A.J. & Friends Classic Cars This my brother Sonny in his stock 1951 Mercury which was later customized in 1957. Sonny was 6 years older than I. My interest and involvement with cars & racing stems from him. His interest in cars and hot rods influenced me. Sonny always wanted to race but never did. So I took up the banner and became the racer. That was one of the last things Sonny and I talked about in 1987 before he died suddenly with a stroke at age 53. I miss him. When I was young-he always bailed me out helping me with my street cars. He also saved me from harm a few times. He was always easy going, but was a brute of a man. He held up the back end of my '51 Merc Custom when it was going to fall on me offthe jack while I was under it. That big, 6' 3" German actually lifted that car up till I got out. Yes, I had a customized '51 Merc.too. It was a pearl white sedan, nosed, decked, frenched lights, no door handles, Vette grill, spotlights and full-length lakepipes. And, of course, cruiser skirts! Sadly, I have no photos of it.