Build Thread Lavron's '64 Comet Budget Build

[lavron]

Awesome project! I also enjoyed watching the video.

Thanks, I hope someone can maybe glean a little help out of something I posted, I may not always do everything right but I am trying

Back to the muffler shop tomorrow to hopefully get the exhaust hooked up finally.

See Ya,
Mike

 

[Soldmy66]

Awesome project! I also enjoyed watching the video.

Thanks, I hope someone can maybe glean a little help out of something I posted, I may not always do everything right but I am trying

Back to the muffler shop tomorrow to hopefully get the exhaust hooked up finally.

See Ya,
Mike

Remind us, what mufflers are you using? What pipe diameter? X pipe, Y pipe or no crossover pipe?

Have you ever considered an electric exhaust cutout, just because?

 

[lavron]

Remind us, what mufflers are you using? What pipe diameter? X pipe, Y pipe or no crossover pipe?

I have a pair of 18" Cherry Bomb Glass Packs under the rear seat pan, 2" duals and no X, Y, or Z :roll: pipe, I was going to do an X pipe and ordered one but when I got it, it was a Y pipe so I sent it back and just never ordered another.

Have you ever considered an electric exhaust cutout, just because?

Not really trying to keep it as maintenance-free as I can and probably would never run them and everything is so tight down there as is.

I got my new gauges temporarily mounted in the cluster frame so they aren't bouncing around on top of the dash.

All AutoMeter 2 5/8" gauges, the oil and water temp are mechanical. On the stock cluster, the Ammeter is where the water temp is and the water temp is where the voltmeter is, I switched them around so the full sweep ones would match side to side.

Temp mounted the LED turn signal indicators as well but I am going to have to do some kind of custom work to fill in the original rectangle holes and make round ones for the new indicators.

See Ya,
Mike

 

[lavron]

Everyone has probably already seen this but just so nobody thinks I am not been doing anything on the Comet, I mounted the grill at least temporarly and attached the I6 emblem to it.

May take the grill back out so I don't lean on it while working on the motor and I still need to install an A/C condensor anyway.

I know a lot of guys have been waiting on the intake adapter to happen so I will get busy on it soon, I have a couple of little things to do so I don't forget like fixing the rubbing exhaust and replacing the fuel pump wire connector, I really don't like to leave stuff not finished and then have to go back and try to catch them all.

See Ya,
Mike

 

[lavron]

For anyone interested in such silliness I am doing a homebrew, cheap taillight sequencer for the Comet, I made a quick video teaser of my successful test today.

64 Comet Taillight Sequencer Test

See Ya,
Mike

 

[bmbm40]

More good stuff!

 

[bubba22349]

going to be real Mike, I have always liked those sequential tail lights that were used on the Thunderbird's and Cougars

 

[lavron]

Thanks for compliments guys, I got my sequencers done, here is a video of how I did it for anyione interested in such things.

64 Comet Taillight Sequencer How_To

See Ya
Mike

 

[Rinke]

nice vid of the sequental taillights.

How are the led headlight bulbs holding out?
Are they a drop in replacement or do you have to modify the wiring?
My 64 falcon wiring is dead stock, so I'm curious.
Also do the headlights have the same pattern as the originals (its mandatory to have a pattern against blinding oncoming traffic here in the Netherlands)?

Great build, keep on going!

 

[lavron]

How are the led headlight bulbs holding out?
Are they a drop in replacement or do you have to modify the wiring?

So far they are ok but the car is not on the road yet so I haven't been using them at all, You would not have to modify the wiring I don't think, you should only have two headlights on the '64 Falcon so they should plug right in. I built a totally new wiring harness for my Comet bumper to bumper.

I can't say for the pattern, I haven't even aimed mine yet and I am not sure how they determine that where you are from, but the housings are close to original appearance and they are designed to be headlight bulbs so they should have a similar pattern just a bit brighter, but no brighter than a modern car.

Hope that helps you out.

See Ya,
Mike

 

[84F150dude]

This is one of the coolest builds I've seen. Great job on the exhaust mounting. Gonna show that my buddy's uncle after we finished installing the shocks from 4Wheelonline his jeep. His uncle recently took in a Comet project.

 

[lavron]

This is one of the coolest builds I've seen.

