'49 Merc Custom - Update 8/13

[Fletch]

It's been a while since I've added a new project to the rotation on the bench. I was digging about in the garage last week and came across an opened but untouched AMT '49 Merc. Last evening I took the saw to the roof and took a bit off the top.

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There was a yellow Merc in one of the Magazines 10-12 years ago that I have always thought was pretty cool. It' wasn't overly radical just a clean well executed car. I need to dig through the parts box and find a second Merc body for a upper grille surround which will become the lower part of the grille opening then float the grille between the two. The planned color is Tamiya TS-16 Yellow:

http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?product-id=85016

With tires and wheels from a Monogram '59 Cadillac or the MCG replacements.

Comments, suggestions are welcome as always.

Edited August 13, 2009 by Fletch

[Foxer]

  Fletch said:

I need to dig through the parts box and find a second Merc body for a upper grille surround which will become the lower part of the grille opening then float the grille between the two.

Looks like the roof slope is going to be nice.

I have a 49 on the bench that got that grill treatment but without a 2nd body. I molded the upper grill with modeling clay and ended up using epoxy to cast the grill. Was long ago so I don't remember the details, but thinking maybe I rolled the mold around until the epoxy set up. It is pretty thin as I look at it now. Just an alternate thought if you don't want to cutup another body. This is a post on the grill I had made: 49 Merc rounded grill shell

[Fletch]

Here we go with installment #2 of the '49 Merc project. All the splices in the body have now been filled with Evergreen and now are in the curing process. I'll most likely leave the body alone for the rest of the week to allow the Tamiya Extra Thin Cement to finish it's work before doing the basis shaping work. Any filling that needs to be accomplished after that will be with Milliput White Superfine putty.

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The grille opening has the basic shape but will require ends to still be slightly rounded. Other things yet to be accomplished are shaving and replacing the side trim, shaving the door handles, remove the trim and rib from the hood. The upper rear corners of the doors need to be rounded after the drip rail is removed. The hood and trunk corners will get rounded as well. I may go back and peak the hood before all is said and done.

The kit rear skirts are taped on strictly to get an idea of how the car will look without the wheel openings, there is ZERO chance of them being used on the final build. It will have skirts but not those provided in the kit.

Engine compartment wise, I'm leaning toward a Nailhead Buick with the Caddy Air Cleaner from RMoM. Not sure of where I'm headed with the exhaust. Guess it's time for a Photoshop session. Bumper wise I'm looking at robbing the more stock set from the Revell Merc but, we'll have to see how the DeSoto set would look as well.

That's it for this installment, comments, suggestions as always are welcomed.

Peace

[sdrodder]

ok i commented on trak gotta do it here too. It looks awsome no matter which angle you look at it. The chop is just perfect. Nice job.

[nitrojunkie]

Lookin good its nice to see a Merc roof cut the right way in scale it is a pita but results in a very clean roof line. Sam B and Dean J would approve.Keep up the good work.

[Fletch]

  nitrojunkie said:

Lookin good its nice to see a Merc roof cut the right way in scale it is a pita but results in a very clean roof line. Sam B and Dean J would approve.Keep up the good work.

I have been amazed at the number of responses on an other forum about how I quartered the roof on this build. I don't know if I saw it in a magazine or where I got the idea that doing the quarter thing was the way to go. But, to me it makes the roof line more aesthetically pleasing. The other way causes the all the pillars to realigned at angles that, to me, seem to extreme.

The roof has been puttied and is waiting to be sanded and contoured, so progress photos in the next couple of days.

[GOTH KUSTOMS]

I always thought thats how you chop a top, unless your gonna lay the A post back, did the quarter roof on my 59 cady Reapers Ride the same way, came out great, nice job, by the way, keep us posted...

[Fletch]

Time for an update on the '49 Merc. The first round of bodywork has been completed. There is still need to go back and refine the major reworked areas. It's being a typical custom and will require several bouts will the filler to get to the final stage of laying down paint.

I threw the fender skirts from a Revell '57 Ranchero on just to see how they'd look. My first impression is I like the design, I just don't think they're tall enough. What do you think?

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Still a lot of massaging to get it to the point of paint, but it's getting there.

[Sixties Sam]

Lookin' gooood! It makes me appreciate how much work goes into chopping a top. I wouldn't attempt it! Very nice work!!