Customs Need some input on my first rod, 1950 Merc.

Yeah I think I got caught up in one of those, It was some young jarhead talking about how he wanted to build up his 4door 52 plymouth into the fastest thing on the street by turning the flat 6 into a overhead cam horsepower breathing beast. He was hell bent on doing it, and not being talked out of it because he knew what he wanted. There was alot of humor in that post between the people telling him that he couldn't and the people telling him that he could.

 

Matte Black Barris/Winfield 1950 Merc

I like the look of the car. The buick headlights, vinyl top, and flames are pretty awesome. I tried to find some more about the car, didn't find anything (quick google search). I wonder if the Barris/Winfield history is accurate?

I don't like the blue one. Interior install/stereo is sloppy. I don't think I need/want air bags. That may change though...

The glass body, and modern underpinnings sounds like it might be the best choice for me. There are two manufacturers within 50 miles of me, and offer turnkey cars. I'll have to visit the shops and do some more research on fiberglass to see if these are good builders.

At any rate, I've got to get ready for Easter activities. Thanks again for everyone's help.

 

Wow, It amazes me how some people can get wound up once some less than HAMB friendly words are mentioned. The guy comes asks a few questions and he gets shit on.

Justin, Im looking for a 50 merc too, there are some very nice cars in your price range, use google or check out hemmings.com or autabuy.com.

Id stick with a steel car, if you do buy an abandoned project, keep in mind you maybe buying someone elses headaches.

Good Luck with your search.

 

Justin, if you ever decide to do a "Traditional" rattle-can flame job or add some "Traditional" Sharpie lettering to your car ... just give ol afredfromchicago a call ... I'm sure he will be more than happy to help you out (click HERE & HERE).

 

I've gotten some valuable feed-back, so I don't necessarily think this is the wrong place. If you don't like the subject, you don't have to view the thread... I'll look for a street rod forum too, thanks for your input Mate.

 

Welcome to the new friendlier HAMB. Just think of what direction this would have been several years ago. Anyway !

Welcome. Its great to see someone taking the time to do his homework before jumping off into the unknown.

Part 1 of the homework assignment . Review every old 49-51 Merc thread starting with this one. Rik Hoving 's post of the recent all Merc gathering in Sacramento from earlier this year.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=335855

and this one about the 2 cars that started it all

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=221995


This should get you and understanding of where it all started and what many hold sacred here.

Check out the Merc Social Groups

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=71

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=183

Maybe the rest of us can get Justin some more help and direction.

 

And we do like Fuel Injection Hilborn, Algon etc,,and the old Vette Rochester set up are fun

 

No shit its the new friendly HAMB. Come back GERM.

 

do what you want
I have no problem with Plastic cars!
Had a couple, rdstr & a corvette
If you take most of the hot rods & custom cars runnin on the street right now and run a magnet on them,
You'll will find that plastic was used as a flattening agent.
Even though you might not have much time on your hands try to be involed with the ideas of the car and don't let the person that builds it make all the decisions.

 

Hey!!!, Someday I'll be making big bucks with my majik marker art!!! Just you wait and see!!!!! You may have to wait a while...But my talents only grow day by day!!!!

 

Welcome to the HAMB. First all the information you need and could ever dream of is on this site. There is more talent and available help on here then you can image. If you have never built a car, a 50 merc chopped, decked, yat yat is one of the hardest cars to get "right". For what it is worth you need patience. I started with a fiberglass rod and ended up spending more money then if I waited and hunted a real steel body plus I truley was never happy with it. That was also pre-HAMB. Take noted from here on what you like, styles,etc then search the posts and learn from the pros. Also there is a golden rule that states you need to posts pics of your progress. Good luck and happy hunting.

 

This was my first thought as well ... that JustBusiness was "just giving us the business" ... but I thought I'd give Justin the benefit of the doubt, and try to persuade him to build a traditional-styled '50 Merc rather than just flame the guy for not knowing what we consider is cool.

The HAMB is a wonderful resource ... and can go a long way to educate newbies to our hobby about Traditional Hot Rods & Customs ... but some (or maybe it's most) HAMBers would rather create a "drama thread" that goes 11 pages before it gets deleted ...

 

There was a good deal on a project car in Decatur Illinois, do a search in classifieds. If you can get a car for low teens that has some work done that's a steal IMO.

