Projects My 1951 Mercury Restoration Part II

Thanks I'll check with Dennis Carpenter too.

 

John, Mercuryland has them. I think he gets them from another supplier but i don't know who.
http://www.mercuryland.com/Images/2010 Catalog with pics 49-51.pdf

Also, an earlier post mentioned that the rechromed vent window frame no longer fit very well after the rubber seal was installed. Years ago I had the curved hood handle nose piece of my 1940 Ford rechromed. It also has a curved shape like the Mercury vent window frame. Anyhow, when I installed it, it no longer fit because the piece had "closed up" just a little during the plating process. The curvature had changed. I know it wasn't because of too thick a layer of copper being deposited because the piece was brand new out of the box. I wanted it chrome plated to "show chrome" quality. I think this occured during the plating processes of stripping and replating due to the action of the chemicals or the placement of the anodes during the plating. Another reason may have been because of the heat generated during the buffing processes. This piece was die cast metal. I don't think your vent window frame is die cast, but perhaps HAMBERS who are very familiar with the chrome plating processs can enlighten us as to why this happened AND, more importantly, will it also happen to your piece.

 

the stock rubber seals will be to long and will have to be cut down to fit.if to tight they can thined to fit.if i can do it i know you can. nice job so far

 

To finish my door glass/vent windows, I think I need 4 items?

-vent window seal, ~$82 pair
-vertical seal?
-door mounted horizontal fuzzies to protect glass
-long vertical u channel fuzzie to protect up and and down movement of glass?

 

Recent pic from the other week:

 

John,
You gotta get a grill in that.

 

THAT is one nice Merc. Grille or no grille.

 

Here is my primary plan Chaos, took a pic just for ya:



Here is another possibility:

 

John, I do have a question for you. I'm in need of the exterior trim around the door glass and rear vent glass, I see you used the ss on the rear vest glass, where did you get it from?
My doors and vest glasses need this trim.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

John the car has done a 100 % change and turn around , its looking a lot better in the form and color you chose .

 

Thanks guys. I'm planning to mock up both grilles and then see which one I like the most, though option #1 will be hard to beat.

Dbl, I'll respond to your thread nice car man!

Question, what holds the vent window glass inside the stainless frame?

 

silicone or glass setting tape [macs]

 

I'm starting to like your lower option.
I have a 55 desoto for mine, but I'm thinking about doing something that is simpler. Single bar and some markers maybe. I'll see what you come up with for a little influence.

 

That's fuckin hilarious!!!!! Looks like your "BEFORE" pic,John.....

 

The upper pic has '51 Ford grille parts, to make this:




The lower is supposed to be from a '55 Cadillac:

 

And Bob he's in SC, that's where my car came from.

 

I vote for the Sam based one John. I think the lower one will be a bit too dainty in that opening. It would work if your car had a surround on the bottom as well at the top like the Bettancourt Merc, but I think yours cries out for some beef to it.

 

I'll have to agree after seeing more evidence..

 

Yep, I think the latter one will be too thin too but it shouldn't take that long to fab that one up for fun.

 

I look forward to seeing both. I like the fact that both your options are fairly straight forward and not overly busy.

 

Lookin Good John!!!!!

 

Looking Good!

 

How are floating grilles typically mounted, bars on the back that bolt to the car or bars on the car that the grille mounts to?

I need some of this glass setting stuff so I can see how thick it is.

 

John, Glass setting tape comes in different thicknesses.. Check with Dennis Carpenter, Restoration Specialities. Others will know more.

 

I see. Will do.

Went for another hour-long endurance drive this morning. For the Chitowners, I went Roscoe Village to Western, Irving to LSD, got off downtown turned right at Ontario, Got on I90/94 North, up to Peterson, turned around, back on highway, off at Irving home at Addison and Western. Running good, but one of my mufflers is broken inside and it's annoying. Imma have to fix the exhaust next 3-4 weeks. I will be dropping off the chopped vent windows to local plating place. I will do some measuring for the floating grills and talk to my two friends who could fab them for me. One friend could do it all and he owes me a pretty big favor so I'm hoping he offers to knock them both out for me. I'm guessing angle iron for the grille brackets? I'm tempted to dump the mufflers at the rear, keep the car mean.

Edit... When I drive 55 on the highway, engine temp is good. If I go 65, it creeps up a bit. I'm not sure what gear I have in back, buddy thought it was a 2.73, I doubt that. I need to get a tach in this thing too.

 

Here is a vid take a couple of months ago after I got the car back. I've fixed a lot of stuff since then and the car is extremely reliable now.

Click on pic to start video:

 

The "Sam-grille" and a set of Cadillac sombreros ;-)

 

For sure the Sam grille but not sure about doing Sombreros anytime soon, I gotz to pay for some paint and chrome work to finish this other stuff.

 

Not a big update, but managed to get my old exhaust cut off and new stuff welded on. Car is much quicker and happier with the new mufflers. Mike the car sounds sick.