Brand new 1965 Comet

[anoNY42]

I already love this site, finding much useful info. I figured I should say hi and post one of the only pics of my car that I have so far (in my sig). My wife will add more shortly.

I picked this comet up because it already has a 302/t5 swap in it (originally a 6cyl manual car) and I had a bunch of fun test-driving it. I have a toddler so this is a project that is going to take me a long time to finish (which is why I needed to get a car that was already driveable, so it wouldn't kill me to have to look at it every day without being able to drive it).

Anyway, thanks in advance for all of the advice and support that this site offers!

[poboyjo65]

Welcome on! car looks straight! We love pics so take lots of pics!

[comethead]

Welcome!
Nice Comet!

I have a 5 and 7 year old that love riding in the back seat of our Comet.

Joe

[albert]

Nice car, why don't you leave it as it is and drive it. Seems the younger folks that bring cars to local shows/events like that unfinished and aged look.

[Jims65cyclone]

Welcome aboard! All kinds of advice just for the asking, and a gold mine of info on the build threads. Let's see some more pics!
Jim

[popscomet]

Nice car, why don't you leave it as it is and drive it. Seems the younger folks that bring cars to local shows/events like that unfinished and aged look.

That look is called PATINA,and it is my favorite......slick paint is overated in POP's book.......and welcome,I sure like that 2dr post body style...good luck with fixing it up to SUIT yourself !! POP

[anoNY42]

To all you patina lovers:

I wish I could agree but since the car was originally turquoise I think the current look is just bad resto on the part of a prior owner. Once the rain stops here I can put up some nicer pics and you will see that there is still some turquoise showing through on the front end.

I do think it looks meaner this way, though. I wish it looked more like pugs65's comet, since my wife is bugging me to paint it blue.

[anoNY42]

Welcome!
Nice Comet!

I have a 5 and 7 year old that love riding in the back seat of our Comet.

Joe

Oh I bet my kid will have a blast, I just need to install some seat belts back there for him first.

My comet appears to have factory laps belts up front (they say FOMOCO on them and look old enough), is it common to have that option and not have any in the rear?

[poboyjo65]

Possible. Look in the trunk to see if you can see where they may have been mounted. I think they were all options back then. I don't think mine ever had any at all.

[comethead]

Yeah pretty normal to have them up front and not in the back.
I found a set that matches the fronts. Drilled holes in the rear floor and backed them up with huge thick washers.

[anoNY42]

I found a set that matches the fronts. Drilled holes in the rear floor and backed them up with huge thick washers.

That's my plan exactly...

[Jims65cyclone]

Speaking of patina.....there were a number of cars at the Charlotte Auto Fair that were just plain rusty with various layers of weathered-through paint colors that had been clear-coated to "freeze" them at that point. There were some big price tags on a lot of them, too.
Jim

[poboyjo65]

To all you patina lovers:

I wish I could agree but since the car was originally turquoise I think the current look is just bad resto on the part of a prior owner. Once the rain stops here I can put up some nicer pics and you will see that there is still some turquoise showing through on the front end.

I do think it looks meaner this way, though. I wish it looked more like pugs65's comet, since my wife is bugging me to paint it blue.

I think it looks like a brother to Pugs car! they both look mean!

[SASSY]

To all you patina lovers:

I wish I could agree but since the car was originally turquoise I think the current look is just bad resto on the part of a prior owner. Once the rain stops here I can put up some nicer pics and you will see that there is still some turquoise showing through on the front end.

I do think it looks meaner this way, though. I wish it looked more like pugs65's comet, since my wife is bugging me to paint it blue.

I agree, natural patina as in a complete well aged paint job is one thing, but once it has body work and primer on it I prefer a solid color.
Your car srayed bombed in one color would look better to me than it does now,,IMO
But it's your car,enjoy it, 302 5speed DRIVE it! take pics and keep us up to date.
Welcome to the site.
Fred

[anoNY42]

Ok, here is what I have learned on my first trip under the car this weekend.

1: My parking brake almost works; it holds the drum when I turn it by hand, but doesn't hold the car in my driveway. Did I see an adjuster up near the transmission?

2: I have a 302 from a 1971 Torino, is that a good thing or a bad thing?

3: I cannot tell where my 8" rear end came from, no tags or anything I can see on it.

4: my T5 has some sort of electrical connection hanging down, attached at the top of the transmission forward of the shifter. I don't know what this is.

5: I have knock-off 40 series Flowmaster mufflers and my exhaust dumps before the rear axle, these are very loud.

6: I have learned how to flood my engine on a nice warm day, but it started right up after waiting 30 mins and using no choke (manual).

Thanks for reading!