floorboard repair not restore

[Suspect]

I've been driving this 63 Mercury Meteor Wagon on a daily basis for just over a year and a half. It was toast when i saved it from being crushed, figured I could get some enjoyment out of it some way. I bought it just before winter, I figured if it lasted past winter I'd try to fix it up some. That never happened, just kept driving it. Well it was getting to the point where I was afraid to ride kids in the back seat. I was scared they would stand up and fall threw the floor while I was driving. Also the front seat mounts had finally broke out of the floor, I had a 18" rim in the back seat to keep the front seat from falling back.

 

Anyway, this is what I accomplished in about a days worth of work. I used mostly heavy duty shelves that was going to be scrapped at work and extra shelf railings. I also used alot of self tapping screws. The steel was free to me but the screws cost about $5.

 

[Suspect]

 

Other repairs I had to do before this is I had a leaf spring break threw the body on the drivers side. I fixed that with some 3/8 steel, bent to fit using a torch, and some good bolts. There is 3/8 steel inside the old frame rails and on the outside.

 

 

I also had the generator bracket break and the washer bag started to leak.

 

 

It looks like the only thing that might put this car down for good is the front sub frame rails. They hold the control arm and radiator, and they are not looking so good. These pics are what it was like when I bought the car.

 

 

Its going to be sad when the day comes when I can't do anything els to help the car. Its been an amazing car, put 50k on it in a year and a half. When i bought the car, I had to replace the fuel pump, install a partial carb rebuild kit, rebuild 2 wheel cylinders and fix the leaf springs because they kept falling out. Since I've been driving it, I've changed the front and rear shocks, water pump, generator brushes, soldier some of the radiator to keep it from leaking, intake gasket to slow down the oil leaks, ujoints, and fix the transmission tail shaft.

[hobbes_the_cat]

Wow that is some serious rust. Its cool that your just driving the wheels off it anyway. I like the early fords and mercs. I had a few 62 galaxies and a 62 Monterey when I was a teen. Tons of fun to cruise. Drive it till the body falls off! ;)

[spudly13]

Thats awesome! A little rust never hurt anyone, cool to see you just keepin it goin!

[DISLEXICDIME]

you are brave driving that thing. tube frame it !

[Suspect]

I have a habbit of driving old rusty vehicles. I drove one of my 73 620's that was toast. I drove it until the steering was binding up because the cab sunk. I even had wooden blocks between the cab and frame, but they eventually pushed threw. Also the rear bar that holds the shocks in back rusted clean off, just loaded it with 1000lbs in the bed to keep it from bouncing off the road.

[Suspect]

I hope to roll the wagon to 00000.0 for its first time. Its at 83338 atm. Its about due for a clutch as well. . :/

[mklotz70]

Holy cow x2!!! 1x for the rust..... 2x for the amount of miles you've put on it! Awesome!

[Suspect]

Thanks. I just pulled the motor out of it to replace the clutch. Now that the motor is out, I'm thinking I'm going to replace the oil pump and the timing chain as well. At least when the wagon finally collapses and I can't fix it, I'll have a good drive train for something els. Also just test fitted some new to me 17" wheels.

 

[bonvo]

why not take some time and actually fix it the right way? that way it will go well beyond the od rolling over its a cool wagon save it

[Uber Deaf One]

why not take some time and actually fix it the right way? that way it will go well beyond the od rolling over its a cool wagon save it

 

That rust looks pretty bad....

[Suspect]

I decided to change the oil pump to a high volume, having no oil pressure is kinda scary. I also decided I better change the timing chain as well. New Clutch installed, motor is ready to go back in.

 

The rust is real bad, most people would give up on it already. I'm just keeping the drive train up and running in case I find another one or an old school comet.