So I bought a '64 Mercury yesterday...

Thanks Everyone! She is a ton of fun to drive, I've got a few friends working on her today since I have to be at work and I need her to be good to go by Saturday when my kid comes home. There are a few small problems with her, the only big issue she's got is the exhaust, but I'm taking her to the shop to get new pipes on her Saturday morning. Other issues were the brake on the left side needs adjusted, the brake lights, turn signals and instrument panel don't light up and the gauges don't work (We've narrowed it down to a possible ground wire issue, not sure yet... but the guys are digging around in there today so I should know later what the deal is), she needs a new battery, new fluids and there's a small transmission leak. So far it's just catching up on maintenance and fixing little quirks.

I still have yet to find any bad rust spots, her frame wiped off clean when I took a rag and some soap to it, and the floors are more solid than they were in my 83 wagon that I was driving around.

No full on plans yet, other than to get her going good, I'm keeping the paint the way it is, buff it out and MAYYYBE do some dark red flake on her roof to tie in the interior color. Not sure yet. The black stuffs on the driver's side door is just leftover magnetic sign gunk, I've been peeling it off anytime I get a second with her that my hands aren't tangled in wires.

Thanks! She's darling and I love this car. I couldn't have imagined a better outcome for this weekend.

Hey thanks! I was incredibly surprised when I showed up to get her, this car fits my style and personality to a T. I love both of my cars, and now that I have a old one to drive all the time I can take my time with the Desoto and really make sure she's put together right with everything that I want to do.

I got a kick out of his description. "Pretty decent" doesn't even come close. She's in fantastic condition, the driver's side of the seat isn't even worn in, and the paint under the steering column looks like it was done yesterday. (still has the white stamped numbers on the column.) Someone really really loved this car at one point, and now I get to. It's all just random small mechanical issues, and other than a piece of busted missing trim on the passenger side it looks like she's all there.

 

There's a voltage regulator on the back of the instrument cluster, the gauges shall have 9 volt (if I remember correctly), mite be worth checking out. A seller on fleabay sell modern regulators for a few dollars
Love these old land yachts, have a 63 vert myself. the ride in those are very nice.

 

Very cool

 

hahah gotta love when stuff like that happens. I LOVE the look of the black ones, I was tempted at first to write it into my plans for her, but I got to looking at the paint on her now and she looks fantastic in white.

 

Thanks! I got the guys looking into it now. I'm at work and I've spent 90% of my day so far looking at wiring diagrams, finding parts for the guys to go nab for me, and trying my damndest to figure everything out without being there haha. At least I'm getting paid to sit here and look at stuff.

 

You got a deal there. I'm glad youre exited and you should be.
Thats a bitchen car. More pics please.

 

I'll get more pics tonight, she's at the shop so I'll get able to get some good ones with some decent lighting.

 

Oh Man!!! I like it!! I too was expecting to see a Comet but this is slick!!! Have fun with it!!

 

I love those...Congrats!

 

Thanks!
The lights and gauges are all working now except the dash lights, but we'll get it figured out after I get off work. Hooray for getting to drive her tonight!!!

 

Probably a bad reostat in the head light switch.
remove the switch and see if the coiled wire on the round disc is green from corrosion.

Sometimes they can be cleaned.. other wise replace the switch.. about $20 from an auto parts store.

Nathan

 

Hi Lizzie.Sorry about the bad luck.BUT,look at the diamond in the rough that you mined.Outstanding.Thankfully you were`nt hurt in the crash.As for the dash lights,most likely(hopefully)just bulbs.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Looking good. Nice car, I've got a 65 Merc. Its a beauty in the open road!

 

Loved the NASCAR version of those Mercs-red sides and black hood,roof and trunk

 

Dash lights might be the rheostat on the lights switch has a burnt contact or broken resistor coil.

I see your car has deluxe A/C that is why it has those cool pop open vents.

