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Projects '51 Merc Kustom Project

Discussion in 'Traditional Customs' started by michaelvz51, Aug 22, 2012.

  1. KandN Kustoms
    Joined: Dec 15, 2008
    Posts: 461

    KandN Kustoms
    Member

    loudbang likes this.
  2. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Thank you, it means a lot coming from you sir!
     
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  3. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Thank you KandD, Its been a long, hard fought battle, but most Kustoms and Hot Rod Projects are!
     
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  4. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Merc First Cruise Night .jpg Merc First Cruise Night 2 .jpg
    This was a long time coming after a long battle with building a Kustom Merc! Finally, my first "Cruise Night" and the car made it under its own power. There were about 25 cars that night parked across from me and this very nice Baby Blue 41' Kustom. It was a great experience and a learning one too as a few gremlins showed themselves and have now added to my list of "to do's". These included the addition of Air Shocks in the rear, Gas Pedal rework, Trans Shift Cable adjustment and getting the side windows and wind wings along with Stainless trim to be made.
    What a rush it is to pull into your first cruise night and see other car owners stop what they are doing to check out your hard work and finished piece of rolling art. Then the questions start and you realize that all of your hard work was worth it to be part of the "car guy community" and meeting people like who are right here on the HAMB.
    Better pics to come at my next outing along with updates on the Stainless Trim we are making and the side windows and custom wind wings being worked on. Stay tuned.........
     
  5. 54delray
    Joined: Dec 18, 2004
    Posts: 1,699

    54delray
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Fremont NE

    Nice "first" too check off your list. It will never stop. Of course the car guys at the cruise-in checked it out, but when you're getting gas, going for ice cream, whatever ... you're going to have people want to talk to you about your wonderful Merc. You'll here about the one they had back in the day that was "just like yours", except it was a four door, and a Plymouth. You'll get the "how much you got in it?" to "I know where there is one of those sitting behind a building"

    Have fun, enjoy that killer Merc.
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  6. No matter gremlins always creep up.
    There is nothing like that first cruise.
    Jaws will be sore for days, cause you smiled ear to ear.
    Enjoy that beautiful merc
     
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  7. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Thank you guys,
    I feel honored to have been able to bring another Merc literally back from a dead shell of a car to what is has become today. I look forward to sharing it at car shows and hearing peoples comments as you describe.
     
  8. straykatkustoms
    Joined: Oct 30, 2001
    Posts: 22,291

    straykatkustoms
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Merc looks just too kool. Congrats on your first of many cruises and car shows.
     
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  9. loudbang
    Joined: Jul 23, 2013
    Posts: 40,276

    loudbang
    Member

    And a little light on the subject :)

    1.jpg
     
  10. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Thanks again all, more to come in near future!
     
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  11. Dangerousdan
    Joined: Apr 12, 2018
    Posts: 333

    Dangerousdan
    Member
    from Arizona

    Great color (Blue) If I were to paint my 51 coupe it would be Blue. I saw a 1958 Lincoln on Bitchen Rides painted a great Blue. Nice.
     
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  12. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Yes sir thank you. The Bitchin rides episode was a consideration on color and my wife actually found the color in our car
     
  13. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Mercury Pic 091020.jpg
    Here is a pic in the daylight.......We think that the cool part is that this is a factory color used on a recent year car. This way, I can easily touch up when necessary and/or paint other parts like the motor components etc. The pearl in it and the way it changes color as seen here is what drew my wife and I to it.
     
  14. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    That looks fantastic on that car. A lot of the new car colors have the look of a custom mix that we would have had to have someone do only a few years ago.

    I've got to say that everything flows as one unit on that car from bumper and frenched lights to the rear bumper tips. I'm not usually a fan of bubble skirts on a 51 Merc but you got those to blend in as a contributing component rather than looking stuck on as an afterthought and that is hard to do. Well done on the whole car.
     
  15. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Thank you sir, I know you are an old school contributor here and I appreciate and respect your thoughts and words. I hand built the skirts to “flatten” the out compared to traditional bubble skirts so I could get better continuity and flow, something I learned here on the H.A.M.B. i Also added those modified 54’ Merc Spears for some motion and continuity with the trim. More to come
     
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  16. Mopar Tony
    Joined: Jun 11, 2019
    Posts: 563

    Mopar Tony
    Member

    This car is very stunning. What modern paint code etc. is that one? It is a gorgeous hue.
     
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  17. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Hi Mopar Tony, it’s called Electric Blue on a Mini Cooper it may be code 870 but make sure first. It’s on the late model Mini Coopers and not the old ones
     
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  18. Mopar Tony
    Joined: Jun 11, 2019
    Posts: 563

    Mopar Tony
    Member

    It looks the part of what a 50s custom should look like. Very nice man.
     
