Customs Barn (Garage) Find '52 Merc.

Hello old friend,

Its been a long time. Glad to see I am still considered a member.

I just recently picked up a 1 family owner 1952 Mercury Custom that has been in dry storage for the past 27 years with an original 55K miles. Car is as original as it gets with a trunk full of almost everything one would need to maintain it....all in the original packaging.

My first goal is to get it running and driving. But I am interested in suspension upgrades and getting it dropped. Please give your ideas. I am not wanting to bag it. So dropped uprights and leaf springs seems the way to go. I do see an offering of tubular control arms and ball joints. Any opinions on that? What about front disc brake conversions? ECI, Wilwood, Jamco? Looking for input from your experiences.

Thanks

 

Why does everyone think the first thing they need to do is lower a car and add disc brakes and generally just *******ise a pristine car? Why not get it running and give it a good cleanup and leave it as it was built. There are probably very few examples an such nice untouched 52 Merc 2dr HT's anywhere..... why not leave it as such? Talk about a survivor.... this is one nice looking car!!

 

I guess it depends on your style. If someone wants the old manual technology (nothing wrong with) more power (no pun intended) to them.

 

Aerostar springs up front and lowering blocks out back and it’s good to go

 

I am with the greybeard. Why is every change called an "upgrade"? That car is in nice condition from what I can see. Clean it, do necessary mechanical repairs, make safety checks and enjoy it. That is a cool car.

 

Stance is everything…

 

https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...laze-goodbye-old-friend-hello-new-friend.html This to the paint. Find a quality CHROME polish to tackle that metal. And the car lowered 3/2 would be the ticket to a better handling (lower center of gravity). Brake(s) upgrade is a purely personal one. given the current crop of Zombie Apocalypse minded fook's, go ahead. Might be a sway bar kit out there too.

 

An opposing opinion - when I first got my '46 drum-braked pickup running I soon realized that the best set of drum brakes on a freeway surrounded by a bunch of disc-braked cars still leaves you on the bottom of the panic stopping totem pole. Upgrading to discs put my mind at ease and made the commute more enjoyable.

 

Let's talk about that wagon for just a sec...

 

Might as well chop the top a few inches and section it another 5”. Don’t forget the metal flake panel paint job and scallops. Then you can blend in like all the rest. Oh, don’t forget the moon discs and wide whites!

 

I thought this was a hot rodding and customizing message board....Did I log in to the Ford Barn by mistake?

 

Nothing wrong with lowering it a bit. It's easy to reverse.

 

With the traffic now a days disc brakes are almost a must, if you want to use your old car and drive in traffic. The way people cut in front of you and then slam on the brakes you will be rear ending someone sooner or later if you stick with drum brakes.

 

This is the answer. All bolt-in stuff with no cutting and you could always put it right back to stock (although you won't, but you could), gives a nice lowering. Also there's a late 60's Mustang master cylinder you can bolt into one of these things to give you dual chambers if you want, it's a nice bit of insurance.

Otherwise it looks like it just needs a thorough detailing to be a really nice car. No need for tubular A arms, I can't imagine what improvement that would possibly give. Dual exhaust would be money much better spent. Also, I could see this car with dog dish caps and blackwalls, or wide whitewalls with those full wheel covers, would work either way.

Otherwise looks like a really nice car, a great find I would say.

 

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Sorry to have offended you Grebeard360. I know I am asking for opinions and yours is welcome. Here is a picture of my *******ized '56. Lowered a bit and upgraded to disc brakes.

 

Sure, what would you like to know?

 

You forgot tweed interior.

 

Thanks for the great insight.

I agree with staying away from the tube A-arms...just wondering if anybody had insight on any benefits of that direction.

 

Worth mentioning that I have the Aerostar springs/blocks setup in my own '52 (Ford) and it rides real nice and sits nice without looking crazy or s****ing on every curb. I would definitely recommend it.

I like your '56 and I think this Merc would look great with the same stance and wheels and everything. My '52 still needs proper tires but I'll get there. This is what it looks like with the aforementioned springs/blocks setup.

 

Winner….forgot about the dual circuit master…
I will say this my 54 was no issue..had someone cut out in front of me..locked em up..car skidded, but stayed straight…

You’re driving an old car….be mindful of your surroundings…

 

Squablow…your car is perfect…we did Aerostar and blocks on my Friends 54 and it rode better than when we started and looked killer…his has a bad little Roush SBF and 3 pedals…it gets with the program….

 

The point I’m trying to make is it is too nice to be some formula car. Not everything needs to be lowered or whatever. I’m a Chevy guy but I’d drive the wheels off of that. I think it looks very elegant the way it sits. I would just shine it up my 65 GP, 66 Caddy and 67 Impala Cvt. Are all still stock. The reason I got them and keep them that way is because I like driving them. That is the charm of searching out original cars. Ones I’m going to modify or cut up I look for “less than perfect” or modified beyond originality. Just my 2 cents.

 

Your on the wrong site…not too many stock anything threads on here

 

No, I don’t think so. I just don’t subscribe to belly ****on thinking.

 

Some need to head over to a “restore to original “ site.
How many times we hear “start with the best you can”?

Is that only reserved for Model A’s, etc?

Dang, it’s not a Dussenberg. <sp>

 

And explain how a stock car isn’t belly ****on…it’s the reason they were kustomized in the first place

 

Wow….another beaut

 

This right here , I know it’s different but I did Aerostar springs and blocks on my 63 merc convertible and it drove fantastic !!

previous owner put a duel circuit power master in it with the factory 4 wheel drum brakes and it stopped fantastic .

springs cost me $80 bucks and blocks another $40.

a duel master with a booster should be around $200 bucks ( if your so inclined )

get it lowered , it’s cheap enough huge improve my in the handling and looks department.

get it running , and base the rest of what you want to do off that .

great looking car and a fine start to a mild custom .

I have always liked these cars with Watson style paint jobs and lake pipes or bell flower exhaust .

keep us posted and stop by more often , ya got some cool cars !