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Customs Went to Ct. and got me a daily driver! My '51 Merc project.

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by UnIOnViLLEHauNT, Oct 7, 2010.

  1. Raven53
    Joined: Jan 12, 2009
    Posts: 442

    Raven53
    Member
    from Irwin Pa

    The lincoln town car 90 or newer fits those mercs. I have one sitting on a lincoln chassis down the shop right now. doing some parts procurment at the moment for it. The rear end is already bagged for you and its an all Ford lincoln parts list. The wheel wells lined up perfect for the 2 door body. Just saying it might save you some trouble.
     
  2. Gosh, that is really something. Surely a frame swap couldn't be more work than all the rust repair. I'm no fan of a frame swap just cuz all the cool kids are doing it, but it seems here the decision is nearly made for you. Seems to me making pieces and chunks to fill the gaps on a swap would me lots less metal work than making everything. Any way to reduce the track width on the front of the Olds...narrowed A-arms or something?
     
  3. UnIOnViLLEHauNT
    Joined: Jun 22, 2004
    Posts: 4,827

    UnIOnViLLEHauNT
    Member

    Dave, I had thought of that but a quick search on the webernet here gave me nothing in the way of the arms, only thing I had thought of was either swapping the wheels with some bubble Caprice wheels to pull them in a bit. I was thinking I would still have to do the wheelwells etc, all that mess reguardless what frame it was on. I still have time to think about it, but I think all the work and not be crazy about the outcome, idk...
     
  4. I thought I read this/heard this on the HAMB, but a fast & dirty search didnt turn anything up.... then I see this post! :D
    UVH if you search Craigslist near your zip, your end of the world is lousy with these cars in the 1.5K$ range. I REALLY wish some of the guys doing this kind of work were closer, I'd love to watch & learn for a while.
    Best of luck with your project!
     
  5. UnIOnViLLEHauNT
    Joined: Jun 22, 2004
    Posts: 4,827

    UnIOnViLLEHauNT
    Member

    Thanks guys, I have a Grand Marquis on my trailer at the moment and had a Town Car here, the front is way wide. Yes, it will fit in the wheelwells, but part of the look to these cars are IMO the inset wheels tunneled in to the fenders. Sure, 99 out of 100 guys looking at a Merc on the stock chassis or subframed with discs won't notice it, but I will, and I will absolutely hate it. With using the drum brake Chevelle clip I will be able to achieve the stock appearance of wheels tucked in the fenders, but I also I should be able to attatch the stock column and use a 51 automatic brake pedal....thanks Ether!!...to make the car look factory in and around it. That kind of shit just tickles me pink.
     
  6. Then thats really all that matters amigo. Still...... wish you were closer!
     
  7. Bummer. That does sound like a bunch of finagaling (is that how you spell that? lol) to get the wheels in. I have the 68-72 Nova clip on my merc, which is supposed to fit nice, but even that is a bit close on the lips when I turn sharp. Guess you are on the right track keeping the stock frame....unless you decide to do an S-10 swap just cuz that's what all the cool kids are doing. ;)
     
  8. What about jag xj6 series 1 to 3 rims that are offset inwards.
    15'' as well.
    Chevy bolt pattern.
    I have them on mine at the moment.
     
  9. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,820

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Dick Dean and Co. put many an Olds frame and floor under 49/51 Mercs along with earlier Pointiac Lemans four door frames.
    I think he used the early 80's four door Olds 88 chassis and floor though but that may have been because of cost and availability. The Olds 88's of those years usually have five on 4-3/4 bolt pattern wheels and they aren't as wide as one thinks.

    The Crown Vic chassis is too wide for just about anything outside of a Crown Vic and when the guys use the front crossmember under F series Fords it is hard as hell to get tires to fit under them because they are so wide.
     
  10. hasty
    Joined: Jul 5, 2009
    Posts: 1,411

    hasty
    Member

    Wow, thats a lot of work! Good luck - I hope it goes well. I'm looking forward to the build thread.
     
  11. jfrolka
    Joined: Oct 4, 2007
    Posts: 898

    jfrolka
    Member

    Wow dude so much for that.. is that the only bad spot on the frame?? I would try and re plate that area in or at least cut into it and see how thin it really is... shit the miracles you guys perform on saving the bodies shouldnt phase you for doing frame work that just has 1 small hole!!
     
  12. The Shocker
    Joined: Dec 30, 2004
    Posts: 3,538

    The Shocker
    Member

    Look at it this way .Its a 51 Merc tudor body and they are getting tough to find.I know a guy here in town that has one in his pasture with a chop gone wrong and whats left of the roof laying in the dirt next to it.I nag him about selling it to me everytime i see him .I think the chassis floor swap is a good idea for this situation .Please post pics of the swap ...
     
  13. Another one rises from the rubble of mother nature's curse. Way to go!
     
  14. UnIOnViLLEHauNT
    Joined: Jun 22, 2004
    Posts: 4,827

    UnIOnViLLEHauNT
    Member

    I just feel like I dont want to go through all that cutty weldy on the frame and still have manual steering and brakes. Brakes I dont care so much about, being disc or drum, but would prefer power at some point, I took a good look at that crossmember and its toast all along the front. Granted I have other ways to go and I have 2 extra frames that are clean..one rolling complete and one bare frame, but I think I wanna do the subframe, I will finally be 'one of the club' haha.
     
