Years 1938/1939/1940 for Mercury/Ford/Lincoln Coupes Mark the End of the Era

1939 Ford Deluxe Coupe (77B)

1940 Ford Deluxe Coupe

Notice the Design of the 1940 Ford Grill

1940 (Reproduction) Ford Coupe

1940 Mercury Coupe

Original 1940 Mercury Coupe

1940 Mercury Coupe (Original)

1940 Mercury Interior and Dash (Original)

1940 Lincoln Zephyr Coupe

1940 Lincoln Zepher Coupe Grill

1940 Lincoln Zephyr Coupe 3/4 Front View

Jack Kiely's masterfully interpreted by Rod Ida

The full fendered 1940 Ford/Mercury/Lincoln Coupes are iconic because they illustrate a sort of 'high water mark' of the pre-war american production cars in that era...

I'm sure that by now you've seen Jack's Kiely's masterful interpreted by  Rob Ida  this 1940 Mercury Coupe!  All of these vehicles are powerful examples of these high water marks in automotive history  and the cumulative result of the continuous changes and improvements that evolved over a relatively short period of time in these full fendered cars from that iconic generation; and sadly that high water mark also represents the end of an era that the 'mechanic' Henry Ford founded and ultimately engineered for the next generation of builders that followed immediately behind him...not the least of which was his own son Edsel.

1938 Lincoln Zephyr

Source:  Photo Post by Rob Ida entitled: Jack Kiely's 1940 Mercury will be on display at the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance June 3. 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1366591110096227&set=a.112170432204974.26576.100002360525547&type=3&theater

http://www.greaterdakotaclassics.com/forsale_listings/mercury.htm

http://classiccardb.com/mercury/118710-project-car-rare-1939-mercury-club-coupe-parts-or-hot-rod-clear-title.html

http://www.oldride.com/carphotos/gallery/348834884.jpg

Flatheads: Identification Mercury 4" Stroke vs. 3 3/4" Stroke Crankshafts

How To Identify a 4" Mercury Crankshaft

by Bill Boomer, aka 4tford

   The intent of this article is to enable you to identify the crankshaft you are looking at as either a Mercury 4" stroke or a Ford 3-3/4" stroke. I will try and describe to you what to do to make a somewhat positive identification and then the pictures can be used to clear up what is foggy.

The 4" stroke crank in North America came in the Mercury vehicles from 1949 to 1953 in the United States and to 1954 in Canada. The Fords were 3-3/4" stroke in both countries.
Because Henry Ford did many different things in many different unexplained ways, the only positive way to identify the crank is to measure the stroke.

If the motor is in the vehicle and you are able to remove a head and rotate the engine, it is a simple matter. Rotate the engine so one piston is at the top of a stroke. Mark the location of the piston and then rotate the same piston to the bottom of its stroke and measure the distance the piston went. If it went 3-3/4" it is Ford and if it went 4" it is Mercury. Another way for a quick check, but not a guaranteed method is to remove the oil pan and measure across the widest part of the thickest counterweight. If the measurement is about 6" it should be Mercury. If it is about 5-1/2" it should be Ford. If the cleanout holes are 5/8" then it should be American made Mercury and I have seen numerous American made Mercury. 

Cranks with a 3/8" clean-out plug. If the letters EAC, 1CM or 0CM they should be Mercury as these are known to be Mercury symbols. I use the word "should" a lot because the only positive method is to measure the actual stroke.

99% of the Canadian made 4" stroke cranks had a 3/8" cleanout as well as an approximately 7/8" long kidney shaped dimple recessed into either one or both of the first thin counterweights. Again, this is not a guarantee but a very strong indicator.
Now on to the pictures. I hope they are self explanatory

Article created by Bill Boomer (4tford) 11/2007

Source:  http://www.flatheadv8.org/boomer/crank.htm