Hello!

[Moses]

New owner here. In fact, first time Ford owner. Made a drive to check out a 64 Comet on Saturday, ended up coming home with TWO 63 1/2 S-22's hardtops. Originally intended to use one to finish the other, but now thinking of restoring the "good" one and rat rodding the "bad"one.

[albert]

Two really nice cars the S22, welcome to the Comet Forum, you can get a lot of help here, just ask.

[SASSY]

Welcome Moses!
Happy to see your following the commandments the first one being posting pics!! lol
Next to a 64 (for obvious reasons) the 63.5 is a fav of mine.
Fred

[poboyjo65]

Welcome on!

[Loner]

More pictures!!
I'm hoping my next comet will be a 63.5 2DHT they are almost as cool as the 65's
Welcome to the forum.

Matt

[Moses]

Time to get to work! (both 1963 1/2 S-22 Hard Tops). One is angry and begging to be rodded out. The other is an almost rust free Arizona car to be restored to original.

[popscomet]

WELCOME,you got your work in front of you,that's for sure !! but look at what you'll have when your done.... WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL YOUR LIFE ,being your a 1st time FORD OWNER? now you have stepped up to home base and ready to knock it out of the park..good luck,don't burn yourself out on work..take a break ,walk away and come back to it..most of all ...HAVE FUN ,,,OL POP

[mopar 346]

More pictures, please. Looks to be blue gut which will be beautiful done. I have the white with a red gut, really a great driving little car. I'd love to have a extra to hot rod. Good luck. I also have a 2 door sedan that I am probably gonna part out if I can help PM me. Not sure where you live but the Gathering is in a couple of weeks in Tennessee if you can make it.

[Groover]

Holy Moses! that looks like a great project.

Keep the photos and questions coming. We all live vicariously through you. Kind of like the matrix or something.

[Moses]

So more details!

I've still got some trim to strip off of the "good" car, plus the side glass. The good one is surprisingly rust free, although missing the front bumper and hood. Those seem to be pretty easily obtainable, especially if I'm fine with fiberglass (I am).

On Saturday I pulled out the 260. Looks to be in overall good shape, possibly running not that long ago. Unfortunately it sat without a hood for a while and at least some water got into the intake. The engine does turn though.

Currently looking the car over and working on a game plan. So far my thoughts are:
-Finish stripping the "good" car
-Get a quote on full sandblast inside and out, then a coat of rust prevention
-Cut out the shock towers and go with a TCI suspension mod on the front end.
-Ultimately install a beefed up 302

Thoughts and recommendations are welcome! I'm located in Nashville and will be at the Comet gathering in Pigeon Forge to talk to the veterans, take pictures, and pick everyone's brain.

[Moses]

Original AC still in the car, and the box is in great shape aesthetically.

[poboyjo65]

Hey ! a neighbor! I'm about 100 mi west of you. Are you sure it is a 260? of course someone could have painted it but motors weren't painted blue until 66. is it a 5 bolt bellhousing? there are numbers behind the starter & a cast date there too if you get curious.

[Moses]

Hey neighbor! I'm actually in the Goodlettsville area. I'll definitely be at Pigeon Forge in a couple of weeks to meet the crew.

So, looks like you're right! Pulled the engine code and looks to me to be a 289 with a 5 bolt bellhousing. Can you confirm? The seller told me it was a 260, but I'm guess he just assumed it to be.

[poboyjo65]

5 bolt could be either one. looks like the block was cast in july 17 of 63. & with the c4 number it probably came from a 64 year car. does it have a tag on the intake?

[Moses]

Didn't see a tag on the intake, but did yank the intake off and look in the valley. No "289" in the valley.

It's a 63 1/2 car, so that sounds about right on the engine date.