe.

 

Street Rodder - 1991 Audio Talk by Wolfman Jack

I'm dedicating this weeks post to Mark (Kip Pullman) Grosbeck. Mark is a giant Graffiti fan who absolutely loves Wolfman Jack. I recently questioned Mark on a Graffiti factoid and It looks like I was incorrect. (But I'm still for hunting my facts Mark!! LOL) So to thank Mark for keeping me honest and always testing my Graffiti knowledge Here's Audio Talk by Wolfman Jack... Baby!!

                                       Enjoy Mark.  

                                                                                                                                                             Jeff

 

 

Street Rodder - 1976 November - Jeffs Coupe

Look it's Jeff's Coupe... No not mine the other Jeff

I was surprised to find out that Mr Beck was such a car guy. And not just a car guy he does most of his own work. Being bit by the Graffiti bug in the early days Beck built his own Graffiti Coupe. 

Jeff Beck's Milner Coupe was one of the earliest clones I have seen.

I have been following Jeff Beck's Coupe for years, and it's nice to see that since this 1976 article he has continually refined his coupe making it more and more like the original car from American Graffiti that he fell in love with so many years ago.   

Jeff Beck and the Owner of the Coupe Rick Figari 

Beck has visited the original coupe a few times and judging by the shape of his car now a days he pays attention to the details.

It definitely has the "LooK'

Ever wonder if Jeff is a die hard Graffiti fan?? Well he still has his Milner Coupe after 40 plus years.

Makes me wonder if I will still have my coupe in forty years?? Some times I wonder if I will have it done by then!!! Jeez!

Jeff

Preview - 1979 I Dont Want To Be A Public Idol. Harrison Ford

A few years after the hit movie American Graffiti Harrison Ford was in another George Lucas film, you may have heard of..... It was called Star Wars

 

No, no chopped Land Speeders or Rocket Skates on Car Hops but still a pretty good movie. In this article Harrison talks about Star Wars but seems more concerned with his personal space.
JH

Andy Warhol's Interview - 1974 Introducing Mackenzie Phillips

It's November Tenth that means It's Carol's.... Ummm Sorry It's Mackenzie Phillips Birthday!!!! In honor of  Mack's special day I am setting the Time Machine to Vintage 1974

Now kick back and enjoy one of the earliest interviews I could find on Milner's Steady.

This is an odd shaped 40 year old newspaper and due to the paper quality and Google Blog limitations to make it readable I had to do large scans so it will require a bit of scrolling.... I'm shore finding out about Mackenzie's Big Sex Scene with Toad will make it worth it. Enjoy JH

 

 

 

Well Good Evening.... Good Evening..

How are you?.... This is a really a beautiful car.. You know that??.. Of course you know it.. You know what I'd like to give you for this car??... I'd like to give you eight hundred thousand dollars... I can't give ya that... but I not give ya a whole line... I'm gonna tell ya what I can give ya.

I have not confirmed the new owner yet ,but if it is who I think it is the car won't disappear. I heard early on they had a lot of interest from outside the United States. I was afraid we may loose a national treasure but it sounds like she is just headed east.

I'm pretty shore this is not the last time we will see Bolander's ride.


JH