Ok, so it seems I've offended some individuals who know much more about these vehicles than I do and I apologize, live and learn. As I once mentioned I've come across a '48 Merc truck sitting in a field in relatively decent shape, new at this and need advice on where to start. Hopefully I won't get cussed out for saying the wrong thing! Thanx.
And whens the last time you saw a Mercury Pk Up, in any form, and you come on here and want to RAT ROD it. Your plain crazy, and probably stupid.
Now please.... If you have done ANY reading on this site you would not use the r word. Now take your beatings with silence and read and learn
I saw a very nice mercury truck at the lonestar a couple of weeks ago. It was done very nice you could probably search lonestar pics and see it in a couple of them. But it for sure was not a R__ Rod it was *****in
Not rare in Canada? That's funny. Good luck getting trim anywhere in the world. Yes, they are rare in Canada to. I'm still running a Ford tailgate on my Merc truck. I've been offered $500 for my two front fender chrome trim pieces. Rare indeed.............
get the truck..then study the one here http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=359347 then show us all what you did to make it as nice as this one. do it right or don't do it at all.
I would advise trying to turn that "diamond in the rough" into a trimmed down well shaped gem. Also, you don't know alot about customising or "traditional" hot rodding, move slowly. Don't jump into a direction that cost you so much, that you can no longer stomach the expense of redirecting its course. Mercury pickups are not as rare in Canada as they are in more Southern parts of the NorAm. continent. However, exposure to the climate for 50 years, has done a bit of thinning out of the herd. I own one of maybe 3 that I have heard of in Texas (there are probably more). If there's enough there to be nursed back to an original or tastefully custom state, than I believe it is your responsibility to do that. It is our reponsibility to help you. If your focus is something else, you very well might be "run out on a rail." There is a certain respect for things here on the HAMB. Many of us consider ourselves caretakers or guardians of these vehicles in our posession. So hang around. Learn a bit and have fun. Stoke your p***ions and make some new friends. Welcome to the HAMB This is the "Gods honest truth." One of the "R"s from the letters along the top of the grill was missing for over a year and a half. Until one day it arrived in the mail... thanks to those who helped replace it. The size and font was year and model spacific, what a ****ty feeling when you find out, you might have to convert your M1 to an F1 (hahaha ... never).
I paid 300 hundred for the original tailgate for my truck. I am not even runnig it, but the option is there. However, it needs a few hundred dollars of work before it would even be ready to use it. Post a picture of the truck....
As luck would have it mine came with all the pieces and all the trim intact (lucky me) But I was trying to find a couple hub caps to make a matching trailer and no luck the ones that I have been able to find they want a ton and are barely salvageable. Luckly enough I have a perfect tailgate hanging on my shop wall (not for sale) I have had a ton of people try to buy it (top dollar) and I don't believe in cloning (fake ***es) Kyle.... 55 Mercury pickup
For $1,600 I'd go for it. Sounds like a hell of a deal. Rough Stock, you want to sell that tailgate???????
For 1600 I'd take two... as for the Tailgate. I do not want to sell it. I bought it as the first step to eventually redoing the bed of the truck. I need to keep my options open for now. I'll keep you in mind, if I ever decide to part with it. However, don't hold your breath... that's a good lookin truck.
OC76, listen to Rough Stock hes saying gooder stuff. Welcome to this place, you'll learn lots for sure here. Get that truck home, clean it up, maybe try to fire it up. Read Clarks tech posts on putting one of these on a S-10 ch***is if yours aint good. If its good just go threw it and redo some stuff and drive it. -Shiny
There is a sweet thread on F-1s, F-100's, and a few M-1's made it in. You should check it out. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=317676 There are a ton of different things you can do with that merc, like sell it to me! Here in Indiana, they are extremely few, and very far between. The nice part about it is most, if not all parts between F-1's and M-1's interchange except for trim. It will take some work, but in the end you will have a smokin custom pickup.
Thanx for the direction to all those who have given it so far. I accidentally offended some folks which was never my intention, just a rookie mistake. I want to learn because I believe in the value of these old timeless beauties, otherwise I wouldn't be here. And I respect those who deserve it, and clearly Rough Stock, you do. Thanx again, keep er comin.
Thanx bro. Checked out yur site, gooder stuff there too. I'm into MX but not as much these days, used to run a little shop here in town (apparel and accessories). Have my own clothing line but she's idle right now, kiddies and home renos eating up most of my time, and now I want this truck. As insane of an idea it might be for me, I think I need it to maintain sanity!
Man it is a huge decision to rod or to restore a Merc truck. You do have to take the condition into consideration. Some guys will take a bone stock resto and cut it in half. I feel that if I have one that is so close to stock and (original) condition it is almost disrespectful to cut it all up. I could just go and get any old Ford or Chevy to do that to. I was totaly suprised when I started my project how most people (pre HAMB) were not wanting to help you when you were looking for parts for these trucks. I quess with the new (CLONING) and rebadging people are getting more protective........Kyle
My Merc truck was much more of a resto before it started down its path to being the mild custom that it is today. You can see a few progress pic.s on this website: http://www.jwhkustoms.com/index.html Jamie had originally customized it, to create a cool daily driver for himself. Still in Canada at that time, it was then sold to a buddy who said he'd never sell it. Well... one thing or another came up, and he sold it a few months later to John Joyo over at the Austin Speed Shop; and that was the first time it had left Canada. A 2.5 years later, I bought it and drove it to Viva, L.A., and back to Austin. I've been cruisin ever since. Someday, I'll take it to the next level....
I'd just like to get if for a basic restore. Revive the old girl to a daily driver. Nothing wild or over the top. I'm aint a bells and whistles kinda guy, my budget wouldn't allow for it even if I was. Just want a low truck, rough finish - white walls. Is that outta line?
It still kinda sad but i'm still kinda figuring this Hamb thing out. I can't seem to figure out how to send a picture of my Merc. I hope that by the time I figure it out it is not off topic........Rough Stock Man that truck looked good even in suede black.........Kyle
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