My new project. And introduction.

[AZMerc39]

Hello y'all,

My name is Ken, I'm 29, an Air Force vet, and living in Southern Arizona.

Picked up this 1939 Mercury sedan last Friday. Hope to learn a fraction of the wealth of information y'all have to get this car back on the road. Current plans are to resto-mod as a street rod. But I do want to be able to daily it as well. The previous owner already did some modernization to it, so I plan to as well.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by AZMerc39

Hello y'all,

My name is Ken, I'm 29, an Air Force vet, and living in Southern Arizona.

Picked up this 1939 Mercury sedan last Friday. Hope to learn a fraction of the wealth of information y'all have to get this car back on the road. Current plans are to resto-mod as a street rod. But I do want to be able to daily it as well. The previous owner already did some modernization to it, so I plan to as well.

[ford38v8]

Ken, that's an amazingly straight find you have there, congratulations!
The good news is that it is a pretty rare bird these days.
The bad news is that it's a pretty rare bird these days, which I'm sure you've already found out. Take care to not discard anything in hopes of replacing with new or better condition.
I see from your profile that you're into kyaking. I've done a bit of white water rafting myself, and given your location, you have a fabulous resource in your own backyard! Go for it before you get to be my age. The Colorado is still on my bucket list, too late now.

Alan USN Seabee '59-'63

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Ken, that's an amazingly straight find you have there, congratulations!
The good news is that it is a pretty rare bird these days.
The bad news is that it's a pretty rare bird these days, which I'm sure you've already found out. Take care to not discard anything in hopes of replacing with new or better condition.
I see from your profile that you're into kyaking. I've done a bit of white water rafting myself, and given your location, you have a fabulous resource in your own backyard! Go for it before you get to be my age. The Colorado is still on my bucket list, too late now.

Alan USN Seabee '59-'63

Thank you! Yeah, I'm definitely seeing the scarcity of certain part and pieces. I'll try to restore what I can, but I know it's going to be a long term project. As long as I can get it running, driving, and stopping, I'll be happy. Everything else can come later.

As far as the river goes, you can still kayak the lower Colorado below the Hoover dam. It's usually not too bad and lots of hot springs. There is a kayak club near me, and most members are retired, so if you can move, you can float yourself down the river!

Thank you for your service!

[Clem Clement]

I tried to send congrats on your find, but the Barn ate it. Super Nice. Save the paipnt do not repaint. Hub caps original??? Lucky you

[AZMerc39]

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Originally Posted by Clem Clement

I tried to send congrats on your find, but the Barn ate it. Super Nice. Save the paipnt do not repaint. Hub caps original??? Lucky you

Thank you. Leave it with patina and clear coat? Not sure if the caps are original, but i assume so.

[ford38v8]

Definitely do not clear coat over original patina. Do that and you wind up with imitation puke. Sorry to use such graphic language, but I must speak the truth.

[petehoovie]

Stick with the patina...Wipe it down every now and then with GIBBS oil...
This is what I did on my original '34...

Gibbs Brand Lubricant, Penetrant, & Conditioner

[ford38v8]

Originally Posted by petehoovie

Stick with the patina...Wipe it down every now and then with GIBBS oil...
This is what I did on my original '34...

Gibbs Brand Lubricant, Penetrant, & Conditioner

Sounds like a plan. In the Navy when all the vehicles were battleship grey, we simply used diesel fuel on a rag. A quick shine without elbow grease, protects the paint and metal. Next day it's dull again, but a quick wipedown and the brass is in his happy place.
Dunno how basecoat/clearcoat would take to diesel fuel, but it smells all military and macho!

[Shoebox]

Welcome to the Barn, from a fellow '39 Merc owner. This place is an awesome source of information. Another good place to check out is the Early Ford V8 Club of America, their website even has a Mercury specific forum.

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Definitely do not clear coat over original patina. Do that and you wind up with imitation puke. Sorry to use such graphic language, but I must speak the truth.

Makes sense

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by petehoovie

Stick with the patina...Wipe it down every now and then with GIBBS oil...
This is what I did on my original '34...

