Mercer Raceabout

[Matias]

Hello all,

After many years of shipmodel building I would like to return into scratch building of vintage car models. As the next subject I am interested of brass era racing cars and especially Mercer Raceabout, which I would like to build in my favourite scale of 1/6.
However to be able to build an accurate and detailed model of her, a lot of reference drawings and pictures are needed. When trying to find these, it seems that there are none, and it is very difficult to get in contact with people who might want to help. Of course there are lot of photos in Internet, but they are not as detailed as should be. Also the museums who have Mercer cars among their collections don't want to help, or the photos available are too expensive. Because the need of detailed photos are more like hundreds than only a couple.
So my question is, does some of the members here have any contacts to museums or individuals who might have possibility to provide me the photos and material I need to start building?

[MODEL A MODEL]

Hello!

The Mercer is a very deserving subject!

Do you know which Museums have any Mercers? Here in California, and really in most of the states, our museums are closed because of the Covid crisis. -I assume this is true everywhere? Are there any Societies or Clubs?

Perhaps the Antique Automobile Club of America? They have a very diverse base, and an excellent magazine, upon which I'm certain I have seen Mercers.

Also the Revs Institute, a museum in Florida. They have a 1912 Model 35C Mercer Raceabout, and they are a museum with a reputation for being helpful?
Check out they're website, scroll through they're collection, it has been very well photographed.

Also, Special Interest Auto, is a magazine that often includes general arrangement drawings with their articles, and I am very sure that they have covered Mercers on several occasions.

Good Luck!

Don

[Matias]

Thanks for answer Don. In fact I have contacted quite a many organizations & museums already, like Revs Institute, Petersen Automobile Museum in LA, Collier Auto Media, Horseless Carriage Club of America, Automotive Research Club, Simeonemuseum in Philadelphia, and some companies who make restoration projects.
Quite a many have answered and welcomed me to take as many photos as I want, but as you said, the museums are closed because of the covid restrictions, and it is not easy these days to visit USA from Europe.
This is why I was asking if some of the members had good relations with people working in some of these establishments, and could serve me "through the kitchen door" and not in the official and expensive way.
I thought that because the museums are closed, and personnel have perhaps not very much to do, they could take the photographs I want and use the kitchen door method to send them to me.

But maybe this won't work and i have to visit these museums personally when they reopen again. Of course this is not very bad option either.

[MODEL A MODEL]

I think your plan is the way I would go. I hope you can find a sympathetic ear. -Do try the Antique Automobile Club, they have a forum, which has been pretty receptive to modelers in the past. I have found that the owners of these cars are usually quite generous, but don't know how to be helpful. Be patient.

A properly done Mercer, will look great! When you read about racing at that time, and look at the cars, -it's pretty wild! On some or all of the Raceabouts, the accelerator pedal was outside of the floorboard? I think that was one of the design features I've read.

It will be a Big Yellow Model! (We all need a big yellow model in our collections!)

Good Luck! Happy New Year!

[Roy vd M.]

I have seen the Mercer at Revs, it's a beautiful car. I know that due to corona the museum is mostly empty so they won't be able to help you much. If, in e.g. half a year or so, you are still interested in the project and you still don't have sufficient reference, I'll ask my contact at Revs if he can help you. They may provide you with restoration photos (if present) and will do some research for you, but will typically want some reimbursement for the spent time.

Meanwhile you probably are aware of the fact that there are nice scale drawings of the Mercer (or my memory serves me bad) featured in the first Complete Car Modeller book by Gerald Wingrove. Unfortunately I can't look it up for you as all my books are currently elsewhere due to a fire having raged through our home two months ago. I'll have them back in a few months (hopefully, if restorable and/or not too filthy) and then I could check it. But probably you already know.

[MODEL A MODEL]

Hello, and no, though Mr. Wingrove had made ten Mercers, in 1/20th scale, none of his books have plans for it.

It was one of his earlier works, pre-1975, I don't think they had the same level of detail that his later works did?

His website is still up, www.wworkshop.net -and I think the Mercers are included in one of his many galleries? Maybe worth a look?

Edit, I just went to his site and there is only one photo of his Mercer. Sorry!

[Matias]

Thanks Don and Roy! Antique Automobile Club sounds promising. I must try that next.
And yes, if I am still interested to build the model after 6 months and have not had success with documents I will let you know. Restoration photos would be the best option. When I built my Bugatti, I had about 500 pcs photos from a nice Frenchman who had restored his vehicle and documented everything.
Until then, very happy New Year to all and be safe & health!

[Matias]

Hello Roy, alias Delage,

I would like to return to the subject restoration of the full size Mercer.
I have tried to find as much documentation as possible from Internet, and have indeed also found drawings and pictures of her, but what I really would like to have are pictures of the restoration phase of the vehicle.

When I was building my Bugatti model I got about 500 pcs pictures from a kind Frenchman who had restored his vehicle, by promising not to publish or send those pictures to anybody. This promise I have kept and will keep forever.
The pictures were invaluable for building the model, and based to them I was able to add numerous detais to the model which would have been impossible when relying only to the generally available photographs.

So this is why I kindly ask you, if you had possibility to get your friend at Revs to give me access to the photographs taken during restoration of their Mercer, I would appreciate it a lot and be thankful for the rest of my life. And I can assure you and them that those photos are for me only and will never be disclosed to anybody ever.

With kind regards
Matti

[JunkGTZ]

Perhaps this will provide some clues as to photos and resources.

https://forums.aaca.org/topic/159052...up-the-pieces/

https://www.collierautomedia.com/top...rcer-raceabout

The price on this book is a bit rich!
https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Magic-.../dp/0692542353

Not sure of the photo resources but for that price it ought to be pretty thorough. Costs more than a coffee table to put it on!

[Matias]

Thanks JunkGTZ! Must be a nice book but way too expensive for me. I have to check out the other links.

[JunkGTZ]

In the states we have Inter Library Loan programs so if you can find a library elsewhere that has it, you can request it. I'm not sure if such a system exists in Finland, but perhaps it does. However, it being an American book not likely to be read by many people here let alone across the pond, it might not be possible to find it there. I work at a university and might just check to see if it's available just for the sake of seeing what is possible.

[JunkGTZ]

Checked on the book and couldn't find it. It's steep price makes it unlikely to appear in a library along with it not being academically useful at least at my school since we don't have an robust engineering or automotive program.

Below is a link to a modelers drawings. Scroll down to find a 1911 Mercer. These might help get you started with plans of your own.

http://www.theoldtimers.ru/?page_id=673&lang=en

[JunkGTZ]

Here's a post about a 1/8 scale kit from ITC. Maybe some information can be found here.

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/t...bout-18-scale/

[Matias]

Thanks a lot again JunkGTZ! We have the same kind of library system here. It is also possible to loan books from international libraries, but it takes long time and costs a bit (not much). I have never used it internationally, but locally works very well. Maybe I have to try, it may be that some library in Europe might have the book.
And thanks again for the other links I have to check them out too.

[Matias]

I filled the application form for international library loan about the book Mercer Magic. They try to find the book first from Nordic countries. If that doesn't work then they will search libraries all over the world. Very interesting if they find it somewhere. Cost for this kind of international book loan is 10...30€. Not bad.