I'd avoid the fiberglass car, that would be a lot of work to put together.

 

I know why my car is in flat black............ doors are wavy as hell. Every time I spray it off i get a reminder of why I didn't gloss it.

 

Shit man call Gambino or A.S.S. and whip out the checkbook. Fuck it you know? When we see the builds they do, it inspires us "shade tree" guys and gives us good info to work with when well documented. Get busy man!

 

My thoughts, FWI, you can keep your eyes peeled for an older built car with most of what you want for a relative bargain compared to the cost of having it built. The market is a bit soft right now and the selling price of built Mercs has dropped a bit lately(not always the asking price, but the price of ones that have sold...).

For example, last fall I bought mine after waiting, saving, researching, and watching for 20+ years. I knew what I wanted, been collecting parts for 10+ years and watched and studied most Mercs that I knew of that came up for sale. Along comes this one that was built 12-15 years ago and had aged to the point of being presentable, but not afraid to drive and scratch. This meant that I could drive it now and enjoy it, but not feel bad about eventually redoing it to my tastes, since most needs redone anyhow (paint, interior, etc.). The basics of the car fit my criteria.....solid and pretty rust free. As a bonus, it came already chopped and has a nova subframe with ps, power disc brakes, overdrive, ac and sbc. I had intended on doing much of that to the car I eventually bought, but this one came with it already done and done well, for way less than I could do it myself as planned, not to mention paying someone else. Is it exactly as I want it, no, but the foundation is there, solid, built right and I can afford to change what I want to when I want to do it.



Buy in price? $17k and I drive it everyday. You couldn't pay to have that built for twice that. I stock, solid 50 Merc will cost that before you start adding the chop, supsension, bodywork, etc. A turnkey fiberglass car will cost you quite a bit more before paint, upholstery, etc. Find a similar deal, pull the small block chevy and drop in your fuel injected motor, touch up the body work and paint it semigloss black and you are in for under 25-30k easy. Have it built from scratch and you are in 40-50k without even trying hard (or getting half of what you set out for). My suggestion after 30 years of drooling over and desiring a chopped Merc anyhow....




ps: I do find it amusing to see alfredfromchicago speaking as the voice of the HAMB when he has only been here since Jan? After 3 years here, I still can't make myself speak as "one of the old guys." LOL. Speaking of the new and improved HAMB....that wouldn't have happened a few years ago....he'd still be taking his licks. LOL.

 

Come and join the Hamb Merc Club. We will send you in the right direction. I would look for a project car and take your time making it the way you want. If you start with a "done" car,it's gonna cost you more. ProstockJohn started with a done car,but it wasn't the way he wanted,so he did some homework,asked a bunch of questions,got ideas,and decided what direction he wanted to go.
Slddnmatt and I find affordable Mercs all the time! You just need to look and decide what your plan will be. jnds53,my neighbor has one for sale in the classifieds right now,and would be a great starter Merc. Look for it! They're out there...

This is what I started with...Then slddnmatt worked his magic on it!

 

IF I HAD THE MONEY..........For me it would come down to price V/S parts. I saw SPEED running the auctions this weekend and some kustoms were going for the price of the engine alone. When they get that cheap I'll buy'em. Yank the body off the frame, sell it, and probably make enough to fund the entire project and get half my money back.

Unfortunately I haven't had the funds to do that so I'm doing it the old fashion hard way .

 

Wentz rod shop Danville , VA?

 

It was...keep looking and you'll find one set up similar to what you want. Buy it, paint it your color and join in the fun.

 

Justin
Asking for suggestions often poses more problems than answers. Everyone has a different idea, and not every idea is going to be to your liking. Hot Rodding & Custom Car building has always been about individual preference. If we all built exactly the same kind of car, life would be pretty boring. This is your dream. Build it (or have it built) to your specifications. Do you really care what other people have to say about it? If you're happy, that's all that really matters. I currently have a build being posted in another thread. While the majority of the comments have been very favourable, there are a few that find fault. It's amazing how one person making a comment about a part of the build they didn't like brings out all the followers. Do I really car what they say? Not in the least little bit. I am building the car for ME, not for anyone else. I know the quality of work and vision are second to none, so I really don't listen to anyone else. Here is a link to my post dealing with the build of a custom 51 Merc Coupe

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=345525

That being said, let me offer you some suggestions. Having owned a number of 50-51 Mercurys over the years (including 4 at present), I can understand the allure of owning one of these cars. In your case I would recommend either a stock frame with a nova clip in front and either a 9" ford rear end or a Camaro rear OR, having a custom built chassis done. The custom chassis offers you the ability to have engineered the exact setup you are looking for. While the modified stock frame may be more cost effective. The car presented in my thread had the stock frame, Nova clip/Camaro rear option. I have since swapped this out for a totally stock Mercury frame with stock suspension components. I chose 1955 as my cut off point for the build. There will be no parts newer than 1955.

