Good Morning Everyone: Pleasure to be here. I am a lifelong car guy with a collection of stuff. The sickness runs deep. Big hello to everyone on here with special mention to my good friends, Barry Obermeyer and Rick Farmer who have been passionate about wagons for much longer than I. Just purchased a 65 Mercury commuter from San Diego (not here yet). In the meantime purchased a local 66 Mercury colony park parts car. Hoping to upgrade the commuter a bit. Looks like most of the stuff will interchange. I may be surprised on that one once I get into it. Currently the two way tailgate is frozen shut with the rear window fully down. Won't open in any direction. Any advice would be appreciated. Found a post on here about a similar problem. Ultimate solution was cutting both latch pins on the right side. Hope to avoid that but looking inside the tailgate not much is happening when either handle is moved. Lubricated everything an used a few Jury rig approaches to move the linkage and mechanisms to no avail. Looks like cutting the pins is the only option. Interior trim panel covering the inside of the tailgate cannot be removed with the tailgate closed. O Joy! Hope all is well with everyone. Henry Lehmann
Well Henry, If you're a friend of Barry (Safari57) and Rick (The Rev), you're a friend of ours..... Welcome to the forum, and I'm curious as to what you'll do to that Mercury Commuter. Marshall
dispite the people you hang out with! Good luck on fixing that tailgate. That's one of the joys of having a station wagon.
What will I do to the commuter? Hi Krash: Thanks for the welcome. A lot will depend upon the interchangeability of the parts. I am banking on the fact that the two bodies are the same and most of the colony park trim will fit the commuter. If so, I plan to restore the wood side trim and install it on the commuter along with the roof rack some interior items like tilt column, power windows and seats, interior chrome windshield surround and maybe even the instrument panel trim. In the end, should have a mongrel that is different than most and appeal to neither colony park or commuter aficionados (LOL). Probably do some kind of surf wagon theme with some old style torque thrusts or Cragars, down in the weeds a bit (not bagged). Something I can bring the wife and dogs along with once in awhile. Wanted to find one with Air Cond. but didn't so might also install underdash style eventually if I don't find a "killer" Colony Park and move on to it. As a wise person once said: " a normal person will buy the car for 5k and sell it for 2.5k but a "car guy" will buy it for 5k and invest another 5k before selling it for 2.5k." Have a great week. H
As a wise person once said: " a normal person will buy the car for 5k and sell it for 2.5k but a "car guy" will buy it for 5k and invest another 5k before selling it for 2.5k." Have a great week. H As you know many of us are far from wise or normal! Gosh that must be boring!
...and Rev wants to be the one to be there with 2.5K to buy your wagon after your 10K investment (I don't think he has a 65 Mercury wagon yet). Welcome to the Station Wagon Forum. I hope you keep your wagon for a long time. Meanwhile, heres a link to a wheel vendors site that has a visualizing tool that includes a profile view of a 66 Colony Park. You can play around with wheel choices, ride height and body paint colors to help you visualize how your wagon will look when you're finished. http://www.newstalgiawheel.com/wheel_visualizer.asp
Wheel choices Thanks a lot Jim. Really appreciate the info. I was not looking forward to the "real life" trial and error part of choosing a decent wheel and tire combo. H
Henry, you have good taste in friends, and in wagons. Welcome! Looking at the bodies of the '65 and '66 Mercury wagons, I don't see any big body contour changes. The front fenders are different, but the changes take place at the forward edges and side vents. I can't see any problems with the woodgrain moldings fitting except, perhaps, at the vent area on the front fender of the '65, and it would probably only conflict in the smallest way, and you could maybe modify the molding a little. As for the interior items, everything interchanges...swap out all the upscale bits. The biggest body change between the '65 and '66 appear to be the tailgate area to accommodate the workings of the Magic Doorgate. And speaking of the Magic Doorgate (I love saying that), here's a link to how a totally stuck one was finally opened. http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=65360#post65360 I hope you will post some picks soon! David
Upgrading the Commuter Hi David: Thanks so much for the warm welcome and the information. You have pretty much nailed down all of the items I had zoned in on by studying pictures of the two bodies. So great to have such unbelievable support from all of you. My heartfelt thanks to all. H. Pictures to come.
Welcome aboard Henry...you do know you can pick your friends don't ya? Just joking 57 and Rev have given me good advice more than once! Oh and ModelT has also...had to sleep on the couch! Glad to have you, we have a pretty good group here!
New acquisition pix Thanks for the welcome 1tireman. Much appreciated. Some photos of the recent acquisition and the donor car
parts car It is a nice unmolested original but too much rust to contend with economically. I don't want to come back on here with an ad: 75k invested, sacrifice for 2.5k. Here is a pic of the other side. Engine and trans are gone. Interior needs a complete re-do. I forgot to include a picture of me firmly perched on the top of the slippery slope.
Since it will be somewhat custom anyway, maybe you could do something like the interior of the "Matt Helm" 65 Colony Park from the "Silencers" movie. The dogs would love to ride in the back.
