Customs >>>So Long Hussy.....My New '52 Mercury!!!<<<

Well call it a JJ Blunder but I fucked up. After cutting the teeth off and getting it ready not mount trim rings I realized something. First that tacking them together would pose some issue because it would be hard to get the torch in the small area....no biggie that's what the epoxy is for right?

The big problem is more monumental. After the teeth were gone the cap sat further into the wheel which brought me into the next issue.....the center of the wheel protruded out and hit the cap not letting it sit flush with the rim. That's why you see so many people get different offset wheels to run these caps. I would need about a 1/2" difference for this to work......Doh!!!! Did I just ruin a perfectly good set of caps?????

Perhaps, perhaps not. I have a few things up my sleeve before I give up on these caps. Some include the center cap and some include the complete cover. If I use the whole cover you can expect not to see them on soon because I don't have the scratch to fork over for new wheels.

My options are running the center star on Stock Mercury caps with the ribs painted Gold. Any thoughts?

Other option is cut out the "cup" on my Sombreros and start getting to work on mounting them to trim rings and run them as is. I do love me some Sombreros.



Fuck.

 

Sombreros dammit.

 

i say work like hell getting the lincoln caps to fit... if you dont then you always have the sombreros to fall back on... and they're cool too, but the lincoln caps are pretty rad!! and wheels are like a great pair of shoes, they HAVE to match the outfit... i think gold wheels are the way to go, not the black, but that's just a girly opinion!!

 

I would like to make the Premiers work for sure. The only hiccup is that I cannot spend money on this car right now as I have another that needs to be finished. So unless I think of something getting new wheels with different offset if the only thing that will fix the issue. That is unless I can figure out how to pop the premier out a bit but 1/2" is a lot or I cut the centers out of my wheel and have them rewelded in.

The Cadillac is my most favorite cover ever. I got the premiers because I thought they would work easier and because I love the center cap on them. I'm just not sure.

There's that Pink Lincoln that I seen at GNRS and she mounted the Premier centers on Olds wheels which I guess is he trademark. I might end up doing something like that too.

Keep it Classy San Diego.

 

Oh my God! what a smokin ride, the Lincoln centers are the ultimate cap for this sweet piece. Congrats on one of my fave bodys ever built. ~Sololobo~

 

Thanks sololobo!!! I appreciate it.

 

Run those lincoln caps, you'll figure it out, just stick with it!

 

sweet ride!!! Look forward to seeing it!

 

Really? You think the cap as a whole will look better then sombreros? Don;t get me wrong I love the premiers, but the allure is in the center cap. The actual wheel cover is nice but make me think later 50's build. If it was as easy as I thought it was going t be I would definitely run them for a bit until I figure out what looks best with the paint. I just can't see me pumping more money into a cap that I'm not dead set on and that might not sit flush. I'd like to do a comparison and see what you guys think.

Merc Caps with Premier centers....
Original Caddy Sombreros....
Or Premiers.....

Come on down my friend!!! Maybe next time you're down I can show you my '32 too and see what you think and what I should start on first. Going to Maxton or Greenville this weekend?

 

Good idea, let me see the comparison! I do really dig those lincolns though. But the caddys are cool too. Comparison will help!

 

Those Lincolns are not used as much so I think they are cool for that reason, plus they look great. Sombreros look nice but lots of folks have them. I gotta look at the ones I got from you, but the basic reason I am not going to run the Studebaker caps I got is that they are not in nice enough shape for my car's debut.

 

Everybody does run Sombreros but I just can justify running a 2nd choice cover because of what every body else does. Sombreros where the top choice back in the day and still hold true right now. I also like that they set my car to a early to mid 50's period as far as looks go. The premiers while are so rad make me feel like I should be thinking about gold paint and frenched antenna, over the top stuff instead of something really clean and simple. I'mm all over the place when it comes to this stuff. I like earlier period cars but it seems like life always presents itself so that I push them later and later. Destiny???? Hope not.

I hope the caps work out for you John.....now that I'm looking back I probably should have just kept them and saved my self the trouble hahaha!!! I'm supposed to be driving this car not messing with it. I have a '35 that I want on the road this summer and I feel this '52 keeps interfering with it because it's all I think about! I found out about a old guy down here in NC that does stainless work. $12/hr and I heard he's pretty good. I might get some stuff done so I'll let you know how it goes.

 

Fixes stainless stuff? Sounds interesting.

 

Yup, knocks out dings and files the high spots. Probably polishes too! I figure if I have 8 hours into each cap I'll have really nice caps for $200. I really wish I could learn the trick to do that sort of thing. I think I would enjoy it. I like the small and tedious shit.

