Photo courtesy of Mickey Ellis

Glen Hooker was only 19 years old when he asked Neil and Clayton – his brothers in law – to customize his 39 Mercury convertible.

Valley customs started the job by grafting a better looking 1940 Mercury hood and front fender to the car. The rear wheel openings on a 39-40 Mercury are very small and look only good with the use of fender skirts which Valley where not planning to use on Glen his custom. So it was decided the openings needed to be opened up to show the whole wheel and tire, for sporty look. The width of the fender in front of the rear wheel was also measured out above the rear wheel, making the new opening perfectly balanced. The front fenders where also radiused to get in line with the rear fenders and to make sure the wheels could turn once the body was channeled over the frame. The bottom of the fenders where cut off the portion they exceeded below the body and the running boards where removed. Hand shaped chromed metal gravel shield where added to the rear fenders. The fenders where not molded to the body as seen so much with other 39-40 Mercury custom cars, but Valley Customs used another of there trademark chrome beading around its leading edge. The hood was later flared at the bottom where once a chrome ornament was located. (some photo’s show it with and others without the chrome strip) The body was smoothed and shaved of the door and trunk handles.

The windshield was mildly chopped and a padded top was created for it. 1947 Chevy bumpers where used both front and rear. 1941 Studebaker taillights where place horizontal on the rear fenders just above the rear bumper to keep the balance as low as possible. The side trim was shortened on the hood and in these photo it can be seen the wearing two different types of graphics.

The body was painted a beautiful Mandarin maroon. Wide whites and smooth hubcaps are a Valley Custom trademark.