This was finished a few yrs back. The Chassis is from the kit but striped down to the frame rails and then built to the racing specs for an Open Comp car that would run the Vintage circuit today. Duplicolor paint with in house decals. All the bar and sheet metal work is evergreen.
Chassis...
(https://media.fotki.com/2v2u4tjhGxbQd4s.jpg) (http://public.fotki.com/Gary-Davis/49-mercmodified-spo/chassis/chassis2-jpg.html)
(https://media.fotki.com/2v2u4tgfCxbQd4s.jpg) (http://public.fotki.com/Gary-Davis/49-mercmodified-spo/chassis/paint2-jpg.html)
(https://media.fotki.com/2v2u4t8pWxbQd4s.jpg) (http://public.fotki.com/Gary-Davis/49-mercmodified-spo/chassis/f-4-jpg.html)
(https://media.fotki.com/2v2u4t87WxbQd4s.jpg) (http://public.fotki.com/Gary-Davis/49-mercmodified-spo/chassis/f-5-jpg.html)
(https://media.fotki.com/2v2U5GcEMxbQd4s.jpg) (http://public.fotki.com/Gary-Davis/49-mercmodified-spo/finished-car/merc-outside-016.html)
(https://media.fotki.com/2v2U5GpPzxbQd4s.jpg) (http://public.fotki.com/Gary-Davis/49-mercmodified-spo/finished-car/merc-outside-004.html)
(https://media.fotki.com/2v2U5Gp63xbQd4s.jpg) (http://public.fotki.com/Gary-Davis/49-mercmodified-spo/finished-car/merc-outside-002.html)
(https://media.fotki.com/2v2U5GpAoxbQd4s.jpg) (http://public.fotki.com/Gary-Davis/49-mercmodified-spo/finished-car/merc-outside-001.html)
Very kool!!!!!!!!!
Never seen a real 49 Merc short tracker, but if I did this would look like it. Beautiful work and the detail is outstanding.
Excellent build. There's a lot of fine detail work on this build and it's all very well done.
Bob
Outstanding!
This is one sweet lookin Merc!!! 8)
Super Merc!!! Love the detail. If I could make a distributor look as good as the one on this car, I'd build 10 right now. Wow
Rett
I really like your build !!! love the colors wow looks like its going 100mph settin there
One sharp looking short tracker......!
Could give your '55 Chevy a run for its money.....?!? ;)
One slick lookin Merc! I have always liked a chopped top Merc and never thought of it as a race car, well done!
I think the '49-51 Mercs were so iconic that they were too valuable to put on the track even when they were relatively new. My uncle bought a '50 Merc two door in the late fifties that had been thrashed, but I never saw him more proud of a car in his life. I did see a fourdor '51 run in the late models in the late fifties, or early sixties, but that was the only one.
That being said, this model is outstanding. The detail is beyond belief. I also love the color combo, and the McCreary marked tires.
Olderndirt
Thanks for ALL the GREAT compliments folks.....
Quote from: David Bogard on October 04, 2017, 05:24:36 PM
That body style of Merc does not lend itself to much of anything and I think it was one mis-proportioned mess when it rolled out of the Ford Factories back in the day. Having said that, I am genuinely stunned at how well this thing looks. The profile is absolutely believable and you sir have a gift of "vision" that not too many folks have. Very well done; very well done indeed!
Oh, and I take it you've got an ALPS printer? Those decals are really crisp!
Hey David( good name...my Sons name is DAVID)...I tell ya...I could not agree with you more on the 49-50 merc. I did not see what those custom guys were all la-la over. LOL Even when the thing is all chopped and sectioned and narrowed...it still looks like a YARD BOMB to me... But...I wanted to make it look like a fairly decent(as close as possible) asphalt short track car. That profile was achieved by taking (shaving) a lot of that ugly trunk lid back. On the 1/1 car..that trunk area looks like a huge bunion that grows on the side of of trees...LOL sooo I had to take care of that first. If this was built in the 1/1 world....the trunk area would all be redone pretty much like the scale version...
:) Y'all are going to hurt all those Mercs' feelings.
We never had any race locally either. I think this one looks real good.
what a beautiful build and the detail is terrific!
Quote from: john2 on October 05, 2017, 02:27:20 PM
:) Y'all are going to hurt all those Mercs' feelings.
We never had any race locally either. I think this one looks real good.
LOL....I don't think those Mercs will lose any sleep over my ramblings.... Thanks for the compliments folks...
