12-05-2017, 08:42 PM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 554
|
49 mercury
I don't know if this is the right place but I have a question. I just got a 48 mercury 4dr ---- nice body, project, no motor or tranny. it is missing the lower A assembly on the passenger side. I have a set of the lower A's I got off an old 53 or 54 mercury Monterey I had. will the lower A's match up to the 49? thanks for any help.
|
12-05-2017, 08:42 PM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 554
|
Re: 49 mercury
sorry, its a 49 mercury not a 48.
|
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) |
|
12-05-2017, 08:51 PM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys
Posts: 10,450
|
Re: 49 mercury
The '53 might, but the '54 won't for sure because Ford and Mercury went to ball joint front suspension in '54. If I had to guess, I'd say the '53 probably wouldn't work either, but I'd crawl under it with a ruler before I threw the '53 parts away.
(Edit : Fatman lists the same dropped spindles for '49-'53 Fords and '52-'53 Mercurys, but the listing for '49-'51 Mercs are separate.) Last edited by tubman; 12-05-2017 at 08:56 PM. |
12-05-2017, 11:01 PM | #4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 554
|
Re: 49 mercury
ok-----thanks a lot for the info. will grab my tape measure and see ----- as soon as the snow melts.
|
12-06-2017, 02:23 AM | #5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Palmer, Alaska
Posts: 1,576
|
Re: 49 mercury
I am pretty sure you will find that only 49-51 will interchange as a direct bolt on, but I my be wrong. pretty sure they went to ball joints in 54, while the 52-53 still had king pins, I think the A arms are different though. This will probably be the reason they will not interchange. same for the 54's.
|
12-06-2017, 07:14 AM | #6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 628
|
Re: 49 mercury
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Also, you will wish to lower the front end, do NOT use drop blocks on the A arm. You will want to switch both front coils to '90s Ford Aerostar springs ($55 Amazon) Moog CC850 which give 2 1/2" drop and better ride as they are non-linear. There is good advice on this forum which caters to restoring but more is available on HAMB which caters to custom cars. Last edited by Paul Bennett; 12-13-2017 at 01:42 AM. |
12-06-2017, 11:19 AM | #7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 16,565
|
Re: 49 mercury
The above illustration is for Ford cars and 52 thru 53 Mercury cars. The 49 thru 51 Mercury cars all use the same A-arms and have the 15/16" king pins and are different than Ford. They also share some parts with the baby Lincoln cars but the Lincoln had a lot heavier motor and a suspension to hold it.
I've purchased NOS A-arms from flea-pay before but the stuff doesn't come up often. You can do a conversion or find someone (say on the HAMB for example) that has the old stuff laying in there parts pile after they converted to bags or something of that nature. The 49 thru 51 arms are interchangeable from side to side so they will fit either side. |
12-06-2017, 12:43 PM | #8 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Palmer, Alaska
Posts: 1,576
|
Re: 49 mercury
rotorwrench, Thanks for that info. I did not know that they were interchangeable from side to side.
|
12-06-2017, 01:20 PM | #9 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Coral Springs FL
Posts: 11,067
|
Re: 49 mercury
49-51 Merc suspension parts are the only suspension parts that will fit a 1949-51 Merc.
Ford parts appear similar but Merc parts are bigger and beefier. Example: king pins and suspension bushings and bolts. |
12-13-2017, 12:13 AM | #10 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 554
|
Re: 49 mercury
well I dug out my lower A's that were in storage===they are identical. I crawled under the 49 and they are identical to the one I have on the car.....go figure. I got so many parts and I know I should be marking them. so I just need the rebuild kit now. thanks everyone for the help and info.
|
12-13-2017, 12:51 AM | #11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys
Posts: 10,450
|
Re: 49 mercury
It looks like you lucked out. It has to happen once in a while; good for you. I am kind of surprised they would fit. Do you know what year they actually were?
|
12-13-2017, 01:44 AM | #12 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 628
|
Re: 49 mercury
Good on ya. Don't skip the coil switch to Moog CC-850 Aerostars.
I've got a '50 4dr and welcome any questions. |
12-13-2017, 10:05 AM | #13 |
BANNED
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Utica, Ohio
Posts: 522
|
Re: 49 mercury
Paul Bennett,
What is the problem with drop blocks on A arms? |
12-13-2017, 10:42 AM | #14 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 103
|
Re: 49 mercury
I run a 50 merc in the navy with drop blocks on it .
drove from millington Tn to st Louis Mo area. Did OK |
12-13-2017, 11:57 AM | #15 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: East Hartford, Ct
Posts: 5,898
|
Re: 49 mercury
There isn't any problem so long as the original springs are used with them.
If used along with the Aerostar springs the result is that the springs are too short and when unsprung, the springs tend to be loose and change position.
__________________
DON'T RECALL DOING SOMETHING FOR MYSELF BASED ON SOMEONE ELSE'S LIKES OR DISLIKES Last edited by 51 MERC-CT; 12-13-2017 at 12:17 PM. |
12-13-2017, 01:31 PM | #16 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Coral Springs FL
Posts: 11,067
|
Re: 49 mercury
f1builder; Check to see that the A-Arm bushings and bolts are the correct size. Mercs are larger dia. than Fords.
|
12-13-2017, 09:35 PM | #17 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 628
|
Re: 49 mercury
Much of what I know is not from personal experience but from extensive reading, mostly on H.A.M.B. That said, when mentioned in many threads, they claim, while the look may be great, the driveability and/or rideability is awful for an initially good front end car.
In order to lower a Merc front end, guys have used drop spindles ($800), blocks in the A arm, and cut coils (silly bad) and modern coils ($100 best) and air bags ($xk). Each will provide 2" or so drop except air bags whose only limit is your wallet. Air is probably best but again it's spendy. Start with substitute coils, which I use and advocate. Next are drop spindle. You are now at 4" still with a driveable good riding car. Drop spindles keep you from going to disc brakes later on as today's disk kits won't fit. Bags, having electrical components aren't as reliable as a pure mechanical system. More reading Last edited by Paul Bennett; 12-13-2017 at 10:03 PM. |
12-13-2017, 10:59 PM | #18 |
BANNED
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Utica, Ohio
Posts: 522
|
Re: 49 mercury
Paul Bennett,
Confirms my experience with a '51 Ford I bought. Had lowering blocks front and rear plus chrome reversed rims. Drove like shit! Removed blocks and used stock wheels w/205/75 15 tires. WOW what a deference! |
12-14-2017, 07:09 AM | #19 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: East Hartford, Ct
Posts: 5,898
|
Re: 49 mercury
Quote:
I have drop spindles installed along with one of "today's disk kits" For those who are wondering, this is the modification.
__________________
DON'T RECALL DOING SOMETHING FOR MYSELF BASED ON SOMEONE ELSE'S LIKES OR DISLIKES Last edited by 51 MERC-CT; 12-14-2017 at 08:09 AM. |
|
12-14-2017, 08:00 AM | #20 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: 36 miles north of Albany NY
Posts: 2,983
|
Re: 49 mercury
Your picture is not showing up, maybe hosting problems.?
|
|
|
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) |
|