Projects All The Twos: 1962 Mercury, 352cui, 2bbl, Too Many Doors.

Yep. It’s not that sort of noise. It’s just like when you use a ratchet on a winch. Really weird. Did go out this afternoon to get a video of the noise and it’s not doing it now.

Cant be the parking pawl or sprag as the output isn’t turning.

On a positive note I got the AC compressor turning. Apparently someone hadn’t turned the dial to cold!

 

Geez. It does my heart good to see someone who understands how something like an automatic choke is supposed to work. And knows how to logically investigate and troubleshoot it when it doesn't work. Then decides to just go ahead and fix what's already there as opposed to cobbling things up with a manual choke cable kit or adapting an electric choke thermostat. As as one of my former auto tech instructors was fond of reminding us:

"Knowledge of operation is the first step to proper diagnosis."

Good show, old chap!

Don't know about your specific transmission and the noise when shifting to reverse, but some transmission used to make a similar groan or low frequency hum when first put into gear. Sometimes the cause was a sticking or loose valve in the valve body, or a weak or broken spring that was supposed to hold tension against a valve. Usually the noise only lasted a second or two and often didn't seem to have any ill effects on the rest of the transmission.

 

Thanks Clay, in my mind if you want something to just plain work what the manufacturer intended is usually best, I broke that rule and did try an electric choke and guess what…didn’t work properly

Transmission is the stock 3 speed Cruise-o-Matic, I’ll try adjusting the linkage and servicing it first. I think the detents don’t quite line up with those in the box

 

Got the old master cylinder and servo off and the “adapter” bracketry


New servo fixed into the factory mounts


Need to make up and end to attach to the pedal.
Think I can cut, turn down slightly and thread the fixed push rod off the old servo, so might have a go at that tomorrow if not I’ll get a Rose joint the right thread.

 

Cut the rod off the old booster, turned it down and threaded.

Unfortunately I’ve not got a 7/16-20 nut so need to get a jamb nut then I can fit the new booster and start on the brake cylinders.

 

Started painting the underside, blimey that’s tedious.

Also ordered some seat belts, 3 point for the front and a couple of lap belts for the back, mainly to stop the Ms’ bags whacking you in the head if you stop quickly! Chose the sort of olive green on the right for the belts. They’ll make them up and post them next week.

 

Seatbelts arrived, think they’re a good colour.

 

Man, you took a great car and are making it so much better! I hadn’t really taken time to catch up until today and it is coming along great! Helps with my motivation to start working on a car I have sitting outside the shop that is just a couple years too new to talk about here but similar in many ways to yours. Hoping to make it a decent driver as starting today.

 

Thanks Guthrie, get on with it, it’s almost warm enough to work on now!

Fingers crossed a couple of weeks and I’ll be able to take it for a spin round the block and start breaking things!!

 

I needed a brake pedal to pushrod bush as it was missing when I got the car. After searching for one it came up that it was still being used on Mk6 Transit vans. I found it difficult to believe but as it was so cheap from Ford I thought I’d order one. And what do you know it fits, seems that bush has been in use unchanged for 50 odd years.

 

Took the rubber filler strip that covers the gap to the bumper off the rear body seam



And no rust, which I find a bit of a miracle coming from the UK


Got about half the underside painted now

 

You cant go wrong for owning a mercury.

 

You’ve got way too much room

 

Finished painting underneath and moved on to brakes.

Booster in place and set up


Attached to the pedal


Master cylinder on, all Ford factory stuff and not a bodged bracket or half dozen washers in sight.


Just need to find what I’ve done with the brake light switch

 

Nice and clean... we expect no less. I always carry a spare switch in the glove box.

 

Cleaned and waxed the wheels I got off eBay before Christmas, hopefully will drop them off at the tyre place before work tomorrow

As an aside, has anybody been watching Fallout on the telly, there’s loads of amazing 50s cars that need saving, wonder where they got them from.

 

Got the rear bumper off so I can paint the irons and inside of the bumper.


New slave cylinders on the back. Is there any trick to getting the springs off the top post or is it just a case of prying them off?


And new brake hose, axle breather and shocks

 

Take all else springs locks adjusters off and then grab shoe with both hands and use it as a tool to lenghten the upper springs.
No need to use any special brake shoe spring pliers.

 

That’s what I normally do but couldn’t get it to work because of the retainer behind the springs on the top post.

 

Pulled the rear seat base out to look at fitting the rear belts. Not even one single penny under there

 

I have been using the same Craftsman brake spring pliers since 1975, also the hold-down spring tool, made by KD.

 

Front slave cylinders and new hoses on


Wheel bearings cleaned and re-packed


Master cylinder connected up and bled and we have brakes.

You bugger! That jinxed it! Brake lights are stuck on. To be fair probably my fault, I used a torch to make sure I got the union out of the old master cylinder without rounding it off and probably melted the switch

 

I like that your upgraded booster and master cylinder look like they could be the 1962 original equipment style. Especially that single reservoir, one-circuit master cylinder. Hope everything stops as good as it looks!

 

Only driven it into the garage but the booster definitely works whereas it didn’t before when it required quite a force to hold it against the torque converter when it was on full choke.

 

Started on seatbelts, got the mounts in for the belts in the rears, cut two holes in the carpet in the wrong place for the fronts which has really annoy me, I’ll see if I can stick the bits back in with some tape backing. Bollocks!

 

Belts bolted in

and one of the front retractor units.

 

I know, you ought to see the floors under the carpet, I find them unbelievable on a 60 year old car.

 

Made up some inserts to allow me to bolt the top of the front belts into the b pillar



Then threaded them up through the bottom of the pillar and riveted in place


Front and rear belts now in


Just need to do the scary bit and put a hole in the b pillar trim!!