Thanks Dude I appreciate it, sometimes I think this stuff is not too interesting to anyone and I probably shouldn't post it :roll: but I hope somebody gets some inspiration or maybe learns from my mistakes

Going to link a video over on the motor build thread here shortly with a lot of the squeaks and rattles gone, it is finally sounding a bit better but still need to road test it for sure

See Ya,
Mike

 

[lavron]

Thought I would update everyone with a video of me starting and moving the Comet about 2 feet further into the shed because of the nasty weather, so generally, you get to see the car start and me ramble on about a few different things, I don't think I said anything insightful or earth-shattering

64 Comet Cold, Cold Start

See Ya,
Mike

 

[lavron]

Thought I would share this little video with you guys over on this thread, I just love this Comet :roll:

Just Messing Around with the '64 Comet

I love to hear it run

See Ya,
Mike

 

[lavron]

Took a drive up the highway to the neighbors today, not enough room to use 5th gear still, and the 1st-2nd shift is pretty short, probably could take off in second just fine.

I wanted to show the Comet to the neighbor boys (about 8 and 10) but they were gone to grandmas for the day, their dad liked it said he would bring them up some time to look at it.

I did notice the front tires scrub a little from not being aligned (you can hear them on the pavement) but that is not unexpected.

The car decided to embarrass me a little on the way back when I stopped to talk to one of my other neighbors it wouldn't start back up, turned the key and got nothing, no clicks even, good thing I was up on a hill he gave me a little push and off I went. I think the issue is with the wire between the switch and the starter relay, I had made some changes and extended the wire on the fender, I think I did not do too good a job, I fiddled with the wire a little and it cranks again so I will need to investigate that further and make the appropriate fixes.

Baby steps and one day I will be driving 100s of miles hopefully.

See Ya,
Mike

 

[lavron]

Been exercising the Comet several times a week, weather permitting, by running it down to the mailbox and seeing if anything will break, this week I broke something. Made a short video mostly for entertainment purposes

Semi-Stranded by a Broken Part

Ordered a new Motorcraft starter and should have it next week.

See Ya,
Mike

 

[62Ranchero200]

Hi Mike,

Just discovered this thread - usually hang out on the small six forum.

Awesome build!

Anxiously waiting to see how you plan to accommodate 3 2-V carbs. I’ve been wanting to do something like that ever since I got my 250 running -with CI aluminum head - six years ago. Running a single Holley 2-V, “500 CFM” now.

What head will you be running for this?

Thanks
Bob

 

[lavron]

What head will you be running for this?

The one that is on there a flat top log head, I do go into more depth on the engine build over in the small six-section, started this thread to deal with more of the non-engine related work I am doing on the Comet, would love to have the CI head but not in my budget so, for now, I am going to do the adapter like an Offy. It would be way easier to do the triple (or any other combination I might dream up) with a removable intake but once I get it running to my satisfaction with the 3x2 I will probably be hard-pressed to ever change it :roll: (would have to involve massive amounts of disposable cash falling into my lap ) I might consider some side drafts for hood clearance (or 6 motorcycle carbs) but could do that with some 90-degree adapters but not sure if that would work really well there would be a lot of turns that would have to happen in the intake runners.

I have to say the car runs super right now with the single carb but I have never had it up to speed so I don't know if it will fall flat at higher RPMs, etc. or not, and it is too tall, and it is not super cool like 2x3

Awesome build!

Thanks, trying to do subtle things just make it clean and follow a stripped-down base model sedan style but with a little spice added, may have said this before but keeping it all manual everything (brakes, trans, steering, windows and even the air ride) the only thing planned so far that deviates from my ideal is the A/C going in the car but that is by orders of the boss and it is going to be a driver so having some cool air can't hurt (I am going to do a hidden system like Vintage Air)

Would like to do a little bodywork right now but the temps are too low for that, so hopefully, I can get the intake adapter cast over the winter, the pattern is finished I just need to build the flasks which shouldn't take too long just need to get busy and do it.

See Ya,
Mike

 

[lavron]

Got the starter switched out, back in business. I went ahead and sprang for a Motorcraft starter.

Can't say it will be any better but it cost more and has a stamp on the side, the old one was a no name unit, pretty sure a new solenoid on it would fix it, just not sure it is worth it eventhough you can get the solenoid pretty cheap and I would have a spare starter :hmmm:

See Ya,
Mike

 

[lavron]

Finally got a chance to replace that pesky rear tire I drilled the hole through, You can click the picture below and watch a video, it is not quite as informative as I wanted but my equipment did not cooperate, besides most fo you guys already know this stuff, so consider it entertainment watching me roll around on the floor fighting the tire off the rear of the car :roll: I di figure out how to get it off and on easier but of course the camera went dead during the process



Also I made a quick video talking about the e-brake lever modification placement;



Going to try and go out now and fix the fuel sender issue.

See Ya,
Mike