Customs All EnfieldJoe wants for Christmas is a kustom Merc!

And so it shall be! Just munchin' on some lunchin', figured I would throw up a thread real quick about his "other" lady, his '51 Merc coupe!

He was on the hunt for both a 50 and 51, and bought a 50 which turned out to be a pretty big nightmare, so asked me to go look at a few 51s. This one was had off of craigslist, actually saw it on the way back from going to look at another Merc. He did the business end, and I went to trailer it home to my place until I got to get it inside and under the knife. Someone in this cars past should really feel proud, quite an accomplished sculptor! Out with the quad Lincoln headlights, grafted in stock fender sections and cut down '54 Merc headlight rings! Under this business (and the reason I didnt want to swap out another front end) was a pretty workable '49 grille shell....you know how hard they are to come by. I ***ured him I could probably save it, and although it was BRUTALLY beaten with a hammer to accomodate the new lights, it should look pretty normal after all is said and done.





Here is something to illustrate the gallons in the front end...





Here they are after, all smooth and custom Merc looking!



Hung rockers, got the hinges rebuilt and lined the doors up decent, the lower quarters were rocked so redid those...blah blah, was hoping to just straighten the door bottom crease, but the more I strip the metal looks kinda weak so may just panel the whole thing, won't get there till I strip the car.



He wanted something smooth but "different" for the tail lights, so put in some Lee Lucero-esque flush mounted low slunk frenched stock lenses. Tight fit all around and I love the look.



Now at the present moment working on the chop, mild chop w/ leaned B pillars. Love the way it came out so far and everything seems to have a nice shape. Going to lay the 51 rear window down and see how it looks but 99% sure I will put a 50 back window in it's place. We'll see.



That's all she wrote for now. Most of these are iphone pics, I'll take some better pics when it's rolled out for stripping. Who strips outside when its like 19 degrees? Why, me of course!

 

Yeah so not so much with the '51 back window, but it's taking shape nonetheless!

 

Thanks Chris, I am really happy with the way this MerK is taking the "C" out of Kustom. I will start to post pix of the ch***is. It is a "special" MerK ch***is that I purchased from ChopnWeld, who had SlddnMatt fab it. Now that SoCal piece of art is on the East Coast.

 

Here are several pix of the ch***is that will be used for the 51 MerK that Chris is chopping. Ch***is started out as a stock 51 MerK. Ch***is has been media blasted and powder coated. It has a 9-inch rear, drum brakes, and triangulated four link. Front clip is a Fatman Fab with power rack and disk brakes. Bags on all four corners. Motor will be a Ford 5.0L EFI. Trans will be an AODE. Stock fuel tank and stock location dual master cylinder power brakes are also part of the build.

 

looks like an awsome build

 

COOL!!! Whatcha gotta have for the Lincoln quad lights?

 

Very nice, I'm glad you have a car that you like.

 

Chad, it's really just the chrome bezels, the buckets were hand made and absolute garbage, plus it was just like 3/4 inch solid steel rod hammered into the fenders and brazed in to make the "contour". Garbage.

 

The chop is in it´s final stage and looks great. Pictures to follow. Happy New Year to all.

 

Rockstar. We need more pics!!!

 

Here are a few pix of the chop.

 

After most of last week unexpectedly off (lol) plowing this dumb*** blizzard we got, back to welding this week. Chop should be all welded by tomorrow night. So much welding.

I am thinking of doing this chop on my 51 coupe, really kinda fell in love with it staring at it in my garage. I wonder how it would work with a 51 back window, this was my last 50 window! Oops!

 

Been plugging away at this thing, basically all the welding was done and then we added some more ideas...garnish moldings have kicked my **** for a few days now. The one I think was stepped on or twisted somehow, fought me like nuts going in, and the rear with the leaned b pillar is like trying to weld a broken egg. Took some better pics for Joe, figured finally post a better clearer pic of the new side profile. I love it.

 

Chops looks good. I will have to start posting more pix of the ch***is for this build, which is a roller now. Installing a MPC power brake setup using the stock brake pedal.

 

i like the profile , coming along nicely

 

Almost ready for zee bondo! Would have had this guy ground down today but my trusty old grinder is now just an old grinder. RIP my man...

I know the irony of it all is that it just looks like a stock front end with some 54 Merc lights frenched on but this grille shell was destroyed with the shotty Lincoln light install, it was like trying to piece back together a broken egg shell.

 

Looking good Chris. Anxious to get it down here in Savannah.

 

Chris....Dont you have a job?? How do you get so much done on these Mercs???? I really ****!

 

I do, but the pay stinks! In all seriousness, we help run an animal rescue, working mainly with dogs. Ultimate goal here is get a building on my property where we can work with Pit Bulls and foster/train/adopt out, but you get the idea. Sorry to be so off topic, but if anyone within a 100 mile radius of me would not mind fostering a dog, please PM me, we are always looking for fosters!

Again I apologize for the off topic-ness, back to the cars!

 

Stripped the front pan yesterday afternoon and its a mess, trying to find a better one. But finished some work and rolled it out for some shots.

 

lookin good man!

 

Looking good Chris. What a difference from the original pix with the quad headlights, tubular grille, and no chop.

The ch***is built by SlddnMatt is now complete and just waiting for the motor/trans. Building a 347ci stroker SBF with a FAST EFI and an AOD. Using an Eagle rotating ***y, Trick Flow aluminum heads, and a custom cam grind. That combo will have loads of torque required to move this "Sled". Won't be a "trad" combo, but no plans to keep the hood open.

 

56 chrysler grill not a tube grill

too bad the craftsmanship on the quads wasn't too good, i actually liked how they looked and thought the grill looked good in there.

of course i think the car looks good now too

whats the plans for the grill?

 

Good eye Chris! Idk about a grill, might put the same grill back in, who knows. I'll hold it in when it's all done and see how it looks. Probably something smaller tho.

 

Not a real fan of that 56 Chrysler grille. Not sure what I want for a grille. Everyone does the DeSoto teeth treatment. Needs to be something original.

 

Awesome work. Great progress. A true talent in deed.

 

i hear ya, its hard to be original with mercs...almost everything that actually looks good was done already...

something that isn't too common and looks cool is a 53 dodge grill,

cool local guy, sonny schroeck had one in his merc back in the day...here's a pic

 

The 53 Dodge grille does look different. Wonder how hard it is to get one nowadays, especially since all the old "Bone Yards" have pretty much crushed all the old iron. Will have to check with Flat Top Bob (Owens Salvage) for one.

Thanks for the info.

 

That looks different but IMO won't match the car at all. It's smooth and sleek, and I chopped it planning for the airbag rear slammed stance, so I dechrowned the rear of the roof to try and follow the contour of the drip rails. I have an idea, but as for now I've been sleeping all day sick as a dog, so hopefully later or tomorrow. Thought I got through the winter lucky, not so much.

 

Chris, what is your idea for the grille?