Gibbs Brand Lubricant, Penetrant, & Conditioner

Appreciate it!

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Sounds like a plan. In the Navy when all the vehicles were battleship grey, we simply used diesel fuel on a rag. A quick shine without elbow grease, protects the paint and metal. Next day it's dull again, but a quick wipedown and the brass is in his happy place.
Dunno how basecoat/clearcoat would take to diesel fuel, but it smells all military and macho!

For the price of Diesel these days, idk about that.

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by Shoebox

Welcome to the Barn, from a fellow '39 Merc owner. This place is an awesome source of information. Another good place to check out is the Early Ford V8 Club of America, their website even has a Mercury specific forum.

Thank you. I may hop over there eventually.

[Bored&Stroked]

Thanks for coming to the Barn - it looks like you have a really great car to start with. It is rare to find any early Ford in that condition (at least from what I can tell). This is a great place for information as there are multiple folks here with 39-40 Mercs.

[Bored&Stroked]

BTW: The Ford Barn is really about keeping the cars here in as original state as possible. Hopefully your Merc still has a flathead in it . . . I highly encourage you to stick with the flathead as they are wonderful engines, have a unique character to them and it is what belongs in your Merc. We can help you with everything needed to get the car in top mechanical shape . . . using as many original parts as possible.

Many of us have built high-performance flatheads . . . with all the go-fast goodies available. You can take a 40 Merc engine and increase its horsepower quite easily, though there is always a cost involved when you start buying all the cool parts like heads, manifolds, etc.. The point is that you can surely make your Merc perform at a level that makes it comfortable and safe at today's highway speeds (even with a mostly stock engine) - you just need to plan and execute your build with those goals in mind.

Know what you want to achieve and budget for it. Ask a lot of questions before you chose your final build path. Truth be told, most of us have found that it takes twice as much money and at least twice as much time as we originally envision (that is how we talk ourselves into doing what we do!) . . . but it is worth it in the end!

If you really desire to go the street rod route, the best place to collaborate on that type of build in the HAMB (Jalopy Journal). The truth is, many of us have cars that are a good "fit" for both places . . . but we'd surely like you to keep your Merc as unmolested as possible! Your car looks very original - I'd try to keep it that way

[glennpm]

Originally Posted by Bored&Stroked

BTW: The Ford Barn is really about keeping the cars here in as original state as possible. Hopefully your Merc still has a flathead in it . . . I highly encourage you to stick with the flathead as they are wonderful engines, have a unique character to them and it is what belongs in your Merc. We can help you with everything needed to get the car in top mechanical shape . . . using as many original parts as possible.

Many of us have built high-performance flatheads . . . with all the go-fast goodies available. You can take a 40 Merc engine and increase its horsepower quite easily, though there is always a cost involved when you start buying all the cool parts like heads, manifolds, etc.. The point is that you can surely make your Merc perform at a level that makes it comfortable and safe at today's highway speeds (even with a mostly stock engine) - you just need to plan and execute your build with those goals in mind.

Know what you want to achieve and budget for it. Ask a lot of questions before you chose your final build path. Truth be told, most of us have found that it takes twice as much money and at least twice as much time as we originally envision (that is how we talk ourselves into doing what we do!) . . . but it is worth it in the end!

If you really desire to go the street rod route, the best place to collaborate on that type of build in the HAMB (Jalopy Journal). The truth is, many of us have cars that are a good "fit" for both places . . . but we'd surely like you to keep your Merc as unmolested as possible! Your car looks very original - I'd try to keep it that way

Smart man and words. Keep it original, you won't be sorry.

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by Bored&Stroked

BTW: The Ford Barn is really about keeping the cars here in as original state as possible. Hopefully your Merc still has a flathead in it . . . I highly encourage you to stick with the flathead as they are wonderful engines, have a unique character to them and it is what belongs in your Merc. We can help you with everything needed to get the car in top mechanical shape . . . using as many original parts as possible.

