49 mercury Question

I am about to put a SBC in the mercury after the holidays. I am under the impression that you have to use a certain type of header to pass the steering gear box. Does anybody know what kind of headers that I need? Has anybody put a SBC in a 49/50 merc?

 

pm alleycat - he's got a friend that just put a sbc in his 49 about 6 months ago.........

 

460 went in fine with stock manifolds and its MUCH bigger than a sbc. Might try turnin them upside down, exhuast thru the hood...Spoken as a FORD guy...LOL....OLDBEET

 

Don't know about headers, but I'm using stock exhaust manifolds and have about 1/2" clearance with stock steering box. My points style distributor is about 1/2" from the firewall.
That places one spark plug right next to the box. Have to change that plug with a "custom" bent box wrench.

Any headers as tight as the exhaust manifolds then should work.

 

would a typical block hugger header work?

 

on my 51 i have the same set up as mikes51. it works great on my car and i have a 79 ford p/s box on it.

 

Boy that should be a real easy one! Theres more SBC motors in 49-51 Mercs than Flatheads!!! -- Arent they aftermarket N.O.S.???? -Feder

 

mikes51 says "My points style distributor is about 1/2" from the firewall."

So I take it that it would be very tight with HEI?

 

What kind of mounts are you guys using to put the s/b in?? Curious about that and the ford 1/2 ton steering box. Enlighten me please.

 

The plan was to use stock GM motor mounts. The motor is a 68 block. I am doing research on this stuff as we speak. I haven't got all the details about what we are using to do it. I just have the motor so far. I am going to look around for a kit I think.

 

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mikes51 says "My points style distributor is about 1/2" from the firewall."

So I take it that it would be very tight with HEI?

[/ QUOTE ]

If you're using HEI I'd mount the motor more forward than mine for another reason in addition to HEI clearance. There's plenty of room towards the radiator end.

Reason being mine is actually a little too far back, I had to modify the front of the floorboard/trans cover for transmission clearance.

 

Speaking of radiator mike... what are you using for one? I was hoping to use a stock mercury one. The one I have came out of my dads merc and it is kind of an heirloom.

 

my merc has butch's rod shop brackets. the motor was installed with kit #2502. they bolt right on the frame and use the common rubber motor mounts like a flathead uses. on the steering the kit number is 2232. just bolt on the plate and install the 68-79 ford p/u gear box. you have to do some filing on the pitman arm, but you use the factory tie rod setup. best thing is if you ever want to change back to the factory stuff just unbolt the brackets and put it the orginal stuff back on. also my car runs a hei dizzy with no problems at all. i have a griffin radiator with a water pump riser kit with a belt driven fan.

 

[ QUOTE ]
Speaking of radiator mike... what are you using for one? I was hoping to use a stock mercury one. The one I have came out of my dads merc and it is kind of an heirloom.

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Yea, I hear ya. My skirts are from my Uncle's car, he had them in his garage for years.

I know of 3 local Mercs that are running the stock radiator with modern motors. Shouldn't be a problem. They are all auto transmission cars so they are running the seperate trans cooler setup.

Maybe someone else can chime in on what pressure radiator cap to use on a Merc radiator. Hear that takes some care in selection.

I"m using a Dodge van radiator.

The one problem area two of us couldn't figure out was the fuel pump. Two of us are running electric fuel pumps. We just weren't sure if we could make that big of a notch in the front crossmember. Notch being to clear a mechanical pump.

 

does the truck box adapt to the stock collumn?

Paul

 

Hey FLAT-TOP: Can you provide more info (year, make and model FORD) about that steering box you used. I am considering putting power steering in my 51 merc also. thanx

 

60's style and 19fordy, no the late box will not work with the factory column. i bet with some machine work and a little thought the factory column could be made to work. the box is from a 1968 to 1979 ford 1/2 ton 2 wheel drive. any thing from those years will work, it just has to be off of a 2 wheel drive. if any one wants to see the instructions on the kit shoot me a pm and i can send you a copy. i also have a electric pump on my car since there is no room for a mech. pump