Rocket's Comet Build

[lavron]

Currently crusty '88 vintage 5.0/ 302:

It seems with me I like the crusty because I can make them prettier, gives that true sense of accomplishment. That and because I am cheap and the crusty stuff if usually more affordable.

Keep up the good work, I mean weather permitting.

See Ya,
Mike

[Rocket989]

Hahaha MIke!! Yeah, yeah it does!

The feller I got the longblock from is a big Fox 'Stang guy and said it ran great. I'm hoping to clean it up, swap heads and other stuff on with new gaskets, oil pump, and timing chain and call it good. Hopefully all looks good when I pull the pan and a main cap, etc.

Almost forgot - picked up a potential donor for the rear seat!! Check out those integral belts! Out of a '16 Transit Connect... Gonna take some fab work to mount and I don't think the headrests will fit, but that's fine.

[lavron]

They look really narrow, you have a roll bar/cage?

See Ya,
Mike

[Rocket989]

Yeah, at some point down the road. Some parts of it will have to be custom anyway to make SURE no heads can come in contact with it!! It is kinda narrow, but I think I can get a car seat and booster on there. Long as they don't get mad at each other...

[lavron]

It is kinda narrow, but I think I can get a car seat and booster on there. Long as they don't get mad at each other...

I guess not many full sized people will be riding back there.

I am still contemplating on whether to even put a back seat in mine, I would almost rather have a flat spot to carry things like a cooler or suitcase, just not sure if it would look weird without a seat, even though I am making a lot of changes I would like my car to kinda look period correct, maybe dual coolers with fiberglass tops that look kinda like seat tops.

See Ya,
Mike

[Rocket989]

If I didn't have the young'uns, I'd leave the back seat out and do something pretty much EXACTLY like you're talking about. Looks fine to me!

Besides, it makes a great place to throw ANYTHING...flip-side...it makes a great place to throw ANYTHING...

[Rocket989]

The current no back seat look...looks fine!

[Rocket989]

Put it up on stands and the brother helped bleed the brakes "old school" (pumpin' it up!)...don't think it helped much though... After driving it a few times, a few fittings were seeping, so I gorilla'd 'em tighter except for the pass front line off the splitter. It's in a lousy place so cranking it with a flare nut wrench ain't easy (smack into the engine harness plug), so I used one of the crush washers Ron has suggested. Got it from up top and bottom so we'll see.

I think my inclination was right - I need to get the e-brake hooked up and yank it few times to get the rear pads just right. Friggin' Caddy calipers!! I set them at .020 on assembly but they're not hitting even. Digits crossed that's the problem with long pedal travel and not locking up (though I haven't tried REALLY hard!!). I guess we'll see if the 15/16 bore MC is enough!!

Stinks to put it back on dollies, but driving a manual w/o an e-brake stinks it up regardless!!

[Rocket989]

Got the parking brake hooked-up...cables were just long enough!! Some yanking (a bunch), and the rear pads snugged-up and pedal is better.

The bad - the cable sheathing and clip-end don't extend far enough and the clip-end is too big. This means I'd have the bare cable pulling crooked, against the side of the p-brake assembly (on each side). I figured I could couple some cables ends up, but I'm a little stuck on cable stops. Most hardware stores only sell aluminum or copper... Can't do it, so I ordered some stainless stops. Now, it's proving tough to find a swedging tool that isn't a piece of crap or $300 bucks!! Trying to duck dropping $250-300 on a custom cable assembly!! We'll see!!

In the interim, I've been working on the seats. Hope to get an update posted on those soon!!

[Rocket989]

So, this is a beautiful thing:


UNLESS...&#*&%#(*Q%&#)(Q...I measured three times, using the old cable & a string, and still came up short!

So two options - order another cable or make the rod longer...went for Option B...

So this:


Turns into this:


Here's the assembly installed:


I used a length of steel rod, threaded it and an NF all-thread coupler with lock nuts. So far so good; the cable, being new, stretched some but it still woulda been short.

My original plan was to use the cables that came with the rear disc kit, but the cable intended to reach the p-brake lever was woefully short. I looked at available options for swedging my own ends on a cable, and even ordered stainless stops. Turns out it's true that any suitable tool is gonna cost at least a few hundred bucks.

I've got a Mt. Everest steep-ass driveway and thinking about one of the kids walking behind the Comet...couldn't half-ass it. Glad I didn't! Turns out a cable ain't that much $$. Inline Tube doesn't make custom cables any more, but I found an outfit called Control Cables...$65 bucks + S&H...not bad!! They made the cable sheaths with the right ends for the p-brakes on the Caddy calipers on one side and to fit the original brackets on the other side.

After letting the cable sit under tension overnight, I used a dial-caliper to adjust until just before the levers started to move, and worked the p-brake about 30-40 times. Pedal is better now so I gotta get it off dollies and drive it!!

We'll see if the under-dash assembly has the ratio to put enough tension on the p-brakes!!

[poboyjo65]

That's a great solution!!!

[comethead]

Looks great!

[Rocket989]

Thanks guys! Now if I can get this seat thing done, I can go back to working on the engine. Finished assembling the heads and have the Holley DP in all its thousand pieces soaking away.

Messing with the seats did make me wanna do interior stuff, but one (or two) things at a time is enough!!

[Rocket989]

Well, I don't think the 'ol under-dash handle system has the ratio to get it done. I'm gonna try adjusting in a little more, etc. but am about out of room - starting to pull the levers at rest. It holds nose down on the driveway but not nose up. So past a whatever degree grade - nope; unless I always happen to be parked downhill!! That's all the way out on handle too! So I'll probably look at pull-up, tunnel-mount lever stuff. Easier to use but dang, I like the old school handle under dash!

After I'm sure rear pads are all making contact - drive some and then have to find a relatively safe place to try and lock 'em up... If I do need a bigger bore MC, I'll swap same time as engine/ tranny when doing hydraulic clutch install!!

Back to cleaning carb parts I go!!

[poboyjo65]

None of them hold as good backwards as they do rolling forwards. are you leaving it in gear? Reverse is usually geared lower & will hold slightly better than first.