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Projects Time to start on my 51 Merc after 20 years

Discussion in 'Traditional Customs' started by low51fan, Mar 17, 2014.

  1. low51fan
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 73

    low51fan
    Member

    merc 1.jpg

    merc 2.jpg

    merc 3.jpg

    merc 4.jpg

    I have owned this car since 1994 when I bought it in Rapid City S.D. we have hauled it to Kansas City, Northern Michigan and many other cities over the years. We now live in Wyoming and with my watching and reading the H.A.M.B. for a while now and a neighbor who has volunteered his help it is time. The body is fairly solid except the rockers, trunk pan and floors. I have cut out the passenger side rockers along with some of the rusted areas and am in the process of making some repair pcs. now. I will post some more pics when a little more progress is made my plan is to have the floors and rockers replaced by the end of this year. I will be using the original frame and finding a flathead, lowering it down and keeping it unchopped. I want to thank everyone on the H.A.M.B. for the inspiration to get me started.
     
    51 mercules likes this.
  2. 1940merc
    Joined: Jan 24, 2013
    Posts: 130

    1940merc
    Member
    from colorado

    About time! There's nothing cooler than a merc
     
  3. 51 mercules
    Joined: Nov 29, 2008
    Posts: 3,868

    51 mercules
    Member

    20 years!I don't feel so bad!LOL!.good luck & thanks for posting.I'll be watching this thread.
     
  4. low51fan
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 73

    low51fan
    Member

    A few other cars bought rebuilt and sold in that time also, kept my 69 Camaro and the 51 Merc. I will say the Merc will be my most challenging but should be the most fun.
     

  5. motoandy
    Joined: Sep 19, 2007
    Posts: 3,334

    motoandy
    Member
    from MB, SC

    “Procrastinate now, don't put it off.”
     
  6. low51fan
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 73

    low51fan
    Member

    funny stuff motoandy
     
  7. Hdonlybob
    Joined: Feb 1, 2005
    Posts: 4,115

    Hdonlybob
    Member

    Wow....that is a long time to wait, but good for you.
    I like your ideas on not chopping and keeping it a flat head..
    Good luck, and keep us in the loop !
     
  8. desotot
    Joined: Jan 29, 2008
    Posts: 2,036

    desotot
    Member

    Hey , this is serious stuff, you can't just rush into it. :]
     
  9. low51fan
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 73

    low51fan
    Member

    yeah yeah bring it on. I was starting to be accused of being the guy who holds on to an old car and says someday..........
     
  10. wicarnut
    Joined: Oct 29, 2009
    Posts: 9,052

    wicarnut
    Member

    Good for you, will follow your thread. John
     
  11. Awesome! Looking forward to seeing your progress.
     
  12. Doctor Detroit
    Joined: Aug 12, 2010
    Posts: 1,051

    Doctor Detroit
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Awesome... I'll be here cheering you on.
     
  13. el Scotto
    Joined: Mar 3, 2004
    Posts: 4,698

    el Scotto
    Member
    from Tracy, CA

    20 years?!?!?!?!??!?!?!??!? :eek:
     
  14. theorydo
    Joined: Mar 17, 2014
    Posts: 2

    theorydo
    Member
    from london

    There's nothing cooler than a merc[​IMG]
     
  15. fleet-master
    Joined: Sep 29, 2010
    Posts: 1,780

    fleet-master
    Member

    you know Dick Megujorac(Magoo) said he coulda built 3 roadsters in the time it took him to build one custom Merc!! ...or was that 4? :D;)

    Mercs sure are cool though! :)
     
  16. Jim J
    Joined: Jul 11, 2011
    Posts: 87

    Jim J
    Member

    Nice. will keep my on this one. (having recently awoken my '50 from a similar sized slumber)
     
  17. Finnrodder
    Joined: Oct 18, 2009
    Posts: 2,970

    Finnrodder
    Member
    from Finland

    Better late than never,good luck with the project!
     
  18. chaos10meter
    Joined: Feb 21, 2007
    Posts: 2,191

    chaos10meter
    Member
    from PA.

    Took me 9 years ,on and off on my "49"
     
  19. cheesegrater
    Joined: Sep 1, 2011
    Posts: 114

    cheesegrater
    Member
    from california

    First thing to do is strip everything off of it & get it to bare metal thats a hell of an incentive because then it doesnt like like a beat up ol car
     
  20. low51fan
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 73

    low51fan
    Member

    thanks everyone for the comments as I said earlier I have started to cut on the passenger side a bit. I have taken off the outer rocker and cut out the inner. If you follow the A pillar down to where it connects to the inner rocker I am having to cut that up a bit and replace the bottom 4 inches. The bottom of the B pillar that is underneath the outer rock is pretty much gone also. I have been talking to Matt Townsend on this part and I think he can fab that part for me. I have a little rust to cut out in the rear wheel well also where it connected to the floor and seat pan.
    I am hoping to have some of this cut and fabricated this weekend and will post some progress pics.
     
