1952-59 Ford 1956 Mercury project update 1

I found a good source for pressure switches on eBay. I always carry a spare. The one from Napa was garbage.

 

Got a link, I haven’t figured out what I’m going to do for taillight switch just yet. Although I’m leaning toward the modern way

 

It is but just try and get anyone to work up here. My car was down for a year trying to find someone that could and would work on it. Finally found someone, it took him about an hour to find the internal vacuum leak in my throttle body. I have my new mechanic.

 

Wow!! Sounds like I need to pack my bags and head over there. I work all the darn time. Lol

 

Couldn’t help myself. When I was wiring I couldn’t imagine painting the dash after putting all the switches back in. So I painted it. My wife idea was to paint it all black. So I did like a good husband and did that

 

With tape pulled

 

Looks good.

 

I took my dash out to paint it, I had wanted to look close at the firewall anyway. I would up shooting the entire bare interior with primer and a coat of Duplicolor white. The dash and garnish I cleaned up, primed and painted with a GM metallic black.

 

Nice, I thought about taking the dash out but I also am trying to get this done rather quickly. Looked like a nightmare getting it all out of the car. Believe it or not getting the speaker and radio out of there was a pain.

 

I'm glad I did it, it was worth the effort. I got to test the heater core, looked brand new. My cardboard-ish defroster plenum needed help. I had mud dauber nests galore. My gl*** guy suggested to have a good look at the firewall, but it was perfect.

The 1st go around with the paint, my brother shot it inside the garage in the evening and too late he realized we had a major league bug issue in the paint. So the next day I scuffed it all up and we shot it again a few days later, outside before the bugs came out.

 

I am not even sure if my car has a defrost plenum. I need to look into that when I get home. Thanks for the reminder

 

I agree with dos cincos on the wiring harness, it's time consuming but not that difficult. pulling the dash, makes for wiring the gauges and lights a million times easier looks great painted up! I used a molex connector from the harness to the dash so that I can unplug it the next time I need to pull the dash instead of cut.

Not so pretty but functional and it's all tucked under the dash

 

Wow nice work!

 

I spent a lot of time making the existing cluster wiring tidy. The harness kit had a wire for gauge power and gauge lights. I installed a couple of barrier strips with jumpers on them, cast-off pieces from a retrofit at work. Parts are made by Thomas & Betts.

I machined up a fancy bracket from 1/16" aluminum to mount them back-to-back on a dash support bracket. They are real easy to access.

 

Key word, access! I like to make a harness with a connector in line so I can unplug one connector and remove the entire gauge cluster for service. The old car gauges where you had to disconnect 17 different wires then try to label them (cause you can't see the wire colors anymore) was always a pain. Besides, this old man has trouble getting under a dash then calling the fire department to get me out is embarr***ing! Mark

 

Little photo dump on mercury progress. Got the interior courtesy lights done. Got the speakers and stereo working. Got a gas pedal in today. Paint removed from hood. Mocked up the trans Mount.
Debating on getting the hood louvered. What y’all thoughts on louvers?

 

The latest shots look like mine when I was getting close to finishing the wiring and had the dash back in. A major milestone... don't stop now.

 

Today, I did more wiring. Also did allot of those little jobs like tighten bolts and put on hose clamps etc etc. we also cleaned the door panels and got the clutch bled. Clutch may need more work but it’s really close.

 

Got wiring finished, got trunk popper actuator working, threw in the back seat just for inspirational purposes. Wiring is finished I believe. At least for the time being. I do need to clean up the wiring with Ty raps and loom but it’s all working except the trunk lights, which I haven’t decided exactly what I want to do with that yet. Waiting on some minor parts to get it running. Anybody know if there’s a driveshaft that works easily with a 302/t5 combo

 

It’s alive…!!! Got it started today. Stock oil pressure gauge doesn’t work. So that’s a bummer. But hey it runs.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/AkgQD9JHaaGU1PU99

 

Congratulation on the start up! Major hurdle to overcome on any build, I have seen lots of cars and trucks that get the engine installed but then they never get started and sold years later. Hell, I have even bought a couple! It has been great to watch your progress, thanks for sharing! Mark

 

thanks! definitely a milestone for me, got some cleanup to do and plumbing etc etc. but the goal is to at least be able to drive it in and out of the garage before I start the paint stripping process and bodywork etc.
still need to find a driveshaft and then I think it’ll be good to go.

 

Outstanding my brother

 

Do you know the length of the driveshaft that you need? I have a stock driveshaft from a '54 Mercury but I am not sure whether it is the same length as a '56.

 

no I don’t know yet

 

Waiting on parts so begin the dreadful process of bringing it to metal.

 

There is a 1 inch difference in the 1956 vs. 1954 wheelbase. (119" vs. 118"). Let me know if you think that mine will work for you.

 

I think it will, but I still haven’t got under to measure it yet. Where you located?

 

P***enger side fender today.