Projects Prairie Family Cruiser, 63 Merc

I've spent a long time reading different threads, and finding good information on the HAMB. The wealth of knowledge and experience here is impressive. I've asked a few questions, come away with some good information and learned some too. The one question that I've had a hard time trying to ask so far though is this; "How to start a project thread on the HAMB?"

What not to do, I think I have a good handle on so far. So I figured it was time to step off into the deep end and share my latest project. After having it on the road for a couple months now and adding up some miles this old Mercury is growing on me. And for a bonus it's old enough to be HAMB friendly. It might end up more of a running commentary of adventures with the car, between the trials and repairs of a driving project car.

Here is a picture of my 1963 Mercury 400 on the day we picked it up this spring. The old car fired up with a splash of gas in the carb and then with the help of a bottle or more of transmission fluid it pulled itself up onto the trailer.



A friend of mine was kind enough to put it up on his lift and gave it a good going over. The list of required fixes were not too bad at all; a tune up, new fuel tank, some shorty ebay headers to replaced the cracked manifolds. Once that was completed it was off of the lift and I drove it home.

Once home I've gone through a bunch of the other annoying things that have crept up. The little things like leaking brake boosters and master cylinders. Glad that one was an easy fix for now. And according to my wife the most important addition, some seat belts. Ended up installing the last belt on last Friday, shortly before we loaded up the family for a 3 hour road trip one way to go visit some family for the long weekend. It was a bit of an experience, but the Merc ran like a champ and we made the round trip with out any major issues.

 

Here are a couple more pictures of the Merc.

 

Looks like a pretty decent old Merc and I bet it makes a good road car. From what I can see the body looks solid and I bet that old paint will buff and polish really well. I'm glad you and your family are enjoying it!

 

Great looking car with I'd say rather minor issues. Is this a "poor farmer" car likely bought new after the grain crop was in? I like the salt residue on the driver's floor mat from a winter drive as well. What part of Calgary are you in?

 

Congrats - good fun

 

Thanks Buckeye. The quarters are pretty soft and rusted through in a few spots. But other than that it is a solid car, I have yet to do anything to the body yet besides a quick wash. I'm looking forward to seeing how it'll look polished, not so looking forward to polishing all the sheet metal. On our 6hr round trip last weekend it averaged out at 17 mpg travelling at 60-65 mph.

Fortunateson, I've been happily surprised by the lack of issues the car has had. The car was originally from the Lower Okanagan area before coming to Alberta about 15 years ago. I'm in the SE end of Calgary, where about in the Fraser Valley are you?

 

Next issue that I need to rectify; the power window relay.

#c1af-14677-a is dead as dead can be. The PO has the circuit hot wired off of the heater blower motor so things are working, but sketchy.

 

Replaced the dead relay with a 30amp Bosch style unit. Made a big difference in how smooth the breezeway window operates.


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I did a mechanical resto on a 64 Merc convertible. Replaced all of the brakes and brake lines. Rebuilt the 390 and the auto trans . They make a nice kit to upgrade the brakes to a split master cylinder and change the booster. Makes a big difference in stopping. The front end probably needs rebuilt, but parts are easy to find. Really like those cars. I built a trailer hitch for his so he tow his restored Airstream trailer.

 

So that back windshield actually rolls down?So Cool!Can you post a vid of it working?

 

Hi there,
I’m in New West. I may be in Calgary a n two weeks as
I’ll be visiting Aidrie, family homestead. I just might contact you.

 

Haha, yeah I think I can get some video of the window going up and down for you.

 

cool!

 

Congrats on the car and getting back on the road. When I saw the first photo I was reminded of this vid I saw recently where he brought some shine back to some dead looking paint - may be you saw it, too (this was before I read your gonna polish it comment):

 

So far it’s only shiny when it’s wet from a wash. Soon though, I want to make what paint is there shine.

 

Remarkable that the red has not faded much,at least when it is wet!

 

The car was repainted at some point in the 1970’s or 80’s. It’s pretty rough up close with rock chips and rust spots. But if you stand back 10 feet and squint it looks a lot better.

 

Yes repaint is necessary!

 

Went to Red Deer today to wander the Super Run show. Even with the rain, it was worth the trip. Some real nice cars and I saw a H.A.M.B. tag on a hotrod’s plate.

 

love these big Merc cruisers. I have a 73 I am making mu daily now. Draws a crowd where ever I drive her.

 

My buddy went to look at a big old 62 Merc convert "barn find" the other day. He came back 9 kinds of pissed off! The owner had parked in in and open sheep shed with the top down cause a brake line broke, the last license plate was 1974. With 44 years of weather, mice, racoons, snakes etc. .making it as their home it was pure junk. The CL add list it as "very restorable"
So much for CL adds

 

The Merc is back out for the spring and already the miles are adding up. I picked up some ‘new to me’ rims and tires over the winter. I swapped them onto the car last week, and I’m liking how the look and ride.

 

New wheels/tires look good. But please don't get rid of th eoriginals! That way you have a cool resto/cruiser. What engine is in it?
Didn't make Calgary last summer may try again in July...

 

Oh heck yeah!!!!! Another jet age freeway flyer! Very capable cruisers!

 

Nice looking cruiser.one of my favourite ones.
Well, i got 4 of them.

 

Will Aerostar coils in the fron work to lower it a tad?

 

Partsgeek has a new tank for less than $200. It will say it's for a wagon but it fits a sedan fine. I had a 65 Monterey with the breezeway window, made for a cool ride in the heat. Very nice find!

 

Just a heads up, but figure on pulling the heads to replace those cracked exhaust manifolds. FEs are famous for breaking the OEM exhaust manifold bolts after time, don't be surprised if half of them break off in the heads. This is almost a rite of passage for FE owners...

While it may be possible to fix those in the car, I never had any luck. Bite the bullet and pull the heads, figure a valve grind gasket set, and have a machine shop extract the broken bolts. This will save hours of frustration. If the manifolds are leaking, have the shop do a clean-up pass across the gasket surface, that will go a long ways to eliminating future exhaust leaks. If you discover the stock manifolds aren't cracked, just leaking, and decide to re-use them, have the gasket surface on them machined too.

 

I replaced the cracked manifolds with eBay stainless headers last year. Used locking header bolts and no issues at all.


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We recently moved, so I finally have some garage space for working on the car.
First things first is the leaking transmission.
I had a local shop have a look at it because I couldn’t pin-point the leak. They found a crack in the tail housing near the crossmember mount.

So now I have the car up on jack stands to pull the tail shaft and hopefully it will be something I can have welded and repaired.