Projects My 1951 Mercury Restoration Part II

Update.

-My brake light works off of a pressure switch. I'm going to have to redo the bracket as it's got a lot of slop in it. I wonder how other folks have theirs set up.
-I'm thinking about adding a tach to the car.
-Does anyone have a list of the gaskets I need to finish my windows?

 

The door sills plates are made of aluminum and reproductions are available. I can't see why the would get scratched, the doors should not touch them if the doors are adjusted right and the hinges are in good shape. The only risk would be passengers that don't understand not to step on the plates...
Between the sill plates and the body there might have been strips of heavy "tar paper" (I don't know the english word for it). At least my '51 baby-Lincoln had that under the sill plates.

 

Some of them where 1951 Henry J grille ends.
But you can make them from any kind of bullet shaped lights. Perhaps some taillights from the late 30's like the 37 Ford or Chevy taillights might work.
Or perhaps some motorcycle accessory headlights might work just as well.

 

Use glass-setting tape. You can get a roll at the same shop that cuts your glass for the wing window. Get the thinnest they offer.
Stretch the setting tape out along the edge of the glass (stretching it makes it thinner & easier to press into the frame) and press that into the frame by pushing it against a soft towel laid out on a wood table and then trim off the excess tape with a razor, then install the frame into the car.

 

Thanks cleatus I will post progress pics and thanks for your help.

Rik, I plan to stay with the sam barris grille unless you like this other style better.

I will eventually do a different wheel cover but after i do the grille and finish the windows.

Mike in ca, can you on or text me the name of that ebay shop selling the screw kit. Car is running great thanks for your help on the phone bud!

 

We drilled out the rivets holding the u channel to the wing window frame. Now Tiny @ Courtesy Metal Polishing in Villa Park IL can work his magic. The visible stainless needs polishing and some dents taken out. I can't wait to put the windows all back together!!

Before:





Close up:



Video to remind myself how they go back together:



Vid of my car idling, the sound is distorted I'm not sure how to take better video:

 

Another vid of the car idling, still trying to get a good sound clip with my phone:

 

Looks great PSJ; keep the vids coming. Sound deadener will not quiet those Flows much; its a deep resonance that you may or may not like over time (especially on a long freeway trip). I have similar set up on m 65 w/347 2.5 inch exh and hooker aero chambers; good only in very small doses. Great job on the merc!!!!! Diggin it!

 

Yeah I actually like how mean it sounds, I've had this combo before on Fox body Mustangs, but I will be putting sound deadener in the car. I'm not wedded to this driveline combo either I have other plans for the car and the next combo might have less cam lope and more blower whine.

 

I am with you ^^^^^^ Looking at geting less cam lope on my 347. Absolute screamer above 2800 rpm, but bad manners below 2000rpm. Its been fun smoking those LS1's in the mean time

 

Actually given my background in LS1 stuff (founded www.ls1tech.com and sold it), I'd like swap in a LS1 + blower combo into the Mercury, I think I need about 500hp, and this current combo is at best a 14 second car... I'd rather be around a high 12 second car in the quarter.

 

John- Here's the screw kit we were talking about. I guess they're under "Screws 4 ALL"on e-bay. Still working on the wing rubber stuff.....=fun. Anyways- hope this helps out.-M

 

Sweet! I was referring to my 65. The merc's gonna be a straight cruiser; not a racer by any means, these are sleds after all.

 

Between the sill plates and the body there might have been strips of heavy "tar paper" (I don't know the english word for it). At least my '51 baby-Lincoln had that under the sill plates.[/QUOTE]

And you would be correct. I made mine from the original "paper" teplates. I used the same material that I made my door panels from(door panel cardboard). New rockers do not have the oblong holes in them and are solid. Why I installed them under the sill plates,IDK? Spacing I guess.... Moisture will not be a prob,I guess I will never find out unless someone chimes in,but they're there,and will sit under the sill plate.

 

Awesome, I totally need that screw kit, I have nothing for the window mouldings and bunch of other miscellaneous stuff.

For the door sills, I was told they might be anodized aluminum, so I should not try to polish them unless I am willing to re-anodize them... Sound right? I'm going to take them to Tino @ Courtesy Metal Polishing in Villa Park just to get his thoughts. I've also decided to have him chrome my floating grille (I might make two of them).

Mercula is a cruiser but handles well and I'd like to have at least mid 13 second passing power. My DD 06 TBSS runs 13.7@101 with just a CAI.

 

Mike... This guy? http://myworld.ebay.com/ebaymotors/screws4all

I've never used a rivet gun before... so easy a caveman can do it?

 

Obligatory shot of the car on Roscoe, never realized it but the ass is down more, so it's a tail dragger I would say, wouldn't you guys?



