‘64 A/FX Comet @Mecum

The Era of The Square Body Racing Comets
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A/FX
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‘64 A/FX Comet @Mecum

Post by A/FX »

Going over the block on Saturday January 14th.
Has provenance and history, the owner/restorer has credibility. It should bring good money.

https://www.mecum.com/lots/FL0123-53970 ... comet-afx/
‘64 Cyclone/ Boss 302,quads,4spd, Winters 9”

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Joe Travers
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Re: ‘64 A/FX Comet @Mecum

Post by Joe Travers »

Yeah baby! 👍

Did a double-take and checked the car @ Ray Skillman in Indiana that is still up for sale for $275K and holding.

Joe
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1963 1/2 Custom Hardtop
342 stroker, solid roller, T-10, 3.55 posi

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poboyjo65
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Re: ‘64 A/FX Comet @Mecum

Post by poboyjo65 »

Only thing ,,,I'd have to level up those head light intake grills,, :? killing me :x
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Johno

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Re: ‘64 A/FX Comet @Mecum

Post by Lou's Comet »

I will get to see this one next week while I am in Fl. First time I will get to see a real AFX Comet up close, kind of looking forward to it!

Lou

A/FX
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Re: ‘64 A/FX Comet @Mecum

Post by A/FX »

I have seen a couple of A/FX cars in the flesh.
Looking at the Mecum listing pictures this car looks to be well done, have good history, and documentation. One thing I saw that looks out of place is the Hurst shift ball, it is a modern ball with the Hurst logo on it. The early balls did not have this. I was able to locate an old style NOS white ball for my Comet, it’s the details that make a difference. (Like the headlight screens installed incorrectly!)
I believe the A/FX cars actually came with a factory Ford shifter, of course everyone had to replace it with a Hurst, including myself.
Jim
‘64 Cyclone/ Boss 302,quads,4spd, Winters 9”

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Joe Travers
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Re: ‘64 A/FX Comet @Mecum

Post by Joe Travers »

A/FX wrote:
Thu Jan 05, 2023 9:04 pm
I have seen a couple of A/FX cars in the flesh.
Looking at the Mecum listing pictures this car looks to be well done, have good history, and documentation. One thing I saw that looks out of place is the Hurst shift ball, it is a modern ball with the Hurst logo on it. The early balls did not have this. I was able to locate an old style NOS white ball for my Comet, it’s the details that make a difference. (Like the headlight screens installed incorrectly!)
I believe the A/FX cars actually came with a factory Ford shifter, of course everyone had to replace it with a Hurst, including myself.
In reference to the air intake screens, were the cars you saw survivors or restorations?
Photos of original modifications showed some relatively rough work in some places. The screen may be a wink in that direction.
Fiberglass work was pretty crude back in the day. Even the Shelbys weren't exempt a few years later but it was often hidden from plain site.

Our local Ford/Lincoln/Mercury dealership in the '60s was owned by Eddie Robinson. Perhaps this car was sponsored by a family member. I know one of Mr. Eddie's partners. Should ask him about this.

Joe
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1963 1/2 Custom Hardtop
342 stroker, solid roller, T-10, 3.55 posi

A/FX
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Re: ‘64 A/FX Comet @Mecum

Post by A/FX »

Joe Travers wrote:
Thu Jan 05, 2023 11:54 pm
A/FX wrote:
Thu Jan 05, 2023 9:04 pm
I have seen a couple of A/FX cars in the flesh.
Looking at the Mecum listing pictures this car looks to be well done, have good history, and documentation. One thing I saw that looks out of place is the Hurst shift ball, it is a modern ball with the Hurst logo on it. The early balls did not have this. I was able to locate an old style NOS white ball for my Comet, it’s the details that make a difference. (Like the headlight screens installed incorrectly!)
I believe the A/FX cars actually came with a factory Ford shifter, of course everyone had to replace it with a Hurst, including myself.
In reference to the air intake screens, were the cars you saw survivors or restorations?
Photos of original modifications showed some relatively rough work in some places. The screen may be a wink in that direction.


Fiberglass work was pretty crude back in the day. Even the Shelbys weren't exempt a few years later but it was often hidden from plain site.

Our local Ford/Lincoln/Mercury dealership in the '60s was owned by Eddie Robinson. Perhaps this car was sponsored by a family member. I know one of Mr. Eddie's partners. Should ask him about this.

Joe

Yes the build quality on the early race cars was marginal at best. Of the cars I have seen the one that was “original” was in sad condition. It was apart and modified from it’s Dearborn Steel Tubing condition. This is the car that my hood came from, it was originally the Tom Coward AFX car. After the ‘64 season it was sold to one of the mechanics who I eventually met, he campaigned the car under his own team for a while then let the car set for decades. I was able to borrow the Plaza Glas hood and pull a mold. The car eventually was sold to a local collector who over restored the car to the condition it is today. These were race cars and never perfect, the guy who restored the Coward Comet over restored it and in my opinion ruined the car.
The ‘65 Comet I saw in person was the one I posted about here on the forum a while ago, it was restored but not overly done. Although the body work was almost too nice for a race car.
Here is the Tom Coward car in the Coward livery:
Image
And when Joel owned it, this picture was take in front of his shop:

Image

And the car as it is today:
https://www.hemmings.com/blog/article/x ... -calliente

Jim
‘64 Cyclone/ Boss 302,quads,4spd, Winters 9”

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Joe Travers
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Re: ‘64 A/FX Comet @Mecum

Post by Joe Travers »

A/FX wrote:
Fri Jan 06, 2023 11:15 am
And the car as it is today:
https://www.hemmings.com/blog/article/x ... -calliente
Not my $$, Jim but that's a bit shameful, JMO. :(
Way over the top, disrespecting the heritage of the few remaining.