Many of us have built high-performance flatheads . . . with all the go-fast goodies available. You can take a 40 Merc engine and increase its horsepower quite easily, though there is always a cost involved when you start buying all the cool parts like heads, manifolds, etc.. The point is that you can surely make your Merc perform at a level that makes it comfortable and safe at today's highway speeds (even with a mostly stock engine) - you just need to plan and execute your build with those goals in mind.

Know what you want to achieve and budget for it. Ask a lot of questions before you chose your final build path. Truth be told, most of us have found that it takes twice as much money and at least twice as much time as we originally envision (that is how we talk ourselves into doing what we do!) . . . but it is worth it in the end!

If you really desire to go the street rod route, the best place to collaborate on that type of build in the HAMB (Jalopy Journal). The truth is, many of us have cars that are a good "fit" for both places . . . but we'd surely like you to keep your Merc as unmolested as possible! Your car looks very original - I'd try to keep it that way

Thank you. The only thing I don't want to keep original is the motor and gearing for the most part since i want it to be reliable on modern gas and usable as todays speeds. And in AZ, I need A/C. The previous owner has done a few things to it already, such a adding a fuel pump, crab dizzy, and changing it to 12v. If the motor is original, I wouldn't mind getting a second motor to hop up instead of this one.

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by glennpm

Smart man and words. Keep it original, you won't be sorry.

I will keep it as original as possible while making is usable for todays world. I saw one of these 39 sedans with way more done to it than i want to do to mine still go for $20,000. That was 350 SBC swap, positrac rear end, different steering column and wheel, two piece front seats, etc.

I just want modern day usability since i do not plan to make it a weekend only car. They are meant to be driven, and that's what i want to do. But the world is vastly different than almost 90 years ago.

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by Bored&Stroked

Thanks for coming to the Barn - it looks like you have a really great car to start with. It is rare to find any early Ford in that condition (at least from what I can tell). This is a great place for information as there are multiple folks here with 39-40 Mercs.

I cant wait to tap into that knowledge.

[ford38v8]

Originally Posted by AZMerc39

I will keep it as original as possible while making is usable for todays world. I saw one of these 39 sedans with way more done to it than i want to do to mine still go for $20,000. That was 350 SBC swap, positrac rear end, different steering column and wheel, two piece front seats, etc.

I just want modern day usability since i do not plan to make it a weekend only car. They are meant to be driven, and that's what i want to do. But the world is vastly different than almost 90 years ago.

Ken, Yes, I agree with your need of air conditioning in Arizona, so I guess it's a SBC in the works for you. That's the easiest way to get where you need to be.
Something else did catch my eye, though, something that most rodders never consider... you mentioned two piece seats? I take that to mean buckets? Don't for a minute think that any seat replacement could be anywhere near as comfortable as your stock Ford/Mercury seats of the era. Think twice before replacing your armchair luxury.

[Clem Clement]

[email protected]
Keith Lee

Keith makes great reproductions of knobs/steering wheels/horn button/etc. He made a '40 MERC button spare
for my car.
My son has my ' 40 4door convertible now. Love the car. Do you have the air heater? They are being reproduced now.
Clem

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Ken, Yes, I agree with your need of air conditioning in Arizona, so I guess it's a SBC in the works for you. That's the easiest way to get where you need to be.
Something else did catch my eye, though, something that most rodders never consider... you mentioned two piece seats? I take that to mean buckets? Don't for a minute think that any seat replacement could be anywhere near as comfortable as your stock Ford/Mercury seats of the era. Think twice before replacing your armchair luxury.

Im going to keep a Flathead in it. Im just saying thats what i saw. I will see of I can find it again. They were still larger seats, but not racing bucket seats

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by Clem Clement

[email protected]
Keith Lee

Keith makes great reproductions of knobs/steering wheels/horn button/etc. He made a '40 MERC button spare
for my car.
My son has my ' 40 4door convertible now. Love the car. Do you have the air heater? They are being reproduced now.
Clem

excellent, thank you! Mine is a bit damaged

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Ken, Yes, I agree with your need of air conditioning in Arizona, so I guess it's a SBC in the works for you. That's the easiest way to get where you need to be.
Something else did catch my eye, though, something that most rodders never consider... you mentioned two piece seats? I take that to mean buckets? Don't for a minute think that any seat replacement could be anywhere near as comfortable as your stock Ford/Mercury seats of the era. Think twice before replacing your armchair luxury.

