1964 Comet Caliente Convertible - Quebec to So Florida

[chartwig1980]

Welcome.
You found yourself a really nice looking Comet! The colors go well for South Florida.
I would say that with the 170 you will use about 25% of the horsepower to turn the compresser. To minimize the draw use a rotary style compresser not a piston type. Mercury offered an underdash unit for the ‘64 that would look appropriate in your car. They are fairly rare but should you should be able to find one. (I had two of them but they were sold a while ago)
Jim

I just missed an Ebay auction for the original under dash unit. I asked the guy a question to see if the evaporator leaked because it looked like it did and it got sold before he replied! I should have just bought it but I was hoping to get a better deal and offer a lower price than he was asking.

How much did it sell for ?

(thanks for the compliments!)

$175 and he was asking $60 for shipping.

[poboyjo65]

I guess they are getting a tad cheaper this time of year. they usually bring 200 or more depending on the condition of it. I just put one in my car that has nice chrome & a working blower motor & it was a little over 300 + shipping. I wont know if it leaks until I gas it up. I have another one that the chrome isn't as good,I haven't made up my mind yet whether to sell it or put it in a truck. I gave 200 or a little more + shipping for it. I saw one a while back go for under 100 but the chrome was pretty rough & a switch that he said worked if you wiggled it.

[chartwig1980]

I guess they are getting a tad cheaper this time of year. they usually bring 200 or more depending on the condition of it. I just put one in my car that has nice chrome & a working blower motor & it was a little over 300 + shipping. I wont know if it leaks until I gas it up. I have another one that the chrome isn't as good,I haven't made up my mind yet whether to sell it or put it in a truck. I gave 200 or a little more + shipping for it. I saw one a while back go for under 100 but the chrome was pretty rough & a switch that he said worked if you wiggled it.

Not cheap at all hey! Now I'm kicking myself in the foot for not snatching it up. I was hesitant because I was not sure if I wanted to try to put together OEM stuff or spend the money and buy the whole kit new. I realized I could buy the underdash unit but might still have to pay several hundred dollars to refurbish it and I'd still have to buy an under the hood kit which a lot of those seem to be missing wiring harness and brackets.

Of course I read the forum over at Maverick/Comet and found someone who did a 70's Maverick with all OEM parts he bought for under $500 and figured I could probably do that. I'm finding it's not quite that simple. What I'd really like to do is get an original underdash unit and then buy a new under hood kit with a rotary compressor. I'll have to dig through posts on the forum and see if I can find anyone who was in a similar boat and find out what they did.

[poboyjo65]

Jeg's ,Summit & others sell the most popular underhood kits made by classic auto air & vintage air ,,to convert your original underdash unit. kits can also come with cut to fit hoses if needed for odd set-ups.
It wasn't too hard to freshen up the underdash unit. take it apart & clean it up good, flush it out good, & new expansion valve,which I think comes in the underhood kits. I may sell my other original ac unit after I get it flushed & cleaned.

[Glenn M.]

That is one fine looking Comet. Congratulations!
Keep us up on how your A/C project goes.
Glenn M.

[chartwig1980]

.I like the little 6cyl.....you ought to get many miles out of that little comet

And I promise not to go on a rant about the engine being blue, well maybe Canadian '64s had blue 170s mostly because the Comet is so nice.

See Ya,
Mike

I did some digging and found this is actually a 200. It has the 5 frost plugs so blue would be the correct color. Previous owner thought it was a 170 and put the sticker on there.

[poboyjo65]

Blue motors came out in 66. I think the 64's were black block & argent/silver v. cover & breather. I know some of the earlier ones were this color but not positive about 64's. in 65 the 200's were black block & yellow v.c. & breather.

[lavron]

Blue motors came out in 66. I think the 64's were black block & argent/silver v. cover & breather. I know some of the earlier ones were this color but not positive about 64's. in 65 the 200's were black block & yellow v.c. & breather.

