# My first classic bike project. 1937? Mercury tank bike



## irene_crystal (Apr 14, 2011)

I just got a pic of the bike I bought with more parts on it I wanted to post here. It is being shipped out today and I plan to start restoration as soon as it gets here. It will need some parts so if you seen anything missing you know you have please contact me! (headbadge, pedals, seat, rear rack, fender light, rear fender reflector, stem and grips). I do have a lead on some parts I will buy as soon as I take possession. He said the chrome is in real good shape under all that ugly gold paint which will be my first project. Any thoughts on how to get that off the easiest would be appreciated. New whitewalls are on the list to replace those crappy tires as well.


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## irene_crystal (Apr 14, 2011)

Oh yeah, and the pic above has the old bent fork in it, he replaced it with a new correct one that will ship with it.


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## markivpedalpusher (Apr 14, 2011)

Wow you purchased a bike congrats and good luck with the resto!


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## scrubbinrims (Apr 14, 2011)

Nice project, but curious if you are sure it is a Mercury branded bicycle and not, let's say a Murray made Elgin?
Just want to be sure you pursue the correct headbadge.

I clean rims with acetone (use thick rubber gloves).


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## slick (Apr 14, 2011)

I use aircraft paint stripper. The strong smelly stuff you can buy at Home Depot. The other strippers i've used take too long and take multiple coats over and over to get all the paint off. I'm curious why someone would paint over good chrome? Sounds fishy. I would use "OOO" grade steel wool after the paint is stripped to polish off any rust that's on the chrome. Then throw some wax to reseal the chrome or rust will bite back in at some point.


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## irene_crystal (Apr 14, 2011)

scrubbinrims said:


> Nice project, but curious if you are sure it is a Mercury branded bicycle and not, let's say a Murray made Elgin?
> Just want to be sure you pursue the correct headbadge.
> 
> I clean rims with acetone (use thick rubber gloves).




Not sure how to tell. The guy listed it as a mercury and I have seen pics that look exactly like that badges as Goodyear mercury, and Belknap mercury bikes. Any suggestions on how to tell would be great.


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## bud poe (Apr 14, 2011)

If you plan on getting new grips I'd like to purchase those red grips from you...
Congrats on the new bike, I know you've been searching for a while...welcome to "the madness"!


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## irene_crystal (Apr 14, 2011)

bud poe said:


> If you plan on getting new grips I'd like to purchase those red grips from you...
> Congrats on the new bike, I know you've been searching for a while...welcome to "the madness"!




I will let you know. I have seen pics that show the style on the bike now is correct, and ones that show the pointed style are correct. I'm sure the pointed is correct and thats what I'll go with.


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## Larmo63 (Apr 14, 2011)

Looks exactly like the Elgin that Rustyspoke had listed the other day. Memory Lane has Elgin grips and There is a guy on Ebay right now who make BEAUTIFUL Elgin headbadges.


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## irene_crystal (Apr 14, 2011)

http://www.nostalgic.net/pictures/bicycle156/460.htm is a link that shows a Mercury that looks exactly like this one as well and how I plan to base the restoration on.


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## irene_crystal (Apr 15, 2011)

The bike is due to get to me on Tuesday or Wednesday.. I guess the correct pedals would be torrington #8, the seat is a long spring messinger saddle, and E.A. Laboratories torpedo headlight that I am looking for. I will be able to tell more when I get it. Anyone else have any suggestions on how to tell what the correct head badge is since I was told it was a Mercury and there are comments that it may be Elgin? I've seen pics of both and both look very very close except this does not have the toolbox tank.


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## fordsnake (Apr 17, 2011)

Congratulations on your purchase...did you see http://www.thecabe.com/arc/prewarbal...937%20Mercury/


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## fordsnake (Apr 17, 2011)

Try this onehttp://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?14704-For-Sale-1937-Mercury-built-Goodyear-Wingfoot-bicycle


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## irene_crystal (Apr 17, 2011)

fordsnake said:


> Try this onehttp://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?14704-For-Sale-1937-Mercury-built-Goodyear-Wingfoot-bicycle




I did see that one, and I LOVE how rough it is. I wish mine had some of the extras that this one has!


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## fordsnake (Apr 17, 2011)

Are you going to restore to original, or push it like the Rat Schwinn? If you decide to go outside the norm i can suggest a few paint schemes and designs.


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## irene_crystal (Apr 17, 2011)

fordsnake said:


> Are you going to restore to original, or push it like the Rat Schwinn? If you decide to go outside the norm i can suggest a few paint schemes and designs.




The plan for now it to go original with it, but if you have something exciting that might change my mind let me know... I really do love that Goodyear Mercury bike and wish it was a little cheaper and I might own two Mercury bikes!


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## irene_crystal (Apr 19, 2011)

Got the bike today and it is a bit rougher than I expected, but I will still do something with it one way or another. He didn't ship a few original parts with it he said he would that were not on the bike as pictured and actually didn't send the stem or a few other small mounting pieces so it will be a bigger project than I expected that way as well.
 The parts I now know I would need to do an original restoration are-
-Correct Stem
-Correct Seat and Seat Post
-Correct Rear Rack (he sent one but it is a bit bent, missing all the mounting stuff and one of the tabs at the back is broken off)
-Correct Torrington 8 pedals
-Correct peaked style crank (the one has half of it correct and the other side has some random crank arm on it)
-Correct fenders (he sent some but are way rougher than expected and beyond my bodywork expertise)
-Correct Chain Gaurd (he sent one that I may be able to work with, but again it is damaged and would like to see if I could find one in better shape first)
-Correct Handlebars (he sent some which he said were correct, but they don't look like any of the pictures I have seen anywhere)
-Correct Headbadge

Lots more than I expected.... Any thoughts or votes on if I should continue with the original restoration or go custom with it at this point needing all these items? I would still like to go OG style if I could get all these parts reasonable but it wouldn't kill me if it is not worth enough to not go custom.


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## JRE (Apr 19, 2011)

Post a picture of the bike.


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## irene_crystal (Apr 19, 2011)

JRE said:


> Post a picture of the bike.




I can post another pic or two tomorrow but there is also a pic in the very first post on this thread.


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## scrubbinrims (Apr 19, 2011)

I think many of the components you are looking for are standard on many bikes of the period, so it is a good idea to hunt them down regardless of your direction.
Once you post some pics of the components, I'll see if I have something that would be correct.
The headbadge will be your toughest challenge and ya gotta have it.
Chris


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## irene_crystal (Apr 19, 2011)

scrubbinrims said:


> I think many of the components you are looking for are standard on many bikes of the period, so it is a good idea to hunt them down regardless of your direction.
> Once you post some pics of the components, I'll see if I have something that would be correct.
> The headbadge will be your toughest challenge and ya gotta have it.
> Chris




A bike with pics of the correct componets is at
http://www.nostalgic.net/pictures/bicycle156/460.htm
http://www.nostalgic.net/pictures/bicycle156/461.htm
http://www.nostalgic.net/pictures/bicycle156/462.htm
http://www.nostalgic.net/pictures/bicycle156/463.htm
http://www.nostalgic.net/pictures/bicycle156/464.htm


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## Larmo63 (Apr 20, 2011)

Can't argue with that black Mercury, that looks tight!!!!!!!!!


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## irene_crystal (May 12, 2011)

Just curious, I have found a couple sets of duck tail fenders for the bike but I know they are not correct. What are opinions on what that will do to the value of the bike if I were to buy a set to put on it? Would that kill it for future buyers (not that I plan on selling it but I don't want to spend money on something that will hurt its value or make it undesirable to other collectors)


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