Customs 51 Merc -- Body OFF -- Custom Chassis

Here is a pix of the custom chassis. You can see the shape of the rear upper control arms. The only challenge with the shape is that if the center section has to come out, you have to disconnect/remove the upper control arms to remove it.

 

Looks real good! Curious about the rear window. Whats that out of? Guess you didnt like the 51' style rear window? How much did you chop it? Were doing oneand looking for idea's!
Thanks

 

Rear window is a 50 Merc. Chop is 3.625".

 

Almost finished with the modified driveshaft tunnel installation. Some welding and finish grinding and then this task is complete.

 

build is coming along great! one question though why didnt you go round on the drive line hump?

 

Did not have access to a slip roller, only a box and pan brake. So, I made the shape with the tools available to me.

 

Did not have access to a slip roller...

 

Been working my 50 Merc project for some time. Now back to the 51 Merc project.

Started working the front clip. Media blasted and epoxy primed the front clip and underside of the hood. Then shot some Lizard skin on the underside of the inner fenders.

Stripped the paint and undercoating from the underside of the deck lid.

 

Some pix of the front clip, hood, and deck lid work.

 

Looking really good Joe!!

 

Looks REAL good Joe! Glad I cam across the build.

 

Is that front end welded together, or just bolted together?

 

The front clip is all welded together (outside seams that usually show). The inner fenders are bolted to the outer fenders like the stock build.

Welded the lower rear quarter seams and the rear valance seam also. If you just fill the seams with bondo, it will crack over time IMO.

 

Kind of boring body work today for most, but a challenge for me. Learning new skills on this Merc project.

More welding and finishing seams on the front clip today. Also finished prepping the underside of the deck lid. Then sprayed epoxy primer.

 

keep it up.

 

Are you using a seam sealer at those weld joints? It looks great.

 

Joe: I am using two coats of AutoKote epoxy primer and Z-Grip. Then I spray another two coats of epoxy primer.

 

Wow the car is looking fantastic Joe!!

 

Finished molding in the rear valance seam and sprayed epoxy primer this weekend. All the seams are now finished and in epoxy primer. Also finished up some work on the passenger side "B" pillar.

The 3 stage turbine HVLP system I am using (instead of the traditional air compressor and HLVP gravity feed spray gun) is working out great.

 

looking great will be keeping an eye on this thread for hints and tips for my body off. keep up the good work.

 

Sprayed the underside of the body and firewall in epoxy primer. Next step will be to seal all the seams. Then I plan to spray Lizard skin sound control. Getting closer to finally installing the body on the chassis for the last time.

 

Hell of a lot of work! Looking good though.

 

Sprayed the Lizard Skin Sound Control coating on the underside of the body and in the trunk.

 

Sprayed epoxy primer on the interior, roof, and floors today. Lots of surface area to spray. The body mounted on the rotisserie made the job alot easier because I could rotate the body for easy access to the area and for comfort.

Next I will seal all the seams with Upol Tiger Seal and then spray Lizard Skin Sound Control.

 

That is looking great.

 

Been busy the past weeks block sanding the high build primer. Sand, prime, sand, prime, etc, first with 180 grit and then with 320 grit, all by hand. Still working on the doors, but the deck lid, hood, and body are now complete and ready for paint.

Been thinking Old School on the paint. Seriously considering Nitrocellulose Black Lacquer paint job for the Merc.

 

Nice build. Thanks for sharing it. Once you do one on a rotisserie you will NEVER do one with out!

 

Wow that looks good....

 

Started spraying color on the Merc...FINALLY after blocking with 180, 320 and then 600. Body was so slick I decided to paint it Black. Bought some Acrylic Lacquer, going Old School.

Since it was my first time shooting lacquer, I decided to spray the deck lid and hood. Figured if I did not like it, or messed it up it would be easy to block it off and go new tech with a 2 stage paint system. Came out great, so Acrylic Black Lacquer will be the color and paint system of choice!

 

Nice! Looks great, Joe!