Oops, it was a coup, not a sedan. But it actually went for $40k.
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...-coupe-custom/

[mfirth]

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I saw a picture of a 40s Mercury once with a small a/c unit mounted on an 8BA/8CM engine once, don't remember where. The engine had a small 4 barrel carburetor & aluminum heads. Just saying; someone's done it.

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by mfirth

I saw a picture of a 40s Mercury once with a small a/c unit mounted on an 8BA/8CM engine once, don't remember where. The engine had a small 4 barrel carburetor & aluminum heads. Just saying; someone's done it.

I know i saw some adapters for a compressor on speedway. But the Radiator is the bigger issue. I found some with condensers but not with the correct ports. So i am on the lookout for those still.

[glennpm]

https://vintageair.com/ford-1937-194...mount-bracket/

[glennpm]

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showp...4&postcount=14

Default Re: air conditioning on a flathead?
I put A/C on my 40 Ford more than 10 years ago. I have driven anywhere I desired without engine overheating regardless of the terrain or temperature. That includes over the Rocky Mountains, in August, to Bonneville from southern Georgia. That trip was with STOCK Ford waterpumps and STOCK Ford radiator. I installed a blow-through electric fan on the condenser to help the exchange rate at low speeds to provide cold air from the A/C. The fan is not used at highway speed and it is a restriction to maximum air flow. But, still NO OVERHEATING. I have since changed to a Walker radiator with their condenser because the stock radiator braces repeatedly broke loose from the top tank. I think the extra weight of the condenser and blow-through fan contributed to the breakage. I still have the stock waterpumps in place. I suggest the Walker radiator with their condenser because the recovery rate of the radiator is superior and the condenser is a nice arrangement. I built my brackets and special reinforcement gadget at the front of my aluminum intake manifold. These days there are brackets advertised in magazines(as noted above) and they should work OK. I would only add that some aluminum intake manifolds are not well designed at the generator mount so they might not handle the additional loading. The Edmunds on my car was one such example.

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by glennpm

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showp...4&postcount=14

Default Re: air conditioning on a flathead?
I put A/C on my 40 Ford more than 10 years ago. I have driven anywhere I desired without engine overheating regardless of the terrain or temperature. That includes over the Rocky Mountains, in August, to Bonneville from southern Georgia. That trip was with STOCK Ford waterpumps and STOCK Ford radiator. I installed a blow-through electric fan on the condenser to help the exchange rate at low speeds to provide cold air from the A/C. The fan is not used at highway speed and it is a restriction to maximum air flow. But, still NO OVERHEATING. I have since changed to a Walker radiator with their condenser because the stock radiator braces repeatedly broke loose from the top tank. I think the extra weight of the condenser and blow-through fan contributed to the breakage. I still have the stock waterpumps in place. I suggest the Walker radiator with their condenser because the recovery rate of the radiator is superior and the condenser is a nice arrangement. I built my brackets and special reinforcement gadget at the front of my aluminum intake manifold. These days there are brackets advertised in magazines(as noted above) and they should work OK. I would only add that some aluminum intake manifolds are not well designed at the generator mount so they might not handle the additional loading. The Edmunds on my car was one such example.

Thank you. Im going to have to try to find out which he used.

[38 coupe]

About a decade ago one of the local car club members in Houston restored a 41 Mercury sedan and added air conditioning using the Vintage Air mounting kit. The engine ran hot. He found he had to make brackets and move the condenser forward of the radiator, towards the grill. After moving the condenser everything was good. He sold the car after his wife quit riding with him on tours.
The car is now owned by friends of mine in central Texas, the wife drives the car daily to work even in the summer.


The point is you can have a mostly stock Mercury that runs on pump gas, goes reasonably fast (65 with stock gearing, 80+ with overdrive), and has air conditioning. As everyone above has said, you need to plan ahead, but it is worth it when everything works out.

[TomC750]

There was a '52 or so Ford pickup at Springfield - flathead with air. Did not look at setup close. I was likely getting too hot at the time with temp in the high 90's.

[Clem Clement]

Knob Soup [email protected] Lee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IESeHql

Keith does great work on knobs and horn buttons and steering wheels
Clem

[Brendan]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Ken, Yes, I agree with your need of air conditioning in Arizona, so I guess it's a SBC in the works for you. That's the easiest way to get where you need to be.
Something else did catch my eye, though, something that most rodders never consider... you mentioned two piece seats? I take that to mean buckets? Don't for a minute think that any seat replacement could be anywhere near as comfortable as your stock Ford/Mercury seats of the era. Think twice before replacing your armchair luxury.

i cant understand why people put in a diffrent seat in any old car, the ones they put in look very uncomfertable, and puts you into a weird position

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by 38 coupe

About a decade ago one of the local car club members in Houston restored a 41 Mercury sedan and added air conditioning using the Vintage Air mounting kit. The engine ran hot. He found he had to make brackets and move the condenser forward of the radiator, towards the grill. After moving the condenser everything was good. He sold the car after his wife quit riding with him on tours.
The car is now owned by friends of mine in central Texas, the wife drives the car daily to work even in the summer.


The point is you can have a mostly stock Mercury that runs on pump gas, goes reasonably fast (65 with stock gearing, 80+ with overdrive), and has air conditioning. As everyone above has said, you need to plan ahead, but it is worth it when everything works out.

It will be worth it to be able to drive in our summers here. I want to keep it mostly stock, but modern/daily usability is the goal. I have no idea if i have O/D or not. I will also need to upgrade the brakes, since it appears that i only have mechanical brakes. Someone up the road opted for the heater, but not the good brakes. I should also look to see if they came with any sort of insulation under the carpet, and headliner. If not, add some.

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by TomC750

There was a '52 or so Ford pickup at Springfield - flathead with air. Did not look at setup close. I was likely getting too hot at the time with temp in the high 90's.

Dont blame ya. Heat can be brutal.

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by Clem Clement

Knob Soup [email protected] Lee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IESeHql

Keith does great work on knobs and horn buttons and steering wheels
Clem

Thank you!

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by Brendan

i cant understand why people put in a diffrent seat in any old car, the ones they put in look very uncomfertable, and puts you into a weird position

Me either. I love these stock seats.

[tubman]

Originally Posted by AZMerc39

It will be worth it to be able to drive in our summers here. I want to keep it mostly stock, but modern/daily usability is the goal. I have no idea if i have O/D or not. I will also need to upgrade the brakes, since it appears that i only have mechanical brakes. Someone up the road opted for the heater, but not the good brakes. I should also look to see if they came with any sort of insulation under the carpet, and headliner. If not, add some.

Every '39 Merc (or Ford for that matter) I've ever seen has hydraulic brakes. What makes you think you have mechanical brakes?

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by tubman

Every '39 Merc (or Ford for that matter) I've ever seen has hydraulic brakes. What makes you think you have mechanical brakes?

Well, you see, I'm a bit of an idiot. I thought that because the res isn't where i'm used to them being. After doing to more research, it seems like its under the car somewhere? Unfortunately, the car isn't parked at my house due to a multitude of reasons, so I'm unable to crawl around it whenever i want. So i didnt see it on the firewall, so i assumed it wasnt there.

The second reason is when looking at rebuild kits for wheel bearings and seals, there were kits under the '39-40 Merc section that were optioned for mechanical brakes and hydro brakes.

[ford38v8]

Ken, you might be interested in knowing that when Ford introduced its hydraulic brake system in 1939, it took another 11 years to just equal the superiority of the mechanical (cable) brakes of its 1937-38 predecessor.
People assume that the hydraulics were better because they were a newer system, and perhaps there was some truth in that for other manufacturers, but Ford refused to pay royalties for a better system until 1949. Today, of course, disc brakes rule, but that conversion can get pricey.

