got the merc on the trailer and will take it to get sandblasted this week.painted up the 403 olds for it this weekend. Also moved the 2 door merc over in the shop and marked out where the chop will be . going to chop it monday or tuesday nite.
it's not fair you have 2 i have 1, oh well. looks good. gibbons has a convertable windshield frame thats chopped if your interested. looks like a real convertable windshield. plus they have tons of other merc body parts. you might want to brace up that rear window opening on the coupe before you cut it. i didn't and it caused a nightmare. got any full shots of the coupe?
not 2------i got 6 mercs. the winshield on this one will be chopped and a new top piece put on for the carson top to hook on. -------The 2 door back window will all be braced. This will be my 4th chop on a 49. also learned the hard way on my first. luckely i was able to save it.--=ray
6! damn. now i really feel shity. yea i was able to save mine too. but it caused a bunch of extra work. i've got a buddy thats got a 455 in his 50 and it runs real well. he set the whole thing on a olds 88 frame. worked out good.
You're really moving along on that one. Are you going to make an upper firewall from scratch? Looks from the photo you are not using the upper half of the firewall from the Merc body. Never mind, I can see after looking again you are using the driver's side of the donor firewall. Probably because it has the power brake/pedal assembly already on it.
Hi Ray, Thanks for the update pics...you've got a real Merc-shop assembly line operation going up there...eh? Did you manage to find any shots of how you do your front horseshoe/radiators/front fender mounts? I'm trying to figure out how much frame to lance off without regretting it later. I know I am not using the same frame as you, but all of the pics I have seen so far have really helped me make "informed" decisions on my progress. You'd be surprised how close our chassiseses (is that a word?) line up. I don't think I've screwed up anything too badly yet. Some day, I'll be able to write a book/author a video about how to do a Merc body swap onto a '87 Town Car chassis. Keep up the GREAT (inspiring) work...
just looked at all my old pictures and can't find any that will help.Put on the front clip and see what needs cut off till it fits. make sure that you rubber mount the front end or is will crack. On the olds i cut the frame off rite in front of the steering box.---ray
Just to show anyone thinking of doing a chassis swap...here is the worst area I have had to deal with (in red)...if you're using a FoMoCo product from 1980-present, (with a 118" wheelbase (a.k.a. Lincoln Town Car) the area in red is one area you will have to do something about. My a pillars were junk from the door bottoms down, so I am rebuilding them about 1/2 inch outboard to clear the frame. The chassis otherwise is a direct fit, the trunk and rear frame rails need to be cut off about 6" from stock length, but otherwise, it's a good swap. If anyone is interrested, I can provide detailed info...
on the olds chassis , this area fits along the frameas if it was ment to be. just have to replace the rust. i'll post a picture of this car later this week when it gets back from the sandblasters. ------ray
Did'nt brace the back window when I chopped the wife's 49. Did'nt have any problems at all, was advised not to, by a guy that has chopped many. Also put a "comealong" under the "B" pilars at the door jamb, sucked the sides in an inch or so. Made it easier to line the pilars up, once welded, relaxed back to stock. Wish I had a few more to play with. Enjoy watchin your progress!!! Nice work.......OLDBEET
Here's some FYI info that I have experienced in the last few weeks that I thought I'd pass along...If using a chassis like Ray, you wouldn't need to worry about this. But in my obtuse quest to keep my Merc "all Ford" I have encountered the following problem: The width of the Merc body, rocker to rocker, is only about 1/2 inch wider than the Lincoln chassis. About 61 1/2 inches. (Frame rail to frame rail.) You will either have to notch the frame rails, depending on the severity of your channel, or do as I have done, and move the inner rockers in about a 1/2 inch. This will garantee that you won't have interference between the frame and body. I am still debating on whether or not to channel lower, neccessitating a frame rail "relief" cut. I am providing this info to anyone out there contemplating frame swaps on a Merc. The traditional 1977-up Olds/Buick/Ponitac full size works well for a reason, as Ray has shown. You will encounter extra work...read(HEADACHES) should you choose some other same (118") wheelbase swap. I have included a detail shot of the driver's side A-pillar where it meets the rocker. This is showing how I am rebuilding the Merc rockers & a-pillar mounts 1/2 inch outboard, to accomodate the chassis...
P.S. I wish I had Ray's pictures and my follies as info to take into account when I first started this endevour...
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