 

Picking a hubcap is tough.. Trust me I bought about 10 different sets of caps off the bay and I finally decided to go with the orginal cap I always wanted which was the 53 caddy sombreros. I think they fit the car perfectly. In your case Jeffery if you want to go earlier look at Fiestas the earlier ones. i know that those are popular too but they look really nice. Also for a time I was running 51 chrysler imperial caps. They were a subtle and good looking cap. You can also always go with the Studebaker cap too which was really nice. For going with a later look I would go with the Lincoln caps. Either way it will look good.

 

I really dig Fiesta Caps with out the spinners. I'm a sucker for the ribs which is why I like my Stock Mercury Caps also. They have three ribs/lines but they are spaced further. I had bullets on them but the ones that I had were to big so I took them off. Last night I threw the Lincoln Premier center caps in the middle of the '52 Merc Covers and it looks pretty good however I felt like I was mixing eras.

I thought about putting the Lincoln centers in the Cadillacs too but I am not going to cut my Sombreros up. I have a pretty nice set of Original Sombreros and I really like the '53's like on your car Jarzen. However if I went with the '53's I would be walking a fine line trying not to copy everything off Mark Morton's '54 Merc haha!!! His car is so perfect!

Tuff choices. I guess that's why I always lean back on the Early Sombreros which I have and love and know look great.

 

Lets not forget Zach's other Photoshop work with the Sombrero being used with a bullet in the center. Mmmmmm.....

 

Digging Through Kustomrama's site and I found this from a Car Craft in 1954 Jarzen. Stude Caps!



How come nobody liked the scoop??? Crazy!!






I love exhaust running through bumpers...


He even painted it Carnelian burgundy. I wonder what that color looks like in person.

 

Thats nice! I think those stude caps look really really elegant on the car. Also I think the reason why nobody liked the scoop is because they probably didnt mind it but it was just another custom touch that they could do on the car. I dont know Im really digging those stude caps!!!!

 

This too. Bit much for my taste but it's a '54 Mercury so I'll let 'er rip.









And this '53....







I already referenced Miyakawa's Merc but not this pic.



Thie above three are not anything like what I want my car to be finished as because I feel I gravitate towards and earlier style of customs when not so much bull shit was added. But I thought some of the work taken individually might be nice for reference.

 

I received a couple more of our Maternity pics that include the Merc. I thought I would post them.







Lame I know but I am proud to have a kid on the way and a loving wife that pushed me to get a pretty cool Merc.

In other news, I am going to try '56 Olds Caps sometime this week if they come it. I scooped up a pair that was on the HAMB yesterday. Options.

 

Lame??

Not at all you've been blessed and a lot of reasons to be proud. Thanks for posting
the very kool pics.... You're family will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Happy Trails,

Mick

 

Jeffery, COOL pictures Man, your a very lucky chap indeed!

Nick.

 

Thanks guys!!! Davina is beyond words. She makes this shit happen....with a smile.


Hopefully those caps come in this week so that I can get them on and see where I am at. I do not want to cut the Cadillac Sombreros just yet until I see if I like the Olds caps first. Did I ever tell you how much I hate customs??? Hahaha!!!! So much to choose from. I feel like I know what I love when it comes to Hot Rods but customs are a whole new ball game. You can like a particular wheel cover but that does not mean you'll like it on your car. I feel like Hot Rods have a formula and with these things anything goes!!!

 

I share your same affliction Your ride is inspiring man! I'll get mine chopped one of these days

I'm enjoying this post- shoot us some pics when you get the caps on!

Nolan

 

Man that looks really good so far! I really need to get some bumperettes on my car now that I am looking at yours. I am in complete fog over caps right now. I am currently waiting for some '55 Olds caps to show up to see if I like those. If not them the Sombreros are going on the chopping block so I can mount them to trims rings.

For some reason I have been having the worst luck with caps. Either I cut apart ones that do not fit in the end or I lose the ones on the road as I'm driving. One thing is for sure, I will lose a wheel before I lose one of those Original Sombreros that I have.

What do you have planned for yours Nolan? The stance is nice!

 

I have some Studebaker caps, they were my original plan but they really need to be restored before I'd put them on my freshly-painted car.

 

The shots you guys did are flippin' awesome!!!




BloodyKnuckles

 

nice pics dude!!

 

Couple more....




I really need to fix the exhaust leak. Normally when you are smelling a bunch of fumes from inside the car the exhaust has a hole or leak somewhere right? I wouldn't be getting a ton if everything was sealed off and shooting out the back right?

The trans tunnel still has a gaming whole in it because I need to make a cover and new shifter but even if that was open I shouldn't be smelling the amount of exhaust that I am I would think. It's also magnified due to the car running rich. I want to make sure I can seal this car completely off so that the little guy can ride in it. I might have a pro take a look at it and seal it off.