Hey everyone, I recently purchased a 1940 Mercury Tudor. This is how it is titled. Is this also known as a Coupe/Sedan or Sedan/Coupe? It currently has a complete 6 volt system, but I am baffled by these pictures. I don't think this was originally on the car, but it was mounted to the firewall under the dash. It looks like it could be a resister of some sort? There is also a 2 pole switch (blue wires) that just goes from the switch to 2 terminals on this box. (1940MercC and 1940MercD) What does this do? Any idea where the red wire with the eye on the headlight switch goes to in picture 1940MercB? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks again!!
What a mess, are you sure the car is 6v? I'm not an electrician but could the resistor shown be to allow some 6volt items to be used when the car is converted to 12 volt
so far as I know, '39/'40 Mercury was only available in one coupe body style (excluding the convertible), the one with the stainless 'B' pillar that made it look like a hardtop. In '41 thru '48 models (Ford & Merc), there was a short door coupe and a long door coupe. The latter was referred to as a "sedan coupe" because of it rear seat and extra passenger space. Then there is the rounded back two door that is definitely a sedan. Ray
The resistor is for the ignition coil, it likely has the divers helmet distributor with the coil on top of it. Lincoln V12's also used a resistor to protect the ignition coil from burning up, yes, even on a 6 volt system.
I will takes some pictures of the car as well as the engine and distributer and coil. I'll try to get them posted tonight. Oh this car has a Columbia rear end that worked a few years ago. I haven't tried it yet. It does have the stainless window frames that look like a hardtop, but it has a painted actual B pillar. It also has a full back seat. Thanks for your help and suggestions!!!!
I took some pictures of the engine and body. This is a very solid car. Someone did some work on the front floorboards and the trunk tool pan. They are both solid, but not the prettiest job. Everything was brazed. I am converting it to 12 volts. I have all the original equipment. You will see a picture of the distributor and coil. I also attached a picture of the Columbia rear end and the windows. I have all of the other chrome as well. I am missing the bumper brackets and transmission pan and air breather. The guy I bought it from says that he has them, but can't find them. If any of you may happen to have these parts available, I may be interested. So do any of these pictures help decide what it is? It is titled as a Tudor, but I've also heard it called a Sedan-Coupe or Coupe-Sedan? It has a full size back seat also. I still don't know what that other device was in my previous post. Any more ideas? Thanks guys!!
Thanks for sharing. I also took some pictures last night and posted them. Is this called a Tudor or a Sedan-Coupe or Coupe-Sedan?
It is most accurately called a 'Coupe'. The term 'Sedan Coupe' wasn't used until at least 1941 and was coined by Ford Motor Company to differentiate the long door Coupe from the short door Coupe in their body style terminology. That said, various DMV agencies often use a variety of terms to describe body style on Titles, but they are not always accurate or in compliance with what manufacturers called them. Nor do they need to be. The most useful descriptive body type designation on the title is simply the number of doors. For example, a '49/'52 Plymouth 2 door post sedan (not a Business Coupe) is called a Club Coupe by Mopar. There is only one two door post with quarter window body style in those years. Ford and GM, on the other hand, produced two door post models with quarter windows in two types. A shorter roof and quarter window and a longer roof with longer quarter window. The latter was called a 2 door Sedan, the former either a Business Coupe if it had no back seat or a Club (Ford) or Deluxe Coupe (GM) if it had a back seat. Oldsmobile called the '49/'50 model 76/88 fastback two door models a Club Sedan. There are many more variations of body style names, both those originated by manufacturers and those used by the public in common slang. Ray
Thanks Hnstray, I was beginning to wonder. I had never seen a Mercury Tudor on a title before. I've had cars titled as Tudor, but didn't know if a 40 Mercury had such a thing. It's numbers match, but just like my 40 Ford coupe has a much different top than this Mercury. Any idea what the device is in my previous post? it appears to be an add on, possibly to lower voltage but the car is currently 6 volt. I am in the process of adding a 12 volt alternator.
It's a coupe. Simple. The only similarity between a Mercury coupe and a tu dor sedan of that year is the number of doors. This is a Tudor sedan: This is a coupe:
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