Projects Bought a Mercury on purpose

We’re covering structural repair this year with one class. This fits perfect.
We’ll try to get all the front sheet metal and bumper happy.
I’ll be away from the shop the next 3 days so much won’t be happening.
But so far, this “wreck” has been repaired with zero parts bought.
I’ve got a better fender but I’m saving this one. Just cause we can.

 

Great thread. It’s most excellent that your students are able to get hands on training. Good on you. Snowman ⛄️

 

I guess the plan is to get the front handled. Drop off the WS at the glass shop, order a WS gasket.
Thinking about removing the front clip, handle the lowering/front suspension and brakes, see it this flatty will crank,
I watched a video where the uprights were swapped. Yea it’s has a camber issue. No issue for us. Steering arms need worked if ya buy the lowered uprights.
Modify the sway bar mounting on the uprights.
Not interested in a M2 or clip.
Been there, got the T-shirt.
anyway, up under the car looking at the clutch mechanism. Wondering if anyone modified the stock pedal to work a more common clutch fork?

the other 51 I have looks to have the older style bell that would be easier to do a swap if needed.

 

Anthony... Good idea to check the stroke of that engine: Ford is 3.75", Merc is 4". Merc engines were green, '52-'53 Fords were red. Merc heads are usually stamped "ECM", with a small raised Mercury script.
Great use of clamps and pull, superb education for young folks.
The pic of you behind the wheel: "You look GOOD in there!"
Truly enjoying this thread. (My '53 Vic remained a flathead 'mild custom', ex wife was NO help at all!)

 

has a green ish color under the red. Kinda metallic looking. No casting other than date codes on the heads.
Kinda odd.
I might measure the stroke tomorrow.

 

I love everything I see but please have that young lady tie her hair back using that drill. I watched a woman drilling rivet holes in an aircraft skin pull a large chunk of her hair and scalp out when her hair got pulled into the spinning chuck.

 

We talked about that.
She usually has it tied back. She was leaning with her hair out of the way that caused her to halfway miss a couple welds.

 

Also, a tarp covering the chain and attachments will keep them from flying if something comes loose during a pull, if you aren't already aware. A blanket will do the job in a pinch. Watching your students is a nice flashback to 1977 for me, when I started in Auto Body for my junior and senior years at the regional vo-tech. I had some great instructors there also, keep up the good work, students included.

 

Anthony, you got this on Saturday and as of Tuesday you got all this done? Well done! Your students will remember these chores for the rest of their days...

 

Man we spend the first 2 weeks on safety plus I’m on em like a football coach in the shop. But dang sometimes they act just like I did when I was in a shop class.

 

When they showed up on Monday, I was expecting some to dig the car, but dang I didn’t think the majority would. There’s always a small portion that could care less about anything. They are teenagers.
I’ve got one in particular that really has never engaged much at all. The past 2 days he was like an ant at a picnic.
The young lady pictured doing the hammer and dolly work just took over.
The one using the torch generally just watches. She’s been asking “can I do ……” non stop for 2 days.
We have the largest group of young ladies we ever had in our building. Close to 20 between the automotive and my collision class.
It took me a while to learn how to back off and let students take over after I’ve demonstrated how to do something.
I’m getting better.
The students working on he hubcaps are first year students. That was their first time to remove spotwelds.
The speed that I’m working on this has even surprised me. I’ve got an engine swap I have to finish, a competition upcoming and a few more newer car type things I got to cover. But we had an after school car club thing we might start up again.
The pulling we are doing just happened to be at the right time since we are covering that.
The biggest hurdle will be me figuring out which direction I’m headed. The wife says make it go and stop as soon as ya can.
I’m trying.

 

Raising the bar?
No custom car bars will be raised cause I like a trad looking custom. Just going to do some tried and true mods that’s been done a zillion times.
Now I plan to raise a personal car bar.
It won’t look like my bus.


But…….I have an idea I’d like to do if and when we chop it that hasn’t completely been done yet

 

I wish I had you for a shop teacher! If it was possible, I’d take your classes today! Would you mind a 48 year old diesel truck mechanic/ service manager in your class? I’d sit in the front row, not talk to my neighbors, never be disruptive, and bring you an apple each day!

