Post to the EFV-8 Forum
Post Classified Ads
Shop the Online Store

User Login

Not Registered Yet? Click Here to Sign Up!

Early Ford V-8 Club Forum

FORUM RULES: Users agree to these Rules when using Forum.

The site administrator reserves the right to change the terms and conditions of the user agreement without prior notice to the user. It is the responsibility of the user to regularly review the terms of this agreement.

The user agrees to the following terms:

All information that you provide to us for your membership is correct.
You will not use your membership to spam, harrass, or exploit other members in any way.
Vulgar, Abusive, Racist and Sexist Language will not be tolerated.
Commercial-type sales postings will not be allowed.
No mass posting or flooding of the boards is allowed.
No Advertising of parts or cars; no Ebay or business/commercial ads (please use the "Classified" for ads Wanted or For Sale).
VIEWING MULTIPLE TOPICS ON SCREEN: You can choose to see more than 10 Topics at a time ... Log In and choose "Preferences" from the top bar on the Forum page. Scroll down and Change the "Default Topics Returned" parameter to 25 or 50, and save the changes. Since this setting is stored in your browser 'cookies' (if enabled), it seems to use that stored value even if you are not logged in. So, if you use a PC that you haven't logged into the forum from, the setting still seem to remain at the default.
EXTERNAL PHOTO LINKS ON FORUM: You can still use external photo links in your posts on the new forum. They follow the rules of any link in that they have to have the URL link qualified down to the full image file name (example: .jpg). The links will open in a new browser window, the same as an uploaded image attached to a post. Since an image attachment to any post does not display inline with the post, the results are the same. You can use multiple external links within a post. This link is from photos on a site from Don Clink's 'Deuce@75' albums:

http://donclink.com/deuce_75_1/images/dscn2950.jpg

Using links from photo sites such as Photobucket can help in "size" issue with uploaded attachment files. For best viewing in web browsers, photos should be around the 800x600 pixel range, and probably not more than 1024x768. Most cameras today store HUGE jpg image files, as the default settings are in the 7, 8, 10, and 12Mb image sizes. The image files that are then attached are very large, and the browser can't display the full image size without using the scroll bars. Use the re-sizing functions of your photo editing software to reduce the image to 800x600, which reduces the file sixe and the image load time in the browser. Don uses Google's free Picassa3 software, which is an excellent photo management product. All of the photo albums of the Deuce, Grand National, and Auburn that are links on the NORG site were built using Picassa's web creation functions. And it's free? (THANKS to Don Clink for the info!)
HOW DO I SHOW MY EMAIL ADDRESS ALONG WITH MY USERNAME? You can LogIn on the Forum, and select PREFERENCES. On this page Members can add optional information such as their City,State, Country; Occupation; Hobbies: list a Homepage; list AOL Instant Messanger Handle; Signature; "Make Email Address viewable to others;" and even change the number of Default Topics shown on a page. WHEN others click on your profile, they will see this information.

EFV-8 Club Forum / General Mercury Discussion / Old guy, old Merc, new member

Reply to Discussion | New Discussion

<< previous || next >>

Posted By

Discussion Topic: Old guy, old Merc, new member -- page: 1 2

ford38v8

07-13-2012 @ 12:18 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 2736
Joined: Oct 2009

Bill, before you turn too many wrenches, you need to know that some things have changed since you last drove your car. Batteries, fuel system parts, oil, all these have changed, so ask questions before you buy stuff that is not gonna be the best for today's driving. Have you joined the club yet?

Alan

W.B.Ervin

07-13-2012 @ 5:11 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 9
Joined: Jun 2012

Appreciate the sound advice Alan. All I've really done is locate parts at the various online stores. I found the Vanpelt site very helpful, it even has a methodical procedure spelled out step by step for starting up a flathead that's been sitting a long time. I was going to spring for the rebuilt fuel pump because that was bad even when I bought the car. Previous owner installed an electric back-up pump controlled by toggle under the dash.

This is the battery I was going to purchase:

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_x_2020041-P_x_x?cm_mmc=CSE-_-NexTag-_-VALUE3-_-VALUE4&srccode=cii_9324560&cpncode=33-64588965-2#utm_source=cse&utm_medium=nextag&utm_campaign=value3&utm_content=value4

And the membership is pending receipt of the snail mail application.

ford38v8

07-14-2012 @ 12:10 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 2736
Joined: Oct 2009

Bill, your pick for a battery is good, but I will give you a couple of alternatives:

http://www.antiqueautobattery.com/batteries/ford/2LM.html

The above link to Antique Auto Battery shows a Concourse correct battery for your car. You may wish this level of correctness.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/optima_products/redtop/specs.php

The above link to Optima shows the best quality battery available, but will require camoflage as installed. Some of the batteries offered by the previous link are actually the Optima with camoflage. Yours is not one of those. I advise comparison of the manufacturers specs and warranties.

The electric pump installed by the previous oiwner is likely not serviceable for gasoline laced with ethanol as supplied in today's market. You must specify "alcohol resistant" when ordering your pump. Use a fuel filter before, and a pressure regulator after: set it to 2psi. Use worm gear clamps, never use spring clamps as provided with pumps and filters.