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Ken, you might be interested in knowing that when Ford introduced its hydraulic brake system in 1939, it took another 11 years to just equal the superiority of the mechanical (cable) brakes of its 1937-38 predecessor.
People assume that the hydraulics were better because they were a newer system, and perhaps there was some truth in that for other manufacturers, but Ford refused to pay royalties for a better system until 1949. Today, of course, disc brakes rule, but that conversion can get pricey.

I see and appreciate the info. I wasn't going to OEM hydro, but look into doing a dual cylinder if i had to start without hydro. I probably still will somewhere in the process, as I was researching this forum to see what others have done.

[38 coupe]

Here are some pictures of the A/C install on the 41 Mercury I mentioned earlier. It is a Vintage Air kit if I remember correctly. You can see the distance between the grill and the radiator, the A/C condenser is close to the grill with an electric fan on the back.






Overdrive was technically an aftermarket option, a Columbia two speed axle kit. Columbia would ship the kit to your local Ford dealer for installation on your new car.

[mhsprecher]

Great car. Have fun with it.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by 38 coupe

Here are some pictures of the A/C install on the 41 Mercury I mentioned earlier. It is a Vintage Air kit if I remember correctly. You can see the distance between the grill and the radiator, the A/C condenser is close to the grill with an electric fan on the back.






Overdrive was technically an aftermarket option, a Columbia two speed axle kit. Columbia would ship the kit to your local Ford dealer for installation on your new car.

[Lanny]

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AZMerc39, welcome to the Barn. You mentioned possibly using a
modern drive train in your '39.
Keeping a Ford product in a Ford product would be a good choice.
Ford's 302/351 were very good and can be found with good trans.




.

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by 38 coupe

Here are some pictures of the A/C install on the 41 Mercury I mentioned earlier. It is a Vintage Air kit if I remember correctly. You can see the distance between the grill and the radiator, the A/C condenser is close to the grill with an electric fan on the back.






Overdrive was technically an aftermarket option, a Columbia two speed axle kit. Columbia would ship the kit to your local Ford dealer for installation on your new car.

Thank you. That car is gorgeous. Would i be able to tell from the axle or is there a different way to know if its installed?

Originally Posted by mhsprecher

Great car. Have fun with it.

Thank you! Im close to having all of main things i want/need to get for it sourced, so i can start working on it. Mostly new seals/gaskets/bearings etc. Still lots to do after, but getting the engine apart is higher priority.

Originally Posted by Lanny

AZMerc39, welcome to the Barn. You mentioned possibly using a
modern drive train in your '39.
Keeping a Ford product in a Ford product would be a good choice.
Ford's 302/351 were very good and can be found with good trans.

Thank you! I may have misspoken. I want to keep the flathead in it, but i am looking at modernizing it. Someone has already done the 12v conversion and put an electronic fuel pump on it. I know speedway has the valve set that says its supposed to help the cars run better on modern gas. Im by guessing by using modern materials that can tolerate the ethanol? Electronic rad fan to help when stuck in traffic. High flow oil pump. And i think i recall somewhere about being able to use the internals of a later model ford that are slightly more beefy but still fit into the 39 housing. A better diff gear ratio.




.

[ford38v8]

Ken, as you are on a path to learning, you must first acknowledge the major difference between advice gained from retailers and advice gained from those who have been there done that. Don’t get me wrong, we wouldn’t do well without our suppliers, but they do need to sell their products to survive, which means that some products are sold to those who may have been better off without them. For this reason, seek confirmation from the experts before laying out your hard earned money on parts and systems said to improve your drivability.
I won’t comment on each item you cite for “modernization” in your last post, but suffice it to be said that there’s a lot of money to be spent… or saved by good research.

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Ken, as you are on a path to learning, you must first acknowledge the major difference between advice gained from retailers and advice gained from those who have been there done that. Don’t get me wrong, we wouldn’t do well without our suppliers, but they do need to sell their products to survive, which means that some products are sold to those who may have been better off without them. For this reason, seek confirmation from the experts before laying out your hard earned money on parts and systems said to improve your drivability.
I won’t comment on each item you cite for “modernization” in your last post, but suffice it to be said that there’s a lot of money to be spent… or saved by good research.