Joe
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Re: ‘64 A/FX Comet @Mecum

Post by Lou's Comet »

poboyjo65 wrote:
Wed Jan 04, 2023 4:51 pm
Only thing ,,,I'd have to level up those head light intake grills,, :? killing me :x
They did fix the intake grills !!

Car was outstanding!! Only thing I found that wasn't outstanding was the headliner had a little bit of a stain on the lower pass rear sail. And the insert that ran down the side between the trim was a little distorted in a few places.

It was beautiful. Gaps were right, even the fiberglass fenders and hood were super straight. Didn't have the trunk open but underneath the hood was super clean. It is show car quality!

Hope the seller gets his money but curious to see what it brings. This is the fourth time this car is going thru Mecum. The first 3 times it didn't hit reserve, and the high bid went down each time

2012 Mecum Indy high bid was 275,000
2014 Mecum Indy high bid was 200,000
2019 Mecum Indy high bid was 170,000

Kissimmee seems to bring more money than the other Mecum's so hopefully the seller does well. Super nice car!!

Lou

A/FX
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Re: ‘64 A/FX Comet @Mecum

Post by A/FX »

Lou's Comet wrote:
Fri Jan 13, 2023 9:34 am
poboyjo65 wrote:
Wed Jan 04, 2023 4:51 pm
Only thing ,,,I'd have to level up those head light intake grills,, :? killing me :x
They did fix the intake grills !!

Car was outstanding!! Only thing I found that wasn't outstanding was the headliner had a little bit of a stain on the lower pass rear sail. And the insert that ran down the side between the trim was a little distorted in a few places.

It was beautiful. Gaps were right, even the fiberglass fenders and hood were super straight. Didn't have the trunk open but underneath the hood was super clean. It is show car quality!

Hope the seller gets his money but curious to see what it brings. This is the fourth time this car is going thru Mecum. The first 3 times it didn't hit reserve, and the high bid went down each time

2012 Mecum Indy high bid was 275,000
2014 Mecum Indy high bid was 200,000
2019 Mecum Indy high bid was 170,000

Kissimmee seems to bring more money than the other Mecum's so hopefully the seller does well. Super nice car!!

Lou
It’s cool you were able to see the car up close. If the body is as straight as you say then the car is over restored. I can assure you the fiberglass parts from back then were so wavy that if the car was blue it would attract sea gulls. When I had possession of the Plaza Glas hood from the Tom Coward A/FX car it was thin and shaped like a potato chip! The hood that we pulled from the mold made from the original hood had the same shape and flaws. The original was slightly smaller than a normal steel part and when my mold produced a copy it was even smaller. I added a 1/2” to the sides and rear of my hood during the many hours of bodywork it took to make it look decent and fit my Comet. Still this car is one of 21 and maybe a couple that are still in existence, very desirable and in my mind priceless.
The bubble hoods were on the cars when they left Dearborn Steel Tubing, the dual scoop hood was sent to the teams mid season to replace the bubble, some installed it others may not have.
Sorry if I drifted off subject again……
Jim

Here is the Plaza Glas Hood:
Image

Image
‘64 Cyclone/ Boss 302,quads,4spd, Winters 9”

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A/FX
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Re: ‘64 A/FX Comet @Mecum

Post by A/FX »

Did not sell Again.
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Jim
‘64 Cyclone/ Boss 302,quads,4spd, Winters 9”

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A/FX
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Re: ‘64 A/FX Comet @Mecum

Post by A/FX »

Video of the Comet in the staging lane… turn up the volume!
https://youtu.be/GAI9L1oP3l0
‘64 Cyclone/ Boss 302,quads,4spd, Winters 9”

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Joe Travers
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Re: ‘64 A/FX Comet @Mecum

Post by Joe Travers »

Very cool 8)
Long duration cam spitting fire.

Joe
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Re: ‘64 A/FX Comet @Mecum

Post by Lou's Comet »

A/FX wrote:
Fri Jan 13, 2023 11:18 am

It’s cool you were able to see the car up close. If the body is as straight as you say then the car is over restored. I can assure you the fiberglass parts from back then were so wavy that if the car was blue it would attract sea gulls. When I had possession of the Plaza Glas hood from the Tom Coward A/FX car it was thin and shaped like a potato chip! The hood that we pulled from the mold made from the original hood had the same shape and flaws. The original was slightly smaller than a normal steel part and when my mold produced a copy it was even smaller. I added a 1/2” to the sides and rear of my hood during the many hours of bodywork it took to make it look decent and fit my Comet. Still this car is one of 21 and maybe a couple that are still in existence, very desirable and in my mind priceless.
The bubble hoods were on the cars when they left Dearborn Steel Tubing, the dual scoop hood was sent to the teams mid season to replace the bubble, some installed it others may not have.
Sorry if I drifted off subject again……
Jim
The car was over restored, most of the big buck stuff is. The car is outstanding. Thought it would bring more. Seems
Ike the demand for the old race cars is diminishing.

Agree with ya on the fiberglass. Spent a few years at a vette restoration shop, did a few boats, and the fiberglass parts I have dealt with on cars and trucks. The old stuff is wavy!

The hood on my Comet needed a lot of work too. Bought fiberglass fenders and trunk lid for my car but they were so wavy I didn't use them.

Was cool to see the AFX in person, would have been cooler to hear it run, but Saturday's are to crowed to go.

Lou

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