Projects The un-dork-ifying of a Merc

Amazing what a difference the back window makes in the overall profile. Never knew that there was that much variation in the stock windows.

 

Thanks guys. I think it really helps the flow of the chop quite a bit.

Yes, I went through a stack of them and picked out the flattest one.

I was never aware of it either until I read the article on Mercury Charlie's Nadine in the Rodder's Journal. It talked about how the rear glass was apparently some kind of slump cast and there was quite a bit of variation and how Charlie went through a bunch of I think NOS glass to find the flattest one for his chop.

 

I have a set of headliner bows
I will set them aside for you if you like. I didn't realize you didn't have a set.

 

Awesome!! Thanks Duncan! Apparently I only had 4, so more to add to the pile for next time will be fantastic!!

 

It is amazing the difference the back glass will make with a chopped '51 Merc. Your profile is so kool. If it wasn't for the Nadine article in Rodder's Journal I would have not know about the difference in the glass. Thank you Mercury Charlie...

 

Wow, so much better!

 

I can't wait to see it( no matter what state it's in) and you next week.

 

Looking forward to the trip....and tamales! I know you are ready for some too Dan!

 

Wow! looks very good Dave, that's quite a difference in the rear window.

 

Nice Dave! The glass makes a world of difference.

 

Thanks guys! Last piece of glass just went in, so it's now officially weatherproof (as much as it can be lol) and can head out to Indy....all the rest from here is gravy (garnish moldings, interior panels, etc). I've cut out a new package tray and will leave that for last to upholster in case I run out of time before the trip. My wife informed me I WILL be making time to do it....she thinks it looks too bad to have a bare piece of wood back there with no upholstery.....unmmm, have you looked at all the wrinkles in the headiner, bugs in the paint and a big mask line down the middle of the car with the bottom half all torn up, sanded and scratched? LOL

 

Finished the package tray yesterday and I think I may have redeemed myself a little....I'm pleased with how it turned out anyway.



Everything is back together, cleaned and ready to head out Wednesday for Indy....with two days to spare (we will pretend to forget that my original goal was actually to have finished the bodywork and painting on the whole car lol). There is certainly a whole lot not right about the car still...some of that is at my own hand, but there is nothing wrong with this view I'll be looking at for the 9 hour drive....pleats over my head, accessory wheel, new easy eye green tinted glass, real Appleton handles sticking through the post and Ron Myers striping on the dash....hit it.

 

Lookin good

 

All back together, cleaned up and ready to hit the trail in the morning to Indy. All the new easy eye green tint glass is in...a nice improvement over the smoke tinted glass from before. Also got the trim around the side windows. The look is finally making big improvements...looking forward to getting the bottom half done to get this phase finished. I guess as soon as I get back from Indy, I'll start back cutting into it. LOL

 

Lookin' good Dave...glad you got it all together...we're also leaving in the morn...so...hope to see you in Indy at the LaQuinta parking lot...

R-

 

Looks fantastic. The window trim really makes a difference. All that work was well worth the result!

 

Thanks Roger. We are planning on driving it straight through tomorrow, so should be there tomorrow evening and have a little time to run around Indy on Thursday before meeting up with everyone Thurs night at the hotel. Safe travels!!

Thank you. One of the details I really didn't care for before was lack of trim around the windows. I think it brightens it up quite a bit...and moves it from the 90's back into the 50's where it belongs.

 

Before, and after (so far)...

 

LOL...quite the change there for sure! I was thrilled when I got the car and so pleased with the great deal I felt like I got on it...mostly due I'm sure that I could see the gem buried in there and I guess a lot of folks got derailed at the paint issues, peeling front bumper, etc. I'm pretty excited to finally be able to be peeling the gem out. Thanks for posting the comparison.

 

Awsome thread.

 

The Headlites, Spotlites, Side Pipes, Skirts ,Wide Whites and Window trim made a huge transformation not to mention the rear window as well. I admire your enthusiasm and the path you are taking to correct all that was wrong. Looks great so far.

 

Like slopok said.Love the look,time to cruise.

 

Thanks for the kind words guys. Looking forward to the trip and then already looking forward to finishing up the bottom half and finally having it look like something.

 

Looks great Dave, completely different Merc. Amazing differences on those rear windows. The 50's are the same way, some have a big curve others do not. Great job!

 

Thank you Matt!! I sure appreciate your help along the way, from the patch panel, to the advice and the tips! Hate to say it, but I peeked under the carpet in the back seat and I can see more patch panels are in it's future.

 

great job Doc ! big improvement ! can't wait to see the rest, love the hirohata side with 55 linc tailites idea !

 

Thanks Zed, there is certainly much more to come. The '55 Lincoln tail lights is just a teaser. Rik and I went through the whole Hirohata and he tweaked nearly every line and detail. It is still recognizable as the Hirohata, but everything about it will make you think, hmmm, is that the way it was? As we were going along, the idea started to develop that what if the Hirohata was built in '55 or came back in to be reworked just things went Kopper Kart, Aztec, etc. I won't reveal it yet, as I am a ways away from being able to make it happen, but that's the way this will be going.

As to where I am now, made the trip to Indy and back no problems, although I did buy Myron Dybing's Grapevine inspired Chevy....which is a whole 'nuther story line that I may start a thread on. Anyhoo, the Merc did great on the trip and for the month following while I waited on getting the new Chevy home....although the ac gave up the ghost. On our way back from Myron's with the Chevy in tow, my 10 year old looked out the back of the truck and asked if I thought the Merc would get jealous of the new car. Naaaaah, I said, it will be happy with a new friend. I drove the Chevy for a week after getting it home and then one day I stepped into the shop to get a car to head to work and thought, "eh, let's drive the Merc today." Got home that evening and noticed the bottom of the back window had popped loose. Hmmmm... So, it sat a few weeks until I had a chance to try to reset it, but had no luck. It appears the curve across the cat walk is much flatter on the car than the curve across the bottom of the window. So, before I have even finished the bottom half of the car, looks like I am going to have to mess around with that area and sort it out. The build pics I have show the top was chopped and the back window opening at least tacked in with the window in place, so it should have stayed in shape. All the final sheet metal work and new cat walk, however, look to have been done with the window out and no bracing, so I guess it could have gotten misshaped. I haven't had time this summer to mess around with it, but I guess I will take the opportunity to pull the headliner all back out and fix it right while I have the window back out. Two steps forward, one step back.

 

Wow....three years with no progress updates. Sounds more like one of my projects!

 

Lol!! Yup, that’s the way my projects go. Pretty much no progress since I got it half painted 3 years ago....just been driving it. The AC quit right when we got home from Indy that year, then I got the Chevy I bought at that show home. I figured I’d drive the Chevy and pull the Merc back apart to finish the “quickie/temporary” paint job and replace the old ac system, but it didn’t work out that way. I ended up with another back surgery that year, so that put things on hold for a while shop wise. Then I did some home projects (redid the master bathroom and just finished redoing the kitchen), so I’ve just been driving it as it is.

At this point, I waffle back and forth with “finishing” it with the “temporary” paint job and it’s fully undorkified in this form before moving onto my Hirohata version or just skip all that and move forward from here doing the Hirohata stuff. It would be neat to have it “done” and “right” so to speak in this version....solid green with this front and tail end and all, but there’s lots of Merc’s that look just like this. I’m not getting any younger with anymore time to get stuff done the way I really desire for it to be in the end, so I suspect I’m just going to cut to the chase and move ahead with Hirohata stuff going forward and leave this version behind.

 

Always enjoy your updates! Hope you are physically ok now, really would like to see how the Mercury turns out! See you soon!


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.