To chop or not to chop an OG 49 Merc

I recently bought a 49 more-door Merc. It's in excellent condition inside and out with the original flatty. I'm the 3rd owner and I even have the original Kentucky dealer invoice. I've been patiently looking for an affordible one to chop, drop, etc. for years and I finally came across this one in Michigan.

My problem is that this car is such a rare example of an untouched (except for the nosing and decking) original Merc that I'm not sure if I should kustomize this one or sell it and buy one that screams "cut me already!".... Whatta you think?

 

CHOP IT!!!! ...i'm sure there is one in a museum somewhere already so cut away. i've seen a couple more door Mercs chopped and they look pretty sweet. shave the handles and at first glance you don't even notice it's a 4 door. i used to have a pic of a realy cool chopped 4 door Merc but it's on my old hard drive that i have'nt transfered to this computer yet.

 

sell it and buy a coupe.

 

that looks like a nice car. I'd leave it. nuttin wrong with a cool old original car.

one thing... if you chop it, don't do one of those 4 door carson top no windows things. I hate those cars. chop it, chop all the doors and have roll up GLASS in every hole. that's what seperates the men from the boys.

 

It's all been done already with mercs. Be different and leave it alone.

 

Just some lowering and a set of '51 skirts will make a lot of difference. Chopped a '49 4dr back in the '50s. I wouldn't chop yours, looks too good.

 

My take is that why do most assume you need a pile of shit to build a kustom or rod? Since I do the stuff for myself as well as for a living I can say with great enthusiasm how nice it is to start with a clean complete car. Think about that for a minute. Say one of us finds this undone 9 owner project Merc that's ready to chop but it's missing so much stuff it'll take a lifetime of swap meets and ads to get it all, or you fab everything from scratch and invest those hrs as well. Or, you have this complete good lookin car that has everything, runs good, you LIKE IT, and would like it better if...

Does that help? As far as "it's been done" there's a good reason for that. It looks good. Hey, you asked.

 

I agree with the Highlander. Everyone says" it's too nice to cut up". I have chopped 3 Mercs in addition to several other makes. It is always easier and the end result is better to start with a solid car. If you want a chopped Merc. Chop a good one.

 

i can hear that one screaming.

 

someone is gonna chop it sooner or later..... go ahead & chopt it !!

 

I dont think its too nice, I think it has too many doors. Sell it. Top customs almost always start out as nice cars first.

chopped four doors are like fat chicks with small dresses. It would look better on someone else... or in this case, something else. Coupes are not hard to find or all that expensive. You could easily sell that and buy a coupe.

my opinion aint worth all that much but seriously, a chopped or lowered four door is.... ah fuck it, do what you want.

 

chop chop,

 

Sam Barris was cutting them up when they were new talk about balls and the rest was history.

 

Hey,

The fact that you're some what apprehensive speaks volumes
to the notion that you should not chop it. "IF" it's as clean as
you're saying, why not give a restorer a shot at it and move
on to one you've no doubts about chopping. The supply of
'49-'51 Mercurys is not growing. Who can say what they will
be bringing in twenty years.
And as far as this notion goes that it's somehow "macho" or
takes "balls" ta cut up a rare or valuable, and rare doesn't always
translate into valuable, vehicle........Bullshit! This ain't nothin' but
unbridled narcissism rarin' its ugly head. "oh", I'm makin a personal
statement by fuckin up a vehicle, what? huh? If I had a buck for
every fucked up, butchered pre 1975 vehicle i'd seen over the
last twenty five years, I'd be driving a '32 3 window.
Just because you can doesn't mean you should!

Swankey Devils C.C.

 

Yep.

 

EXACTLY!!!!

 

Just make sure you manipulate the back door window so the vent wing ain't in there... they look better without that bump in the line of the door!

 

my feeling is you want a nice chopped merc,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,you start with a nice merc

 

Hmmmmm........

 

if a chop 4 door is what you want then chop it but if a chop 4door is all you got and a coupe is what you want then sell it

 

Chop It

 

I would not chop that one

 

Is this a traditional rod and custom board or not? Is an unchopped mercury REALLY a custom? Come on, building a custom 49 merc, and not chopping it is taking it the easy way out. "mild custom" 49-51 mercs are kind of silly IMO.

You wont sell it for enough money to buy a nice 2 door, so you might as well use what you have, that is, if you want a custom. If you dont want a custom, your probably in the wrong place.

While your at it, find some doors off of a coupe, weld up the rear doors, and make it a 2 door.

 

Wow! What a great debate. I really appreciate all the enthusiastic responses. The difference of opinions is what I expected and it's what goes through my mind every time I drive it or even look at it. I definitely agree that chopping a clean and complete car makes for a good time to be had by all.

I have other cars that scratch my custom itch, as well as other projects, so I think what I'll do is drive this cool old Merc as is for now while I look for a coupe to "go off" on. Then if I can't find one that I can afford I'll chop what I got. So I guess you can say I'm in the market for an affordable coupe.

Thanx fellas - I value all your opinions.........even yours glassguyOC!

 

The question is if you chop it,what cut will you give it?If its gonna be some 4 door with the back window too far forward and no emphasis on stainless trim and proper heights than dont do it.In other words a perfectly chopped 4 door would be fine but if it ends ip looking like someone wants it to resemble a coupe than that would suck.

 

I would do it as a 4 door Hardtop= chopped-[3-&-4] of course.....
PM me & Ill give you a bid......Its not as expensive as you would think here in the midwest!

 

This green 4 door looks as good as ANY two door.
Like somebody else said, if you do the 4 door right it can be amazing but its a lot tougher to get it right.

Here's another one I saw at the GG show today -

 

What's tight about the four door sedan is that you can suicide the back doors and get a nice, big open space when you open 'em both at once on either side. Looks tight!

I wouldn't chop that one, personally, because I happen to be in admiration of the dwindling amounts of clean, original cars out there.

For those who give less a hoot than I, I would have to say that chopping that would probably be a lot simpler than chopping a P.O.S. and restoring everything else about it, too!

If you like original cars, keep it original and sell it to someone who you know is interested in owning such a vehicle and buy a new one. If you don't appreciate the vintage cleanseliness of it that much, then chop it up!

-Gregory-

 

Looks "tight"? This is the HAMB, not "Pimp My Ride".

You dont have to do anything to make the rear doors suicide, they came from the factory that way.

 

Leave it be.
(and this from a guy who can't leave ANYTHING alone)