Definitely good advice. Research is why i haven't spent any money yet, since I dont know whats good and whats not.

I did misremember what the description said. It was the hardened valves that they were talking about.
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/1932-...es,417787.html

But im not buying anything right now until i get the motor out and apart to see what kind of condition its in.

[38 coupe]

Ford had good hard valves suitable for unleaded gas in all the flathead V8s. The valves before 1949 had an odd design with a widened tip where they contacted the lifter and a split valve guide to make assembly possible. The split guides work, but allow some oil to be pulled up the intakes. The later guides and valves make assembly easier and burn a bit less oil. Many flatheads got the later valves installed over the years, I would look at what is in the engine already before spending money on new parts you may not need.


Ford had good hard valve seats from 1932 through 1950, then progressively eliminated the hard seats.


A Columbia rear axle is visually different from a standard axle, your car probably does not have one. Most 39-48 Mercuries came from the factory with 3.54 ratio ring & pinion, a favored higher speed gear set in the Ford crowd. Also, Mercuries from 1939 through 1941 had the drive shaft and pinion gear made as one part, making rear axle ratio changes more difficult. I recommend getting your car in driving condition and seeing how everything feels before making plans to change stuff. Driving the car will inform you what you needs to be repaired or changed.

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by 38 coupe

Ford had good hard valves suitable for unleaded gas in all the flathead V8s. The valves before 1949 had an odd design with a widened tip where they contacted the lifter and a split valve guide to make assembly possible. The split guides work, but allow some oil to be pulled up the intakes. The later guides and valves make assembly easier and burn a bit less oil. Many flatheads got the later valves installed over the years, I would look at what is in the engine already before spending money on new parts you may not need.


Ford had good hard valve seats from 1932 through 1950, then progressively eliminated the hard seats.


A Columbia rear axle is visually different from a standard axle, your car probably does not have one. Most 39-48 Mercuries came from the factory with 3.54 ratio ring & pinion, a favored higher speed gear set in the Ford crowd. Also, Mercuries from 1939 through 1941 had the drive shaft and pinion gear made as one part, making rear axle ratio changes more difficult. I recommend getting your car in driving condition and seeing how everything feels before making plans to change stuff. Driving the car will inform you what you needs to be repaired or changed.

Thank you. Taking the motor apart is definitely step one before i buy anything...aside from gaskets/seals. I do need to change the ignition to be able to get it driving again. Or remove and get the code and a new key, and reinstall. What size battery do these use? Mine is 12v already.

Interesting. I thought they had came with the 4.11s so thats good to know. Maybe that was only the Fords. I still have lots to learn. I do plan on taking the axle apart as well anyway because i saw some leaks from the diff when i was transporting it. Arizona destroys seals, especially the ones that arent being used from sitting which this was. I also need to get it on a lift to check wheel bearings and front end stuff like tie-rods.

[38 coupe]

If you are planning to tear into the engine you probably should identify which variation of Ford flathead V8 is in your car. If your engine is in good shape and runs decently I would leave well enough alone and enjoy what you have.
There are multiple versions that will work well, but take different parts. There is a thread here with a lot of information that can help you identify what you have: https://fordbarn.com/forum/showthrea...4280&showall=1

[Clem Clement]

SURE, LOOKS LIKE A '39 Merc. LOVE IT.

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by 38 coupe

If you are planning to tear into the engine you probably should identify which variation of Ford flathead V8 is in your car. If your engine is in good shape and runs decently I would leave well enough alone and enjoy what you have.
There are multiple versions that will work well, but take different parts. There is a thread here with a lot of information that can help you identify what you have: https://fordbarn.com/forum/showthrea...4280&showall=1

Good point! I haven't gotten around to that yet either which is also part of why i haven't bought anything. I think its supposed to be a 99 at 239CI, but that doesnt mean thats whats still in it. Ill check out that thread now.

EDIT. I meant to say 99, not 81A.

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by Clem Clement

SURE, LOOKS LIKE A '39 Merc. LOVE IT.

