Projects My 1951 Mercury Restoration Part II

I think the spiders are a nice look with the lack of glitter at the moment. You get a grille in there and get the window trim on the spiders won't fit the look and it will be time for sombreros for sure. I keep looking at mine hanging on the wall of the shop and tell myself I have GOT to make some time to get them set up so I can put them on mine. If only the day had 10 or 12 more hours....LOL

 

Agreed, I think the look will evolve.

I still occasionally think about Hirohata style white scallops with Buick trim, I think it would look nice on my car.

 

That would be cool but don't let that stop you from posting pics.
That other up high shot, looking from the back, against the tree background, was really nice. It really showed how different the tailights are now and the fender mods to fit them.

 

Thanks Mike.

Here is my to-do list in priority:

--Cut out small section of the round tube in the nose of my car, I cannot install factory hood latch until that is done, no room. I have a round bar that is going inside the nose.
--Install new radiator, and reinstall a mechanical fan. I have the radiator. Current combo still runs too hot in warm weather.
--How do I say this, spot weld the inner fenders back to the body in the wheelwells. When the hood came up it broke them loose. So I have some serious flex in the inner fenders by the middle hinges.
--I want to add an extra hood cable just a hail mary type of thing, too nervous on the highway now.
--Front end is wobbly, need to go over and rebuild... linkage? Go over a pothole, steering feels wobbly.
--Might not be a bad idea for me to do brakes, they hold but getting a little squeaky.
--Grill fab, then chrome. Will mostly use Mitch at Rolling Idols.
--Install side windows.
--Install front window chrome, using a stick-on stuff used by Dodge trucks since my front glass is flush-mounted. I will do this for now, but might do new glass.
--Back glass needs to come out and have top corners shaved down, then can reinstall factory stainless I have a nicely restored set for that.
--Extend tailpipes to rear of car, right now dumped under it, that got old but it sounded tough.
--Build carbed LS engine but will look old, probably an LY6.
--Interior.
--Buick side trim?

That's all.

 

If you need any trim parts or interior parts,Justin still a bunch of stuff. Let me know cause i'm going back there tomorrow. He has a few 50-51 dashes also. Call me.

 

Looks good John. I hope the Buick side trim slides right off the end of your list it's getting to be way too over done IMO. A nice simple side spear would be perfect for your car. Nice and understated.

 

LOL that's why side trim is last the on list, not sure what will look good. Like Dave was saying the car's look is going to change as I add window trim and the grill, wheel covers. I should try lowering it at some point too but I think once I have the wheel covers on I'll have more urgency around that.

Bob, eventually will need interior stuff, I have some sort of fiberglass dash. But not sure how I'm doing that yet.

 

John - I like spiders too but too plain on painted wheels.
used them on chrome wheels on 57 Ford.----BILL

Ps- get 57 Buick front seat for sale and a reworked 51 dash

 

You "got" a reworked dash for sale? I'll pm you.

 

Had it at a local car show on Saturday. Gonna bring it by a friend to finally change out the radiator and probably go back to a mechanical fan. Then gets the grille.

 

Looking good John. Not sure of your driving situation and your full set up. I have a mechanical fan with a shroud on mine as well as an electric pusher fan. The electric sure helps in stop and go in town traffic on these hot summer days (especially with the....gasp....AC running LOL). Just something to think about.


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The current cooling system is not cutting it:

radiator - 4 cylinder Pinto? That's the current guess
160 stat
Electric puller fan
No shroud

-----
Plan

New swap radiator
Mechanical fan

I could only reuse my electric as a puller if I remove my AC condenser, or how would you mount that?

 

Over at Joe's house he is swapping radiator and troubleshooting front end wobble.

 

I had an electric fan that you could flip the blade assembly around. To change from pusher to puller and vice versa.

 

My electric fan is in front of my ac condenser and has its own thermostat that kicks it on at 160 and also turns on directly when the ac is turned on.


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I've decided to remove the AC Condenser for now, because I really want to focus on the driveability of the car. The little things that are gonna get addressed will enable me to finally hit some farther shows like Iron Invasion which is like 1.5 hour drive for me.

I'm wanting to go back to a mechanical fan, so that's the plan.

 

Wow! What on earth is holding your front clip up in the front? As stock, the radiator cradle is what holds the front clip up and mounts it to the frame. I'm not seeing any sort of framework there at all. Surely there is some. Gues there is something fabricated along the bottom of the inner fenders?


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No Dave, it keeps falling off.

'member, car has GM frame, has a bunch of custom stuff that you can't see like some bracing etc.

 

I remember we talked about that before, but it sure does look empty and magically hanging there with the radiator out.


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John, love the car I have followed your build since the start, but that engine compartment needs some love, now's a good time with the radiator out to scrub things up, I'd start with plug wire brackets and just detail work..don't shoot the messenger just mho............

 

I don't know what stock looks like, pic?

 

I'm away from my computer for a few days. When I get back in the office Monday I will look through my reference pics and see if I have something that shows the stock support in place. I also have a front clip laying by the shop I will get a couple of pics of to show you what it all looks like.


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Dave, a factory radiator bracket (upside down 'u') is going to be installed and then the new radiator is getting attached to that. As for the top-mounted factory bracket, I haven't bought one and honestly don't know if I will.

Ply, lol. Totally agree. I'm basically doing stuff backwards. I was so excited a few years back to redo the body I skipped over things like mechanical reliability and detailing the engine compartment.

So right not driveability and reliability are the top priority, and then finishing off that damn grille. Then the interior. We are talking about doing the interior ourselves (couple of guys).

 

Thanks to my buddy Joe who I shall know forever refer to the Mad Fabber... And Dave, the gray bracket is the factory Mercury bracket, bought it off eBay.

From



to

 

That looks good John! Funny thing....earlier in the day I thought I would google radiator support 1951 Mercury looking for a picture I had seen once that had a modification to the support around the steering box. The results of that search turned up pictures of your car from this thread. LOL looks like you got it under control now.


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Jeeze Bud- about time!

 

Kid.... Lmao.

Radiator, fan, new transmission cooler, hoses.

 

Big shout out to Joe V, aka KOTC, totally has put my car back on the read. Can't thank him enough. He's still working out some bugs but he's addressed a few issues that have really kept me from driving the car too far due to chronic overheating issues and some other things.

 

Video of the new radiator and fan:

http://youtu.be/WRIkgwjNpc8

Some more pics:





Joe had it idling for 20-25 minutes: