Projects Accidentally Bought a 40 Merc Coupe

So, I posted some of this in another thread, but figured I could tell more of the story on my latest MAJOR project I bought at an auction today. Anyway, I have always wanted to build a pre-war custom and a buddy turned me on to a possible candidate that was coming up in a nearby auction. So, I started watching it since it had online bidding that would end today at the live auction. The same buddy that told me about it also asked if I wanted to run over to the auction site on New Year’s Day to check everything out since they were having a showing. It was a good time riding over on about an hour drive to the auction. I got there and looked at both the 40 Merc coupe and a t-bucket that was also selling. This was an estate auction and the man that he passed was an aeronautical engineer who also raced roundy round cars and seemed to be from the old school of hot rods. He modified all kinds of parts, made fiberglass molds to make parts, tools for aluminum castings, etc. He had jigs for making banjos into quick changes, etc. I wish I could have met him.

Anyway, when we got to look at the stuff back on New Year’s, the Merc was rougher than I hoped and there were parts scattered all over the garage, shop, and basement. I wondered how a guy could round up all those parts for the car without having to buy it all separate. So, the car kept climbing with online bids until the point at which I had decided that it was too much for me even with the parallel leaf kit and open rearend that had been installed. So, I decided I would only go to the live auction today to buy up some fiberglass molds for an old sprint car body and maybe a few other things that might go reasonable.

That was all good and well until I started to consider how I was going to use my new skills from the chop class I took over this past weekend. That led to me justifying how the Merc wasn’t as expensive as I was trying to make it and how if I just chopped it, I could make it worth WAY more than I might pay and have a good start to that pre-war custom I have always wanted. So, when the live bidding started on the car which also included anyone online that might bid, they couldn’t get any bids beyond what it had coming into the live auction. So, I jumped out in front of the auctioneer and gave the only live bid of the day on it and they said “sold”... Then, I quickly tried to find and buy any other parts that I didn’t get bought before I bought the car and succeeded in getting a few but not all of them. I succeeded in buying up a spare set of fenders, a spare grille, two sets of headlight bezels, etc. I missed out on the bench seat even though I was bidding on it prior to getting the car. If I would have only known I would get the car, I would have bid up the seat higher. The guy that bought wasn’t about to sell it to me either for a reasonable price. He wanted more than it was worth so I guess I will find another one.

Not sure when I will get started on this project, but I already have it built in my head. Now, the hard part starts. I need to get it all unloaded this weekend and see what I really have. This will obviously be a long project considering what all it needs but I think I am ready to tackle something like this since I haven’t actually built a car for myself for quite a while now.



Bought a few other things at the auction as well including molds to build all the fiberglass body parts of an old sprint car and a t-bucket. That is the main things I went to buy when I decided against the coupe.

I think these molds are for bullet-nose Studebaker rear quarters?!?!



Some motivation for me and somewhat what I am thinking. I really like the style of the Johnny Zaro 40, but might try to get a little better flow.

 

Just DON'T neglect a certain sedan!

Good luck.

Ben

 

Love it man! Please keep the IROC wheels....

 

Yea...probably not. Sadly, the guy that was building it had a full set all painted up for it so his style wasn’t going to be good. That is one part of the car that I had no issue letting someone else have.

 

hahaha

 

That's a damn cool project.
The before and after of a stock 39/40 Merc coupe vs. a chopped taildragger is about the biggest contrast between ugly and gorgeous in the car world. You done good.

 

Accidentally my ass, sounds more like destiny.

Seriously though, I don't know what you paid for it, but it looks like a pretty decent starting point, and there aren't exactly tons of these things around. There are few cars better as a starting point for a custom.

Those boxy stripes on the side, is that masking tape? Was this thing getting a pattern laid out on it for a section job? Or just some incredibly awkward paint stripes? What's the boxy tubing thing in the trunk? Interesting. Sounds like a real cool guy, but glad he didn't get far with his particular "vision".

