Finished cleaning, priming, and painting the inside of the roof. Installed the sound deadening/insulation material. The interior is completely covered with the substitute dynamat material.
Hey did that car come from Missouri? If not it has a twin! There is one here that is Grey and showing a little wear just like that, its the car I pretty much grew up in, my dads old car, havent been by there to check on it in a few months, did you sneak it out of here on me? Jim
Used Peel & Seal product sold in the building material section of Lowes. Attached is the HAMB thread that recommends using a substitute dynamat. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=711889
No, I bought the Merc from a guy in TN, when it was a total rust bucket. Lots of blood & sweat to get it to this level. Prior title state was Michigan.
Thanks for the Lowes product information. It looked like it was the same product as was mentioned in the other threads for a dynamat replacement. In one of your pictures you didn't go up all the way on the firewall behind the dash. Is there any reason why you didn't do that or is that still to come? In the near future, I'll be needing to the same in order to fix the cluster one of the previous owners did on my car and its firewall. I'll be needing to add insulation and want to make sure its ok to go all the way up on the firewall where I can.
49Dreamer: I am still debating whether to take the OEM insultion off the firewall. It is in good shape. The new insulation material stops at the bottom of the OEM firewall insulation.
Joe, Total rust bucket, sweat and blood, Where do find theses GEMS?? LOL. But you are doing a fine job, I just picked up some of that insulation while I was in Syracuse NY. I cant buy the stuff in good Ole Canada because of building code regulations what a joke. Keep us informed on your progress. Larry
Larry: I have the talent for finding the rust buckets. You have the enviable talent for finding the GEMS. I wanna walk a couple of deals in your shoes!! Almost done though, gonna keep on diggin.
Started stripping the green paint off the body today. Lots of primer and paint on this car. The sheet metal underneath looks very nice. Only some minor prior body repair work had been done on the left, upper, rear quarter panel. Ran out of stripper disks, so I did not finish stripping the roof. Any panel painted grey had already been taken down to bare metal and expoxy primed.
Joe, Congrats on the incredible find! The Merc looks in really great shape. Thanks for the Peel-N-Seal info.....I will use that now. Nice looking shop too! Good Luck. W
SWEEEeet. I'd say drive it as is for a while and figure out what you like and don't like (duh?) Unfortunately I couldn't afford to even LOOK at a running Merc so my 4 door came out of a wrecking yard full of that era cars (eat your hearts out, I'm not tellin') for $375.00 and the guy even put it on the trailer for me. The chop is pretty involved so butter up to someone thats done it before. I bought a CD on chopping a '51 4 door and it is very good and very involved, right down to doing the stainless trim and WS wipers, The same guy does 2 doors too. If intersested I'll try to find a link for ya. No matter what---have fun. Geezer
Thanks Wes (Leadsled612). I also used contact cement on the Peel & Seal for the roof. Did not want that stuff falling down after the headliner was installed. Thanks Geezerkat, but I don't plan to chop this Merc. I have a 51 Merc that was chopped for me by Unionvillehaunt (HAMBer). If you want advice, he is the "MAN" on the East Coast for chopping Mercs IMO. He did an outstanding job on mine.
Still stripping paint. Spent a couple of hours this morning on the hood. I really enjoy looking at 62 year old sheet metal. Aside from a prior minor repair on the very front lower lip, the sheet metal is pristine!
Ditto, KEEP the flatmotor..... Drive and fix rust,...give more thinking up ideas time............ Great score............ 4TTRUK
Progress looks great- I almost have to check in daily to see what you've done that day. Keep up the good work.
Cool project. I like chopped mercs, but lately I really prefer unchopped ones. Its not like they are a 51 dodge 4 door with a horrible stock roof line, they're actually pretty proportionate and sleek from the factory. Can't wait to see it come together. I see it a shiny dark color (burgundy, green, black), nosed and decked, shaved handles, stock side trim, stock roof, slightly lower in the rear, skirts, 7.10 Goodyear Supercushions (4.25 WW!), early 50s sombrero caps, a basic Tijuana style tuck n roll job.... oh gosh, I'm getting carried away
Joe, you are doing a great job, just finishing up the final odds and paper work and the 51 Merc Coupe will be on its way to La La land, but to a very good home. Larry
Installed the patch panels on the doors. Then mounted the doors for a fit check with the door gaps, front fender, outer rocker panel, and quarter panel before final welding the door patch panels. Stripped the paint off the doors also. Getting closer to shooting the whole car in epoxy primer. The patch panels that Slddnmatt made for the door bottoms and bottom of the door skin fit nice.
Shot some epoxy primer on the front fenders, hood, and deck lid today with my new HVLP 3 Stage turbine paint system. Wanted to try a true HVLP because even a 3 stage DeVillbiss filter system on my compressor could not always deliver dry air. Lots of humidity down here. Got the idea from a thread on the HAMB. Lots of tech on which system to buy and how to use it. Works great with primer. High Build Primer will be the next material I try to shoot.
Damn Joe, you've been busy!!! Keep up the good work. I'm glad you like the lower door skins and door bottoms that Matt made. I should probably have him make me some too. Keep updating us. How has the weather been since I seen you in April? That "green monster" you were fighting with is sure looking a lot better.
Another major milestone met on the Merc today. Removed the windshield & rear window. Prepped the openings for primer. Media blasted the underside of the hood. Shot some expoxy primer on the body, hood, rockers, and rear valance. Now the entire body is in epoxy primer. Next step is to put it back together and do some minor body work on the left rear quarter panel before the high build primer.
ALL the bodywork is now finished. Nice gaps at the right places. Entire body now has several coats of AutoKote epoxy primer. The HARD WORK is now complete. Rebulding the front & rear suspension, fitting an OHV engine and automatic transmission is easy compared to all the sheet metal fabrication, fitting body panels, and shooting epoxy primer. Decided to sell the Merc at this stage, so I can focus on my Chopped 51 Merc that has been patiently waiting in the corner. Need to bolt on the hood, move it outside, and take more pix.
Finished installing the window regulator, door latches, and associated hardware today. All interior window garnish mouldings have also been installed. The only task left is to decide where to go from here with this project. Making an effort to sell in this condition, but no reasonable offers at this time.
joe, what i would do, well, did. is get it roadworthy and drive it like it is. then go back to work on the 51. you'd be suprised how much fun you can have driving that one.
Thanks 50mercfan and Doctor Detroit. The Merc came out so nice, I am seriously considering finishing it. I even beadblasted, primed, and painted all the small parts. Used aircraft grade fasteners. This is a really nice Merc!
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