Customs 49-51 mercury hood

are the hoods the same for 49 -51 Mercurys or is 51 different thanks Elmo

 

51 is shaped different above the grill

 

I thought so I have a 51 merc with a hood that I think is a 49-50 I pick up a 51 grill surround and it's got a different shape thanks Elmo

 

is this what you are talking about
this should be a 51 with a 49/50 hood

 

thanks for the pics I think its going to be to much trouble trying to make it all fit the pics helped alot. Elmo

 

The hoods are all the same from 1949-1951. The reason your hood doesn't line up with the grille surround in your car is because you are missing the hood chrome that came with the '51 from stock. Once that's shaved off, you have that "underbite" alignment. The pic posted above is a stock '51 grille surround and stock hood, just with the chrome ornament removed.

To correct it, some people will extend out the leading edge of the hood to meet the surround (Hirohata Merc probably the most famous example of this) but others will either swap their entire grille surround for the 49-50 surround (easiest, but very pricey part) or they will cut the '51 grille surround back and reshape it to more resemble the 49-50 style so it'll line up with the hood.

 

I remember thinking I would take the hood ornament off my 51 Merc and fill the holes when I was about 17. OOPs it went right back on the car. After I got in a wreck with it I ended up trading a 22 rifle for a 49 front end for it.

 

Squablow is 1000% correct