Hi, new guy here. Just had my Mercury M3 pickup dropped off. I can confirm that I was watching those car auctions late one night. Yes there was a full moon. Alcohol was involved.
I then proceeded to go on the computer and presto changeo and Bob's your uncle, I owned an Mercury pickup from Canada. I can tell that it has a hydraulic pumps under the original pickup bed for a dump bed, a flathead with 24 studs each side, 7-50 x 17 inch tube tires with split rims. The bolt pattern is 5 x 6-7/8 on what looks like a 15 inch rim with a 1 inch band around said rim for 17 inch with 122 inch wheelbase.

I am basically trying to figure what I want to do with it. What I would like is a daily driver. I am retired and I don't want to actually haul anything bigger than weekly groceries and the occasional trip to the orange & blue box stores. I have asked around and there is 2 trains of thought.

#1 Restore it back to original or else be burned as a witch. I don't think I want to sink money into something that will ride like an empty 1 ton truck with 73 year old suspension, steering, and brakes as a daily driver.
#2 I have been told and then watched hours and hours of old ford pickups from the 50's to the 70's put on crown vic frames (usually old police cars bought at auction) from YouTube
and the like or else be burned as a witch. I don't think that I want to do that either.

This is what I do want. #1 Not to be burned as a witch. #2 Is there a middle ground frame swap that would give me more modern suspension, brakes, & steering. I would try to utilize the flathead, combine it with a manual trans, and rear end with highway gears for comfortable cruising. AC would be a must and some sort of sound system. If I did this I would keep the old frame, refurbish it back to stock and store it for reuse or possibly sell it to a purist if there was a market for it. Being retired this could possibly be my 'Last' vehicle. It is big enough that I would feel comfortable in it. I wouldn't worry about parking lot dents as everyone else's doors would hit my running boards.

So is there a middle ground? Any thoughts of what could be utilized from say the 90's on up with the concept of not using a boatload of computers to make this work? Something that I could go to the local part stores for consumables?

Inquiring minds want to know.
Thanks
Mike

 

Hey Mike...Welcome to FTE.... There is a guy in Canada who has restored both a '56 Panel...and...a '56 Pickup. He's a wizard. He's currently just starting a '56 Mercury M350 that he picked up last fall. Check out his Merc Build Thread.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ld-thread.html

Here's his panel...

https://www.ford-trucks.com/g/album/889943

And...here's his pickup...

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ld-thread.html

I'm sure that if you reach out to him via PM...he'll be able to give you some advice.

WARNING...His build threads are addictive!!!

 

Attachment 277521

 

Except for all of the burning, sounds like a good project!

Welcome aboard!