1956 MERCURY MONTCLAIR

When I was contacted about this clean resto-mod, we started talking about door popper install, and adding some tunes. By the time we got to the project, it turned into 100+ hours of making it all come together!

The mounting for the solendoid that opens the door had to be cut in to the space behind the window regulator. I like the "Z" rod for a secure attachment that can be worked on easily. I also installed and serviced the regulator, all the felt guides, and vent window, along with the door panel, and handles.

I like a functional trunk with a clean finished appearance. The space below the rear deck is a favorite place for amps, and woofers. With a fitted fill panel, and custom side panels, this trunk is better than stock!

This is the ugly part that the fill panel conceals. There's 2 amps 2-12" woofers, and a pair of 6 x 9s hidden behind the fill.. The box is ready-made holding 2 mtx woofers powered by a Rockford Fosgate 250a2, and we used an Orion 4-channel along with Orion 6 x 9s for the rear deck and 5 1/4s in the front kick panels.

Some extra features are the storage well with carpeted cover and side panel concealing the rear-mounted battery

With this much work underneath, we have to bring the music inside the car. The perforated rear deck with carpeted top, lets the sound flow without the distraction of speaker grilles to distract from the clean factory appearance.

We had to keep the look together for the front speakers also. These custom panels incorporated 64 Impala courtesy lghts.I don't have a good shot of the sheet metal work, but we created mounting boxes attached to the kick panels from behind to allow flush mounting behind the new panels, and protect the speakers from the Merc's open fenders.

The steering wheel details shows how an Ididit Billet column, topped with a customized 63 Buick wheel comes together with the Mercury head accent to make it all work.

The view across the car shows just how nicely the custom bits blend together. Did I mention it's a "Tilt" column? The glovebox conceals a modern single-din with remote, and usb input for skip-free listening. The antenna is actually mounted horizontally behind the dash, and has surprisingly good reception.

Here's all the people that brought this project together!

Last look as he's outa here!

You can never remember every bit that went into the years involved with a MAJOR project like this. From sourcing all the correct original parts, to the agonizing over each custom touch used to exceed the original design. You'll never see all the tiny touches like 3 bulk packs of extreme Dynamat, or the way the custom wiring was run behind the fenders to give the fantastic clean engine bay. Just running the wires, and cable backup into the driver's door can be a trick to get right without binding, or appearing out-of-place. Beyond the hours of restoring, and adjusting little things like the chrome flappers that fold over the top of the window glass, and the adjustment required to get the front and rear glass to match correctly. The finshed product is a testament to the incredible drive Greg used to bring this one home. Cars like this one aren't bought, they're EARNED!