After lots of looking and several false starts, I have finally scored on a nice original 50 Merc with a flattie, 3sp/OD, and 6 volt electrics. HotRodTim is in the process of delivering it to me later this week. Needs some work on the inner rockers and driver's side floor pan, but otherwise good glass, trim, bumpers, and nice patina on the paint. Most importantly, it is a driver at this stage. Nothing like planning the project, driving some, fixing some, and customizing a driver.
OH man that sucker is a beauty! Wish it was mine. That is cool that you plan on driving it as you customize it. Thats what I like to do.
Thanks, not exactly sure where to go from here, except drive it around for awhile. Want to fix any thru-hole rust first. Maybe some mild custom touches, lots to think about in that area. Engine/trans is my biggest challenge: keep the flattie/3sp, or update? This forum will give me lots of ideas, morale support, and hopefully keep me from doing something crazy.
Thanks, it was a long road with lots of curves. I fell out of four deals just this year. Kept looking at 51s, but the deals kept falling apart.
Wow! what a great lookin' fifty! Please don't ''street rod'' your Merc- 350/350s belong in Chevelles, not beneith the hood of kustom Mercurys! Nix on frame clips and "clown-boy'' paint jobs, as well. " The one thing all nations share is the fear that a member of the family will want to be an artist "
Way to go! Iv'e had mine since 1980 I used fatmans suspension in front and posies rear springs also I C'ed the frame They have the parts that include Dropped uprights & a adapter for the Master cyl,and steering box Have been driving it for quite a few years and it rides good. There are some pics in my Profile
looks great !!!!! the best part is that its a RUNNER !!!!! thats exactly what i wanted when i found my 55olds and thats what im doing driving and fixing as i go !!!! congrads again on the find
Keep the flatty! maybe stuff a 5 speed in it just so it's always just idling.... So long as it pulls it along, there is no reason to change, the hood should always be closed.
Keep the flattie. Any slick kustom is 10 times cooler when you hear it roll by and make that flathead sound.
Welcome to the Merc family... Drive it and enjoy it, that is what it is all about.. Happy Trails, Mick
Beauty! Keep the flatty, and remember, the more smoothing and blanking you do to it, the more it looks like those 'glass repro's. We aren't gonna chop the one we have just for that reason, even up here in the frozen tundra there's one in every body shop in the country. Kinda cheapens the currency, y'know? Another reason to preserve the 255 cube water heater, nobody puts 'em in plastic!
They're only original once. Fix what's broken (rust, etc). Freshen what's stale. Rod the original flattie. Paint and chrome if it fits your budget. It looks original enough that restoring it to OEM status seems practical. That exhaust system, for instance, doesn't feel right. Cool find! Best -- Gary Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worthwhile.
 -- Sir Wilfred Grenfell
Looks great right now ! Fix the rust and exhaust , add some skirts and a mild ass drag and have some fun with it . Don't think about changing the engine until it blows up (probably never) and with the O/D it should roll pretty nice .
Another suggestion. Given your short term plans for the car, I would get get the Overdrive working if it's not already. It's a lot cheaper and easier than a T-5 and it adds a lot for long range cruising. I've had a couple of shoebox Fords, with and without OD, and the OD is better. Only downside (on a Ford at least) is that a floor shift conversion is a lot more difficult to do. If you are missing a lot of ancillary parts, Ron Bishop's flathead book has a chapter on how to get it working even if you have missing or broken parts.
Congrats and welcome to the Mercury club. I suggest that you drive it three times and then drop it off at a body shop for two years like me.
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