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Projects '51 Merc Kustom Project

Discussion in 'Traditional Customs' started by michaelvz51, Aug 22, 2012.

  1. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    I found this car a year ago and am starting to work on it. Many here on the HAMB have eihter bought or sold me parts for this car that I have wanted for many years and I want to Thank You!
    Plans after studying many, many old school books and learning a lot on this site for the last year are:
    Front end: the hood has been rounded and has added vents which I will keep. The headlights have been frenched correctly and they will stay the same. the molded in bumper will go and be replaced with a 53 Desoto Front Bumper and I am now building the Grille out of a 51-52 Ford F-1 center section with 7 teeth.
    Drivetrain: It came with a 350/350 Chevy combination and that is gone and will be replaced with a Ford 351W-C6 combination.
    The Chop: appears to have been done correctly with a 50' back window added EXCEPT the former owners did not know how to weld well so they filled in a lot with bondo-This will be fixed properly.
    The hardtop treatment: This will go in favor of a 3 window style car because I love the sinister look (Thanks for the idea Rik-see his site for the Black 3 window-its is beautiful)
    The Rear End: Has a 12 bolt Chevy and is being replaced with a 9" Ford-Can you tell I am a Ford Guy?
    Rear Bodywork: Some F*in idiot decided to actually cut down the rear fenders so they were flush wiht the body like the 49' and 50' and add late model Cadi Taillights-Really-you did this to a 51'? You are sick and demented-whoever you are! I am extending the fenders with 55' Desoto Taillights and am using the rear bumper too.
    Any comments are appreciated and respected except for the brave hatin' computer jockeys who don't have a Merc to build!
     

    Attached Files:

    50 Merc Man likes this.
  2. Gerg
    Joined: Feb 27, 2006
    Posts: 1,828

    Gerg
    Member

    uh i love mercs i don't have one i am a computer jockey by trade. I will be watching this thread
     
  3. Make sure you put some pic's on the HAMB Merc Club thread,and i'll add you to the roster as soon as I get a spare minute...
     
  4. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Hello Bob,
    I am in the club already, Thanks,
     

  5. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    No disrespect meant Gerg, I was speaking about people who like to talk badly about other peoples projects because they can be brave behind a computer. One of the reasons I joined this site is because that type of behavior is not tolerated too much here and this site is typically operated on respect. It is also an awesome reference and educational site to learn from as I have been studying it for over a year now.
     
    54delray and Lines like this.
  6. Welcome to the Merc club. Take lots of pictures. I would have loved to hard-top mine.
     
  7. slddnmatt
    Joined: Mar 30, 2006
    Posts: 3,685

    slddnmatt
    Member

    looking good! looks like you picked up a new handy dandy plasma cutter! post lots of pics as you progress.
     
    54delray likes this.
  8. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    John, You and your car are very inspirational to me and your information that you have posted over the last year has and will save me a bunch of time and effort. Your car is what I consider a true traditional custom in the same league as Terry Hegmans and I enjoy the updates on yours too. I am going in a little different direction with inspiration fromm Bo Huff (The Grille), Gene Winfield (Body mods), Rikster (3 Window body mods), the Barris brothers (Mandy Holdens Merc) and a few others. This car will be styled more towards the later "show years" but without all of the gaudiness that they became. For example, I will be running 55" Pontiac Safari Side Trim and a 53' Desoto front bumper to name a few. I have studied very hard here and elsewhere and know what I want to do and am very appreciative of you and others who have given information and technical support to others here recently. Thanks again!
     
    54delray likes this.
  9. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Matt,
    You too are another very inspiration person here-Congrats on the Rod and Custom article-beautiful car and work! Yea, I know a little about Plasma Cutters.........
     
    54delray likes this.
  10. Very good choice in changing everything back to Ford. Keep up the good work man.
     
  11. Doctor Detroit
    Joined: Aug 12, 2010
    Posts: 1,051

    Doctor Detroit
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Awesome.... I'll be following.
     
  12. slddnmatt
    Joined: Mar 30, 2006
    Posts: 3,685

    slddnmatt
    Member

    Are ya shooting for this??
     

