Welcome to the wonderful world of custom where you learn to truely respect what goes into making OEM quality stuff where everything goes together correctly and no other system is effected by a part change.
This is where the catalog hot rodders get frustrated and their projects end up looking like a hack job.
You are doing well, use this as a primer to build that custom 50's merc lowrider next.
Jamie
Yes I've gained a much enhanced appreciation for the amount of experience, planning, work, cash, and time that goes in to re-done vintage cars. And if I were to start fresh on another Bumpside now, I'd probably be able to run through everything I've done on #50 in 1/4 or 1/5th the time, with still better results.
And thanks for saying that I'm doing a good job! It helps a ridiculous amount to have such great mentors through Fordification, guiding me through each phase. #50 would be a real snore of a truck, relatively, if it weren't for all the advice I've received. I was clueless about all the interesting options for upgrading these trucks.
As for the 50's Mercury lowrider, I may not get to that for a while. My next major phase for #50 will be finding another Bumpside with a better cab, doing the body work on that, then installing that cab on #50. And I have my 1972 Datsun 240z to re-do in the years ahead as well. And my girlfriend keeps asking for an old Talbot with a Ford V8 drivetrain (OK, I added the Ford V8 part).
Jamie, thanks for your truly outstanding advice!
Robroy