Mercer clylinder heads - new

[Casemaker]

I have found a couple of never used clyinder heads or jugs for a mercer automobile engine... these were built around 1910 - 1914 does anyone know of anyone that would like to have some spare parts ? I understand that Jay Leno has one..and only approx 50 cars are in existence...any leads or info would be great... thanks

[Jim Tremble]

Originally Posted by Casemaker

I have found a couple of never used clyinder heads or jugs for a mercer automobile engine... these were built around 1910 - 1914 does anyone know of anyone that would like to have some spare parts ? I understand that Jay Leno has one..and only approx 50 cars are in existence...any leads or info would be great... thanks

You might take a look at this site.


http://forums.aaca.org/showflat.php?...13&Main=429113

These people seem to know a lot about the Mercer.

You might find a lead for the parts.

Good Luck !!

Jim

[Bud Tierney]

Mercer cylinder heads?? MERCER CYLINDER HEADS??? HOLY JUMPING DOLLAR SIGNS!!! Unless I'm sadly mistaken, Mercer was the ultimate speedster of its day (at least among US production), the sort of car the Amberson scion would've driven if the time had been right (can't recall his name offhand; played by Tim Holt, a beautiful performance). Probably literally worth their weight in gold, unless someone is custom building them somewhere, which is highly unlikely given their real rarity.
Where in the world did you find these?? Wherever it was, get back there NOW and ransack the place; maybe a Duesenberg block might show up, or maybe a few Doble Steamer parts...Sheesh...all I ever find in collapsed sheds and barns is broken glass and black widows...

[Casemaker]

Originally Posted by Bud Tierney

Mercer cylinder heads?? MERCER CYLINDER HEADS??? HOLY JUMPING DOLLAR SIGNS!!! Unless I'm sadly mistaken, Mercer was the ultimate speedster of its day (at least among US production), the sort of car the Amberson scion would've driven if the time had been right (can't recall his name offhand; played by Tim Holt, a beautiful performance). Probably literally worth their weight in gold, unless someone is custom building them somewhere, which is highly unlikely given their real rarity.
Where in the world did you find these?? Wherever it was, get back there NOW and ransack the place; maybe a Duesenberg block might show up, or maybe a few Doble Steamer parts...Sheesh...all I ever find in collapsed sheds and barns is broken glass and black widows...

Bud,
I have found something worth more than the cylinder head castings....how about the patterns and core boxes (I think thats what they are) to pour them. I have also found a complete set of patterns and core boxes to build 1/2 scale Case steam engines in a barn in South Dakota as well.

[Patrick McNallen]

Georgie Amberson

[Bill Geyer]

I don't know if Mercer built their own engine or not, I do remember a magazine long ago about a Mercer with an Hispano Suisa engine. Hispano built all kinds of high output engines, car, airplane, & marine, it may be there are more applications for the heads you found than just the Mercer. All very exclusive and expensive applications.

[Bud Tierney]

Pat: Actually (without running our copy) I think it was Minafer; Old Man Ambersons daughter threw over Eugene (Joseph Cotton), after his botched serenade, for the proper Wilbur Minafer, a rather dry , receeding little man who either had poor business judgment or was simply caught in the changing times. I always remember the scene at the dinner table, when Georgie attacked Eugene's (and all other) machines, and Eugene answered that he really didn't know whether cars were a step ahead or a step back, but that they were here...but the whole film was memorable scenes: Lucy and Georgie tipping over in the snow; Aunt Fannie confessing she'd put everything in the headlight company; Ray Collins in the train station, "two gentlemen in a state of bustitude" on his way to a banana republic consulship, and on endlessly. I loved Anne Baxter as Lucy, and still do. (As you can tell, I'm a 100% Orson Welles admirer).

[Elden DuRand]

Originally Posted by Bill Geyer

I don't know if Mercer built their own engine or not, I do remember a magazine long ago about a Mercer with an Hispano Suisa engine. Hispano built all kinds of high output engines, car, airplane, & marine, it may be there are more applications for the heads you found than just the Mercer. All very exclusive and expensive applications.

Bill:

I believe that the engines for the Mercer 35R were made under contract by another company like Buda or Lycoming.

It could be that the core boxes, etc. and the two jugs could have been returned from the maker to Mercer after Mercer discontinued the models using this engine.

BTW, I had a 1917 American LaFrance fire engine that had a scaled-up version of the Mercer engine in it. The only differences between them were the size of the engine and the ram's-horn intake manifold on the LaFrance.

Take care - Elden

[John Davidson]

According to the STANDARD CATALOG OF AMERICAN CARS, The Mercer was built from 1910 till 1926. When you think of Mercer, the model 35 J Raceabout comes to mind. The first Mercers had a 4 cylinder L head Beaver engine. In 1911, they came out with there own 4 cylinder T head engine and with that in light chassis they were very fast and won many races. The close competion was the STUTZ BEARCAT also very fast with a Wisconsin T head engine (mostly 4 cylinder but they also used a 6 cylinder). The Stutz was a heavier car.

As for the Mercer parts, to get them to the most likely people who could use them, would be a ad in Horseless Carriage Gazett or the Antique Automobile Magazine. I belong to both of these clubs. Email me for more info if interested.