1949 Merc Build - Any Ideas

The HAMB is a great resource for when you decide to build/redo a car. It's also a trad scene, where a great many folks would love to see a '49 Merc run a flathead, sombreros, and a bench seat. If you start talking about buckets, EFI engines, and 18" rims you will start getting ragged on because this is not that kind of site.

Even if I eventually swap in a late model EFI LS1/LS2/LS3 engine into my Merc I won't research it on here.

But I bought my '55 Studebaker caps and other stuff based on the great research you can do on the HAMB.

 

Stripping it down. Really like the Erickson frame design!

 

Those cars look great. Do you have a suspension upgrade kit that could fit my '49 Mercury? (I ordered a set to a specialized shop but I'm having some problems in getting my stuff)

 

Still working away. Pictures to follow the weekend. Have not had a day of in two and a half weeks, generators, rotors and pulverizers oh my! Don't you hate it when work gets in the way of things?

 

personally i feel a traditionally built car is one that the owner/builder visualizes and builds himself not one that hires someone to design it the way the designer thinks it should be , hell thats like going to a dealership and buying a car . you are buying what someone else thinks you should drive . what does it matter what suspension or engine /drive train you use . my current Merc project is the first independent air ride fuel injection i have ever done . I am daring to try something different . and it will be driven and if i am in Timbucktoo and break down i assure you mechanical parts for a late model are a lot easier to come by to get me back on the road , who defines traditional any way, didnt the builders in the 50s use the latest and best engines they could find , don't you think they would have used efi then if it had been around ? i see a lot of folks on here using 350/350 combos those werent around then either , niether were s10 clips or t 5 trannies or disc brakes .or all the mustang 2 swaps and air bags . well actuially there were some air bags around in the 50s. why is it ok to do these things but a guy using his creativeness and ingenuity gets bashed? I think what Rhys. is doing is great

 

uuff that looks like a disaster! as do most frame swaps, and alot of subframes. but i gotta give it to flamedabone that is prolly the best subframe job ive seen, and i absolutly hate subframes, frame swaps, mustang IIs.

 

that picture of the Dick Dean one looks like he was sitting the body on ity to see how it would line up theres no way it would work like he had it .

 

That's pretty well sums up my thoughts on it too.

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Im with you.My Merc is on a 78 Olds Delta 88 frame and floorpan and I really dont like it and would NEVER do it this way again.

 

More supports for floor pan added to the Blackhawk frame machine. All glass removed and a good portion of sheetmetal caringly cut away. It will take a week or two now to strip the engine bay and firewall for some further trimming. It's freakin cold in the garage and the snow started to fly today. No heat and no help in this shop, still I'll gladly go out there to get off the "Estrogen Train", all girly girls but me in this house hold!

 

Darrell Starbird did one with a Lincolin,saw it in Salina a couple years ago.He used the stock Lincoln dash Windshield and interior.This is kick ass what you are doing.Now this is what I call fun!

 

but the front of the fenders are cut off, you shouldnt have to elongate the sheet metal to do a frame swap

 

Still working away. This is a copy of my Ontario ownership for the Merc prior to me putting the car in my name. Check out who the previous owner was!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Ready to start fabricating a frame. Think I'll shut it down till after Christmas and relax with the family eh!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The begining to the end. I started to build out the frame today. First order of business, move the motor mounts back five inches on the K member to obtain my 118" wheelbase. I had to fab up a bracket to secure the mounts in position and keep them aligned before I cut them free. I will need to modify the left mount to clear the rack input shaft. I will then "box in" the mounts and weld them to the K member. I will also be installing an intermediate steering shaft with an additional U-joint. With this extra U-joint I will also have to rig up a support bearing for the intermediate steering shaft. Thanks bdynpnt for the all the information and advice. Regards, Rhys.

 

Passenger motor mount boxed up. On to the driver's side.

 

Driver's side motor mount boxed up. Installed the Engine/Tranny for fitment. Mike you are right, the only way to go with the oil filter is a remote set up. Installed the Firewall in it's new position and the steering column to begin fabrication of the intermediate shaft and support bearing. I hope to find a 3/4" DD U-joint soon, I may have to break down and buy some parts. Well, time to shovel the drive.

 

Bolted the steering column back in place to begin building the steering "set up". This is going to take a bit of thought. Any good kits on the market with splined shafting and U-joints. Thanks, Rhys.

 

Well, parts did not show up on Friday for me to complete the steering modifications so I moved to stripping the IRS. I will send it out next week for sandblasting so it is ready for grafting into the new frame. I found some pictures of my Merc when I purchased it from, I believe, a fellow HAMB member. It's a PDF, do these work on this site? I never did catch his HAMB handle. He operates a small Rod Shop and goes by the name Fat Chuk. I have tried running variations of the name to find him here on the Forum with no luck. Regards, Rhys.

 

The splined and DD joints came in for the steering linkage so the thinking and figuring began. The motor and fllor pan were placed back on the frame machine at the Merc 118" wheelbase. It took a few mock ups but by the end of the day an intermediate shaft is in place with an adjustable support bearing. I removed the floor pan and the engine/tranny from the frame machine and then placed the floor pan back on the blackhawk alone. I placed it at the Lincoln 113" original wheelbase so that I can begin to brace and secure all the front suspension to the K member in it's original position. I will then drill out the spot welds and then move the floor pan back out to the 118" wheelbase and begin rewelding it out to it's new postion with the help of Cleko pins. Regards, Rhys.

 

A good friend of mine and retireed coworker, Rossco, a traditional rodder with a massive stable of oldies, found out recently that I was building the Merc finally and asked if I would be chopping as the car below. Don't think soooooo!

 

I look forward to following the build.

 

Destroyed yet another 8 amp, 1/2" drill while drilling out spot welds over the past week (I use a variety of sizes of "centre drills, commonly used for lathe work). Anyway, I managed to carefully clear out all of the engine bay support structures to get to the air strut mounts. I removed a number of pieces and then welded in a fixture to hold the air strut mounts in position to the K member. It is flanged, reamed and dowel pinned. I will be able to cut the strut housings free and then unbolt them from the K member. I will then move the K member back on the frame machine to the new 118" wheelbase and bolt/dowel my fixture and reweld the strut mounts to their new location, they should then be all "true and square" like. After that I will start the perimeter frame from rectangular tubing. Regards, Rhys.

 

Impressive! Cant wait to see some older sheetmetal surrounding that suspension!!!! Keep us posted. Chad

 

Small amount of progress this week. The strut mounts were removed. The frame horns were then cut free, attached to the front K member. The floor pan was then moved back on the frame machine to the 118" Merc wheelbase. The assembly now sits at the correct 118", straight and true, ready to weld back together. Regards, Rhys.

 

The front frame horns are now complete at the 118" wheelbase. Man that was a ton of work for 5". I think my wife has told me that a time or two! Anyway, removed the outside rockers and some further sheet metal to begin the perimeter frame. I also began assembly of the rear subframe as it came back with a good layer of Amercoat from the sanblasters. Regards, Rhys.

 

Cant wait to see more.

 

Me either, I want to see the frame worked onto the project and how its going to get done!

 

What an interesting build. Good stuff!

 

Slow and steady but moving ahead. Loaded the engine, tranny and IRS back on the Blackhawk. Flipped the floor pan and placed it on top of the blackhawk to begin the perimeter frame. I will fab it all in this postion and then place and bolt it back in the correct position on the frame machine before I weld it in finally. I have an empty side of the garage now. More on that in a few weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!