Sam bought a new ’49 Mercury in late ’48 and after making sure he figured out how to chop it to create a perfect flowing top in is head he started cutting the roof. Sam decided to leave the B-pillars straight on hi chopped mercury. But he did round the door corners at the top and shaved the drip rail. The result was an very graceful tapered roof line. To further enhance the flowing lines Sam decided to remove the “dog leg” from the doors and made full fade away fenders. A perfect spear shaped Buick side trim is the finishing touch for the new flowing lines. According to Sam the fade away fenders where the most difficult part of the customizing process. At the front Sam dechromed the hood, extended and frenched the headlights using the stock headlights, the grille surround was molded to the fenders and a floating single bar grille was fashioned form ’51 Ford components. At the rear Sam made some scratch built fender skirts and also scratch built the very elegant flush fitting taillights from red plastic set in custom made chromed trim pieces. The trunk was also relieved of all its chrome. Once all body work was done many coats of dark metallic green where sprayed and color sanded in between coats. The interior was finished in white Fabrilite with grean piping.
The '49 Merc received several prices among other at the second annual National Roadster show. Sam enjoyed the ’49 Mercury for a while then sold it to Bob Orr, Iowa. At one point the car was modified again and received rounded hood corners among other subtile changes custom car designer Harry Bradley had something to do with these “updates”. The Sam Barris Mercury is currently undergoing a complete restoration into its first Sam Barris configuration by Brizo's.