Christmas Wish Came True

[RalphG]

In last week's thread I commented I hoped this 53 Merc would be in my yard before Christmas. So it arrived just after dark tonight and I am one happy new owner. More pictures and videos to follow. Got a lot of cleaning up to do as squirrels have got into it. Its a roller, not a runner (for now).

[cas3]

looks better than most of the ones i drag home! lets see some more pics!

[RalphG]

Originally Posted by cas3

looks better than most of the ones i drag home! lets see some more pics!

For sure. Soon as I saw this one in facebook marketplace I knew I had to have it. Price was right and the condition looked good even in the photos. In all honesty it is in better condition than my 52. Except for the disassembled, non running engine. But so far I have found most of the parts in the trunk. Thankfully dry and preserved in pine needles by the squirrels.
Its a three on the tree and was stuck in reverse but with a little gentle persuasion on the linkage I got it into neutral and it rolls now. Engine has been open quite some time and the cylinders are rusty.
Its a three on the tree and was stuck in reverse but with a little gentle persuasion on the linkage I got it into neutral and it rolls now. Engine has been open quite some time and the cylinders are rusty.
Night time pictures and video did not turn out great but I doctored up this one a little and its not bad.

[michael a]

Originally Posted by RalphG

For sure. Soon as I saw this one in facebook marketplace I knew I had to have it. Price was right and the condition looked good even in the photos. In all honesty it is in better condition than my 52. Except for the disassembled, non running engine. But so far I have found most of the parts in the trunk. Thankfully dry and preserved in pine needles by the squirrels.
Its a three on the tree and was stuck in reverse but with a little gentle persuasion on the linkage I got it into neutral and it rolls now. Engine has been open quite some time and the cylinders are rusty.
Its a three on the tree and was stuck in reverse but with a little gentle persuasion on the linkage I got it into neutral and it rolls now. Engine has been open quite some time and the cylinders are rusty.
Night time pictures and video did not turn out great but I doctored up this one a little and its not bad.

I'm happy for you

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk

[Jay in Mass]

It looks nice, but I can't see if it is a 2dr or a 4dr.

[RalphG]

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Originally Posted by Jay in Mass

It looks nice, but I can't see if it is a 2dr or a 4dr.

Its a plain jane Custom four door sedan. Not even a radio! I thought that was rare. It does have signal lights. The date code is H53, exactly one year newer than my 52. I'm trying to figure out the name of the colour combination. Green with a whitish roof. Paint code on the tag is 95 if anybody has a colour chart for the 53s.
Digging through the "junk in the trunk" I was pleasantly surprised to find among the engine parts, not one, but two spare tail light bezels. One on the car is cracked and broken.
One oddity, the horn button appears to be from a Monarch.

[RalphM]

So what are your plans for it?
Restoration, parts car for 52, or just another one to tinker with?

[corvette8n]

Nice looking car Ralph, before you know it you'll have a Mercury collection, now you need a 49,50 and 51.

[FrankWest]

Very Nice solid car..
Looks like it should just be cleaned inside and out before you do anything else.
Wipe it down with cleaner and she will look almost new. Then you can try to get the engine started.

[GB SISSON]

Nice car from a great year! It never gets old, dragging home another one. Congratulations and Merry Christmas. Thanks for taking us along.

[A bones]

Congrats, Good Luck. My neighbor had one back in the day. Neat car, his son had it decorated with French Curve pinstripes.

[flatford8]

Good for you but, what about the Merc pickup?.......Mark

[RalphG]

Originally Posted by flatford8

Good for you but, what about the Merc pickup?.......Mark

Afraid the old Merc M68 truck is going to get pushed further down the list. Maybe a little more soakage in the cylinders for the time being.
The engine on this 53 has had the heads, intake and water pumps lying in the trunk for a few years. Cylinders appear rusty and of course it is locked up. I did not try too hard but plan to do a little cleaning and llubricating. It appears the previous owner had it apart for some unknown purpose. Maybe it was siezed up solid and he was trying to free it up?
Anyway, back to cleaning today. Out with the leaf blower and air compressor. That trunk is like an archaelogical dig where I keep uncovering various treasures in layers.
Video turned out too dark but take a look if you like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk1f...nhr1qrk0h00410

[Seth Swoboda]

Ralph,

You will have fun with this car. I believe the Mercury in the latest V8 Times feature was a '53. Beautiful cars. I know when I drag one home I'm floating on air for days.

[mhsprecher]

Congrats!

Well if I had money
Tell you what I'd do
I'd go downtown and buy a mercury or two
Crazy 'bout a mercury
Lord I'm crazy bout a mercury
I'm gonna buy me a mercury
And cruise it up and down the road
Well the girl I love
I stole her from a friend
He got lucky, stole her back again
She heard he had a mercury
Lord she's crazy 'bout a mercury
I'm gonna buy me a mercury
And cruise it up and down the road
Well hey now mama
You look so fine
Ridin' round in your mercury 53
Crazy 'bout a mercury
Lord I'm crazy 'bout a mercury
I'm gonna buy me a mercury
And cruise it up and down the road
Well my baby went out
She didn't stay long
Bought herself a mercury, come a cruisin' home
She's crazy 'bout a mercury
Yeah she's crazy 'bout a mercury
I'm gonna buy me a mercury
And cruise…

Alan Jackson (with some edits)

[stangblue]

I like the Dash!

[mfirth]

Looks like a very merry Christmas down on the farm. Love the Merc, have a 52 Vic, love 52 Lincolns too. Every one should have 1 of each. If my lovely wife see's that..........
Merry CHRISTmas. mike

[RalphG]

Yes, its true I'm crazy about the 52-53 Mercs and that Alan Jackson song runs through my head frequently. I used it in one of the Merc videos.
In the harsh revealing light of day this 53 still looks darn good. I spend a good part of the morning with the leaf blower and high pressure air nozzle to blow out all the squirrel residue. Then gathered up all the miscellaneous hardware, screws, door catches, wheel nuts, etc. I'm hoping to get it indoors to work on but its going to take some re-arranging.

[mhsprecher]

Originally Posted by mfirth

Looks like a very merry Christmas down on the farm. Love the Merc, have a 52 Vic, love 52 Lincolns too. Every one should have 1 of each. If my lovely wife see's that..........
Merry CHRISTmas. mike

There are too many I like, but those Mercs are sweet. I had a high school friend who had a cherry one, a light green. A beauty.

[Shu47]

Looks like the squirrels really liked it too!!!!