Projects The Mexicali Merc, another 40 Custom in the works

sweet! watching this

 

Cant wait for the chop....some serious fun will start soon.Take your time on the chop,bro...no rush!
WW tires are already paid for and shipped your way today too...

 

nice work ill be watching this one.

 

hey Mike,

Watch out when working with '' tar insulation ''!

Some of the early sound deadners contained asbestos, which was added to the asphault to add body and additional strength to the mix so the sound deadner could be shot onto vertical and overhead surfaces. I wouldn't grind or dry scrape any of it, and if you're gonna heat it up with a torch or heat gun, wear a mask, and duct the fumes out of the shop area.

It may take 20-30 years for health issues to surface from asbestos exposure, but when it does, it'll be bad news!

" Life ain't no Disney movie "

 

Looking forward to the chop. Any plans to raise the top of the windshield up 1 inch ?

 

The likelihood of floating fibre particles when it's mixed with tar would be about nil. But I sure wouldn't try getting it off with heat.

 

The windshield will be raised 1 5/8". Thats what I did on my car and I really like the height. A lot of people do it 2" and it's just too much.

 

The merc is looking much much better. If it looks half as cool as yours it will be killer.

 

This will be awesome....no better cars to build than mercs and lincolns......well maybe buicks!

 

A mate was telling me about how you lowered the rear and I should check out your thread. Shit you make it look really easy. I was trying to work out a cheap and easy way to lower the rear of my 37 Ford pickup and that is it. Thanks.

 

I would go an 1 9/16"....just to keep them guessing.

 

Lookin good Kevan......damn your givin me the hots for a Custom Merc!

 

hahaha. I know 1 5/8" sounds anal but when I cut the windshield up into the roof thats just where it looked right. Im sure it could be 1 1/2" - 1 3/4" and still look fine but 2" is definitely too much!

 

Ur, uh, I wouldn't stack any chips behind your bet, asbestos is like mega fine in particle form Over fifty to sixty or seventy years some of that tar may have dried hard, and when broken into finer pieces the asbestos becomes airborne. Airborne is when this cacinogen can enter the human body via the lungs, eyes or mouth.

" Life ain't no Disney movie "

 

Damn, my memory is really bad.
I think we did 1 3/4" on mine. Gotta ask Wolf if he remembers.

You are doing a fantastic job on this one, Kev!

 

J.B. ...yeah,please ask Wolf on this detail...its priority since we're almooost there,yeahh

 

I think you can trust Kevan on this one... Bút, I'll check.

 

if you heat the opposite side to the sound deadening it will soften and scrape off real nice, may even fall off itself under the floors. A good sharp chisel will scrape it off cold usually tho...I wouldn't panic toooo much about asbestos, unless your doin car after car..then maybe wear a mask.
its a bitch to remove no mistake. If its not cracked and allowing moisture through just leave it in place. Any sound deadener thats in good nick after 50+ years is some good shit IMO

 

No doubt,just curious to know on yours...thanks for checking

 

Looks like Kev is pushin hard on raisin the windshield and car is already braced ,almost ready for the chop ....pics coming soon

 

Awesome, Im excited about watching this unfold!!

 

Hells yes! Let's see it Kev!

 

Ouch...the effects if asbestos exposure are not cumulative. One fibre in one lung on the very first time you are exposed to it is enough. Sure, more exposures = increased likelihood but never use the "it'll be OK just this once" theory with this stuff.

End of community service announcement.

Back to scheduled programming.

 

So I got the side windows out and the body braced so now it's time to start chopping! Im starting the chop by raising the windshield up into the roof. It's easier to do this step first, that way you don't have to add a filler piece to the A pillar later.



the first cut!








After trimming and fitting it's tacked in place and ready for welding

 

Now,this is to remove the "forehead" above the windsheild? Did you do this on yours?

 

Ahhh,its already Christmas ...you made my day

 

These cars just look "right" chopped!

 

Yay! FINALLY. I keep seeing this post come back to the top and think, 'maybe started the chop...? No. Denied. Like waiting for a chick to take her clothes off.
Now we finally get to the big transformation!

 

Yeah as Bob says these mercs have a huge "forehead" and when they're chopped it looks even bigger, so that's the reason for raising the windshield. I chopped the same 1 5/8" out of my merc and I really like the height. Anywhere from 1 1/2" - 1 3/4" is the right amount to remove. If you do much more it stops looking chopped in front.

 

This is going to be good. I'm watching.