Lavron's '64 Build Thread

[SASSY]

Currently it seems several/most of the ducks have migrated south for the winter

See Ya,
Mike

Beginning to wish you were talking about me,,,

[lavron]

I have been prodding more ducks to line up.

The holidays are about over, Bambi is dead and I have been getting things ready to crank at it again.

Thanks to a forum member I have my bolts for the driveshaft to diff so I can get the motor/trans back in and see how everything is lining up. As soon as the motor and trans are back in there (for mock-up) I will hoist the car back up is I can fit under there comfortably and see about the driveshaft to floor clearance and if there will need modifications there and get the bottom of the right torque box at least tacked in.

Certainly you guys know I have not been idle and have been planning the wiring harness etc. (lining duck up) so I will pull the trigger on all that and give something for Jim to look at

Yea, I've missed the daily reports on huge leaps in progress since they left.

Thanks for all the support, advice and encouragement you guys give, it means more than you will ever know.

See Ya,
Mike

[Jims65cyclone]

The ducks are coming! The ducks are coming!
Jim

[lavron]

Just a little story, some related to my build (or hopefully will), some not

It all began the Sunday afternoon/evening before Christmas (the eve of Christmas Eve) it was alternate method (black powder) deer season, I was sitting in my little tent in the front yard when Bambi stepped out of the woods and came my way (really if you squinted your eyes you could still see the spots ) along with her sibling, with the season nearing the end I figured it was as good as any and would be some dandy eating so let go with the 50 caliber an knocked her down. Now remember it is Sunday evening and last year I took my deer to an Amish man to process it, I was happy with the work he did but he was 20 miles away and I wasn't sure he would be working on Sunday (or the alternate season either) but I remembered there was a deer processing sign out just up the road from me (2 or 3 miles) so I thought I would chance it and drove over there, went up and knocked on the door and asked if he was still processing deer, he said no but he only did it during regular gun season but would do mine for me and to pull my truck back to the shed and unload it.

Now when I pulled around I noticed a race car sitting on a trailer, but had other things to deal with, so he checked my deer in and unloaded it, I talked to him a few minutes about that we were close to being neighbors, hunting etc and went home. Today he called me and said my deer was ready for pickup and I told him I would run right over, so I did and pulled in and paid him. Then I sprung it on him I said I noticed he had a race car the other day, which he said he had two actually, and asked who did his machine work and he gave me the name and number of a guy local said he did all his work and couldn't be happier.

Then the good part, they were Ford guys, both of them, him and his machinist (there was about 10 Ford pickups sitting around so I told him I kinda thought he might be ) he said he raced a Ford and if he couldn't he just wouldn't race at all Anyway we had a long conversation I told him about the Comet to which he said, Funny I was just searching Craigslist for a Comet, Falcon, Maverick, Fairlane etc. to use for a daily driver, it is nice to talk to a Ford guy and someone who actually knows what a Comet is.

It was a good time, and one other thing, he told me the guy across the street from the machine shop was a welder, could weld anything like oil pans and they didn't even leak when he was done

Going to call the machinist soon and try and see if he would work on my little six.

One last thing, I was talking to a guy that does metal casting yesterday and he is going to help me work on a little secret (for now) project for the Comet

See Ya,
Mike

[bigdan]

Cool story Lavron. I discovered the same thing when I was hunting down trim for my 65. I called up one fella 2 hours from my house that had a CL ad and went for a visit. Across from his house - 64 Comet tucked away. He directed me to another guy, who led me to another guy . . . You get the idea. In 2 weeks I visited 4 different guys, piecing together what I needed, and "found" multiple Falcon/Comet guys in the process, one was 1/2 mile from me!

It always surprises me how many of "us" are still out there when you really start looking.

Good luck!

Dan

[popscomet]

those are neat stories,MIKE,,appears you have found you some FORD guys for sure,,if it wasn't so far to drive,OL POP would drive there just to shake their hand,,SON and I have made that same statement many times,,if we can't race a FORD we'll give it up and take up quilting...good luck with them,,don't be surprised at the parts they may have rat holed away...we have parts and cool stuff that ain't seen daylight in many yrs,heck,that 4spd in rusty has been around here for at least 30 yrs maybe longer,POP has Y block 3x2 2x4 that I've had since 1967,,a true FORD guy is a parts hoader...to us...PARTS for FORDS are way more important then MONEY.....IT always amaze me what a guy is apt to find close to home....happy new year to all ...pop

[Cobraguy]

Good to see the ducks are behaving Mike. I got my Falcon together enough for a short test drive around the block. I copied your engine mounts somewhat. I built adjustable posts much like yours and repurposed my old lower control arm bushings and made mounts for the engine. The stock mounts hit the steering shaft u-joint. It all works good and looks good but there is a lot of noise, vibration transfer at idle. Once off idle it settles down. If your Comet is anything like my Falcon you'll need some room at the rear of the tunnel.

