Customs Merc chop progress with compiled project pics

That is a detail I have been wondering what catch was used to hold the modified hood...didn't look like the stock 51 Merc to me. Good eye!!


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Here is the safety latch slipped in from behind. It looks correct beside 2 holes and washers.
And set in with the hood closed.


To chop,or not to chop. That is the question.

 

One safety latch installed.


To chop,or not to chop. That is the question.

 

Excellent!! I'll be stealing that idear since I'm essentially building the same front end.


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Steal away! I'm thinking that the mount you see on top of the hood latch on the hirohata is a spacer that is pushing the latch back alittle so you can close the hood without touching the safety latch. Right now as mounted, it sits under the hood and won't allow it to close.


To chop,or not to chop. That is the question.

 

Got alittle more done for the windshield. The center divider is chopped and a new hole drilled for the mirror. End up going with a 53 Pontiac mirror since it had a longer threaded arm that was angled. May be able to test fit the windshield this weekend.


To chop,or not to chop. That is the question.

 

Got the windshield half installed. I used an original piece of glass to make the pattern. It seems that I'm about 1/4 off on the width to get the sides of the seal in. But I'm on the right track!


To chop, or not to chop. That is the question.

 

To chop, or not to chop. That is the question.

 

The windshield was so tight that I ended up breaking one side trying to get it out. Oops


To chop, or not to chop. That is the question.

 

bummer Ryan

 

Yeah I was a little upset about it.


To chop, or not to chop. That is the question.

 

I got to spend the afternoon welding and got most of the driver side welded up along with the holes for the tack strip along the windshield.


To chop, or not to chop. That is the question.

 

I got the old dashboard in and the windshield gasket and got the passenger side Garnish molding installed. The spotlight seems to be coming out in the correct spot. Now the driver side....
I'm really happy that the L995 and L994 worked out since they are a door mount for a 49-52 Pontiac, Cadillac, Oldsmobile.


To chop, or not to chop. That is the question.

 

Looks great! 52 Pontiac... you don't say

 

Man, did you hit that right on the money so the clamping bracket hits right on the garnish screw?! Wish you would have drilled mine! That's right about where mine come through though, so I might be close, too, I just haven't tried the clamps yet. The arms on all mine are 180 degrees apart and it looks like they could twist closer or further apart to line up better with the dash and the garnish before the final bending. I don't really know anything about them so don't know if they are really supposed to twist like that or not, but none of mine do. Do yours?


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I'm pretty sure the clamps are supposed to be twisted and bent to fit the garnish molding. I've got to sets of the clamps. One pair is longer and the other is shorter.
The short one is lining up with the Garnish molding screw and the longer one is over it. Got to try and spin them cause the bottom mount hit the top of the dash.


To chop, or not to chop. That is the question.

 

Yup


To chop, or not to chop. That is the question.

 

And the driver side Garnish molding is fit, got the hole drilled for the spotlight
Finish up some welding and grinding and the windshield is done!


To chop, or not to chop. That is the question.

 

Started fitting the windshield stainless
And took some pics of the front end with the spot installed.


To chop, or not to chop. That is the question.

 

Nice work!
That hood latch is a neat piece,i think i'll steal that idea too.I just need to find a '39 latch from somewhere...

 

There were a few on eBay, and one in the H.A.M.B. Classifieds.


To chop, or not to chop. That is the question.

 

Allrite,thanks man!

 

Got alittle more welding done and started thinking about Rear belting trim. Thinking of shorting the Rear trim since the back window is low and the stainless low. I think it will look alright with the short side trim.


To chop, or not to chop. That is the question.

 

Drivers side of the chop is done! Now passenger side.
And alittle plastic filler. Would like to have done some lead work, but that's a lot of heat with never doing it before.


To chop, or not to chop. That is the question.

 

Looking good! I like the way you have the belt line trim lined up to end at the rear window trim. Almost looks like with a little trimming it could line right up and run right into the lower half of the rear window trim and look like it was made that way originally to go right on around.

I was on eBay the other day following my Appleton spot search and recognized your car on one of your bracket auctions. I was looking at it and I thought, hey, wait a minute, I think that sanded back paint on the bottom of the a pillar looks familiar. LOL

 

I'm using my 4 foot trim to make the belt line trim, had the driver side welded up. Feeling really good about it and noticed I welded the same piece I cut back together and cut a filler piece out of the piece I was trying to use. Big dumbass moment.

Yeah trying to get rid of the excess Appleton parts I ended up with getting the 112s. End up with 3 112s and a pair of 551s. So my milk truck project got dual spots!


To chop, or not to chop. That is the question.

 

OK now, that milk truck is cool as can be! My brother in law has a 1.5 ton flatbed '53 Ford he has said I can have. Might take him up on it and make it a car hauler someday, but a milk truck would be way neater.

 

Ryan why did you leave out a pic of the creepy clown rear doors? The merc is looking great, way to stick with it!

 

The creepy clown face is hiding behind the latex house paint it's wearing. It was toooooooo creepy!
If the weekend and gas in the welder goes well, may have chop and rockers on before the 10 year mark for the chop. Hard to believe thanksgiving ten years ago I cut the roof.


To chop, or not to chop. That is the question.

 

I think it was fall of '08 when you got the sawzall out... and how many chopped mercs kept the '51 rear window? 1 out of 50? You had it done years ago, you hated how the crown turned out, so this really is the 3rd time for this mercs roof? You put it on the shelf and had to stare at the rear glass while you bailed my and a few of your brothers projects out, refined the nose, swapped the motor, did the custom headliner, dash, dash knobs...

Looks great and this level of attention to detail takes time. BESIDES I've owned the hardtop the same amount of time, no chop, easy build and its still not done!

Damn clean chop Ryan.