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Lowering a '49 mercury

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  • Member since
    November 2018
Posted by oldermodelguy on Thursday, December 27, 2018 10:46 AM

On the front you can probably cut the spindles free that the wheels mount to and raise them up 1/16-1/8inch and glue back on the upright. The correct way in the rear is lowering blocks between the axle and springs. If you have a good X acto razor saw you can make pretty quick work of this assuming the parts are styled cooporatively .

For me personally, specifically with the 49 Merc would be to boil the whole thing in a pan of water and mash it all down with a good stout block of wood and a hammer and call it fully lowered for ever.

Serious again, what you propose to do in lowering the body to the frame and underbody is called channeling. There are a host of things that need cutting and trimming and blending to pull that off to a convincing result. One thing beyond the wheel wells would be the interior shell. Probably not on your Mercury but in some cases the engine hits the hood. But this is something real and performed on real cars too. Here is a page of links and Wiki description: https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1&q=channeling+a+car+body

A picture of the X Acto Razor Saw ($13 and change at amazon): Xacto X75300 Precision Razor Saw Set

  • Member since
    June 2010
  • From: Australia
Posted by OctaneOrange on Wednesday, December 26, 2018 8:26 PM
really the best way is going to add an extension to the axle (26) so you can cut off the axle mount and re-attach it up higher. shortening the springs so the cross-member will sit on the chassis will only give a tiny bit of lowering.
  • Member since
    November 2018
Posted by gearjammer on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 3:51 AM

Thanks but to be honest the more suggestions I get the more it looks like I may just say the hell with it and leave well enough. I thought my idea might have worked but  I guess I was wrong.

Bob

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 1:57 AM

I've never done this sort of work but for the front, looking at the instructions if you put a block of size X where part #25 attaches to the frame (and 24 on the passenger side) in step 3 and then cut the springs (part 27) in step 4 by X seems it would do the trick.  Not sure about the rest of the geometry.  For the rear you'd have to do surgery on part 34 on the blocks that join the leaf springs to the axle housing, trim the shocks and deal with the drive shaft. Alternatively, and not functionally accurate, you could relocate the pins in step 8 - kind of like how eccentric bushings work.

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    November 2018
Posted by gearjammer on Monday, December 3, 2018 7:27 PM

No problem.I have the complete directions for the car,I'm just trying to see if there is a simple way to lower the car.

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Nashville, TN area
Posted by bobbaily on Monday, December 3, 2018 7:14 PM

Forgive me for jumping in, but check this link-from the Revell site-great resource for instructions for Monogram/Revell kits

http://manuals.hobbico.com/rmx/85-2860.pdf

 

Bob

 

  • Member since
    November 2018
Posted by gearjammer on Monday, December 3, 2018 5:33 PM

I downloaded that program but now I have to figure out how it works so please bear with me. Sorry but what the hell do I do now? I found one of the pictures of the directions,I clicked upload the a window came up with source and location on it what now? I'll check back in a while.Got some other stuff to do.

  • Member since
    September 2017
  • From: western North Carolina
Posted by kensar on Monday, December 3, 2018 11:31 AM

I use Postimage. It's free but there are ads.

Kensar

 

  • Member since
    November 2018
Posted by gearjammer on Sunday, December 2, 2018 12:29 PM

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'll have to do some thinking before I do anything.

Kensar,I'm unable to send you copies of car plan. When I try to sign in I et an error message that sign in failed. BTW- what photo hosting site do the majority of yor  use?

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Sunday, December 2, 2018 11:41 AM

gearjammer

Thanks for the reply Don. I was thinking,what if before I attached the wheels permanently I removed part of the upper parts of the wheel wells allowing the wheels to be raised enough to lower the body? Let me know what you think.

Bob

 

I didn't need to cut into wells, but I only lowered it less than 1/16.

 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: New Braunfels , Texas
Posted by Tanker - Builder on Sunday, December 2, 2018 9:36 AM

Hi Gearjammer;

   Listen, if you turn the spindles upside down this will help . At the rear remove Both the front and rear spring hangers . If you want the front lower then do this .Take an axle from a twentynine fore and use those spindles .Glue then to the upper arms with a spacer below .I don't think you can do anything with the fender wells .

    When I lowered mine I cut off the front suspension pieces and replaced them with Corvette items .

  • Member since
    November 2018
Posted by gearjammer on Saturday, December 1, 2018 4:08 PM

I'll try but right now Flickr is giving me fits. This web site says I need to host pictures at a hosting site so I'm trying Flckr 'cause it's free.

  • Member since
    September 2017
  • From: western North Carolina
Posted by kensar on Saturday, December 1, 2018 3:52 AM

If you could post the instructions showing the front suspension parts we may be able to offer more suggestions.

Kensar

 

  • Member since
    November 2018
Posted by gearjammer on Friday, November 30, 2018 5:18 PM

Thanks for the reply Don. I was thinking,what if before I attached the wheels permanently I removed part of the upper parts of the wheel wells allowing the wheels to be raised enough to lower the body? Let me know what you think.

Bob

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Friday, November 30, 2018 8:54 AM

I lowered the rear just a little by hacking on the spring mounts.  The front would be a bear to lower.  You would have to hack the uprights and spindles, I think.

 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    November 2018
Lowering a '49 mercury
Posted by gearjammer on Thursday, November 29, 2018 2:30 AM

I just bought a Revelle '49 mercury that I would love to lower the front and rear but I can't seem to find out how to do it if possible. I found videos on how to do a couple of other model cars but not this one. Anybody ever try lowering this car? Looking at the directions I have my doubts. Let me know if anyone has ideas.

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