My father is building a 47 Mercury Coupe. It is all original except that someone had installed a 327 SBC in place of the original flathead. He has found an original driveline out of a 42 Ford Coupe that is basically ready to run including the frame from the 42 Ford. It would be nice if we could detial out the driveline AND the 42 Ford Frame and then set the 47 Mercury body on it...... So my question is to all the knowledgeable Ford/Mercury guys here..... Is the frame for a 42 Ford Coupe the same as a 47 Mercury Coupe? Can they be swapped? Thanks for any help.... or links to frame info..... Haney
I heard from a guy that the Merc coupes were something like 10" wider than the Ford counterparts, he has a '40 Merc. If i'm not mistaken the '47 Fords were a newer body style weren't they? Something like '41 - '46 and then different in '47? I don't know if they would have a different chassis between the years.. If you've got both chassis, measure them and see if they are the same size, and if they are check the body bolt holes from one frame to the other..
1942 Ford had a 114" wheelbase , i believe a 1947 Mercury had a 117"...so that may be a problem. you should double check these figures , i may be off
Look at front areas: The wheelbase change was done up there by sliding the crossmember forward (many frames have the rivet holes in both locations), adding a couple pieces of channel to move engine mounts back where needed, and stretching the fenders. There is also a piece to move radius rod ball socket. But why change frames?? Can't you just swap engines? '42 Ford engine would be 221...but look at the bellhousing. After all these years it may well have a 59A.
This tells you where to look for frame numbers. Be sure and scroll all the way down for the frame picture. Number is located in 3 places along the left frame rail + transmission if its original. http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_serialnumbers.htm
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