Holy smokes Gary, your work is amazing!
What a beautiful build.
From the fab'ed cage to the flared fenders, this gem knocked my socks off, I put 'em back on, and they got knocked off again. :o
Outstanding craftsmanship, sir. 8) 8)
Thanks for the GREAT compliment Bill. I think you might want to keep your socks on bud...winter is coming..LOL
:) :) Good one, B MA.
Best looking Mercury I've ever seen of that vintage!
Another Awesome job, Gary. Your builds are always topnotch and excellent.
Thanks Jackie and Mark for the compliments...
Bad to the bone, so much detail, very nice
Thanks spotter....
Very well built Merc, Gary!!! I dig kustom lead sleds but this Merc is just plain COOL!!! Just as the 55-57 Chevy frames were frequently used under Chevelle's, Nova's, etc., the Merc frame could be used under a number of different Ford cars as well. Just thinkin out loud!!!😎👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🏁
By the way, where did you source that real air filter from...detail is phenomenal on this fine Merc!!!
Wow, I can't believe I haven't commented on this one! This is absolutely fantastic! Gary David is King!!! On the subject of personal taste, I think these Mercs are really cool cars. I have built one, so far, similar to this one, and two or three more on the shelf. I intend to build an earl sixties short track Sportsman, a later Speedway Sportsman, and maybe a strictly stock. We'll see. Great building Sir Gary!
Quote from: Greg Birky on October 30, 2017, 07:08:25 PM
Very well built Merc, Gary!!! I dig kustom lead sleds but this Merc is just plain COOL!!! Just as the 55-57 Chevy frames were frequently used under Chevelle's, Nova's, etc., the Merc frame could be used under a number of different Ford cars as well. Just thinkin out loud!!!😎👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🏁
By the way, where did you source that real air filter from...detail is phenomenal on this fine Merc!!!
Dang...how did I not get a notice on the replies from you folks...oh well... Hey Greg...thank you for the great compliments. I'm going to remember that info about the frame. I have at least 4 kits of the 49 ( parts) and the frame will be used for future builds.
If I remember correctly...that air cleaner is from Model car Garage....
Quote from: slim on October 30, 2017, 08:01:21 PM
Wow, I can't believe I haven't commented on this one! This is absolutely fantastic! Gary David is King!!! On the subject of personal taste, I think these Mercs are really cool cars. I have built one, so far, similar to this one, and two or three more on the shelf. I intend to build an earl sixties short track Sportsman, a later Speedway Sportsman, and maybe a strictly stock. We'll see. Great building Sir Gary!
Hey Bass player...Thanks for the GREAT compliment bud!! Your two tone Green 49 Merc (Turtle....as we nick named it...lol) had a hand in the idea of doing this build.
Too pretty to race and the detail is amazing. Fine job.
Quote from: gator on November 13, 2017, 08:13:43 PM
Too pretty to race and the detail is amazing. Fine job.
Thanks Jackie....I hear ya on to pretty. Alot of those Asphalt cars I've seen run made me really shake my head in amazement as I thought that they were way to clean and beautiful to race on a track.
Gary,
I can't believe I didn't see this one. Man, it is wild.
That thing is so good, I think it would pass NASCAR tech, no problem.
Great concept and build !
Hey Hondo....thank you so much for the GREAT compliment!! It was a fun build for sure.
I haven't seen this one before either. I never would have thought of a Lead Sled Merc as a stocker, but this is one of the coolest vintage body stockers I have ever seen! Definitely an 11. Really nice build, and detailing.
Do you have any pictures?
Nice old Merc! Great work!
Thanks for the GREAT compliments ARCA and Marty.
Quote from: TarheelRick on January 12, 2021, 08:54:25 AM
Do you have any pictures?
Rick...you can go to the first page as there are a few pics of the build to look at there.
Took me a while, but had to prove to myself that this build was in Scale Auto....Oct 2011 issue in the GSL-XXIII Show coverage.....on page 37..
Was certain that I had seen a pic of this car in SA....but didn't want to say anything until I found it.....
Hey Ed...yea...it was on the table at the GSL in 2011. It took a third place. Pretty pleased with that for sure.
Gary,
Have always gotten a kick of various members having builds show up in SA, that had shown up on Fred's site and now here.....
Yea...I guess that's what happens when one goes to the model shows with their work.
Gonna get myself a MERCURY! This is really KOOL!
A GREAT ALAN JACKSON song too!! Thanks for the compliment 421sd...