Lavron's '64 Comet Budget Build

[lavron]

Thanks Guys I am excited for sure to have it back on it's own feet, sometimes while working on stuff like it being flipped up you think you are never going to get it back upright.

And, doors .... doors are overrated.

It even looks cool without doors :lol:

still that's quite impressive on the speed of your reassembly.

I want to drive it

Looks great! Kind of menacing-like the Batmobile or something.

A lot of people that have seen it in person like the primer black, which is kinda cool, but ultimately the car will be grey with a satin black hood.

June 17th will be the two year mark since I started dismantling the car, not sure I will have it back together by then but going to try and have it close to running again, the issues in the world right now might delay a few things but I have most of my stuff in hand already.

See Ya,
Mike

 

[lavron]

Continuing on the assembly, even though the motor is still cam-less I dropped it in to do some fitting on things I haven't been able to so far.

First was modifying the core support to get the Ford big block radiator to fit and figuring out if I could fit a fan in there (my Contour electric fan install is a no-go, not enough space). I did get a larger hole made and framed out for the radiator (bummer I skinned it in the process at some point)

After it was determined the electric fan wasn't going to work I found a stainless flex fan that fit pretty good.

I had to make a spacer to allow the fan to clear the crank pulley, I don't have a lot of machine type tools so I used a handheld drill and made this spacer out of an old aluminum Mac monitor base that was the right thickness (a buddy gave me a bunch of those bases to melt for my intake project, when I get around to that).

I got it all reassembled in there and now I have a good inch between the radiator and the fan at the closest point.

That is a 15" Derale stainless flex fan if anyone was wondering, seems to be well made, under $30 and made in the USA.

While I was messing with the core support I made the top center section removable so getting the engine out and back in (for the final time I hope) should be a bit easier.

I have been working on my sway bar end links and should have them done soon and I need to get the pipes laid out from the header to the pipes under the car.

See Ya,
Mike

 

[xctasy]

Did they ever get it running X?

Not sure. One of the 17 board crashes between 2001 and 2014 took the user off the list.

 

[lavron]

Not sure. One of the 17 board crashes between 2001 and 2014 took the user off the list.

Yes, I have/had been a member here since before 2003 don't really remember but have had to re-register a few times, not really sure what happened to my original posts, probably better they are gone :lol:

FordSix was the inspiration for starting CometCentral forum which I did in 2003 so I have been here for a while or at least my former self my "Terms of Use" was nearly identical to FordSix's because I asked Jack if it was ok to copy it, which he so graciously approved, so if anyone looks at that and thinks I stole it, I did but with permission

Hopefully my 3x2 intake adapter will be memorialized here for everyone in the future, as long as they are patient while I work on everything else.

See Ya,
Mike

 

[lavron]

Just a quick update, I have been messing with the sway bar links for what seems like an eternity and I still haven't quite got them (got one of them) right, I thought I would take a break from that and do something different, but needs to be done, so I finished up the trunk and got it painted, it is still wet in the picture.

I used Rustoleum truck bed liner that comes in a gallon can and shot it on with an undercoating gun, worked pretty well except like when I did the underside of the car I put it on a little heavy, maybe, I know bed liner is supposed to be thick and it didn't run or anything so maybe it was ok.

I guess I will do a permanent install on the gas tank this week, and go ahead and put sealer on before I bolt it back in.

Just trying to keep at it.

See Ya,
Mike

 

[lavron]

Been doing a lot of little stuff, after painting the inside of the trunk I decided to paint around the lip and the rear panel, going to put the trunk seal on as soon as my glue gets here so I went ahead and painted the body color around the opening then when I paint for real I can just mask off the rubber and not worry about having to get up under it well with paint.

I painted the rear panel and stuck my taillights in temporarily because I want to paint the rear trim and seeing how I want to do it, there is no rush to get this done but I could now put the aluminum panels and gas filler door on permanently if I wanted too, mostly I want them painted so I am not handling them fresh.

I haven't had taillights in the car for 10 to 20 years :roll:

Put the trunk lid on too, I need to adjust the left front corner down a little even though I have never had the hinges off the body, the rest looks pretty well gap aligned.

More and more every day is done.

See Ya,
Mike

 

[Soldmy66]

Everything looks (continues to look) terrific.

I know you've completed the exhaust, but wanted to ask - have you given any though to adding electronic exhaust cut outs, "just because"?

I didn't with my 1957 Chevy Wagon, but wish I had.

 

[lavron]

Everything looks (continues to look) terrific.

I know you've completed the exhaust, but wanted to ask - have you given any though to adding electronic exhaust cut outs, "just because"?

Thanks, no I really had not thought about it, having enough trouble getting all that to fit under there as is :roll:

Not really sure what it is going to sound like anyway, those little short glass packs might not muffle much as is and I was considering resonators in the very back after the pipes are run over the rear axle but am waiting on that until I hear it. most likely will take it to a shop and have the pipes run out the back where they can bend them up properly (hopefully)

See Ya,
Mike

 

[lavron]

Brakes all finished up today, just a few leaks that only required that I tighten the fittings up a little more, will keep checking over the next week or so looking for any seeping joints, maybe I did a good job and I am done with them, I was checking today as well and it looks like my air ride is not leaking either, it has been weeks since I aired it up and it is still holding steady.

I am usually pretty careful doing connections and the like, I have plumbed a couple of houses and never had too much issue with leaks.