 

I’d say section. The rear fender has marks as well. Looks like he was going to cut the “section” out of the bottom front of the rear fender and create a new higher wheel well opening. Based on the line the rear fender would drop down with the top half of the body

 

Also “accidental” you’ve been hanging out with @drdave to much lol

 

My dream car!Great score!!!

 

Ultra score!

 

I can feel the adrenaline.
There was one at a gas station on my way to work, when I was in HS
This one will be way cooler. Good plan

 

They always look a bit strange and out of sorts when they are stone stock.
I'm pretty well positive that this is the one that Vince Alcott aka Vince in the bus who sold tail light lenses and small pieces at Turlock and some of the other winter/early spring Cali and maybe Arizona swap meets 20 something years ago. I asked the guy if it was his old car and he rather got his nose out of joint by being asked.
It's a really nice restoration but has always just not looked right to me.


Rik Hoving has some great photos and some great illustrations of Chopped 40 Merc coupes.

 

I don't like '40 Ford Coupes with a chopped top, but the '40 Mercury, just looks "right" and a huge improvement with a chopped top.
Nice score, should be a fun project.

 

Yes, looks like he was considering sectioning and chopping the car. I’m actually glad that he didn’t get to go any further on the car than he did since he was more race car guy than detail guy if you know what I mean. I think he would have ruined the car. Oh, and the structure in the trunk appears to be something to pull the body. Took me a minute to figure that out until I also saw some brackets on the firewall. I’m guessing he was pulling the body. That structure in the trunk actually came in real handy to push on and pick up on with the skid steer with pallet forks after the auction was over to load the car. The property where this house was located was crazy hilly and made everything hard to deal with. I saw four guys jackknife trailers trying to back down the driveway to load stuff. They would start to back, then start sliding in the gravel ending up stuck to where the skid steer had to get them out. Was pretty entertaining.

 

Yea, I was definitely thinking of @drdave when I wrote the title. It does feel like accidentally buying something sometimes though when you get it at an auction.

 

The other detail I failed to mention was that there were actually two auctions going at once at the property which made it even harder to try to get all the parts if you know what I mean. I spent way too much time running back and forth between the front and back yards up and down hills all day trying to be in two places at once. The main things I didn’t get that I wish I would of were garnish moldings and the seat. So, I am now needing those things at some point. I’m less concerned with the seat since I don’t know how much headroom I will end up with after a chop, but the garnish molding sure would be nice to have.

The positive is that I got some decent exercise to start my year off right. Oh, and I’m considering this my birthday present since that was the day before the auction. Kind of lines up with when I got my Fairlane which happened on my birthday 12 years ago.

Thanks for all the comments guys! Helps me not having buyers remorse when considering all the work.

 

Nice project. I had one of those 20 odd years ago. It,s now with another Dutch hamb member. btw, did that one brake drum on the truck stay there all the way home ?

 

Yep, I checked it often, but it rode just fine. I wiggled it around a lot making sure I had some confidence before heading home.

 

It's the thrill of the chase that gets me pumped up. Love reading stories like yours. Next week if all checks out ok, I'll be bringing another much needed basket case home. Great fun!

 

I personally don't like chopped cars, but in my opinion this one asks to be chopped. Your pic and the other pic of the white one show it. It looks like they finished the bottom of the body, went to a ready made top and stuck it on. Well that is going to be cool. I will say you are a busy guy- more so now!

 

Just move that windshield into the roof a bit and shorten its forehead. That’s my biggest bitch about them.

 

I have a birthday next week, hope i have your luck.

 

If I remember right Jeff, Bello Customs builds a 40 Merc on his Youtube channel. Not sure on the name. I'll have to look.

 

Oh yea...the other somewhat ironic deal here is that Chris @Roothawg just texted me last week wanting to know if I wanted the 40 Merc flathead back that I had given his nephew since they weren't going to use it. Not sure I will run a flathead, but at least I have the "correct" one for it if I choose that route.

 

This is a link to the car. You may have to backtrack to find the chop.

 

Bob's gonna be jealous ........

 

That looks like a solid project! Congratulations Jeff

 

...you and your boys just have too many things going on,...did Silas sell the Edsel?
good luck with the Merc and all yer projects.