50 Merc Build Part II, Bring "Mercinator" to life

For anyone just joining in on the story here's the back story.

Building my merc. Its been my dream car since i was a kid. My grandfather keeps asking me when I'm gonna build our car so I decided now is the time.

When he heard it was my dream car he said he'd help me build it. My grandfather and two of his friends bought a merc and started doing the chop on it, back in the day. Half way through the body work the three of them sold it and joined the army. They all agreed they'd buy their dream car again and finish their dream project but they never did. My grandfather still dreams of that car daily and everytime I see him he tells the same story. And asks me when we are gonna go for a cruise.

So now I'm in the military and I just bought my 50 merc with a running flat head. The car is pretty rough and my work is cut out for me. My end plan for the project is to chop it 5 inches, lose the drip rail, shave the door handles and french the lights. Welding on a Gambino Kustoms front Stubb and a Gambino pro street Back 1/2 in order to deal with the big block ford being built for the car and keeping the car as low as possible. The engine is looking like it will have 700 lbs/tq to the flywheel, obviously wont know that for sure till the engine gets put on the dyno but I'm building everything to withstand whatever type of punishment I end up putting the car through. The rear is getting tubbed to fit the 17.5 inch slicks on a narrowed ford 9" to help it hook up and cause i like big tires. 20% gloss black on the entire car. And a ratrod interior, mostly just brushed or painted sheet metal with the original dash. A bench seat in the front if i can find one that will fit and a big dog bed in the back for me and the pitbull to sleep on during the trip to Chicago from Savannah GA.

If anyone has any advice to help me put the car together I would apreciate it. I'm trying to keep the costs low but I have some time to find parts before I get home. The body work is being done by my friend Trafton and i'm gonna help were I can and try not to get in his way haha. The flattie is getting traded to him for body work. I love the original engine but i need to be going fast. I'm trying to get the Merc together by next winter, I have alot of work to do, but gandpa's health is starting to slip and he's not getting any younger.

Bellow is the car a lot of my inspiration comes from for the overall look of the car and stance, and my actual 50 merc. Mines obviously the rusted one haha<!-- / message --><!-- edit note -->

 

Got a question?

I'm going with a T56 transmission, possibly Tranzilla rated to 850 ft/lbs. I need to know how far back the shifter would be depending on my length

These are the available distances from the engine.

SHIFTER OPTION'S AVAILABLE 25", 26 1/4", 29", 33" AND 36 1/2" FROM ENGINE

I'm wanting to do a bench seat in the front.

Can anyone measure out or let me know how far into my seat some of these distances would go? I'm trying to stay away from an extremely long shifter so I would like it to be as close to the seat as comfortably possible.

Planning on buying the trans and bell before returning home from deployment so we can start all of our fab work and fitting things into the ch***ie.

Thanks.

 

The black merc has nice lines, Mercs always look so weird to me without a white wall! Take your time, stay focused and it will be together soon enough. If you have any questions on the merc feel free to ask, and I know all the other Merc Nerds would be more than happy to help also..If you need any new sheet metal stuff for the doors and floors, I make all that junk..Make sure you keep us updated with pics!! P.S. Ratrod is a bad word....

 

now get off the HAMB and get to work budy!! its gonna be a sweet ride!

 

"P.S. Ratrod is a bad word...."

Ok not quite Ratrod, I understand that is a touchy word on the HAMB. Haha I guess to beter describe I'm going for a more minimalistic and industrial looking interior. Mostly metal, nothing soft or carpeted. Something I dont have to worry about getting in with muddy boots after a day at the range or covered in oil after working on the Chopper.

This is somewhat the interior style I like, I dont want rust or an unfinished look. I just want the metal to be the interior. Painted or brushed steel

 

A stock 50 seat is about 26" from the inside of the firewall when its all the way slid forward and about 29" slid back. Depending on which big block your running FE or the 385 family the FE can squeese in there without modifying the firewall, the 429-60 you might have to step it back a bit to give you room up front. I had 49 here awhile back that had one in it and i just remember seeing the firewall stepped. It had a VERY built 460 with a 5spd.......Lets just say it was a tad more powerful than my flathead

 

Gear slammer, if I wasnt on the other side of the country I would haha

 

Thank you very much that was extremely helpfull. Its going to be a stroked big block. I'm leaving the perticulars to my engine builder, I'm waiting for the exact parts brake down from him on monday. We've been shooting messages back and forth and chating on the phone about budget issues and drivability but I think we will be in the ballpark of 500 cubic inches. i wanna say its a 385 block to start. But I will post the brake down later on when its nailed down.

And I bet that 460 moved compared to the flathead... But damn a flat head is cool!

 

It was a customers car I had a few years back, I had to drive it down to get an exhaust put on. It was a lot of fun to drive. It had been awhile since I had been in something with that much power and in a chopped Merc to boot! Ive been tempted to do the same swap, I have a 429 SCJ thats begging to be put in something...

 

Thanks for that info.
Been searching everywhere for those measurements.
Should of just asked here to begin with...

