Finished Project #3 -- '49 Mercury Convertible Custom

[Ramfins59]

I picked up the resin convertible conversion kit from Norm Veber (RMCOMD) to go along with most of the parts from the Revell chopped '49 Merc kit. I went into this build with all intentions of doing the best job I could in detailing it.

I've seen the Revell kit made in almost every color of the rainbow... except Gray, and I wanted to be a little different. Almost all the Merc kits I've seen were built using the DeSoto tooth grille, as were about 80% of the 1:1 Mercs I saw online while researching for ideas... again, I wanted to be a little different, so I used the custom grille bar that came in the AMT '49 Merc kit. The headlights are from Bob Dudek and the turn signals are amber MV lenses. BMF covers the windshield frame on the kit's front glass and the visors are flocked in charcoal gray. The front hubcaps are '59 Dodge 4 bar spinners from The Modelhaus which I paint detailed with yellow and black paint in a checkerboard pattern and then added wire valve stems. I added lake pipe shrouds from the '50 Ford convertible kit with cut down Bob Dudek Lake Pipes and I added pieces of photo-etched metal flames under the caps. I sanded the inner leading edges of the Merc kit's skirts to create sort of a scoop opening, to which I added short pieces of the 'Galaxie 48 Chevy chrome trim which I cut to spear shapes. The flame decals are from a Slixx decal sheet cut to the shape of the front wheel openings. The resin body doesn't come with any taillight openings so I lightly glued stock '49 Merc taillights to the rear, scribed around them with my XActo knife, then carefully cut out with drills & files the area inside the scribed marks to make Frenched taillights to which I added MV lens blue dots. The convertible boot is flocked in charcoal gray with photo-etched pieces for snaps.

The engine is the Caddy engine in the Merc kit to which I added a wired M.A.D. distributor (wired in the correct firing order of course..), Bob Dudek Cadillac valve covers, a cast metal alternator (with a mounting bracket) and a chromed Cadillac air cleaner from The Modelhaus. I removed the molded in 6 volt battery and filled the hole with sheet plastic and sanded it all smooth. In it's place I put a windshield washer fluid container from my parts box, with a line routed with wire looms to the parts box windshield wiper motor I added to the smoothed firewall. I omitted the air tubes and added a resin master cylinder & booster, with brake lines. On the other side I added a 12 volt battery with wires and photo-etched hold-down hardware. Heater hoses were also added, along with an aluminum radiator cap and overflow line. That engine compartment is really tight. The chassis is paint detailed with a few photo-etched bolt heads added. There are photo-etched brake rotors, cast metal calipers and wire brake line hoses routed into the chassis.

Now the interior... and I LOVE doing interiors. I flocked the rugs in black & added black-washed, photo-etched pedals, including a small foot shaped high-beam pedal. The tuck & roll sections of the seats and door panels were painted with Pactra RC car yellow lacquer. The flat panels were flocked in charcoal gray with yellow detail wire for piping on the seats. I added some chrome trim pieces, again using Galaxie '48 Chevy chrome trim. Chrome door handles & window cranks are from my parts box. Front seat belts were installed using MCG hardware. The front floor tray is part of the custom console from the AMT '49 Merc kit to which I added a photo-etched key & key ring and sunglasses. The dashboard is painted body color and I used the kit gauge decals to which I added photo-etched trim rings and clear epoxy for lenses. I removed all the molded buttons and dials, drilled holes where they were and added milled aluminum dash knobs from Detail Master that I've been wanting to use for years. There is also a photo-etched radio face and BMF trim. The steering column has pieces of shirt pins for a shifter and a turn signal stalk, The steering wheel has a round shirt pin head as a necker-knob.

The paint is Duplicolor Storm Gray Metallic, clearcoated and polished.

I am super happy with the way this car turned out and hope you enjoy looking at it. Now I think I'll work on either another curbside or a slammer after doing all this detailing...

Thanks everyone and feel free to critique or comment.

[jeffs396]

SUPER SHARP Rich!!!

Awesome details and a very cool color combo

You're on a roll!

[martinfan5]

Nice job

[Tonioseven]

That thing is BEAUTIFUL!!! I especially love the interior!!!

[Ace-Garageguy]

Man, that is really fine.

[cobraman]

Looks great. Theres that eye searing yellow again. Very bright.

[crazyjim]

I really like it! SHINY :) RULES!

[jamesG]

awesome job Rich. I have a 49 merc project in mind and have been wondering how to make it a convertible, thanks.

now, pop into ambridge grab a police station pizza and some iron city and celebrate that fine build.

[Madrdnckbldr080]

Thats Sick Richard, Awesome lookin build..Red

[TooOld]

Very cool looking ! I love your stuff , thanks for showing them .

[David G.]

Excellent work- clean and tight everywhere you look.

David G.

[frozono]

Cool one.......nice job......

[Joker]

Insane paint work on the wheel covers.

Neat work on the door dogleg removal.

[Ramfins59]

Thanks guys. Yeah James, those wheel covers took awhile to paint with a toothpick sharpened to a hair...!!! The door panels came with the RMCoMD resin convertible kit as did the dogleg pieces for the rear seats under the convertible boot legs. I didn't remove any dogleg detail...

[H.A.K]

Wow the seats are great lookin. BUT the hubcaps hands down are the SH__. Love the look of it man.

[Ramfins59]

Thanks Samuel, I appreciate the kind words.

[Johnny1973]

Looks awesome Rich.Nice detail

[MichaelJ]

That's a big WOW Richy .... Great job !

Michaelj...

[Ramfins59]

Thanks a lot guys. It was a fun build overall although at times a bit tedious.

[crazyrichard]

cool , love those cherrybombs also (those are cherrybombs right ?? on the exhaust)

[Ramfins59]

The mufflers are the ones that came in the Revell Merc kit. They look like Cherry Bomb glass packs & I painted them red to replicate them.