 

That was great!

We had Autoshop classes in HS, Ag shop classes, but nothing like an auto body class.
It is nice to see that in this day and age.

 

My friend that I started school with in 1957 went on to be an auto body instructor at the junior college level ! His shop class won many first places in competition! He just retired as the head of auto body at our university! Oddly enough, he taught a young man that graduated high school in about 1998 and he now owns his own very successful body shop! That young man became my stepson, some years back! It is definitely a good trade to learn…..folks will be crashing into each other till the end of time! Lol





Bones

 

We have thought about an adult night school.
They just shut the college level collision class near us and the next closest one will be closing this fall.
I have been told mine was on the chopping block just before I took the job 12 years ago.
Many close due to instructor burn out combined with politics.
I plan on enjoying this opportunity as long as i can. So any closures won’t fall on my lack of energy.

 

How about a 71 yo beginning student willing to start as a shop floor sweeper, I can bring my own push broom.

 

What is the deal with all the closings! My friends shop closed after he retired! Who’s going to teach the kids auto body? It seems to be a trend, but don’t seem to see the auto mechanics courses drying up?
I went to a semester of auto body night school to fix up my 60 Ford van! It was great! I recommend it!






Bones

 

Sorry about the confusion, when I said raise the bar I meant your personal car bar.

 

The best and easiest way would be to use the Aerostar springs, cheap from Rock Auto or even local parts stores and they ride nice.

 

I second the Aerostar spring suggestion. I have put more than 20k miles on the Moog springs in my car now and it looks and rides better than the stock springs especially when I first lowered it with the spacer blocks in the lower control arm. It sat higher then and bottomed out all the time. I know lots of folks use the same springs in the 49-51 Mercury's.

 

Cosmo is too old, don't sign him up for floor duty. I'm younger than him, I'm only 70. When do I start?

 

What was the drop?
Looking for about 3 inches for the front

 

Just had this same conversation with a business. Local school system suddenly decided to close the trade school. No real reason. The school board is usually made up of non trade skilled people. They see the money spent there and don’t know why.
Enough business leaders and parents stopped the closure.

 

Cut n paste from another thread


Squablow
Member
from Potter, Wis
The aerostar spring swap does indeed lower the car 2 or 3 inches, but they ride nice and are cheap, and these cars look nice with a bit of lowering. Besides, this is a custom board, no need to keep it stock height.

Looks like someone added a Fulton visor at one time and painted over the grille, and maybe the hood is shaved? Or maybe the upper hood ornament is just missing. But either way, a '50 Merc lends itself very well to the custom treatment.

SQUABLOW, JAN 2, 2023!REPORT!

 

I have a lot of respect for what you are doing with these kids. I wish I had known several years ago that you and your class were going to be @ UNC Charlotte. I would have bought your lunch one day.

 

Anthony, you are my newest hero! I really hope the school continues to fund your class as it just might sway the kids away from gang activity & lucrative drugs sales into auto repair. BTW, I dropped my shubox Ford by swapping and inverting the spindle supports. Had to heat and bend both steering arms and heat the supports [now upside down] to get them back upright. I cut the original coils and while the suspension didn't bottom out, I was able to bounce the front end with my foot on the bumper 'til the crossmember hit the ground.
Heating the steering arms effectively shortened them to make the steering a lot faster. I used an 1.25" stabilizer bar from a 70s Trans Am . Car steered and handled like a.....trans-am! The use of the Aerostar springs is a much better idea than cutting original springs.

 

I am sure that you have their best interests in mind, because you are pretty well, obviously, an educator, and your students are going to remember you for the rest of their days. Carry on, Mr. Myrick.

 

If I lived closer, I’d hang around and do whatever you needed just to learn. My Grandad helped start Kirkwood Junior College in Eastern Iowa and he lived and worked Vocational Education. He started as a shop teacher then got into administration. He is smiling down on you from Heaven.

 

Thanks for the info. I’ve read a bunch of threads on this and you get bad, good……camber issues……
I keep seeing the upper control arm being moved inward but no one moving the lower outward.
But I’ll probably do the Aerostar springs first and go from there.