  15. thesupersized
    Joined: Aug 22, 2004
    Posts: 1,367

    thesupersized
    Member


    sucks that the original frame is rotted, but you have extra frames so thats good...with some 7.10 firestones, turning will be easier than knobby radials ;)

    just think..you can completely restore the extra frame and once that's done, just swap the body, and the wheels will be in the perfect place :p and in the end you will be driving a 51 mercury rather than a 70s gm product!

    haha, you know how we feel about subframes, im just bustin, do what is in your best interest.
     
  16. sir_ely
    Joined: Feb 11, 2011
    Posts: 108

    sir_ely
    Member

    Wish you were closer, I would totally beg to come by and help out. Great learning opportunity for sure.
     
  17. alleyboy1954
    Joined: Dec 4, 2008
    Posts: 7

    alleyboy1954
    Member
    from so cal

    its a good thing someone wants to give that merc a second chance of life lol
     
  18. merc-o-madness
    Joined: Aug 23, 2004
    Posts: 1,544

    merc-o-madness
    Member

    wow good luck dude, as long as you get those tires looking right in there i wont bust your balls. you are prolly one of the few people that actually get it about subframes
     
  19. UnIOnViLLEHauNT
    Joined: Jun 22, 2004
    Posts: 4,827

    UnIOnViLLEHauNT
    Member

    DrDave's logic, in the end, wins the prize. I started pulling apart the floor and after I pulled a few body braces out (body mounts) with my bare hands, everything is rotted to death. I started looking around and was going to get the bodymounts off another car, and yadi yadi, I realized that this is utterly insane, so here goes! It's going to be an Oldsmo-Merc-mobile afterall.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Gotta get this thing back together, it's blockin' my b-ball court! I'm 6'5", but not very good, so I try not to play in public view haha.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I have very little time to mess with this, so when I do I will post more pics. That's the Olds frame and floors behind it, I cut the steering column right next to the box, so by the looks of it I can get the stock column mated to it. The way I see it I am up against a 3" difference in track width, roughly, so some Caprice wheels should bring me in the ballpark, and if not I might use those '54 Ford wheel lips on it. We'll see. Here goes nothing!
     
  20. koolkemp
    Joined: May 7, 2004
    Posts: 6,005

    koolkemp
    Member

    When they are this rotten its probably the best route to take ! Look forward to some updates! :D
     
  21. UnIOnViLLEHauNT
    Joined: Jun 22, 2004
    Posts: 4,827

    UnIOnViLLEHauNT
    Member

    Thanks my brotha! If'n you go the same route, please don't be an idiot like me when welding in the bracing for the stands and leave enough room to clear the tires when it rolls out. Man I felt like a dunce, had to pop the rear wheels off and slide it with a jack under the pumpkin, going to have to do the same with the Olds to get it under.

    But either way, I am committed now. I think it's going to turn out great. I also have extremely little choice at this point.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  22. shoebox72
    Joined: Jan 24, 2003
    Posts: 1,489

    shoebox72
    Member

    Good luck with this ambitious project.. That car was not far from my house.. He'd been trying to sell them for a long time. He also had a nicer 4dr that was missing the nose.
     
  23. koolkemp
    Joined: May 7, 2004
    Posts: 6,005

    koolkemp
    Member

    Once you get her settled over the Olds frame and tacked into place its gonna look like a car again :D, I never picked up the coupe I was gonna get...a temp garage I was building got picked up by the wind in the fall and crushed the back of the roof on my 4 door 51, I was so disgusted I couldnt be bothered to go get it, if he still has it I might this summer but that was the best part of my car, and the other one needed the glass...but seeing the fun you are having with these rusty Mercs has the juices flowing again lol !
     
  24. I think you made the best choice. Like you said, do all that cutty bendy weldy and you still have stock steering and brakes. For really no more work, you are all set up with power steering and brakes. When you have to build everything from your knees down, the choice seems to be made for you. I'm betting even if you can't find narrowed a-arms, some race shop somewhere could fab you some without too much trouble, if you needed them. Once you get caps on, no one will know you have the caprice wheels, so that may get you all you need. The 54 Ford lips are just a bonus....we should put those on every merc anyhow, shouldn't we? LOL
     
  25. UnIOnViLLEHauNT
    Joined: Jun 22, 2004
    Posts: 4,827

    UnIOnViLLEHauNT
    Member

    Dave, right on! Kemp, if you can figure out how to ship glass I've got a '51 back window for ya. I'm always trying to give you free Merc parts lol. Whatever you do don't scrap that 4 door!
     
  26. captainjunk#2
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 4,420

    captainjunk#2
    Member

    wow thats a big project , that car is really rotten , should turn out ok though , will follow all the pictures ,
     
  27. Ya that looks like CT. rust allright. Good luck with the project. Keep us posted.
     
  28. glassguy
    Joined: Feb 12, 2003
    Posts: 2,261

    glassguy
    Member

    hey i never saw this thread.... dude you are a wimp!! on the phone you said that car was in tuff shape.. the right front fender has already started the canted quad process! keep on it cracka youll knock this out in no time...
     
  29. dart165
    Joined: Apr 15, 2005
    Posts: 710

    dart165
    Member

    Odd question, but did the guy you bought it from get it from NJ? Granted it looks like a million other rusted out hulks of the northeast, but i could swear that it's one of the cars we pulled out of an old recluse's back yard back in 97(ish) and sold to a dude with big plans up in CT.

    We only had a bill of sale though, so if that car has a title, it's not the same car. Eerily similar though.
     
  30. teddyp
    Joined: May 28, 2006
    Posts: 3,197

    teddyp
    Member

    i know it will come out great and the old,s frame is a go way to go and you will make it look right
    your pal teddyp
     

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