Projects 1962 Mercury Monterey Custom Wagon

Love everything about your car except the white steering wheel. (Should have been green.) This thing really deserves a professional photo-shoot.

 

Looks great. I wouldn't have thought it could be saved

 

Thanks, I struggled with that decision for a long time. In the end I couldn't find a green wheel in the diameter I wanted and ended up with a white one, but I am quite happy with it.

 

Beautiful Merc wagon. I'm curious which air bags you used in the rear - I've been bagging my Merc over the past 10 months and have it back on the road now with SS7 bags at both ends.

 

Slam Specialties RE-6 (or maybe RE-7, memory is fuzzy)

Thanks for doing the tube grill tech. It sure helped me figure out the grill on the wagon.

 

Frozen Merc, you sure worked some magic on the old girl.It looks better then when it was new Great Job!!!!Bruce.

 

Beautiful. Love it, you done good.

 

Small Update: Within 3 days a week and a half ago, the weather in Northern Minny went from -20 F to 50+ F, and most of our snow has disappeared. I guess the old saying of "If you don't like the weather in Minnesota, wait 5 minutes and it will change" has some merit.

Anyways, with the warm weather, I scheduled an appointment at Westside Motors in Thief River Falls to get a 4 wheel alignment and get the AC charged. The guys at Westside did a great job, and now it really drives nice. Bullet straight at 70+ mph. Just have to get it appraised in order to bump up the insurance value now.

The car has been detailed, and is now ready for it's first show next weekend at Duluth. Myself and 2 other fellow club members are bringing our cars to the other end of Highway 2 for the Motorhead Madness Weekend in Duluth. It should be a good time.

I will post pics of the show display when I get a chance. I am really looking forward to later this spring and summer and putting some serious miles on the car.

 

As the owner of another extra large car, I have nothing but respect for the awesome job you did and sticking to your design theme. I know that photos don't do it justice.

 

Im glad you made a little thread for this wagon. I was impressed when I saw pics of it done, even more impressed to see what you started with.

Question...did you use donor parts for the rockers and bottom half of the rear quarters? or did you fab them from scratch?

 

Incredible!

 

I never get tired of seeing your Merc. So BTTT for everyone else to enjoy this beautiful '62. -Dave.

 

No, I got replacement rockers and front floor panels for '62 or '63 Galaxies from one source or the other (memory is currently failing). Although, I did have to make the inside portion of the rockers myself (just a long L section, so it wasn't that difficult). The rear quarters and dog legs I made myself as no one is currently repopping them. The windshield and tailgate headers came from a '63 Galaxie donor roof.

 

I wasn't sure if the rockers were the same as galaxies, and that you could get those re-popped. I figured you were out of luck for the bottom half of the rear quarters. Great job

 

One more pic from Duluth.

 

Frozen Merc, the car looks great!!! You did a great job and have serious talent!! A have a question, what did you use for frame to body mounts? I have a '61 Fairlane 2 door sedan that I'm pulling off the frame to restore. The frame mounts should be the same as your car. I can't find anyone that repops them for these '61-'62 full size Ford/Mercs. Did you make them?

Again, great job!!

 

Troublemaker,
I used Energy Suspension Universal Body Mounts for the Merc. They were close enough to the originals that they worked just fine.

On a different note, I have high hopes of someday driving out to the FE race and Reunion. It won't be this year, but maybe next so keep that great event going and you guys might get to see a blistering 16 sec quarter mile out of a green 352 powered Merc wagon.

 

Thanks for the info. We'd love to have you at the FERR!! The event continues to grow and isn't going anywhere. It will be here when you can make the trip!!

 

A finally got around to adding the parking brake cables. Bit redundant since I live in one of the flattest parts of the country, but it feels good to get it finished up. Here are a couple of pics from the Prime Steel Show in Grand Forks 2 weeks ago. We had a great show this year with some really nice cars.

Edit: The pictures have been lost to Photo-shit-Buckets evil ways.

 

Shameless MSRA plug warning.......

One month to go until (arguably) the best car show in the country. The wife and I will be there with the Merc.

 

Great wagon and loved the writeup. I will be looking for it at BTT50's.

 

Beautiful car great job on bringing it back from the dead I love it

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Wow, great car and story. I see lots of miles ahead.

 

We just got home from Back to the 50's. The Merc ran and drove extremely well. No problems other then the wiper switch giving up the ghost on Saturday morning. It had the original wiper switch still in it, so no real surprise. It is a bit thirsty (12-14 mpg), but it is also 21 ft long and 5000 lbs of people moving machine. We had a great time and met quite a few fellow HAMB'ers out there. Speed-On happened to catch a pic of it holding the grass down on Friday. I am looking forward to many more events yet this summer.

 

Well, I have been driving the wagon around the Red River Valley and Minnesota problem free until last night. Right front wheel bearing decided to crap out last night on the way to El-Roco cruise night. Got it towed back home thanks to a friend / co-worker. Looks like there was a casting flaw in the rotor, a nice crack developed next to the inner bearing race and a chunk came loose and took out the outer bearing (Thanks China). Simple enough fix, and it will be back on the road this weekend.

 

Bummer! Still think you have a great wagon there. Get 'er back together and enjoy the rest of the summer. -Dave

 

Getting close to the end of the cruising season up here. Leaves are starting to turn, and the Sugar Beet Harvest starts on Thursday. Those of you with experience in the frozen tundra of the Red River Valley understand why I will keep it off the road during the beet harvest. (These things make the roads awfully slimy...)

http://www.grandforksherald.com/sit...2/0116/100313.n.gfh.weather.jpg?itok=lpTMFRHP

Labor Day weekend saw the wife and I pile into the car for a 4 day / 1200 mile road trip. We drove all over Minnesota, stopping to see various friends and family and catch a few car shows at the same time. We made it to the last Minneapolis Messaround. The rain kept a few folks away, but it was still a good time.



The following weekend was the annual Rydell Benefit Car Show. Not that many traditional cars, but they put on a great show and raise a bus load of money for local charities. Some 350 cars showed up, and the Mercury was picked by the Rad Rides by Troy guys for their favorite car. I am not that into gathering trophy's but it was still a pretty cool honor since the Merc was surrounded by a sea of Camaros, Corvettes, Chargers, and Mustangs that are more the style of cars that Troy typically builds.

Edit: Photo lost

I have a few "house keeping" items to work on this winter with the Merc. Biggest problem is that the windshield leaks alot in the lower right corner, and I need to finish a few minor things that never got completed.

 

Still a great car. And congratulations on awards

 

Wow!!!Coolest project thread here in a long time! Beautiful metalwork, great taste w/ colors, upholstery etc. I like how it's all pulled together w/respect to the original design of the '62 Mercury!

 

Outstanding result.