Projects Building my 49 Mercury

Been meaning to post up some pictures and such forever, just been too darn busy. Promised a few dudes I'd get on it this week, so heres a start. I'll start with paint. Been trying to buy this 4 door for 11 years, PO finally caved. This car has been around the Southeast for a while and the last time it was driven was over 10 years ago. Sitting in this exact spot for all that time. Wanted it so bad that I didn't really give it a proper once over like I do normally. Here is what she looked like when I aquired her. At least 2 rounds or more of custom work from God knows who all. Some good, some BAD!!!

 

After getting her home discovered the following: tranny was screwed, shifter collapsed through the floor, all rockers and dog legs hosed, suspension was a wreck, interior was salvageable believe it or not...at least some of it, brakes...gone, engine had a spun crank bearing.

So first off I stripped every wire and all of the stock fuse panel stuff. Planning to just drive it as a rust bucket for a while. Can't find the wiring and motor pics, but here is the finished product after the wiring. Used a Painless 12 circuit box and all new wiring. Wasn't that bad, and well worth it. All new under the hood. Soda blasted all the engine bay and powder coated all of the under the hood stuff. Shoved in a late model 302, mild cam, 650cfm carb, normal stuff and headers. Put in a used C4 tranny with a shift kit and a new Hurst shifter. Got the blinkers, brake lights ect all shook out as well. Ripped out the stock gauges, they were shot. Retroed in new Autometer gauges behind the stock housings. Turned out pretty cool. Ran my train horns to the stock Blower switch, and the smores to the old starter button. Kinda cool I though. Thought I was making progress...

 

Pics

 

Needless to say after driving it with holes all in the doors, had to break it down. Thanks to Joe Steymst, you are the man. He's my body coach for life. Spent about 3 months every single night cutting panels, welding panels, rockers, dog legs, etc... Thank God the trunk, floor, pans and X-frame were good to go. Just cleaned them all up and gave them a good blast of POR15. As for the rest I have never block sanded so much in my life! I will NEVER do louvers again. The hood was louvered when I got it but the front lip was toast. Had to get another used one and basically make two into one. Totally worth it but Jesus there is no good way to sand those things!!! Sorry for not having more detailed pictures. Comments welcome.

 

Kinda zoomed through 1 1/2 years in one page, but trying to consolidate. After driving her painted I knew I had to bag here. Here are pics. Purchased a rear kit, no comment... Pretty much wound up making my own Ladder bar, panhard bar setup in the rear and cupped the front. 1/2" lines and valves with dual compressors. Pretty straight forward, lays frame, and rides awesome. Next is a front end rebuild and disk brakes!!! Let me know what you guys think of her. Named her "Marie". Special thanks to my Brother Mike Reeves (Endless), he's the suspension Yoda around here!

 

Here are some general pics. I'll take more later of the Disk brakes and the lake pipes.

 

Badd A$$$ !!!!!! Love the MERC"s!!!!!!

 

Very cool, nice job!

 

Nice merc, But whats up with the wheels?

 

Was sure someone wouldn't like new school wheels, just my taste. Personally can't stand whitewalls...I know...I'll go to Hell for it but don't. Plus I hate doing what a million other people do just because they do. Actually had all of these milled out to 87mm bore to be hubcentric with my disk brake kit. Just my style...

 

Do you think you might be on the wrong site ,personaly i really hate when people put moderen wheels on an old car then say its because they want to be different.Those wheels make your merc look like you have no taste at all,your cars kinda cool but your wheel choice says retard i love mercs by the way.

 

Get over it ..
Retard???
Maybe you don't like Mercs as much as you like pleasing what others think.

 

like it, wheels and all

 

looks great and a 4 door kool ..love the 4 doors

 

Great looking car, well done!

 

To each his own bro, all I can say. I do what I like, and if you don't like it you can put those wheels on your car. Just funny to me, same car, same sweat off my back...put some tired ass rusty steel wheels on and some white walls and suddenly I'm the "cool" guy...ironic.

I follow the beat of my own drum and thanks to all that want to contribute and learn/teach some things. Some of the qwerks of these old cars are a bit to figure out. I'm just here to have fun and learn. Seems to draw all the attention I want it to, and all the work is the sweat off my back. Needless to say you couldn't replicate what I've done without mill work galore. I could call Coker and match that whitewall look by simply pulling my credit card out...think about it...

 

Oh yeah, just for the record...I do have old school wheels sitting in the garage...just don't like 'em. Anybody need some?

 

Great job, nice job on the rear suspension.
Don't like the wheels either but to each their own.....

 

very cool car but i am with the rest on the wheels. but like you said. to each his own

On another note You did the wheels to be different. the paint?? Must be the first merc that was flat black!!!!!!!! Just playing with ya. cool ride

 

car looks good, but the wheels have to go in my opinion! the car does not look right with those. but it is your car?

 

Good looking car, but like most here say, the wheels take away from the traditional look.

 

But why call the guy a retard and have no taste.
I keep the wheels on just to piss off that poster ...

 

Nice car. Those wheels are sick. What make are they?

 

how about an intro???????

 

This debate will never end, however there is a UNIVERSAL truth.

If you suck at bodywork...DP90 is your friend!!!

 

Nice Merc, I like it in the flat Black regardless of what some might say, at the end of the day what 's really important is that the owner of the car is happy with it.Your car Your choice, I have a 51 Merc myself and love these cars! post interior pics next time you get a chance.

 

Well I'll keep my opinion to myself on the wheels. Let's not lose site of the big picture here people. The man is saving another old Merc. You should be kissing his feet, not ragging his ass over his wheel choice. You are making yourself a nice little ride and until the haters start paying for your build I would say do what YOU want with YOUR car. Now go finish her.

 

Definite thumbs up to guy who keeps an old ride still on the streets. Pick whatever parts make you happy. Your spending your money on an American classic, not a Honda. It shouldn't be up to forum guys to judge others taste just because they don't like it. If it were than I would vote it a law that all sled Mercs and 68 Chargers be black!

 

I'll snap more interior pics tomorrow. Going to chop the top 3" in January so didn't spend that much time, most is just to keep it comfy. I do have a nice set of rear 50 Ford rear seats if anyone wants a great deal. Took it upon myself to try and make my own covers for the fronts. Came out decent. Not exactly "off the shelf"... I still like Mexican blankets too, LOL!!!

 

Here are the Master Pieces, funny...