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  19. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Thank you! That’s what I was going for, and again, learned a lot here in the H.A.M.B. about what it should be while putting a few twists in it.
     
  20. Doctor Detroit
    Joined: Aug 12, 2010
    Posts: 1,051

    Doctor Detroit
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Great job on your Merc. Looks fantastic.
     
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  21. 50 Merc Man
    Joined: Aug 2, 2020
    Posts: 432

    50 Merc Man
    Member

    Lookin damn sweet bro!!!


    Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
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  22. F1truck51
    Joined: Apr 15, 2019
    Posts: 31

    F1truck51

    Great looking Merc and a lovely colour! Congratulations on getting it out there, all the hard work was definitely worth it! Looking forward to seeing more pics !
     
  23. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Thank you Doctor D! Next will be the wind wings, I've got a twist on those too, stay tuned
     
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  24. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Thank you sir! More build pics coming soon with windows and Stainless Trim
     
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  25. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    Thank you Merc Man, looking forward to seeing your next mods too!
     
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  26. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    image.jpg image.jpg
    Here is what I have been working on with the Vent wind wings. These were taken from a rear door Off a 4 door Merc and flipped to the other side of the car. You see that they ope the “wrong way” BUT I found if you adjust the nut in the spring and add tension it will not become a problem with the window flapping around.
    You may ask “why would you do this?!?”.
    Anyone who has a chop top car will attest that they do not ventilate well unless you are using your ac all the time. I wanted to figure out a way to get more fresh air into the car. This may be a good solution, as it will allow air to come in freely! So far I have many hours cutting these down and fitting them and hopefully I will be done soon and share more pics.
     
  27. ZZ Top Chop
    Joined: Aug 12, 2018
    Posts: 533

    ZZ Top Chop
    Member

    Very curious how this works out, I need vent windows and this configuration makes sense to me.


    Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
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  28. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    All good so far ZZ Top Chop, I will update as soon as I can find the replacement rubber for the rear door vent window from a reputable source, some of the ones I have looked at are saying that 49-51 area all the same-this is simply untrue and I need to get the right rubber as it is expensive.
     
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  29. michaelvz51
    Joined: May 24, 2011
    Posts: 834

    michaelvz51
    Member
    from So Cal
    1. HAMB Merc Club

    9F39253F-705D-4C7D-BCDA-ACE973ED9C2C.jpeg 9B79A26B-D553-4F52-8FA8-E67AB7354819.jpeg 9F39253F-705D-4C7D-BCDA-ACE973ED9C2C.jpeg IMG_1143.jpg Hello everyone,
    Since I have the wind wings figured out for the most part, I am now waiting for the new weatherstripping to arrive for them to complete the job. More to come as I’ll show the finished product once completely installed etc. these will work great as during my road trip I used a small piece of wood shaped like the wind wing and simulated the action while driving at various speeds. These will be wonderful and the test has me laser focused on completing them after the results I got, were “cool”, literally.
    So.....
    Yesterday, I took a road trip to the one and only Gene Winfield’s shop to meet up with Craig Gilliam so we could begin making the Stainless trim ring trim for the back window on the Carson top.
    While there I met up with BJ from Louisville, KY and his friend Tim Koon from West Virginia as they were visiting Gene and making plans for next shows in the future. These two guys help Gene around the country when Gene does chops at car shows, especially Tim as he has done many with Gene in past years.
    While Craig and I were working, Tim took an interest and Craig asked him if he wanted to help and learn which he jumped right in!
    I believe in giving credit where it’s due as you can tell by this build thread so here are some pics of yesterday’s activities. Tim is building a bad ass sled of 297D32A4-D9AE-466F-9C79-F6141588B947.jpeg D19EA656-D6E8-48BC-9241-213F20D70D9A.jpeg 9B79A26B-D553-4F52-8FA8-E67AB7354819.jpeg his own and he’s a young man with lots of talent, watch him in the future.
    The pic on the old school bead roller is me in total concentration (funny to see the expression!) helping Craig G form one of the pieces.
    You can see Tim fitting a piece on the car and working with Craig on one of the forming stations in the shop. I’ll post more once this is completed, polished and installed.
     
  30. 54delray
    Joined: Dec 18, 2004
    Posts: 1,699

    54delray
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Fremont NE

    I'm a smidge jealous ... Love the unique features you incorporated in your build. Sometimes, a chopped Merc can look a lot like another chopped Merc. Yours stands alone
     
    straykatkustoms likes this.

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