 

Hey,

Not to rain on your motor choice, but have ya ever run a big block for any length of time on the street? All of my 390s, 428, 429 & 460s all would return 'bout 12-14 MPG Unless you're runnin aftermarket heads and a freeflowing exhaust don't look for that to change much, even in something as light as a gutted Merc! With fuel out here on the coast runnin in the shadow of $5.00 a gallon, I'm rethinkin putting my 428 in my next driver/build "Stroker motor'' smallblocks produce power at low end, and will run with the big dogs as well-not a great savings, but parts are alittle cheaper.

Jus where that shifter winds up will have alot to do with how far back in the frame your big block mounts are.

" Humpty Dumpty was pushed "

 

As far as the interior, all metal will get hot and be loud if you plan on driving it for any distance. Hard to go wrong if you stick to the black one as your "guide". Also check Flamedabone's merc build. About as bad *** as you can get. Good luck. I think like most builds it will evolve over time and become more and more refined. Good luck.

 

I definetly hear you on your warning, I'm tracking the fuel consumption issues but I'm just excepting it for what it is.

I mean.... "its better to be dead and cool, than alive and uncool" haha

I am gonna run side pipes and open exhaust from the header out so if that is supposed to help thats probably the only help I'll get.

As far as the shifter location, I would like to notch the front of the bench somehow and give some room for the shifter to be closer as long as I can do so cleanly. The goal is a short throw on my shifts. I do not wanna run buckets, i really don't like the look of them in the merc.

The car pictured is another inspiration, if you could blend the minimalistic photo at the top of the thread with these it would be about there haha.

I like the door panels, but instead of color i wanna two tone things in brushed aluminum and black paint

 

Anyone know what seats are in the photo above, I like the split back rests but still a bench seat.

If anyone knows a good reapulsteror or interior guy I'd love to talk to them about making my original springs into seats again.

 

Those appear to be factory Merc seats.

 

[QUOTE

I am gonna run side pipes and open exhaust from the header out [/QUOTE]

Cant get much cooler than that.

 

I drew up my plans for the interior. We'll see how things turn out in the end.

The light part of the doors in the drawing will be brushed aluminum.

Diamond plate bolted to the floors in place of floor mats.

Floors linexed no carpet.
Trans tunnel powdercoated.

The rest of the doors and interior panels would be painted or powdercoated

Roof painted as well.

 

Essential in ALL coupes so you can access the rear seats.

 

Found a pretty solid seat frame company, they also to a 20% discount For military

After speaking with them they were very helpful. The woman I spoke to named Becky said that they do not have a specific model for the 49-50 Merc, but they have installed Model Number SP 57 in them. That is the split back front seat designed for a 57 Chevy.

Tho they are currently designing one specifically for the 49-50 Merc.

Multiple position recliner

70 bucks to ship from California to Savannah.

Frame alone 750, without discount

They sell the foam for all their seats but do not do Upholstery

Hope this is helpful to anyone looking for a front seat frame as I am, I will post how things turn out if I do use them.

http://www.glideengineering.com/index.html

 

If anyone is wondering what Gene Winfield is selling his panels and replacement flooring panels for, they are as follows

1/4 floor pan: $100.00
Lower 1/4 panel patch (rear): $125.00

Fender patch behind tire (Front fender): $82.00
Lower door skin patch (8 inches): $120.00
Rocker panel: outer: $92.00, inner: $260.00, inner upper: $75.00


Chop top DVD (50 merc chopped 3 different ways): $40.00

 

Are those steel or fibergl*** pieces? Gene does lots of fibergl*** Merc parts.

 

I was told they were steel, I'm gonna ask tomorrow what gauge the metal is.

 

Cool concept sketch. Lightening holes in the pedals and shifter say "performance/compe***ion" to me. How about buckets that have a matching compe***ion look.

Careful on the treadplate, I'm running some in my engine compartment, it's aluminum with some clear painted/plastic coating, scratches easily. Shop around for one that will take wear from shoes.

 

Thanks. I like a bench seat so I can sleep on it.... and other things haha. But thank you for the advice on the treadplate. I'd like to make some of my own from stainless or try to find someone who can stamp it for me.

 

They are made from 18 gauge steel

 

Cool. Didn't know he was making steel ones, but did know he made lots of fibergl*** Merc parts including whole cars. Good to know.

 

I'd get sheet metal from Matt Townsend, his stuff is second to none.

 

His stuff looks great as well I've been talking to him about flooring and door skins.

I'm posting options with pricing listed on my thread to help inform anyone shopping around.

Matt Townsends Customs & Hotrods
951-833-1835

Front floor pans $300 ea

Rear floor pans $300 ea

Driverside toe board $175

P***enger toe board $125

Door bottoms $250 ea

Lower door skin $ 150 ea (covers 6 inches but can be made taller upon request and added price)

For Photos and further description follow the link below

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=720547

 

I have 3 merc's and in the 49 I put a 427 cadillac motor if fit good I did'nt have to cut the fire wall at all but when I put a 350 chev I had to make a dish for the fire wall but the coolest thing about a merc it slamed with wide white walls not pro stock

 

I can't say enough good things about Matt. I talked to him so much that I pressured him to take money from me for his time. I also had him whittle me up a set of chopped wing windows that looked brand new when they came out of the box.



You'll get more advice from Matt on your car than you will from anyone else including Gene Winfield. Gene travels a lot a hard to get a hold off though he's super cool.