Yesterday I modified the gas pedal down closer to the floor because it sat higher than the brake pedal, just about right now.

A few things left and I can put the motor in permanently at least the short block, I still have the mods to do to the intake but will go ahead and get the rest of the drivetrain bolted in and hooked up.

Getting close to starting the wiring for the engine run harness

More and more every day and I will be driving this thing.

See Ya,
Mike

 

[Soldmy66]

I think there are several of us (at least one) who follow this thread and feel a sense of vicarious triumph with each step.

Well done.

 

[lavron]

I think there are several of us (at least one) who follow this thread and feel a sense of vicarious triumph with each step.

Well done.

Thanks for that, I have been asked to make movies of the first time I start it and the first test drive out of the shed, I will try and do that.

It is pretty exciting to have a bunch of stuff hooked up and ready to go, I will be curious to see how much stuff I have missed, might be time to make a list (I have said that so many times :roll: ) when there is a lot to do it is not hard to keep moving along doing the big stuff, it seems like all the little stuff is what is going to slow me down.

See Ya,
Mike

 

[Rinke]

Nice thread to follow. You're making bigger steps than I managed.
The rebuild phase is the sweetset phase there is in my opinion.

Enjoy it!

Rinke

 

[lavron]

Nice thread to follow. You're making bigger steps than I managed.
The rebuild phase is the sweetset phase there is in my opinion.

Thanks, I do enjoy it even though it can be frustrating at times :?

Just a quick post, didn't know if I should post this here or on the engine build thread so I guess this one won :roll:

I am adding a 3G Alternator (I had none so I decided this would the easiest to replace down the road if I needed to) It is really a bolt-on operation as long as you have the brackets (mine is a '77 250 A/C motor) I had to buy a new pulley for a twin V belt 2G alternator and swap it with the serpentine pulley, that was the hardest part of the job.

For now it will get a single belt until I do the A/C install, I had an old rotten belt so I cut it and installed after shortening it, now I can take it to the parts store and have them get me a belt the same size.

The alternator is clocked correctly IMO to hook up the wiring fairly easily.

It is a 130amp for a '96 Mustang V6. I already have the factory pigtails to wire it up.

See Ya,
Mike

 

[lavron]

No pictures to show, but I got the flywheel, clutch & PP installed on the motor, bolted the trans on and put it all down in the Comet, got the mounts all installed and the driveshaft, hooked up the hydraulic clutch and bled it and changed out the driven speedo gear (running a black gear on the shaft and a white gear on the cable) and installed it, filled the trans with fluid.

So all the running gear is installed

See Ya,
Mike

 

[autonoob]

Any update with regards to this build?

 

[lavron]

Any update with regards to this build?

I have been doing nothing too exciting, lately, just wiring up the engine run harness.

Engine is installed but still need to get the intake adapter cast, I bought a stock 1 barrel just to get the car started the first time, that is why I have been doing wiring.

Got the shifter all installed and mocked up the trim around it, it is in a good place.

I installed a '98 Mustang starter relay, I figured it would be easiest to source if it failed on the road, it bolts right in the same holes as the stock solenoid.

While I was wiring this in it included running the wires on the 3G alternator, all that is left on it is the big charge wire and the exciter wire needs run the ignition switch.

The ignition system is all done as well, I have made a little slide-out drawer to hold it and mounted it behind the console on top of the transmission tunnel.

Today I am running the wires for the fuel pump and the hooking up the fuel gauge wire while I am there, I installed a 5 relay box in the trunk and it will have the fuel pump, air compressor, etc. hooked to it.

I have the wire coming in to make the long battery cables (1 AWG welding cable) as well as some lugs and the 6 gauge wire to run over to the fuse boxes under the hood and the missing charge wire for the alt. I am trying to keep the engine bay pretty clutter-free of wiring as much as possible.

There are a handful of little items I need to run down (like the lower radiator hose and the carb spacer) before I will be ready to start the car for the first time.

See Ya,
Mike

 

[powerband]

a consideration':

... flex conduit can be used for safe(r) wiring with large amperage circuits front to rear or ><.

have fun

 

[lavron]

a consideration':

... flex conduit can be used for safe(r) wiring with large amperage circuits front to rear or ><.

Initially, it will probably just be strung across the floor but ultimately at least the positive cable will be in some sort of conduit.

I got the fuel pump about half wired yesterday, takes a little longer running relays, etc.

See Ya,
Mike

 

[lavron]

More wiring but about to finish up the engine run harness/wiring, it is not as messy as it looks. :roll:

The insides of the fuse box, box :roll: Two constant contact heavy-duty relays, one supplies IGN-on the other ACC-on, ALWAYS HOT connects to the top bus bar.

The box closed up, it is on the left inner fender where the shock tower used to be.

Fuel pump inertia switch and negative battery master disconnect are between the seats where the future console will be.

Just waiting on a few more parts to arrive.

See Ya,
Mike

 

[lavron]

Ran the main wire from the firewall to the trunk inside a flex conduit, next I will get the ground wire run to the cut-off switch and then run it up to the fire wall as well just to make sure I have good grounds everywhere, I am going to run a bolt through the firewall and attach a ground cable to the block as well.

Fuel pump, ignition system, starter, alternator, air compressor, and gauges are all hooked up, the battery is ordered, when I get it I can hook it up and start doing some testing and look for escaping smoke - In other words, the engine run harness is almost done.

See Ya,
Mike