  21. If I needed patch panels again I'd only go with Matt. Best quality, usually has about 7-8 Mercs in his shop, knows these cars like the back of his hand.

    My buddy locally had to fabricate my tail pan below the bumper and charged double what Matt is quoting.
     
  22. low51fan
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 73

    low51fan
    Member

    Pro Stock John I agree, I am standing in line for front pans and a couple other pieces from Matt right now.
     
  23. low51fan
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 73

    low51fan
    Member

    Cut out the rear wheel well rusted areas this morning pounded and shaped the new metal for about an hour. Still a fair amount of forming and tweaking to do and I should be able to tack it in place. I don't think I did too bad considering I just have a 5" vice a grinder and a few body hammers? I bought a Miller 211 for welding and have been practicing a bit with it.
     

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  24. I'd say that's in the ball park. Good job!


    Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
     
  25. low51fan
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 73

    low51fan
    Member

    Hello to all! Summer is over and the Merc is looking like it needs attantion again. I spent the summer gathering parts thanks to Matt Townsend I am very close to installing the new rockers and floors. I am looking for input on how others have installed the floor to rockers. The original floor pans came down at a 90 degree angle and were spot welded to the inside of the rockers. I have a floor pan out of a donor car and could probably repair the rusted out areas enough to make it look original. Is this worth the time and effort or would it be ore feasable to make a back cover plate for the new rockers and weld that to the new floor pans? I have tried to look into this in a few other threads but have not found this exact subject matter. I have attached 2 pics trying to show my question.
     

    Attached Files:

  26. Sarbie
    Joined: May 20, 2005
    Posts: 5

    Sarbie
    Member

    How far have you got with your rocker replacement. I am doing my own ones at the moment. they seem to be as rusted if not worse than your ones. It took me a while to unpick it all and figure out how it was supposed to look.
     
  27. low51fan
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 73

    low51fan
    Member

    I have been working on mine for a while now and understand what you mean. It seemed like everytime I started in an area of rust it led to another area that was worse. It finally came to an end but I had taken off the outer rocker, inner rocker, cut part of the rear wheel inner fender out, cut into the lower A pillar, had athe bottom of the B pillar fabbed, scrounged around for a year or so to find a good rear seat pan and had Matt T. make me a set of floor pans. My inner rockers were totally shot so I went to Green Mtn and bought a nice set. I am fabbing the front A pillar bottom area right now and plan to have this complete by next weekend. Lots of time on my part trying to figure out what sequence to do the process in as this is my first attempt going this far into the process.
    I am really enjoying this and have learned a lot on this project including patience.
     
  28. Slopok
    Joined: Jan 30, 2012
    Posts: 2,919

    Slopok
    Member

    After waiting all those years has givin you plenty of time to decide what direction to go with your Merc and in some ways you probably benefitted. Parts availability and web sites such as the Hamb didn't exist nor did guys like Matt were far and few between. Also styles have changed, some of the cars from the 80's & 90's are a testament to that. Hope that you stay put long enough to finish your car this time and lookin forward to the progress of your build. I used to be indecisive but now I'm not so sure.;)
     
  29. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,027

    19Fordy
    Member

    RE: "Lots of time on my part trying to figure out what sequence to do the process in as this is my first attempt going this far into the process." Doing one side at a time on my Merc I first cross braced the door opening and the distance between the A and B pillars so they wouldn't move when I cut out the inner rockers since they control the door opening width and door gap.Then I repaired the bottom of the A and B pillars on one side of the car.. Then I tack welded the inner rocker in place and checked the fit of the outer rocker. Then I finish welded in the inner rocker on one side of the car. Then I did the same on the other side of the car. Then I welded in the outer rockers. Then I welded in the floors. I am sure others can offer differing ideas as to sequence as my Merc is a convertible. Repairs were made with the doors removed but the cross bracing was done with the doors installed.. I bought all my repair sheet metal pieces from Green Mountain in 1996. Hope this helps. I wish you all the best with your Merc.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Nov 5, 2014
  30. low51fan
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 73

    low51fan
    Member

    No doubt time has enabled me to have a better built project in the end. I have been collecting parts for this since I got it in the early 90's.
    Thanks for the reply I appreciate it.
     

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