Battle of Guadalcanal

Dick Owens of Redondo Beach, California, had this 1940 Mercury convertible restyled by Barris Kustoms after returning from WWII. A veteran of the Battle of Guadalcanal, Dick came home, married his girlfriend Betty, and got right into the booming custom car scene. According to Betty’s brother, Harold Johnson, Dick already had the Mercury in 1945, and it was in grey primer at the time. Sam Barris handled the chop, sometime between 1945 and 1947, giving the car a sleek, lowered profile. The running boards were removed and replaced with filler panels, the license plate was recessed into the trunk, and a padded Carson Top was added by Glen Houser. The car also featured fender skirts, and Hollywood Flipper hubcaps wrapped in blackwall tires. Photo courtesy of Tina Bergeson.