Customs Lowering a 54 Mercury Monterey

Hi

I am UK based and have a 54 Mercury Monterey Hard Top. I intend to make a traditional custom from it with very small mods as money permits!

It already has frenched headlights and the stock rear lights are perfect. It has a white tuk and roll interior and the next thing I wish to do is lower the car by 3 inches so the arches just clip the whitewalls.

The back can be acheived cheaply with 3 inch lowering blocks, and I am wandering if anyone has experience of lowering the front?

Jamco do some replacement springs offering a 3 inch drop - has anyone used these?

Ideally I would like to avoid cutting the stock springs as I have kept all stock parts in case one day after my fun someone wants to take it back to original - been the way for 56 years after all!

Any information will be gratefully received

Meanwhile here is a picture - not bad for a car that has been in the UK since 1956 - came over with an american service man via Germany.

 

this is a great thread and probably the best way to go about what you want to do. good luck.

Aerostar coil springs

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=260795

 

Beautiful car by the way. looks great.

 

Jaz, A mate of mine lowered his '54 Merc by using alloy spacers he had made that fitted between the front spring-cup and the bottom arm.He used a lower kit on the rear that was meant for a MkII Ford Escort which was made by a company called Whiteline.Hope this is of use to you.

Nick.

 

Check out Night Prowlers http://www.thenightprowlers.com/. Gary Glasgow in Missouri, super nice guy. I had a 54 ford and he sold me a kit that lowers the front by about 2", though you do have to drill out the lower spring pockets from the control arms and rebolt with his lowering kit. I also cut out 3/4 of a coil to get 3" drop. I have a stock set of springs sitting in the corner of my garage if you ever need 'em just pay the postage. Know it's not exactly what you're aiming for but worked for me. Love them mercurys.

 

I've heard good things about Jamco springs. But if the Aerostar springs will fit your car, go for those. They are dirt cheap.

 

i was on their the other day looking for that kit and couldn't find it anywhere. Is it a item that you need to call on or is he not carrying it any longer?

 

I bet he would still have them and may just not be listed on his site.

 

Thats what i kind of thought to. It might be easier to jut make some tho.

 

Yeah, it would be fairly easy to make a pair too. There is more than one way to skin a cat.

 

i put aerostar springs in my 55 fairlane, love it . the way it rides and drives now.

 

Check out my 54 Merg Blog on how I lowered mine. Have all the part numbers and cost on there.

http://54merc.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/low-slow/

 

Hi

Thanks to everyone for the information - in particular Flattopdan and SunValley54 - my UK based speedshop and fellow HAMB member JackHammer has sourced the Aerostar springs today and looking into shock absorbers Monday so I should be able to get cracking once the snow melts.

I am a newbie and I have found the HAMB to be fantastic so far - brilliant forum can't believe how active it is - I have been on others where newbies are treated with sarcasm, but we've all got to start somewhere

all the best

Jaz

 

i know you got a merc. but there basicly the same as our fords. come check out the 52-56 fords group on the hamb.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=332

 

Your Merc is a "kissin' cousin" would be glad to have you join in,do an intro when you get there.

 

Your welcome Jaz, thats what we are all here for. Definitely check out the group. Great bunch of guys, with tons of knowledge. see you there.

 

my lady has a 54 merc with the front coils cut. It isn't even that low and it can't be aligned for shit. Doesn't this cause alignment issues with lowering springs?

 

Jaz, your car is made to be lowered. Here's a 3" drop from the Photoshop Drop Shop.

 

damn, those '54's are beautiful! that's was my pops first ride back in '56. got thrown in the pokey overnight for uncorked Lakes...... those were the days.

 

Thanks OahuEli - that image is truly inspiring and going to be my new desktop piccie - real thing should be done early spring if I have any money left after Christmas!

 

Looks great lowered in the photoshop pic. Nice car!

 

You're quite welcome. I've always thought those Merc's were beautiful.

 

My brother in law has a 54 Ford convert, and I had a 53 Merc Monterey. We used Night Prowlers kit in the front and their blocks in the back.
as anyone who has lowered a 52 to 54 Ford or Merc can tell you, changing a flat on the rear is a PITA.

 

Hi Sunvalley 54

Thanks for the advice on lowering my Mercury - I have now sourced the Springs and Front Shock absorbers.

On the rear you went for a two inch set of blocks rather than 3 inches to match the front - did you do this to level up the stance? Do you have any pictures of the result?

Also, am I right in thinking that you used the old shock absorbers on the rear?
Thanks in advance
Jaz

 

I love your 52 - perfect chop - have you done anymore since your avatar picture?

 

I found on a 52 ford when we cut the coils to much , i think it was about 1 !/4 coils , and it still didnt look low enough and we were on the bump stops. I think if i was to do it again i would look into dropped spindles and new dropped coils.

 

always loved those mercs, I think you nailed the look.

 

Many moons ago i had a 54 merc and I found a 1950's "little pages" hot rod mag on how to lower your 54 merc.

I also had no money so I had the coils cut and reset and, following the article, I unbolted the ball joints out from where they slide into the top and bottom A arms and then ,( using longer bolts and spacers to go in the A arms where the ball joints used to be,), simply bolted them in on top of the A arms, effectivley lowering the car a further approx 1.5 inches.

Lasted for years and handled ok....on crossplys though.

Though nowadays, If I had the money, I would go dropped spindles....as long as they arent welded....

 

my old merc with the above lowering...and narrowed 56 chev visor.

 

Are the night prowler parts just lowering cups? As in a basic cup that allows the spring to sit lower in the arm? I can't find any pics on line to see what there like. Thanks