Here's some wiring for ya

 

I'll keep my envy to myself.

 

I am NOT a ford guy. About the onliest 60s ford I'd buy would be either a 61 or a 63 and 1/2 Galaxie two door hardtop...sunliner I guess BUT!
I really dig those Merc fastbacks. I have it in my head as a totally black car with freshly polished stainless and chrome and nice set of Cragar SS or maybe Astros on it with black wall tires and dropped about 2 inches...the end. Doesn't need anything else 'cept'n for a great set of glasspacs.
All my buddies would rag me to death about actually driving a ford but....I'd do it.
Nice car.

 

My wife loves her Monclare breezeway.

 

http://www.mercurystuff.com/#1964

 

Thank you!

I had a couple of the wiring diagrams, but not the dash one, so thanks a bunch, hopefully I'll get some time today to work on it.

I drove her home and to work this morning, did pretty well. Brakes are still a little stiff and stubborn, and she's a little slow getting started, The one bigger issue I'm having is trying to find a short that's causing the wires attached to the brake switch to smoke. I have a feeling tonight's gonna be one of those holding a flashlight while shivering trying to find a sneaky wire short nights.

The kinks will get worked out though, just gotta take things as they come.

 

Had I found that on CL I would've scooped it up too!!! Nice score!

 

Sounds like a good buy in strange circumstances.

I've got a 64 Mercury as well - a Monterey convertible.

Good luck with getting the wiring sorted. Smoking brake switch doesn't sound very good!

I found that fitting a stabilizer bar to the front suspension - Ford used an odd design in 1963 and 1964 that feels weird. You can get one from Greg Donahue (<cite>www.[B]gregdonahue[/B].com) and probably other places as well.
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I have the shop manual so have scanned a few things.

Owned a few of them. My brother BtrSweet on here has my old Park Lane Marauder now. Love those cars! Good luck

 

Hot damn dog bro, you scored like a bandito. Those are gorgeous cars, love the front end, trim, interior, wait a minute, I just really dig these rare birds. Super score buddy, en-f'n-joy!! ~sololobo~

 

I have one too! But mines not a chick.

 

Well it's been 8 days since I've owned her and I couldn't be happier. We were off to a rough start on day 5 after we THOUGHT we had the bugs sorted out when she decided to flat out refuse to stay started, her brakes started being finnicky again and she was just overall being a well...you know...
Anyway, over the weekend I ended up replacing damn near every hose, belt, and brake line I could get my hands on, doing more work to the carburetor, replacing the starter, battery cables, and a few other random parts and I've been driving her around all day with no problems. I still need to get her new pipes on her, which will be this week at some point once one of my freelance checks clear. I haven't even messed with the dash lights yet, but now I can make her stop, go, and she handles like a dream. I took her for a little cruise during lunch and had a picnic on the trunk, ended up talking to a few older guys that had followed me into the grocery store parking lot to talk to me about her.

I really really dig this car. She's a ton of fun to work on, even though there have been some frustrating moments, and now that it seems that most of the mechanical bugs are worked out next step is to finish all the small things up and then I can start focusing on getting her cleaned up and looking good again.

 

Glad to hear the Merc is doing well now. Cool lines and luxury ride.
Don't you feel closer to it now that you worked out the kinks together?

Still have to grin when I think about your Desoto. My Dad bought a new one in 55 and was so bugged about problems with it that he traded it in after only one year, for a brand new 56 Desoto. I still remember the in dash record player.............

 

For your dash lights check the inline fuse up by the firewall.. why ford put the dash light fuse in a separate fuse holder is beyond me..

I just replaced my fuse I pulled a 2 amp fuse out.. as I discovered my dash lights quit working at some point. I tore my dash apart before reading the manual... oops

Nathan

 

Instrument lamp fuse on a 64 Merc is top right 4 Amp fuse on the main fuse panel and is fed from the light switch.

 

Sweet car !!