Thank you!

[AZMerc39]

I tried the search tool as i'm sure this question has been answered, but it wasn't bringing up anything. What oil do i need for the motor. From what I know it has to have zinc, should be conventional/non-synth. But do we have a prefered brand, winter, and how much do i need? I dont have a oil filter yet.

Also, What 12v battery do I need?

I want to see if i can get the merc started this weekend to see if i can find leaks.

[AZMerc39]

bump

[ford38v8]

Ken, modern multi grade detergent oil of any brand is far superior to anything available back in the day. Zinc additive is overkill for a Ford flathead, although needed for an early overhead or a flathead with a non-stock cam. Synthetic is excellent also but some guys report excessive oil drips in the driveway. 12 volt system conversions work, but are more of a bandaid than a fix, and present their own problems. 6 volt with clean tight connections works as original. With either, gel cel batteries are a favorite, but a simple inexpensive 6 volt can be had from a tractor supply store

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Ken, modern multi grade detergent oil of any brand is far superior to anything available back in the day. Zinc additive is overkill for a Ford flathead, although needed for an early overhead or a flathead with a non-stock cam. Synthetic is excellent also but some guys report excessive oil drips in the driveway. 12 volt system conversions work, but are more of a bandaid than a fix, and present their own problems. 6 volt with clean tight connections works as original. With either, gel cel batteries are a favorite, but a simple inexpensive 6 volt can be had from a tractor supply store

Thank you. I read to was suppose to avoid modern oil, so thats why i asked. Any recommendations?

Also, the car has already been converted to 12v prior to me, but idk what size fits in the tray.

[ford38v8]

Well, my built 59L engine used Mobil 1 10-40, driven all over these lower 48, never a problem. “ Your mileage may differ. “
I used an Optima 6v inside a Ford 2LF. Your battery would have originally been Ford 2HF. (IDK the modern designation)

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Well, my built 59L engine used Mobil 1 10-40, driven all over these lower 48, never a problem. “ Your mileage may differ. “
I used an Optima 6v inside a Ford 2LF. Your battery would have originally been Ford 2HF. (IDK the modern designation)

Thank you very much

[slowforty]

if you are looking for a 6 volt Optima Battery Try Amazon as they give you a discount on you purchase if you get their credit card

[tubman]

A lot of good answers, but I'm surprised at how many missed the battery voltage (and he told us twice!) For 12 volt batteries these days, I prowl the auto and big box store ads for the best deal (price and warranty).

I knew a guy years ago who bought a J.C. Penney battery with a "lifetime warranty". He must have gotten 7 or 8 new batteries before they went bankrupt (probably his fault).

[Ray in La Mesa]

I also bought a JC Penny lifetime battery for my '70 VW van (original owner). I'm on my 7 or 8 one now too. You can still get them on the warranty at Firestone if you have all your paperwork as they bought the contract. Last one I got was in 2023!

[AZMerc39]

Originally Posted by slowforty

if you are looking for a 6 volt Optima Battery Try Amazon as they give you a discount on you purchase if you get their credit card

I didnt think to look on Amazon.

Originally Posted by tubman

A lot of good answers, but I'm surprised at how many missed the battery voltage (and he told us twice!) For 12 volt batteries these days, I prowl the auto and big box store ads for the best deal (price and warranty).

I knew a guy years ago who bought a J.C. Penney battery with a "lifetime warranty". He must have gotten 7 or 8 new batteries before they went bankrupt (probably his fault).

Missing things happens. Looks like $109 is the cheapest I can find for a group 25 battery. After doing more digging, Group 25, and 35 appears to be the correct size, but 25 has the terminals the way i need them. Good enough to get it running. Ill have to fill up a fuel can to get some fresh gas to it.

Looks like I'm about 10 years too late for the JC Penny battery.

Originally Posted by Ray in La Mesa

I also bought a JC Penny lifetime battery for my '70 VW van (original owner). I'm on my 7 or 8 one now too. You can still get them on the warranty at Firestone if you have all your paperwork as they bought the contract. Last one I got was in 2023!

Lucky. haha