The same alcohol resistant requirement applies to mechanical pump diaphrams, flex fuel lines, and carburetor rebuild parts. The best flex line is available through the club magazine V8 Times, mechanical pump diaphrams from several suppliers, and carburetor rebuilds must be with original leather for accelerator pumps, steel for inlet valves, and the modern power valves must be modified (machined) flat at the base of the threads to make an effective seal.

You may at some point in the future have issues with rust in your tank and/or fuel line. Original copper plated steel fuel lines are available, and alcohol resistant gas tank slosh sealers are available.

Key to all of this is to specify alcohol resistant parts. Do not use teflon thread sealers, not needed, and will clog passages.

Alan

This message was edited by ford38v8 on 7-14-12 @ 12:25 AM

W.B.Ervin

07-15-2012 @ 8:15 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 9
Joined: Jun 2012

That's a ton of useful information Alan! I'll give the vintage battery replica outfit a call Monday when they're open.

Thank you, Bill

TomO

07-15-2012 @ 5:57 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 7243
Joined: Oct 2009

Bill, Alan gave you some very good information, but some of it may not apply to your car. Alan and most of the rest of us on this Forum are more familiar with the 32-48 Ford and Mercury cars, than the 49-53 cars. The 49-53 cars are quite different than the earlier cars and the Mercury is not just a stretched Ford.

Ford went to steel lines with an aluminum colored coating some time after 1948. Before you buy a copper coated fuel line check with the V-8 Clubs 49-51 Mercury adviser. It is very likely that your line has rust on the inside and your tank probably rusted on the inside also.

The carburetor information that he gave does not apply to your carburetor, except for buying alcohol resistant parts.

Because you car is so original, I would have the fuel pump rebuilt. If yours is the dual action pump, I suggest someone like Ken Isador in Connecticut. The dual pumps are difficult to get right. Ken can also rebuild your carburetor if necessary. I suggest that you have your core rebuilt, rather than an exchange. The 49-51 Mercury carburetor core are hard to find and there are more junk ones than serviceable ones available.

Alan did not explain why most of us prefer the Optima battery. It is a sealed gel cell battery. The wet cell batteries seem to generate rust on the battery tray and surrounding metal, no matter how diligent you are in keeping the area clean. The gel cell batteries do not do this and have the additional advantage of more cold cranking power available. The gel cell batteries tak much longer to self discharge that the wet cell batteries. In fact they take so long to show any discharge, that most people think that they do not self discharge. They must be charged a slower rate that the wet cell batteries, especially when the have lost half of their charge.

Tom

ford38v8

07-15-2012 @ 7:05 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 2736
Joined: Oct 2009

Bill, Tom is right about my area of knowledge, my car is a '38 Ford and the last time I had a post war Ford was when I was a kid!

Tom's the guy to listen to on this stuff anyway, he's a fighter, I'm a lover.

Alan

TomO

07-16-2012 @ 6:17 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 7243
Joined: Oct 2009

Alan, You usually have very good advice, but as you know, the 49-53 Mercury carburetors are quite different than the Fords.

I am not a fighter, just like to have information as correct as I know how.

Bill, I forgot to add the basic rule of wrench turning on these old cars. It "if it is not broke, don't fix it". The new parts available for these cars may not work as advertised, so replacing a part just because it is old can lead to problems. Only change one part (8 plugs is considered one part) and then test the car before proceeding with any other parts replacement.

Tom

W.B.Ervin

07-17-2012 @ 8:08 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 9
Joined: Jun 2012

Thanks guys, plenty to consider and keep me busy.

Tom, I'm a runway repairman for the Dept. of Aviation, our rule of thumb (jokingly) is "If it ain't broke we'll keep fixing it until it is!"

Maybe the battery solution is to simply replace the red-top 6 volt Optima with another because I can do that locally, return the core etc. Then, if I do ever attend a Merc/Ford rally in the future, pick up the period-correct battery for show use.

Bill

TomO

07-17-2012 @ 9:49 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 7243
Joined: Oct 2009

Bill, My Optima is installed inside a Ford wet cell battery case, so it looks original. Check with Antique Auto Battery to see if they offer this option on the Mercury battery. If not see if they will sell you a case. You can make the top.

They do offer it with the Ford Script battery.

Here is a link to an outfit that offers the Optima in the Mercury case.

http://restorationbattery.com/2hm.html

Tom

This message was edited by TomO on 7-17-12 @ 9:55 AM

<< previous || next >>

PAGE: 1 2

NOTE: YOU MUST BE A REGISTERED USER AND BE LOGGED IN TO POST (and reply to) messages in this forum. If you are a first time user, please click the CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT in the masthead above to register and Log In. After that, all you do is LOG IN to enjoy using this site.

DISCLAIMER: The V-8 Club does no independent testing of any of the opinions, thoughts or suggestions presented in the website on the Forum, in the Tech Tips section, or any section. A reader should consider the website to be a forum wherein differing solutions to a particular set of circumstances may be discussed. Ultimately, the selection of an item for an individual's vehicle must be based upon the independent study of the vehicle owner in consultation with people in the hobby and restoration experts.

Early Ford V-8 Club Forum

Merchandise Questions

Membership Questions