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Hot Rods '53 Mercury water pumps

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by vtwhead, Nov 30, 2021.

  1. We have a F100 that came into the shop for a rewire and assorted repairs. It has a 53 merc engine and is in dire need of water pumps. Apparently, these are a 1 year only pump with the engine mount cast into the housing. Can't seem to find any available. Even called a company in Canada but they have none either.
    Anybody have any ideas or sources?
     
  2. swifty
    Joined: Dec 25, 2005
    Posts: 2,217

    swifty
    Member

    What about getting the original ones rebuilt? Here in Australia I saw an add in a vintage car mag for a guy who rebuilds water pumps. Surely there is someone similar in the US. Maybe try your local Early Ford Club?
     
  3. Best bet would be to have yours rebuilt by Skip Haney in Florida. Those Merc pumps are not reproduced, I have a set that I took off my engine almost 20 years ago and I hung onto them just in case I would need them.

    http://www.fordcollector.com/water_pumps.htm
     
    Petejoe likes this.
  4. Also if it's in a pick up then you could use truck style pumps which are available new, I'm willing to bet that the merc pumps have the "U" shaped spacer under them and if they dont then the engine is sitting too low in the frame anyway. The truck pumps will eliminate all of the problems.
     

  5. 51504bat
    Joined: May 22, 2010
    Posts: 4,755

    51504bat
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Truck pumps are wide belt. The Merc pumps are narrow belt.
     
    Hnstray likes this.
  6. Hnstray
    Joined: Aug 23, 2009
    Posts: 12,355

    Hnstray
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Quincy, IL

    @vtwhead

    Walt,

    The suggestion to have the present water pumps rebuilt is worth pursuing. The Mercury pumps with the integral engine mount arm/leg are different than the look alike truck pumps in that the height of the arm differs. In addition, as mentioned above, the pulleys differ. The truck 8RT pumps are wide belt. Mercury pumps that I have had are narrow belt.

    Several years ago I was installing a ‘53 Merc engine in a ‘47 Ford Coupe and I bought new Speedway truck pumps and pressed off the pulleys and swapped them. Not the best plan. I shattered one pulley, before I figured out how to support the pulley inside the hub. The next issue I discovered was a mismatch in pulley shaft bore of one of them. My machinist buddy bored and bushed the pulley for a proper press fit.

    The truck pump mounting arm is the same height as the passenger car mounts through ‘48. The ‘49 up Merc 8CM is higher and in that swap requires the ‘U’ shaped spacer, also mentioned in an above post.

    Hence, if you have a pair of good pump castings and correct pulleys, and can locate a reputable rebuilder………

    Regards,
    Ray
     
  7. Yes, I neglected to mention that the pulleys are 3/8. I may have to try the rebuilder in Fl. Thanks for the input fellas.
     
  8. 51504bat
    Joined: May 22, 2010
    Posts: 4,755

    51504bat
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Skip Haney did 2 sets of Merc pumps for me. Excellent work and fast turn around. I run a set on the 8ba in my '39 p/u with the U shaped spacers and the other is a spare set. Skip guarantees his pumps so the spare set may be over kill but is nice to know I have them if I have an issue and I can fix it immediately.
    http://www.fordcollector.com/water_pumps.htm
     
    Hnstray likes this.
  9. I have emailed Skip. We will be pulling the pumps off this week.
     
  10. V8 Bob
    Joined: Feb 6, 2007
    Posts: 2,966

    V8 Bob
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Ford and Mercury cars used the same narrow 2-belt pumps in '52-'53. Starting in '53, the F-100 used a single front engine mount, along with rear straddle mounted bell housing mounts. The '53 truck water pumps were basically '49 Ford car single wide belt pumps that "floated" with no contact to the frame. Maybe a picture or two of what you have would be helpful.
     
  11. Bob, here is a pic. Not that good, pretty close area for the old cell phone.

    53 waterpump.jpg
     
  12. V8 Bob
    Joined: Feb 6, 2007
    Posts: 2,966

    V8 Bob
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    That pump is a '50-'51 Mercury. The '49 Merc used a similar pump but had wide 5/8" pulleys for one belt.
    Those pumps may work OK on a '53 but the correct pumps are totally different.
    Below are what '49 Ford/'53 F-100 pumps look like except for the pulley sizes and offsets.
    upload_2021-11-30_20-5-16.jpeg
    And here are Mercury pumps.
    upload_2021-11-30_20-13-2.jpeg
     

    Attached Files:

    bowie and Hnstray like this.
  13. V8 Bob
    Joined: Feb 6, 2007
    Posts: 2,966

    V8 Bob
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Forgot I had this picture of a '53 F-100 front mount.
    upload_2021-12-1_7-50-13.jpeg
     

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