1952-59 Ford 1956 Mercury project update 1

I have read on some Y-Block sites they are running a 302/289 water pump pulley. Being a smaller diameter it spins the water pump faster to improve flow at low speed. Just a thought. Mark

 

Interesting, I already have a 302. But it’s only an issue at extremely low rpm

 

I saw where you said you have yours idling at around 500 rpm. I have my 302 (with mild cam) idling around 750 in gear. Have you tried bumping up the RPMs to increase the flow?

 

It won’t take much. Perhaps 75-100 rpm increase will do it.

 

Yes, Bump it up to 7-800 and it flows fine. Not really much of an issue.

today I installed a new fan switch so the temperature is regulating far better with fan switching on and off.

 

Yeah, I was just suggesting you might look for a smaller pump pulley. I know you had a 302 already, I could have worded that better!

 

Aaah yeah good idea, thanks!!

 

Cut and buffed today. This extra work really makes it look like I half way know what I’m doing although I don’t really. Lol I tried several different compounds to get this right and ended up using CSI ceram x before this compound I tried 3m and meguiars but kept getting swirl scratches.

 

Broke out the pinstripe brushes and made a little fix for when I didn’t tape out the 2 tone correctly.

 

Nicely done!

 

Thank you sir!

 

Started working on putting AC in the car today. So I upgraded to the Mustang 20 radiator 4 core… I don’t think I need a 4 core but it’s here now.

 

With AC, more radiator is never a bad choice.

 

AC works today. Got some fine tuning to do on some of the fabrication.
Need to wire a relay to turn in the fan when the ac turns on.
One strange thing is it seems to run a little hotter. So I got another shroud and fan on order. But, I’m using the factory gauge so there’s plenty of inaccuracy there.
May go ahead and change to a 160 thermostat though

 

I used the 6 cylinder radiator from Champion that mounts further forward. For a fan I am using a variable speed fan from a Volvo. I am fuel injected so the computer controls fan speed. It works pretty well

 

Yes! Definitely RINSE IT OFF! AMHIK!

 

Looks great! Did you use vintage air? Can we see a pic of your firewall bulkhead connections for the ac?

 

Thanks! I have a vintage air gen II inside under the dash and the rest of the parts came from cold hose that I cobbled together. I didn’t use a bulkhead I just ran the lines through the firewall.

 

Here’s the lines going in, I got to do a little fine tuning on my panel and I used a hose split down the center as a grommet.
I had a bulkhead but it just seemed like a place where it would leak.

 

So I installed the Granada disc brake kit from Tom’s Cl***ic. And did tie rods and ball joints, just got it installed still need to bleed brakes, I used my little vacuum bleeder, but I don’t think it does that great a job. The brakes work but I think it doesn’t stop until the pedal gets hard. This testing was conducted at 1 mph lol soon as I get some help I’ll bleed them proper and be on the road again.

 

Looks good Kyle.

 

Thank you sir!!

 

So to continue…. 1956 Mercury build thread update or the woes of 8” rear swap.

My Dana 45 had something like a 4:10 gear which was fun for bopping around town but I could put the car in fifth gear before leaving my neighborhood. if you have followed so far, I have a 302/T5 and first was almost useless, you could from a stop leave in second with a little throttle and 65 on the highway although not absurdly high rpm was higher than I like for a cruiser like this. I have 2 other cars that go fast, I don’t need a third.
to add to the reasoning the Dana 45 was a bit noisy on the highway and well I could probably get bearings and such but still left with a 4:10 gear. Or 4:09 whatever it is, it’s low.
So I found a 67 Mustang 8” for 200 bucks, which I purchased and with work being very busy I dropped it off at my best friends shop for him to rebuild. He calls me and says hey heads up I’m building your third member so I get excited and haunt this forum to try to get ready for whatever I may need to do the swap. During which I find the 67 is likely too wide, or at least wider than ideal. So…. I run over to Facebook marketplace and find a 65 Mustang axles and housing for 550… (I’m not excited about this price, for an 8”, but hey I want it done)
As I’m there picking it up I am talking to the seller and he says the only better rear for a 56 is a Maverick, so I say “got one” and he digs out a Maverick rear with no third member and it has brackets welded on for radius rods so I grab the Maverick unit for 500 instead of the Mustang unit. This unit has brakes on the backing plates but no drums.
I load up the rear and run off to my buddies shop and pick up the third member, since I’m at his shop I have his fabricator cut off the brackets and then I wash the axles and housing in the parts washer vat.
I commission the help of another good friend and he lets me borrow his 2 post lift. Load up all my new parts in the trunk and off I go to his house and, get the merc up in the air. We get the old rearend out real quick and the new housing up in the springs and everything is looking like it’s going my way until I pick up the drums I ordered and find out the 67 Mustang drums do not go over the axle centers.
So I order another set from O’Reilly, pick them up and they also don’t work… I consult the Hamb search and find this is a relatively common problem. So I order the 1981 F100 drums. And away we go again.

I then put on some air shocks and made new lower spring plates for the u bolts to go through that incorporates a shock hole.

so we go drive it and the drums are squealing so back up in the air and it appears the drum is riding the edge of the backing plate. So we put some washers behind the drum on the lug nuts. Drove it again, it’s lightly touching cause I hear a light metal to metal contact every half revolution.

Tomorrow I’ll grind the edge of the backing plate a little or get some wheels spacers to shim the drum off a little more. Haven’t made up my mind, I’ll experiment tomorrow hopefully. Pictures to follow….

 

Drums had two center hole sizes depending on if the Maverick was a front drum or disc brake car. Late Maverick or Granada (1976, 77, 78) with disc brakes front will have the center hole size you need. I put a Granada rear axle in my 55 and the stock wheels have too small of a hub hole. Torque Thrusts fit fine as do the stock Granada wheels (duh), but just one of those stupid things to watch out for. I hadn't heard of using late F100 drums.

 

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned it, but if you can score a very hard to find late-70's Lincoln Versaille (kinda like a Granada), they had 9-inch rear diffs with disc brakes. A local fellow put one in his 55 Merc, worked like a charm.

 

I have one in my 56 Victoria. It came in it.

 

To conclude this, I ordered the correct Maverick drums, and with the 3.0 gear and 5 speed it’s great 70 mph at 2000 rpm
Loving it. Thanks for all the help