So, I picked up a 53' Mercury Monterey last night. Pretty excited to finally have a decent start. The P.O. already put in a 351C with a freshly rebuilt 3 speed auto trans. New white walls, New brakes, lines, and a dual cylinder reservoir, New gas tank, fuel pump, radiator, dual Flowmaster exhaust, 12 volt conversion, and a few other odds and ends. Runs, drives, and stops, awesome. Trying to hook up with some other 50's Merc guys in case I need some advice along the way for fixing up what is left. Here's a video of a quick walk around.
Looks like a nice solid car. As with all these older cars don't be surprised if you find some areas that will need attention. Look under the carpeting, the trunk floor, and wheel well areas for signs of rust and corrosion. The engine bay looks like it could use some TLC and some paint as a start point for you. Nice car enjoy it and make it your own, and make sure it is safe.
Dark green 4-dr '53 Merc was our family car in the late 50's, early 60's I think the engine was a bit different tho' lol
Thanks guys! Took it for a drive yesterday. Amazing how much you get noticed driving old cars. Guess speeding its out for a little while.
Here's mine. 55 Pontiac side pieces, 54 Merc taillights and 1/4 panel ends, 57 Caddy caps with Mercury Comet gas caps for centers, Caddy interior, 351 Windsor and C6 tranny and 9" rear. Tom...
Where did you end up getting the 9" rear? Thinking of putting one in mine. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
So, driving around today. At day seven of ownership,I noticed the car was idling rough at the stop lights. Kind of surging. I figure it was probably a carb adjustment, cause the exhaust smells like gas wicked. Adjusted it, and got no real improvement. I decided to look for any mysterious vacuum leeks, and noticed the vacuum advance was disconnected. I am thinking this may be the root of my problems. Borrowing a timing light from a buddy tomorrow, and replacing the missing vacuum life to the advance to see if it gets better. I'll let you know if it worked out. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
The vacuum advance setting shouldn't effect idle if the vacuum line is connected to a ported source (no vacuum at idle). If the vacuum line is disconnect from the distributor and open to manifold vacuum, then it will create a vacuum leak and affect your idle quality. The vacuum advance is primarily used for cruising at 1500 - 2500 rpms and small to moderate throttle openings. The increased vacuum advances the spark, improving engine efficiency. However, many guys like to hook the vacuum advance to a manifold vacuum source, which will advance the timing at idle and could be the source of your problems.
So, I connected all the vacuum lines where they go, and plugged the ports not used. Running about 18 for vacuum on the gauge. Set the carb to factory presets, set the timing, and it still idles the same when it is idling in gear. It surges. In park,or under power it seems to do great. Still kind of puzzled here. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Does it still smell really rich when idling? You don't mention what kind of carb, but if it is a Holley, it may have a torn power valve diaphragm that is allowing fuel past when it shouldn't (like idling). This would cause the idle mixture to go pig rich and stink like fuel. The engine would smooth out as the power valve normally opens under load anyways.
It is a 2 barrel holley carb. And it is running richer than hell. The exhaust is black, clouds up the neighborhood, and smells like gas something fierce. I think you may be on to something. Now to figure out how to fix it. Sent from my KFTHWI using H.A.M.B. mobile app
Power valves are an easy fix. Lot's of videos on You-Tube to show you how. The 2 barrel procedure is basically the same as on a 4 barrel.
Thanks! Got a power valve from summit. Told them I had a 351c, and they sent me a 5.0 valve. The one I took out is 9.5. Seemed all well and good. Set the mixture screws and timing for max vacuum on the gauge. (17) starts well enough and runs well as long as it is in the driveway. Both in park and drive. Doesn't smell like fuel anymore and doesn't have the cloud of black smoke either. Now while I am driving it surges pretty bad, and has a lack of power going up hills. I changed the plugs today. (3 of them were wet, 5 were white) it runs a little better. Emphasis on little. Hardly any really. Wires are coming in a couple days. Hopefully that helps, I don't really know. Just don't want to keep throwing money and time at it, and not gain anything. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
If you are setting your timing for max vacuum, you could have it advanced too far, and that could lead to surging and poor power. Set the timing so you have a total advance of 32 to 36 degs at some where between 2200 and 3000 rpms, depending on the distributor curve. It is very easy to over advance a motor by setting the timing based on vacuum alone.
So, just to be clear..you are saying 32 BTDC with the vacuum advance plugged in and at 2200-3000 rpms, checked with a timing light? Sent from my KFTHWI using H.A.M.B. mobile app
Right now it is at 6-10 at idle in park. No advance hooked up. Seems to idle faster in park than in gear though. I don't think it would effect timing as long as the vac advance isn't hooked up. It may be normal to do that. I don't really know. I am really just a at home tinkerer trying to learn as I go. Changed the plug wires today, and checked out the sight plug on the side of the carb for the hell of it. Fuel level was a bit low, so I raised it up some. It seems to go better now. Up and down my little road anyhow. I'll have to wait until tomorrow for a decent test drive. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Yep, 32 to 36 degrees with the vaccum advance hooked up. Slowly bring the rpms up off idle, and the amout of timing advance should increase smoothly with rpms. At some point it will stop advancing (most likely between 2200 and 3000 rpms, again depending on the distributor curve, but maybe as high as 3500), that is the total advance. It should be between 32 and 36 degs. With what sounds like a bone stock 2bbl Cleveland, I would imagine it should be closer to 32 than 36 degs. You don't want to exceed 36 deg's, and the engine won't much like it either as you will probably start to get some knocking (per-detenation).
Think I got it all figured out. Changed the needle and seat and got rid of my surging/ loss of power. My power valve got rid of the smoke screen, and some of the surging. I ended up going with a 8.5 per valve. Put in new gaskets, new wires, new gapped plugs, re-adjusted the idle mixture, idle speed, timing ended up being around 8 at curb idle, and set the float level. (Not ask at once mind you, just sitting the process) Runs like a dream now. Thanks for all your help. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Went to my buddies house a couple weekend ago, and put on a receiver hitch to pull vintage campers with. Subneil56 did a great job hiding it as much as possible. It would have looked much worse if left to my own devices.
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