So, I was standing looking at my heap of a '49 4 door Mercury today, stuck in bumper deep snow and asked myself "What the HELL can you do with a Merc that hasn't been done?" And like a bolt of lighting, it came to me! A set of '49 coupe doors and convert it (old news) BUT put a roof of a '49 Chevy coupe on it. Use '47 Chev slanted 1/4 windows and B pillars. Plus the window frames off the coupe. A 3" chop all the way around. =mike= ain't gonna like that idea Now I know the filler panel above the trunk would be a nightmare(among MANY other things), but I more so wondering if this sounds so crazy it might just work! Or how about another roof line? Buick maybe... I'll do a Photoshop a version in little while. Oh yeah, I can get the Chev for free. Or what's left of it.
Is the '47 Chevy an aerosedan? Or a coop? If it's an aero, then use the whole top and get a cool wicked fastback Merc out of the deal...I'm thinkin' the '49 top would work too....but that's lots of work...from a four door to a two-door...got a two door donor car? What is that "snow" you talk of? R-
The '49 is a coupe and '47 is an fleetline aero coupes... Fast back Merc...hmmmm Neat idea Roger! Never thought of that one! And snow! HA! You Denver people haven't seen snow... Come north of the 49 and we'll show what winter is! This year ain't bad so far. Only a foot or so in the country for now.
OPPS...sorry Roger. Misunderstood you. The 1st pic was for refrence only. Here's my heap in the fall.
What's to musunderstand? Do you have an aerosedan--a two-door fastback Chevy...or a coupe? Your "heap" doesn't look any different than the one you put up...just a little duller! You read it correctly...use the aerosedan top for a "fastback Merc"...however, you didn't answer the question of "do you have a donor car for the two doors?" Which I think you'll need if you want the car to look correct... Maybe take the aerosedan doors, graft them on and use the Merc door skins...that's a lot of work but the aero's doors are wider than a 4-door Mercs... Still, it could be cool... R-
I recommend going the other way. Everyone is chopping a car these days. Why not ADD to the roof? Maybe put an extra 4 inches in? Why be a follower when you can be a leader? Just think...You could start a trend that would take the custom world by storm.... -Bugman Jeff
A friend of mine here welded the rear doors shut on his 51 and put a coupe roof on and left the short front doors. Its not chopped and there is a longer space between the roof & the decklid, like a shoebox coupe, It's defenitley cool & different. Billy
The misunderstanding was about lack of snow in the 1st picture...Nevermind... Yes, I located a 2 dr donor for the doors and stiker post. And yes I would need the doors for it to look right. I would use Merc doors with Chev window frames stretched to fit the Merc doors. Reskinning isn't an option because then I'd have build the door jambs to accept the Chev door frame and hinges. WAY TOO much work. Just a Chev from the window sills up! I got you on all other points. Aero coupe roof on to the Merc. In order to get the 3" I want out of the roof, I'd have to pie cut the trunk lid and sail panel along the body line and stick it back together. The backlite would stay the same size, just slide down the roof a few inches to even out the look. Now that's a cool idea. Hey Roger, alittle O/T but my pal wants to read a sample of your stuff. Just heard from him 2 minutes ago. Email me.
Step away from the car........forget that roof swap- you only have 72 years life on average! actually it was done on a 46 ford coupe using a 40 chevy roof- it was done for Derick Thomas the late football player. it was strange at best [my opinion] What I would suggest is maybe a little more realistic and not overly done either,That is to convert it into a chopped 4 door [[[[[[[hardtop]]]]]]]. they look great and its a damned site easier than what you had planned. Thanks for hearing me out.......
Thought about the hardtop idea too. The glass is my only concern there. Need to see a mid '60's Lincoln to remind me how they did it with suicide doors. That would be damn cool too!
the aero-coupe fastback merc been done. john barris "the rose". a tribute car to his father sam. there are several pics of it around. how about a chopped carson style top 4 door? i've seen it before and it looks good. gibbons sells several glass conversion parts to convert to a 2 door.
If you wanted to do the aero coupe thing it would be easier to start with a Hudson, they already look like that. I think Hudsons look cooler anyways.
thought about a Carson style top but then I'd have to reinforce the body like crazy to keep it square. Never thought of Hudson. The red headed step child of the automotive world...The Hornets were cool looking though.
Graft on a 49-54 Chevy wagon roof and tailgate...it's already a more-door...make it into a phanton wagon...something REALLY out there!!!
I did the 4 dr HT on a 51 for a guy it was chopped three frt anf 4 rear. he had a 2" tube that welded in between the two center posts rt to left this held it all solid- [the seat was built to cover this] we had to slot out the frt of rears and rear of fronts to allow for the glass to "fit' closer at seam when shut. we also did not use thew door tops at all- just capped the door posts off and glass will seat against the "jamb" area instead.......he was gonna build frames around each [door glass top] [like the chrome HT ones-rolls up an down]hope this is some help........
[ QUOTE ] Graft on a 49-54 Chevy wagon roof and tailgate...it's already a more-door...make it into a phanton wagon...something REALLY out there!!! [/ QUOTE ] NOW that's a wacky idea!!!! So wacky it may just work! I really need to think about this one some more. And the little bit of window tech gives insight into the glass problem. I forgot about the chrome surrounds for glass. Good idea.
[ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Graft on a 49-54 Chevy wagon roof and tailgate...it's already a more-door...make it into a phanton wagon...something REALLY out there!!! [/ QUOTE ] NOW that's a wacky idea!!!! So wacky it may just work! I really need to think about this one some more. And the little bit of window tech gives insight into the glass problem. I forgot about the chrome surrounds for glass. Good idea. [/ QUOTE ] Or a '52-56 Ford wagon roof to keep it in the family.