Projects My 1951 Mercury Restoration Part II

The more I think about it the more I think I kind of like the seams. You have no real verticle elements on the front of your car given you don't have bumper guards so the seams break up the horizontal lines of the bumper and grill a bit.

 

Keep the seems, makes it appealing in my humble opinion.

 

I would look at it this way: Sam's car was no doubt done on his own time between paying projects. I'm guessing he was married and had small kids by this time and so probably didn't have wads and wads of time to focus on every detail....let's get it chopped, cleaned up, painted, move on. What's the quickest way to get the grille done and move on? Get a pile of OEM pieces, trim, rearrange, tack some brackets in the back and chuck it in the hole. Same with many of the "paying jobs" they did if you look at some of the old pics. Do the job in as short as time as possible to get the look and don't worry too much about details. The scoops on the sides of the Alcorn Merc were simply cut into into the sides of the 1/4 and the flap of sheet metal pushed in...no finished edges or nothing. The chrome covered the edge and those flaps of metal just flapped there all these years until Kurt McCormick restored it and finished them "right."

My point? The seams in Sam's grille were likely there because it was quicker to do it that way than weld it all together in one piece and rechrome it. On a singular car not being "moved" through a "production" custom shop back in the day....I'd weld it up nice and rechrome it "right."

 

There is a huge amount of work in Sam's car all done to impeccable standards as seen when it was restored. I doubt very highly that he didn't spend the extra hour it would have taken him to weld up the seams on his grill to get the job done quickly and not worry about the details.


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Agreed. I've seen the car, in person and the restoration pics....along with lots and lots of pics of other high profile customs, Barris and otherwise, during the restoration process and talked with the guys messing with them. It's no secret things were done much different then than they often are now and many, what many of us would consider "corners" were (and are) cut for the sake of expediency, saving money, or it just didn't matter as the final "look" was really the important thing in the end. I'm not digging on Sam, his car or trying to pick a fight. I'm a detail kinda guy....details is what I do for a living. I'm also a reasonably upbeat guy and try to think the best of people and give them the benefit of the doubt when I see something that makes me go "hmmmm." I try to put myself in their shoes best I can and think through why things are the way way they are.

In the case of the grille, when I put myself in Sam's shoes, the car was bought new in '49 and immediately cut into and chopped. The grille parts are off a '51, so now it's two years since customizing started, it's probably his daily driver, he's likely not flush in cash and just spent real good money on brand new grille parts likely right from the Ford parts counter. I think to myself (as Sam), "When I rearrange things a bit, it looks real good and fits back together pretty close without much modification to the bars themselves. I could weld them together easily enough, but then I would have to pay to have it all rechromed and this chrome is brand new and looks great, so why?"

Then, moving to today and what I would look at if I was doing it (and actually I am fiddling with a grille out of '52 Ford parts for my Merc), I think to myself, "self, all this stuff is 60+ years old and all needs rechromed anyhow, I'm not in a hurry, so why not take the extra bit of time to weld it all together and polish it all back out so it will look real nice all one piece?"

Kinda like when the girl asked her mom, "Why do you always cut the ends off the ham before you put it in the pan to cook?" "Because MY mom always did, sweetie." "Grandma, why did you always cut the ends off your ham?" "Because my pan was too small and that was the only way it would fit." Different time, different circumstances...that's all I'm saying.

 

Thanks guys, we'll make it the grille, put it in the grille opening and let the car tell us what it wants I guess.

 

I'm too busy working and well it's still winter for me to have done anything on the car lately.

But I do drive it once a week if the roads are clean to keep the battery up and remind all the automotively lame people around that cars are cool....

 

Good for you for getting it out so often in such a winter yuck zone like Chicago. Is all that your garage space at your house? I am so jealous....I have a deep shop with one door, so I have to unload the whole thing to get something out that's parked in the back.


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I have a tight 3 car garage so right now two cars sleep in there comfortably though I've had three cars in there in the past.

 

I left the seems in mine. The chrome is good enough for now. I might go with the smooth look later.

 

Nice, much fabwork to the rear panels? Any tips on how to put it all together?

 

It still needs some work. I need to build a support panel in the rear for mounting. I welded 2 rear panels together the grill bar mounted pretty easy. I used 2 center bars cut one for the sides. Ill get it out and take pics one day. I just started working on my merc again,needs alot of work. Yours looks keep up the good work! Love the color

 

can someone tell me if 51 mer front end will work on 51 lincoln

 

if you stretch it to fit the frame length difference....at least that's what I know.

You should start a thread on it so as not to hijack this one....

 

I don't mind, inspires me to get it done on mind.

 

What's wrong with the Linc front end?

 

A Merc front on a Lincoln requires a lot of work. The frame and wheel base is 3" longer, however not impossible. I work with one...

 

Pro Stock John, just wanna let you know your threads on your car have been extremely helpful with me and mine, thanks for sharing all the hard work you've done. Car looks great.

 

Thanks I've been a web oversharer but the credit for the car goes to Paul @ Bridgeview Car Care for the body resto and paint; Matt Townsend for consulting advice and my wing window (I've paid for a few hours of consulting, like for 4 hours and it's probably been more like 9); Dr Dave + Arkie for the 2nd set of wing windows after the first set were boogered up; and K13, Bad Buick Bob, Mr48chev, Two Chops, Tomkat and everyone else who sold me parts or kept me on the path.

Just don't pro street your car and I'll help you too.

 

haha I appreciate it, Thanks for the advice but I'll buy you a beer when I make it up to Chicago in the pro street merc.

 

It's okay once you start trying to fab up the 4 link and the fuel cell you'll change your mind.

 

HAHA...Bad Buick Bob?

 

You know, your Tijuana Special.

 

Work has been super busy in a good way so I've focused on that. But drove the old gal and I'm hopefully soon gonna fix some reliability stuff and bang out the grill with the help of some of my Chicago friends.

 

Nice stuff !

 

Looking good John! I know you are happy to have it out and get the season started.

 

Hopefully sometime next 30 days I can free up some time and cash to finish the damn grille!

 

That looks beautiful, and I wish my car had slanted B pillars.

 

Where da flippers!! just kidding, great photo.

 

Eventually I'll run some Sombreros modified to work on my rims, I've talked to a guy with a bunch for sale.

How about the next time I post pics I'll commit to having the grill done and I'll have period-correct caps on there... that would be cool eh? That will be my goal.