Projects 1950 4 Door Merc Build...Sort Of.....

Thanks Jaz, thank you for reading my thread, and relating to it. My car hopefully is a few months away from being completed. Just don't ask what it's cost me, Hahahaha...

On a side note, I've been spending a few weeks in London every summer for the last few years. I even went to a great Rockabilly show in Cambden town this past summer.. I'll friend you on here and next time I'm in London I'll look you up, and maybe we can go and grab a pint at my mates pub, Punch Bowl. Speckled Hen for me...

 

I know it's difficult to do right now, but seriously consider NOT waiting 10 years to redo the top and doors. Have Rick do it now as he knows the car inside and out..... and you will be soooo happy. Plus you will save $$ not having to paint it again. And labor rates will only go up.

 

H ROD 50: Notice how much better the 51 skirts look? And you must have Rick do the top and doors this time around...........sooner rather than later. Your car is awesome! I really commend you for hanging in there and having the fortitude to "build it right." Just think, HAMB is a historical record of your dream coming true. Patience is a virtue.

 

So I got another Update from Rick today. I was going to write what Rick wrote but I figured I'd cut and paste his email with photos:

"got that last door hung. What a bitch it was to make it fit correctly but it finally does. I had to cut the door in the old chop line and take 3/16" out of the front of the door. Cut the top front edge of the door off about 1/8" and re weld it all back together. I also had to cut lose and re radius the upper door post and raise it up 1/8" to clear the door. It now swings very smooth and aliens with the body with even door gaps just like the other 3 now do also.
Thanks, Rick"

The words speak for themselves.That's my Builder. You can't go wrong with Rick Erickson and Extreme Kustoms..

 

19Fordy, Thanks alot..

I just got off the phone with Rick, and he's going to fix some of the top issues when the rear window is changed out and all the glass gets replaced. Unfortunately, it'$ ju$t going to be too labor inten$ive at thi$ time to do a complete top, and door fix.
But, To be honest, I like it, it's not perfect by most peoples opinions, but I really like it, and I can easily live with it, for the next few years..

Plus Rick is a Prodigy, and he's going to get the windows, and trims, all looking right. I'm not worried..

 

Turned out well and you have a matching welding helmet too!
PS I like the extra pair of doors...I think it will look cool and shake things up a bit!

 

Soo, After much argueing with Rick at EXT, and in the one picture you'll see I told him I wouldnt let the car come off of his head. He finally agreed to sand blast my car..
I don't know if this was a good idea, but I couldn't keep on having all this work done to it, without going down to bare metal.. So here are the before shots.. The body has to come off again.. Next time you see her she'll be shining, and hopefully with not too many holes.. Please pray for me...

 

A Little Jalopy Journal Love...... I hope by wearing this shirt I will be empowered by all the great builders on this website past and present, and have one bad ass 4 door Merc.....

 

I am pullin for ya. Hope it turns out ok and not returned to you in a bucket. I know how that feels.

 

Nice to see some progress, the car is definitely going in the right direction.

 

I think you are in for a few surprises....that being said its also the right way to go get her naked . With all that work into the doors I really hope you dont make a hardtop out of it I like it with the doortops...but thats just my useless opinion Cant wait to see some after pics !

 

I just read all the posts...great read! lookin forward to ya posting pics.

 

GET THE TISSUES!!!!!! I am tearing up over here!

 

The car has been sand blasted.. It's not good news.. I'm waiting for pictures, stay tuned... Pictures tonight...

 

I'm thinking good thoughts for you Merc brotha. Stripping my car down to bare metal revealed some bad bondo work, that added time to my build. I can appreciate the time and money involved, and I just say, keep your head up. We are in the same boat.

 

looks killer

 

First off i'd like to say i'm happy to see someone else building a 4 door with great pride! We also stripped ours down to metal and found some horrible bondo/body work. The car was owned by an older lady in Kansas City until 1965. It was purchased new in '50. I'm guessing she didnt know how to drive very well (her husband died just prior to the purchase in a plane crash) and the car was a learning curve for her. When the car was sold off in '65 it went to a collector and i'm guessing he paid someone to fix the dents in the fenders and the door that she smacked the car into.

Unfortunately no dents were pounded out and fixed, bondo was just slapped on the car by the pounds. as frustrated as we were to keep uncovering this crap we're glad we found it and we're glad we spent the time to fix it the right way and we're pretty confident it will turn out great.

Keep your head up...you'll be very proud of the build when its done, no matter tha damage uncovered

 

Persevere. But watch your add-ons at this point if the $ are getting deep.

 

****** WARNING! WARNING! WARNING******
**I Can Not BE Held Responsible For Uncontrollable laughter, and/or Tears**

I've been crying for 3 hours already

 

Day 2.. When your sand blaster says he needs 2 days to finish the car. It's never a good thing...

Quote of the Day: Rick Erickson, EXK." The guy who built that car must have been a quilt maker"..

 

its not that bad...

 

at least there is a lot of metal there. you can always fix that.

 

isn't it amazing what a few gallons of bondo can do?....truth be told, on many decent looking cars....if they went thru the sandblaster or the dip tank....oh crap! This is where a magnet can tell you volumes......

 

Keep your head up. I know he can fix that crappy work. IT will be much better this time around.

 

well,now you can build it the way you want it,gonna be way nice when its done

 

rick probably has a top or two laying around, pop the roof off have him fit a new one to it, too your liking, either keep the doors the same or change those as well..im always amazed when i find brazzed tack welds.. i guess they use to call that done.

 

From beginning to end, good read especially the parts where you get philisophical about what you've had to deal with. Your experience and growth is evident the whole way through.

You may or may not be happy but your thread has struck a creativeness in me that I'll quickly share.

1. Sometimes it is better to start with a basket case and know what you have than buy someones patchup and end up with a basket case. (your turning this around very quickly)

2. I've had Christmas' and birthdays with less surprises.

3. Doing it right is never wrong.

When you are done you will have a car you were involved in. The education makes you one of us, and you have a car far more valuable than what you started with.

Keep the faith.

 

"We have the technology, we can rebuild it!" I've actually seen worse, far far worse! Look on the bright side, at least u still have your dream car!

 

I think everyone here has seen a lot worse than that. It´ll come good.

 

Looks like there is enough brass there to save and take to recycling center. Not sure what brass brings but might help offset the cost.

Good news is at this point there isn't much you don't know about. Nothing hiding now, so it can only get better from here. I always felt the car hobby was as much about the journey than the final product. Life very much is about the journey not the final end.