Well almost '64 144 yellow VC, 170 red VC, 200 cream VC, all had black blocks, can't really remember on the oil pans but I think they were black as well, the air cleaners were silver, mostly, I have seen 144 with yellow air cleaners. I think they did the right thing having them all different colors so you could ID an engine by color, I am sure it was cheaper to just paint them all blue eventually

Don't sweat it Chartwig, most people don't know the difference anyway.

See Ya,
Mike

[chartwig1980]

Blue motors came out in 66. I think the 64's were black block & argent/silver v. cover & breather. I know some of the earlier ones were this color but not positive about 64's. in 65 the 200's were black block & yellow v.c. & breather.

Well almost '64 144 yellow VC, 170 red VC, 200 cream VC, all had black blocks, can't really remember on the oil pans but I think they were black as well, the air cleaners were silver, mostly, I have seen 144 with yellow air cleaners. I think they did the right thing having them all different colors so you could ID an engine by color, I am sure it was cheaper to just paint them all blue eventually

Don't sweat it Chartwig, most people don't know the difference anyway.

See Ya,
Mike

I was reading into the engine colors after discovering it had 5 frost plugs and concluding it must be a 200.

I bought "The Ford Falcon Six Cylinder Performance Handbook" by David and Dennnis Schjeldahl.

Here is what they say verbatum from the handbook.

"Visual Identification in Falcons:
144-Introduced in 1960 as the base engine for the new Ford Falcon. The first year 144's had a blue valve cover and an open air cleaner. Later 144's had blue snorkel air cleaners. The head, block and pan were typically bare metal. All 144's had solid lifter and adjustable 1:5:1 rocker arms. An easy visual identification is that the 144's had three frost plugs on the passenger side of the block.

170-Introduced in 1961 in the Falcon, and was later the base engine in the new '64 1/2 Mustang. The snorkeled air cleaner and valve cover are red. Some 170's had red oil pans also. Early 170's had solid lifters with adjustable rocker arms. An easy visual identification is that just like the 144's, the 170's had three frost plugs on the passenger side of the block.

200-It has the same blue paint as 144's. The block and oil pan are also blue. In 1982 & 1983, 200 sixes were painted gray. A visual identification is that the 200's had five frost plugs on the passenger side of the block. 200's use a three bolt water pump."


My 200 checks all thoses boxes.

[poboyjo65]

Mercury engines were colored different than fords up until 66.

[chartwig1980]

Mercury engines were colored different than fords up until 66.

Ahh thank you for that info. There is always a catch isn't there?

[LENYM]

What a Great car my friend had a blue one like that when we were growing up, we had so much fun in it a real girl getter, A/C is a good idea in Florida for sure have fun cruising in the sun. Leny Mason

[Lip Ripper]

I saw a new aftermarket evap on CL this morning. Somewhere on the peninsula. He bought it and it wouldn't fit, $75.

And after installing the AC in mine I wondered whether it was worth it. In the summer I like driving with the top up and the back glass unzipped, windows down, crotch coolers open. That way the vinyl upholstery has a canopy over it when parked.

Stacey

[chartwig1980]

I saw a new aftermarket evap on CL this morning. Somewhere on the peninsula. He bought it and it wouldn't fit, $75.

And after installing the AC in mine I wondered whether it was worth it. In the summer I like driving with the top up and the back glass unzipped, windows down, crotch coolers open. That way the vinyl upholstery has a canopy over it when parked.

Stacey

I found a really great underdash evaporator on ebay that I bought last week.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1964-65-Mercur ... ey&vxp=mtr

What is the purpose of the zipper on the convertible top window anyways?

[Lip Ripper]

Let her down baby! You won't believe the air flow. This being said; not this time of year. That vinyl shrinks and expands. You have to be careful if you're out with the top down this time of year and it cools off in the evening. Sometimes you can't get the top to latch up.