Picked up my frames from Courtesy Metal Polishing, nice work Tino...



Hmmm what else do I need, some gaskets, a rivet gun, some u-channel... Getting closer:

 

That rear shot is killer, John...absolute killer!
Are wheel covers still in the works?

 

I'm open to other wheel covers once I do the grill and finish all the window chrome. Yeah I was coming out of Starbucks, I sorta realized that the butt of the car is lower than the front, and it had a nice stance. I guess I never usually get that far from the car when I have it out.

 

Looks good John. Great to see you enjoying your ride.

 

Thanks guys. I keep posting action shots honestly for the guys who are not driving their cars, who are still building.

Okay I need a little window tech help.

I think I need:

-'51 vent window weather striping, shaped like a V on its side
-'51 vent window weather stripping, vertical piece I believe it's glued?
-U channel, rivets to wind window frame, and how do I cut this to size?
-Rivet gun
-window trim, I have that already
-I have the u channel that is attached to the top of the door frame and the rearmost side, it's in there already

Anything else?

Am I missing anything?

 

I started trial-fitting the wing window seals, as well as talked to Matt Townsend the Merc guru... The vertical seal that attaches to the division bar appears to get glued on (Matt), as it has no holes for rivets or tangs to bend over. I think I know how it goes, though I need to see a pic of a stock one in the window before I crack the glue open.

I still need the vertical window channel which then I can cut down and rivet into the frame, as well as rivet or bolt in the lower bracket that bolts to the inner door skin. I hope to have this stuff in my possession this week and then to put it largely together soon.



I'll have to shorten the rubber if I want to keep the OEM-style upper and lower holes for the pivots:



This bubble gum weld I think is visible when it's all together, I will have to fix this or start with a new division bar. I'm gonna swing by my buddy Intmd8 who can tig stainless to see if he can fill this in, and then I can get that corner repolished by Tino @ Courtesy Metal Polishing in Villa Park... Jim (Intmd8) noted earlier that the welder may have burned through. I do have two more division bars so if I have to start over I can do that too. I can't have that ugly ass weld visible on this car.

Ughhhh... wtf:

 

john the frame work is suppose to come close to butting up against the division bar not go over the top. your missing the little connector piece that connects the two together. you can make one out of some sheet metal, that will let you run a screw up into the door top to hold the frame work in place. the little metal connector will have a slight step to it to fit right. you might have to use your other division bars that crap might show... the verticle seal kit usually comes with rivets, you clamp the seal to the division bar and drill through the excisting holes into the new seal. you could glue them too, im just not a big fan of glue..

 

I see the little tab you mean, I'll have to figure something out. Matt you know these stainless parts really well, does it look like I have my local friend fill in the messed up part?

On a different note, I fixed my brake light switch, it's a pressure switch that is exactly like the one in the Autozone computer for a 1975 Caprice.

Since this window stuff is a pita, I think I'll fix my turn signals next, one side stays one, I think that's the plastic piece in the steering column if memory serves. I think it's under the steering wheel.

 

Matt, hopefully I can sneak out a bit early and see about having Jim (intmd) cut that weld and shorten the division bar in an attempt to save the piece. I'll keep you posted.

 

John, looking at Matt's picture, it looks like the division bar needs to come all the way to the top and the piece over the window needs cut back from off the top of the division bar...if that makes any sense. You might need to use your other division bars and have them cut that 1/2 inch or so longer instead of shortening it.

 

I went by my buddy Steve's shop Fairlane Automotive and messed with the chrome-edge trim, and cut off the sections for the doors and mounted them, looks great.

We eyeballed the vent window frames, and just a little bit of the bad booger weld shows, so Imma bring that frame by the other buddy who tigs stainless and have him fill it that one in from the back and then re-polish that corner.

I just also need the vertical channel for the door glass to rivet in and then I can put the vent windows back in!!

Thanks again Matt @ Townsend Customs in Riverside, you are the Merc guru!

Edit: Went for Sunday drive, took a pic as usual...

 

Matt, the secret squirrel chrome trim looks bitchin, I'm gonna swing by my buddy's shop tonight to see about fixing the weld and hopefully making some little brackets for the top too. Nobody comment on my tweed interior or there will be beatings:

 

Car looks great John! Quick q....is that on a GM floor or just frame?

 

FWIW I'm still playing with the trim so I do know there are a few sags but I don't have time to futz with the car until this weekend.

Union, both. Underneath the car looks like a clean dry 70's 80's big Chevy. My buddy Steve @ Fairlane noted that car has SBC motor mounts so that would limit some of the possibilities. Pic of underneath, looks like the rear frame has been added to: