My Mercury Pickup Truck

A place to post photos and discuss your car.
User avatar
ClutchFork
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 1935
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:55 pm
Cars: 2008 Fusion 2.3L manual
Location: Detroit MI

My Mercury Pickup Truck

Post by ClutchFork »

Latest mod to my beater. What would it be called if they had released these under the Mercury badge: Mountie?

Image

Image
Stick shiftin since '77
theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
User avatar
ClutchFork
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 1935
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:55 pm
Cars: 2008 Fusion 2.3L manual
Location: Detroit MI

Re: My Mercury Pickup Truck

Post by ClutchFork »

Did I show you guys my other mods, done about 1.5 years ago when the bed completely rusted off it's front mounts? Back mounts were rock solid though. The truck got squirrelly on highway curves with bumps because the bed is part of the frame cross member structure I guess. When I fixed it the handling tightened up nicely.

Here are the rusted mounts (much worse looking from below):
Image


Here is the fix:

New mount passenger side:
Image

Driver's side had fuel tank in the way so I used a J-hook like this:
Image


Then the bed seams (running front to back on either side, just inside the wheel wells) were rusty and flexing so to fix that and to futher mount the front of the bed, I ran an angle iron across the inside of the bed and I tied it in below:
Image

My friend, upon seeing these photographs, said that I would make a good farmer. Is that a cut or a compliment? :lol:
Stick shiftin since '77
theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
User avatar
ClutchFork
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 1935
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:55 pm
Cars: 2008 Fusion 2.3L manual
Location: Detroit MI

Re: My Mercury Pickup Truck

Post by ClutchFork »

Probably showed this before but since I am reminiscing about this old beater I may as well post these again. I hate how modern cars have to have these fat tires. My ranger specs 235 width tires, but ClutchDisks S10 had 205 as I recall. So I figured to get those narrow tires and some steelies. It came with 7" wide wheels and the steelies aer 6.5 inch wide.

Old tires on left, new on right:
Image

The impetus for this was that the stock wheels were badly rusted. Also I HATE those cheesey fake mag wheels that are carp stamped steel. I don't run hub covers because I want the rat rod look. If I had time I would paint the truck flat black with rattle cans.
Again, old on left, new and great-looking on right:
Image
Stick shiftin since '77
theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
User avatar
AHTOXA
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 14693
Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 6:31 pm
Cars: '19 4RUNNER TRD ORP
Location: Irving, TX

Re: My Mercury Pickup Truck

Post by AHTOXA »

I don't miss the rust of Midwest at all. At all.

As far as the fat tires, there are few downsides, really. More power in modern vehicles sort of commands fatter tires, but it's also about the look. The only downside of a fat tires I can think of is slushy snow, where it sucks you in more if you hit the slush with one side, but I'd never consider narrow tires just because of that. Modern winter tires do pretty well in the snow as well, so no need to run narrow tires either.
'19 Toyota 4Runner TRD ORP
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
IMBoring25
Moderator
Posts: 3418
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2003 5:01 pm
Location: OK, USA

Re: My Mercury Pickup Truck

Post by IMBoring25 »

Clicked...Left disappointed it was not an actual Mercury pickup truck, which I thought plausible for the OP.

Mountie would make sense. It follows the M naming convention and works with Ranger (which it can, i.e. Explorer/Mountaineer, but doesn't have to, i.e. Escape/Mariner).

I can think of two things about tire width...I'd expect some fuel economy penalty and significantly increased steering effort on a vehicle without power steering.
User avatar
theholycow
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 16021
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 1:36 pm
Cars: '80 Buick LeSabre 4.1 5MT
Location: Glocester, RI
Contact:

Re: My Mercury Pickup Truck

Post by theholycow »

Nice work on shoring up the rot without going overboard. I too kick it farmer-style with stuff like that, often...though I try to be more proper on the Buick. Anyway I'd probably use thicker angle iron.

Are the new tires the same height? I can't read them in the photos, but I'm guessing the old and new are both 75 series, so the new ones are a little shorter. Your speedometer/odometer will read faster than before.

If you use exactly the inflation pressure recommended on the door jamb sticker, you'll need to increase it slightly to meet the same standards. Here's a load-inflation chart. They're not brand-specific, they're standardized by industry.
https://toyotires-1524598101.netdna-ssl ... 170203.pdf

If Ford's specified pressure for 235/75-15 is 32psi, for 205/75-15 you'll need...uh, more pressure than P-series tires are supposed to have...or less weight.

Tirerack tells me that OEM size for the XLT was 225/70-15. If that was specified at 32psi and you went to 205/75-15 then you'll need 38psi.
1980 Buick LeSabre 4.1L 5MT

Put your car in your sig!

Learn to launch/FAQs/lugging/misused terms: meta-sig
watkins wrote:Humans have rear-biased AWD. Cows have 4WD
Rope-Pusher
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 11607
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 3:44 pm
Cars: '08 Jeep Liberty
Location: Greater Detroit Area

Re: My Mercury Pickup Truck

Post by Rope-Pusher »

Image

After seeing that skin condition it has, mebbe you should call it "Manger"
'08 Jeep Liberty 6-Speed MT - "Last of the Mohicans"
Rope-Pusher
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 11607
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 3:44 pm
Cars: '08 Jeep Liberty
Location: Greater Detroit Area

Re: My Mercury Pickup Truck

Post by Rope-Pusher »

There is something to be said for taller, narrower tires being preferable in mud, snow, or sand.

They have a better "approach angle" (The leading edge of the tire forms a shallower angle to mount over the obstacle, which includes the sand or soil in front of the tire, as well as rocks, tree branches, etc.)

They don't displace as much mateial as they roll, so they have less rolling resistance in gravel, sand, snow, mud, etc.

They have superior rim protecting powers (Thes are NOT the rims you seek!)

Speaking of taller and narrower, I was sprised at the outcome of this article:

http://blog.caranddriver.com/how-much-d ... d-mustang/

well, OK, maybe not larger diameter, but definately narrower tread.

Wooden it be a hoot to mount 4 of the spare tires on a 'Stang and go autocrossing? A good driver might make more of a difference than the tires!
'08 Jeep Liberty 6-Speed MT - "Last of the Mohicans"
User avatar
ClutchFork
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 1935
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:55 pm
Cars: 2008 Fusion 2.3L manual
Location: Detroit MI

Re: My Mercury Pickup Truck

Post by ClutchFork »

I figured it's a Mercury Mountie since in the old days they did have Mercury pickups and I think mostly in Canada.

I was mistaken on tire size.

The old wheels were 7" wide with 225/70/15s.

The new are 6.5" wide with 205/75/15s.

As you can see I went to a taller profile on the narrower tire and so the circumference was not significantly affected.
Stick shiftin since '77
theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
Rope-Pusher
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 11607
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 3:44 pm
Cars: '08 Jeep Liberty
Location: Greater Detroit Area

Re: My Mercury Pickup Truck

Post by Rope-Pusher »

InlinePaul wrote:I figured it's a Mercury Mountie since in the old days they did have Mercury pickups and I think mostly in Canada.

As you can see I went to a taller profile on the narrower tire and so the circumference was not significantly affected.
Circumference? Wasn't he the rotund member of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table?

Back in the day, motor vehicle production in Canada was affected by the trade policies such that they often made versions of one brand's vehicles that were branded as another brand's vehicles. Ford/Mercury blends came of this. Later trade agreements didn't care which side of the border vehicles were produced on as long as the number of vehicles crossing the borders as exports and imports were the same. This continued until NAFTA came along and vehicle production in Canada didn't have to correspond with vehicle sales in Canada.
'08 Jeep Liberty 6-Speed MT - "Last of the Mohicans"
User avatar
ClutchFork
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 1935
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:55 pm
Cars: 2008 Fusion 2.3L manual
Location: Detroit MI

Re: My Mercury Pickup Truck

Post by ClutchFork »

Rope-Pusher wrote: Circumference? Wasn't he the rotund member of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table?
Might have been in a Monte Python movie or something.

Just ran the comparison on the tires and my narrower tires are 1.1 percent smaller which is the direction I like to go for a slight boost off the line and to keep the police off of me on the highway as I will be going slower than my speedometer indicates. Additionally I read somewhere that the auto companies like to make the speedometer biased to read higher than actual speed to avoid liability.
https://tiresize.com/calculator/
Stick shiftin since '77
theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
Rope-Pusher
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 11607
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 3:44 pm
Cars: '08 Jeep Liberty
Location: Greater Detroit Area

Re: My Mercury Pickup Truck

Post by Rope-Pusher »

InlinePaul wrote:
Rope-Pusher wrote: Circumference? Wasn't he the rotund member of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table?
Might have been in a Monte Python movie or something.

Just ran the comparison on the tires and my narrower tires are 1.1 percent smaller which is the direction I like to go for a slight boost off the line and to keep the police off of me on the highway as I will be going slower than my speedometer indicates. Additionally I read somewhere that the auto companies like to make the speedometer biased to read higher than actual speed to avoid liability.
https://tiresize.com/calculator/
Tire revolutions per mile follow the trend of tire circumference, but not directly. For the same circumference, different tire brands will have different revs per mile due to tire construction differences. Still, calculating the circumference gets you into the ballpark (on opening day).

At one time, the Gubmint wanted improved speedometer accuracy, like to within 1%. The automakers petitioned, citing that worn tires will have higher revs per mile than new tires and differently-branded tires will have different revs pre mile and that, back in the days of speedometer cables, the speedo gear ratios were not infinite. You could make finer-pitched gears, but still there was some finite ratio that was typically not spot-on for what you needed to meet the government's speedo accuracy goals. The Gubmint backed down....Drivers just need to slow down to avoid tickets.
'08 Jeep Liberty 6-Speed MT - "Last of the Mohicans"
User avatar
ClutchFork
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 1935
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:55 pm
Cars: 2008 Fusion 2.3L manual
Location: Detroit MI

Re: My Mercury Pickup Truck

Post by ClutchFork »

Rope-Pusher wrote:Drivers just need to slow down to avoid tickets.
Slow Down? Where is the fun in that?
Stick shiftin since '77
theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
User avatar
bk7794
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 1561
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 3:16 am
Cars: 00 Civic (Stock)
Location: Central CT

Re: My Mercury Pickup Truck

Post by bk7794 »

How is it in the winter?

Also, Friggen love steelies.
2004 Honda Accord 2.4 5 Speed
1989 Ford Taurus SHO 5 speed
User avatar
ClutchFork
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 1935
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:55 pm
Cars: 2008 Fusion 2.3L manual
Location: Detroit MI

Re: My Mercury Pickup Truck

Post by ClutchFork »

bk7794 wrote:How is it in the winter?

Also, Friggen love steelies.
It acts like a rear wheel drive pickup in the winter. But I can't say I have been stuck. I do carry three big sandbags over the axle. The sandbags are mirrored in the tailgate in the second Mountie photo in my opening post. (6 bags, three mine, three Clutchdisk's.)

Yes, steelies are cool! They give it more of the rat rod look especially since the plastidip has worn off and now they are somewhat rusty looking (surface rust). I think the guy said they came of a Mercury Marquee.

Yet steelies can look very nice on a clean muscle car, painted to match the body cover, and sporting center caps.
Stick shiftin since '77
theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
Post Reply