Fellas- I've got an opportunity to buy a '56 Merc 2 door hardtop, cheap. The guy says it needs a windshield, due to it being shot out. According to him, he had it running 2 years ago. The car does have a title. He said the cross member is badly rusted, but had planned on using a Camaro sub frame, and a Scrub motor to resurrect it it. He's since lost interest in the project. I guess the body is still very sound, from what he tells me. My question is doesn't/ didn't somebody reproduce cross members for these? Has anyone had any experience with them,and if so, How much coin do they get for one? (I can't stand the thought of ruining an old Merc by using a scrub's iron in it) I'm honestly not really in the market for another project, but always thought these Mercs were just too cool, and the price ... -Thanks- /Duck

BOO- YA!!!

A google search yielded this.  I haven't tried them.

Goodell fabrications 11986 S 267th E Avenue Coweta OK 74429 918-636-7071 They have two versions,one for a concourse restoration and a hot rod version and they are 299.95 postpaid I have seen NOS ones go for a bunch more and I paid almost for a used one. Jeff

Doug T

The Highlands, Louisville, Ky.

I used one of Goodell's X-members on a car a few years ago.It worked great,fit well and has been OK for many miles.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

Buy it if you want it or not. You won't have any trouble finding someone that is looking for one. It will save the car and perhaps make you a little money.

Last crossmember I saw sold for $325 and used ones have gone for $200 and up. Of course if you can't do the work yourself you will have to have it done. Not sure what that could cost, I did my own.

Please post a picture of the car.

Ol'ford nutCentral Iowa

56 Vic w/292 & 4 spd.

Duck,

I replaced the crossmember on my'56 with one from Goodel Fabrications in Coweta, Ok.

918-486-6498. Great service, called back to see if it worked, etc. Gary is who I talked to.

If I remember right it cost me about $75. to have it installed at a local frameshop. Good Luck

Location:Washington,Ia

Thanks for the info Fellas- I appreciate it, as always. I'm going to have to work around the seller's schedule, so I won't be able to look it over until this weekend at the earliest- I'm NOT looking forward to broaching the subject with the wife, but being as it's so near Christmas, I'm thinking along the lines of not saying anything 'til Christmas morning and getting creative with a big red ribbon and bow. If I'm not heard from on here buy, say, the first of the year, you'll know it all went horribly wrong ... /Duck

BOO- YA!!!

Might be able to get you a used one as a local junkyard has a pile of frames cut in half and I seen a couple 54 to 56 frames with usable crossmembers,I dont know if they are Ford or Merc frames but I think I heard the Merc crossmember might be different.

Butchering up everything I can get my hands on in Dayton Ohio

All types of ideas come to me when I read about getting creative with a big red bow. Good luck! If it works don't throw the bow away!

Ol'ford nutCentral Iowa

56 Vic w/292 & 4 spd.

I have bought 3 of the Goodall cross members. Two of them were on eBay from people who lost interest and I got bargains. They do not really look like originals, but in my opinion, they are much stronger than the originals. I replace control arm bushings while everything is so easy to get to. On the first one, I took all sorts of measurements to make sure I got it in the right spot. This proved to be unnecessary. I just cut the old one out, knocked the new one in until the gap was correct at the control arms and welded her in.

Kenneth

Fredricksburg, Texas