The MegaMerc

[mitymerc]

Got it stripped, cleaned & primered on Sun.

Was going to paint it w/some grey cast engine paint that I had in the basement.....

But that green tape against the black primer looks intriguing, HMMM

Maybe I'll paint it NFG!

[mitymerc]

You can either use the original hard lines and make yourself a little bracket to hold the caliper hose, or you can install plumbing more along the lines of what the stock aero non-abs plumbing would look like. Your call, but I'd base it on the condition of the lines. On my car, the line at the back where it bends to go from the frame rail to the center hose was in bad shape, so we replaced all of it with new line running in the aero config. it also gets me down to 4 hoses in the system instead of 5 total (two on the front brakes).

Plus, I could not get the bolt out that holds the center hose to save my life. Its still in there with a piece of the original hose. The rest of that stuff has been chopped out.

Calipers are metric. If you use old sae lines from your original car you need adapters. Most important thing, echos Thain here, is the condition of the line. Any sign of corrosion it is not worth keeping. Get the newer coated line, still pretty cheap, or some are using the Nickel? line now. You do need the double flare tool to install the fittings.

So, probably the hot setup would be to form new metric lines from the calipers & use a T fitting w/an adapter to run a hose to the body?

I don't know what the original Aero lines looked like, anyone have a pic?

[jaywish]

No pic, but yes to your plan.

[Bobcat]

Oh man. I remember the very unhealthy condition of the Trac-Loc from the SF burnout... Did you notice them grinding or locking up around corners?

Paint your diff cover lime green.

You do some damn good and thorough work.

Continue

[mitymerc]

Oh man. I remember the very unhealthy condition of the Trac-Loc from the SF burnout... Did you notice them grinding or locking up around corners?

Paint your diff cover lime green.

You do some damn good and thorough work.

Continue

My sons were a big help in cleaning & painting, the 12 yr old also helped spray the primer.

We have a pinion support cover for it, I think we will keep it raw aluminum.

[mitymerc]

Paint!





Why does it say "service" on one of my axles? Hmm...

[mitymerc]

Do I have to do anything @ the mc dist block to compensate for the switch to discs?

[sly]

have to? no... some clean that mess up by removing it though.

[sxcpotatoes]

Do I have to do anything @ the mc dist block to compensate for the switch to discs?

You shouldn't have to, I had the disc rear from the '97 GM put in the '82 Mark VI and it stops fine, no lock up or anything to worry about at all. Front brakes do like 80% of the stopping anyway.

[mitymerc]

Thanks guys

[mitymerc]

Getting .0135 backlash on the ring gear, spec is .008-.015. I think I'm going to call it done.

[mitymerc]

Finally got some time to work on it... Rear is in brakes are bled, park brake adjusted, and just in time too, Insp is due by end of month.

I put the disc brakes on hold for now, didn't have time to keep messing w/it.

[mitymerc]

Repacked the rearend clutches last weekend. Used the 1 extra clutch method and a new s-spring

Pulled the tailshaft housing from the aod & swapped in a Transgo governor that I had from another project.

I hope it is supposed to spin freely around the shaft as it was tight on the original one and the harvested one.

When I took the drive shaft off the end was full of oil. Crap. Pulled it apart again last night. I hope to replace the pinion seal tomorrow after work, no time available today.

[mitymerc]

MegaMerc History….

Someone gave me an ’89 CVCS, it had no 4^th gear. I drove it 4.5 hrs home in 3^rd gear. While I was under the car I realized it was seriously rusted out. Then I discovered that the Lincoln trans I had didn’t fit. It was parted it out, BUT as we all know, “Once you’ve gone Panther you can’t go back”.


I spotted a GMCP sitting in a gas station nose up. It sat there for a few months and was then moved to the back of the shop. Turns out a cust brought it in to be repaired but didn’t want to pay for the head gasket job. The station used it as a parts runner until it got too bad for even them to drive it. The engine was yanked. The Exxon station then became the cust that didn’t want to pay for the repair. The rebuild cost was too high. I stopped in & negotiated the purchase for a grand total of 310 dollars. I paid it off slowly as I had nowhere to put it… When I was ready I paid it off & had it dragged home.


The plan was to use an HO LSC engine that I had in storage. For some long forgotten reason I had removed the upper intake plenum. Unbeknownst to me, the roof in the storage sprung a leak directly over the engine. When the time finally came to resurrect the HO, for it’s transplant it was locked up solid (as well as being full of water…After much effort, several weeks, lots of patience and liberal applications of various penetrating oils, then ATF. It finally broke loose.

The first time I drove it on the highway it overheated badly (Sound familiar ScottFest Drag Day attendees?) thanks to a clogged radiator and reverse rotation waterpump. With that sorted out it has been on the road since 2002 with not much more than routine maintainence/repairs (other than destroying 2 rears that is).


My Wife has won trophies drag racing the MegaMerc. I have won money @ the strip with it and it has been run in burnout shows. Ask anyone that attended SF 2014 if it can do a burn out LOL.


The MegaMerc has many times been utilized as a truck hauling dozens of sheets of ¾” particleboard for work and 600+ pound scrap runs. It truly is a cool car.

[P72Ford]

Great back story on this car. Its astounding that you were able to unseize the engine, and have been using it for 13 years!

I love to read stories where people have had years of reliable service from something that they haven't had to invest much into.