<O</O
<O</OIf you look at the pictures I have posted, and I hide nothing, the car has a 3 inch chop on the front and a 4 inch chop on the rear. The door posts were slanted. This chop looks balanced. Going with a 4-6 inch chop might be too much. But the choice is up to you. I would recommend a steel car. While there is an increased expenditure involved, you will be dealing with a better foundation to start. Chopping a Merc (correctly) is an expensive proposition. I tend to recommend selecting an amount you&#8217;re willing to spend, then doubling it. Things always seem to cost more than we initially anticipated. I have never been a big fan of fiberglass. I prefer to keep it real, keep it steel.

The most important thing to consider is to pick a theme you&#8217;re happy with. If you want a traditional car, don&#8217;t be adding billet, digital dashes, interiors out of your 84 Cadillac SeVille, or other such Street Rod items. Conversely, try not to mix too much traditional items with a Street Rod design. Whatever image you&#8217;re deciding to choose, it must flow.

<O</OFor a daily driver, disc brakes and a modern driveline would be more suitable. They will make your driving experience more pleasurable. Also, your car will stop and handle better. Might want to consider some form of air conditioning as well. This is all about what will make YOU happy, not the rest of us. All of my Mercurys are traditional builds. I don&#8217;t mind the manual steering, manual drum brakes, manual transmission in my car. I want them to be as they might have been in the mid to late 50s. But that is just my preference. I would advise you stick with a small block Chev. Those engines seem to fit better and are usually cheaper than the equivailant small block ford.
<O</O<O
By the way, the picture of the matte black Mercury you included in your post was actually a 1951. You can tell by the quarter panels extending past the trunk lid and the fuel door on the side of the quarter rather than the top.<O</O

 

IMO an excellent response

 

Merc......did somebody say merc!!!

 

Sorry Guys, I wasn't trying to speak for the masses, or be the face of the H.A.M.B. Just throwing in my own thoughts/ opinions, for what they were worth. (or not worth)
I realize that I come here with different opinions than many. like I mentioned, I grew up in garage sale shoes, and watched Sanford and son on weekend mornings instead of cartoons. This may explain my junkyard cheap mentality, or give a clue about why I can be happy with a $20 paint roller paint job as opposed to the real deal. To be honest If it weren't for the current rat rod /junk rod craze, there would be no place on the street for me. I was thrilled to discover it a few years back. So what do I share with other hambers? Well, I guess it's not quality, or deep pocketbooks. (I don't mean to offend or knock anybody with money) I just have a love for antique iron and the feeling that it gives me. I've never needed my cars to go fast, as long as they went. I'm happy and content with my rusty old rides, even if they only have inlines in them. Thats why I get vocal on the hamb, In the parking lot of life which seems to be full of imports, this tends to be the only place where I feel at home.
So, sorry, I didn't mean to disrespect, or mis represent the H.A.M.B.
Good day......

 

You'd be better off buying a finished car, drive it awhile and then make it your own... doing your "dream car" is great but your first build will never meet you expectations...

BTW... air bags have been around since the 50's...

 

krooser is right specially if you dont have the skills and drdave is also correct this cars are not cheap to build.if you deside to buy give me a call,I have the car you discrived and it is for sale and it drives great .if you want some pics let me know

 

I paid more than Dave did. I think maybe a 1/3 of the guys on here would have just drove the car as is, but there were enough bodywork issues that I decided to redo the exterior. I would not say I was well researched, I had not thought about buying one for a long time and then I could and then I bought the cheapest driver I found and it was a bit rough for me. I'd rather buy a rolling project like that decatur car for like $9K and go from there.

 

And silly thought you had to OWN a Merc before you could join.

 

My understanding by reading this thread is that he is NOT going to build it himself so his skills are irrelevant.