[lavron]

I got my Falcon together enough for a short test drive around the block.

Cool

I copied your engine mounts somewhat. I built adjustable posts much like yours and repurposed my old lower control arm bushings and made mounts for the engine.

Do you know if the bushings were poly or rubber? I know mine are rubber and I am hoping they are elastic enough to take up a lot of the vibration.

If your Comet is anything like my Falcon you'll need some room at the rear of the tunnel.

You are probably right, hopefully this week or next I can do another mock-up with the driveshaft and know for sure what I have to do, I was looking for another little project to do anyway

don't be surprised at the parts they may have rat holed away

He did say he didn't care if the car he found even had a motor, he had some sitting around he could throw in there. Also the only car he had found so far was a 1980 Fairmont Wagon, his wife said she would not drive or ride in it if he got it

He directed me to another guy, who led me to another guy . . . You get the idea.

Yes, anyone who has an hotrod, or comes to the house and asks me about my Comet gets talked too about machine shops and junk yards

See Ya,
Mike

[Cobraguy]

My bushings are rubber.

[lavron]

My bushings are rubber.

Thanks.

I got a few minutes today and got the interior of the Comet cleaned out (the floors) used a little phosphorous acid on the rear pans and the rotary wire brush, has a couple of rust holes but I guess I will patch them, really not too worried about.

I have a question, In my set-up do you think I should do subframe connectors? I had always planned too but just not sure for a low HP street car/cruiser/sedan they would be necessary, I have read the body was designed to have a little flex to avoid road harshness but don't know that is true, I don't mind adding them if they will help with the handling of the car, but if not, it would kinda be a waste of time and expense.

See Ya,
Mike

[SASSY]

Unless I'm mistaken I'm guessing your a conservative driver and plan to cruise into the sunset arm out the window, vent window open slightly stirring through the gears as the road requires.
If that is the case doubt you will ever need a chassis reinforcement such as connectors.
Imo
Fred

[lavron]

Unless I'm mistaken I'm guessing your a conservative driver and plan to cruise into the sunset arm out the window, vent window open slightly stirring through the gears as the road requires.

Pretty much sums me up Won't be racing for sure, is taking too long to get to this point I don't want to break it, if I want a more powerful car I will build a different/another one I need to keep in mind the intended purpose of this particular car and remember I don't need to incorporate everything I see

Of course certainly I want it to be the best for what it is. I guess if I decide it needs sub frame connectors I can add them later.

See Ya,
Mike

[lavron]

Another question, would an old license plate make a good patch for my floor? The reason I ask is not because I don't have the metal but I still have the original, first set of plates that were on my Comet.



Those in the picture, I was thinking about using one to make a patch in the rear floor, I thought it would be cool My thoughts are to cut a hole big enough for the plate and weld it face down (so you can read it underneath) it is a bit bigger than I need to cut out but the plate was laying there and got the gears in my head spinning

So just wondered it was heavy enough, it is a 1980 Missouri (issued in '79 when I bought the car), or any other thing that would deem it un-usable?

See Ya,
Mike

[bigdan]

I guess you could use it for a patch, but it's probably galvanized, or welding would damage it or make the edges burn. Might be cool to make a glove box liner out of it, or the inside of the glove box door, or courtesy light bezels, etc. All sorts of ideas!

Looking good -

Dan

[tomb22]

Unless I'm mistaken I'm guessing your a conservative driver and plan to cruise into the sunset arm out the window, vent window open slightly stirring through the gears as the road requires.

Pretty much sums me up Won't be racing for sure, is taking too long to get to this point I don't want to break it, if I want a more powerful car I will build a different/another one I need to keep in mind the intended purpose of this particular car and remember I don't need to incorporate everything I see

Of course certainly I want it to be the best for what it is. I guess if I decide it needs sub frame connectors I can add them later.

See Ya,
Mike

Another thought on the sub frame. My car came originally with a 6 and all the factory joints on the sail and the rear deck where cracked. It was a very solid car. I figure the cracks came from the twisting of the uni-body construction. After welding up the joints and installing a good sub frame; I feel the cracks should not come back. I can jack up the side of the car in the middle and change both the front and back tires.
Tom