    Attached Files:

  13. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Yes Matt, in a similar way but with a few added twists.
     
    54delray likes this.
  14. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Here are a few more:
    The Front clip, A mock up of the 3 window setup and the 55' Desoto Rear Bumper already cut down and being setup for mounts.
     

    Attached Files:

    50 Merc Man and 54delray like this.
  15. good luck it is a long road. I will drop you some bread crumbs so you can follow. lol you have a good start there and that is a good look you are going for.
     
  16. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    John, why not send me the whole loaf of bread? I have been watching your build and love the work! Your dash is beautiful as is all of the metal work and it will give me a high standard to work up to. Thanks for posting the work as it inspires us all. As far as time, I have built off road trucks in my past and they all take time so I a used to it plus, I have wanted this car for many years and I will take my time and do it right.
    What rear seat setup are you going to run? I am going to run a T Bird seat and I already have it.
    I will be watching your progress for inspiration, thanks again!
     
  17. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Here are a few more:
    1. Finished tacking and welding the trunk panels in place and am starting to research Fuel Tanks that will fit between my aftermarket frame rails. I will then cut out the floor, make a box enclosure and mount the tank in it.
    2. Mounted the trunk lid and added gas shocks off of a Mercury Villager mini van rear hatch setup instead of using the original spring lift. This way in the future, I can easily repalce the shocks when they wear out and they will leave me some room on the trunk the way they are mounted.
    3. Finished welding the new firewall in place. It will need to be trimmed later for the transmission tunnel I will be making once I get to the point of mocking up the FORD motor mounts and replacing the chevy motor mounts that are there now.
     

    Attached Files:

    50 Merc Man and Kage like this.
  18. SycoSteve
    Joined: Feb 12, 2011
    Posts: 296

    SycoSteve
    Member

    Looking good man! Looking forward to seeing your progress.
     
  19. 51 mercules
    Joined: Nov 29, 2008
    Posts: 3,868

    51 mercules
    Member

    Thanks for the update.Looking good.
     
  20. Thanks for the props but I'm just doing the same thing you're doing, going down a path. My inspirations are Bab Bob, Matt, Rik, and many others. I'm still open to and thinking about other mods for my car like adding in some overriders.

    Subscribing so I don't lose this one!
     
  21. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I'm liking this build, subscribed. I want to see where it goes.
     

  22. I am going to run the thunderbird seats in the rear with a little twist I think. I am also going to keep the factory bench set in the front too. I t will have to be modified to fit the tranny hump but we will get it in there.
    Hope to have it painted by christmas.
     
  23. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,027

    19Fordy
    Member

    Just for the heck of it, did you explore how it would look with the two chrome bumper pieces under the tail lights removed?
     
  24. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    John,
    Your car is smoooooooooth. In my humble opinion, bumper over riders would look great on oyur car and keep the real traditional look you are creating. Thanks again for all the photos of your and others projects here-It will save me hours of "thinking time"
     
  25. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Not yet, but I will look at it soon. Thanks for the tip
     
  26. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    You and others have posted many, many useful photos that have saved me hours and hours of "thinking time" and it is very much appreciated. I can't wait to see your car in paint-what color are you going for?
     
  27. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Thanks, its people like you that keep my motivated and moving forward. It will get interesting soon......
     
  28. I could post a million pics of various aspects of my car but I didn't want to burn folks out. :)

    That will be interesting if you can pull off the look that Rik posted.
     

  29. I m going to start with the HOK Burple but we are going to do a one off mix with it and do some different bottom coats. I love the blues but want to have some pop in it too.
     
  30. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    The car Rik did, the black one (As bad ass as it gets in my opinion, has window frames in it and my car does not. I am going to try to create Hirohata style rear windows out of sheet metal so the shape is the same as the Hirohata Merc but welded in solid amking it a 3 window car. I have the pieces mocked up and they compliment the radius of my front roof. They will need to be reworked and extended forward so the one piece door glass window will seal properly. I will post more soon.
     

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