Customs Merc chop progress with compiled project pics

Great job! Maybe a little steam with a damp rag will help shrink up the last little bit when it warms up a little. No doubt about it, I'm gonna have to pull mine out and start over. You did a great job and I'm inspired to give mine another go.


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Lookin real good, love that you kept the '51 back glass

 

I now know why so many 51's don't have their back windows, they are a pain to work with.


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Thank you! I didn't think it was going to go in this well. I'm thinking of wiring in a bar in behind the bows so I can pull the sides more evenly all the way down.


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Finally got a pair of Mercury Appleton brackets. May change them when I get closer to painting.


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LOL....so yooouuuu are the guy that snapped those up from under me! LOL. I clicked watch so I could get back and double check the numbers and the one with the nut was gone when I got back (I have the other side). Fortunately, the guy had a second one and posted it the next day...didn't hesitate that time. Couldn't beat the price.

I like the idea of the extra bars in the headliner, that sounds like a great idea.

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FYI...The aftermarket spotlight brackets fit appleton spots...

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Oops! Sorry! I got the gaskets also.
It would be interesting to see what the Carson top shop did to install the headliners. The Hirohata's headliner is perfectly installed and there has to be something else in there besides the headliner bows.


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Yes, they do, but they don't have as much of an angle to them as the old ones Appleton had on their spec list to fit the Merc specifically. So, while the new ones can be trimmed to fit, there is sometimes not enough meat on them to get the shafts closer to parallel with the ground.

No worries on the gaskets. I actually already have a set of those brackets with new gaskets mounted on the car, so I can use those gaskets for patterns.

I have often thought the same thing about the Hirohata headliner. I would pay at least a dollar to see what's behind it. I have kept my eyes peeled at for pics of old headliners like that and the supporting structure in restoration pics of of older customs. I thought I might get lucky with when Palle took apart the Jack Stewart Ford, but I gleaned precious little from that. Best I've come across yet is the Custom Rodder article from the 90's (?) when the shop did the pleated headliner in the Zaro '40 Merc. They used bent conduits front to back with tack strips on them in line with seams and just stapled the seam allowance right to the tack strips.

 

I dropped off the rearend to get set up today. Hopefully I will have it back by Friday and in this weekend. All will be left is the driveshaft and bleeding brakes. Soon I may be driving a merc again....


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That's a good feeling right there! Awesome!!

 

The windshield garnish moldings are painted. Should be able to install them tomorrow and get the spots assembled.


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Garnish molding for the windshield is in. Holes seem to move now that the headliner is in! Spotlights are assembled, got to see what I need to do on the passenger side Handle to get it rotated up.


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Looks awesome @Kustomkid! Somewhere Bob Hirohata and Sam and George Barris are looking down smiling! E

 

Next to make this make some noise!


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Thanks! They are the inspiration for my car. I'm hoping it will look like it could have been built in the early 50's. That has been my goal!


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Done for tonight. I should have the firewall pad sorted out tomorrow. I think I squeaked by on the length and can get it folded, glued and stapled to my board.
It looks like the rearend won't be set up this week. But stitching up some more tuck & roll for door panels and firing up the motor. May be a good next weekend.


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Got the firewall pad put together.


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Wow man, that is great! I guess you never sleep (lol)!
The guy that did the upholstery in my Buick used to have an incredible '53 Chevy Bel Air that he did all the upholstery in. He did the inside firewall the same way you're doing and it looked nice. I was always amazed at how many people commented on how good it looked and how they had never seen anything like it before.
I guess a lot of people don't study c/kustoms like so many of us do to catch all the details, huh? E

 

I've had a couple of the well known Kustom guys stop by and look at the car. They had never seen a headliner like mine and thought it was very 70's ish. I was speechless!


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Got the firewall pad in. Looks like it going to fit. A double layer of insulation on The toe boards should allow the carpet to fit nicely behind the board.
I put the heater box in. I'm not sure if I like the hammer green on the heater or if it should be hammer grey.


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I like the green....unless you want to chrome it.

 

Love to chrome that and the garnish moldings, but that may have to wait awhile.


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Got my Cadillac sombreros dug out. Got 2 good chrome ones and 3 nice stainless ones. Kinda curious how they will change the look of the car.


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LOL, I have a list on a white board in the shop of stuff to chrome "someday".....if I don't write it down, I'd forget what it was I wanted done if I start sending things off. LOL

 

Got the foam and the green all layed out for the package tray to start sewing tomorrow. Might be able to get all the green done for the door panels this week.


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nice ,

 

It's finally coming along.


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Half of package tray is almost done.






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Looking nice!!!