Mecum Auction

[SASSY]

I would never knock a Comet bringing big money!!!!
Our cars have always lived in the shadows,,, what is that,, is that a Ford?, Pontiac?, what is that? Sure is pretty!
Cars like Jim's should bring 6 figures! Best of everything, true craftsmanship build, just plain stunning! And not a camero.
Our cars are expensive to build, they should be expensive to buy!!!

[Lou's Comet]

Thanks for the report, Lou.

It is time the Comets started appreciating in value. When '66 Mustang six-cylinder coupes got up to $20K, Falcons started to appreciate. Then everything follows suit. JMO, watching prices last 5 years or so.

Joe

Comets started appreciating a while back. The "nice" ones have brought 30k to 60/70k at Mecum for awhile now. The thing is they are rare, not common cars. And being rare means there are not as many nice ones. Many thing contribute to the rarity, 63, 64, and 65 are basically one year only cars, not really much aftermarket support, up here in the rust states where I live not many of them survived. Way easier to build a mustang, heII I am building a 69 Mustang from scratch for a buddy, he ordered a body from dyna corn and we went from there. Finding comet parts is much harder, so not as many people build Comets.

But it is nice seeing them bring money.

Lou

[Lou's Comet]

I would never knock a Comet bringing big money!!!!
Our cars have always lived in the shadows,,, what is that,, is that a Ford?, Pontiac?, what is that? Sure is pretty!
Cars like Jim's should bring 6 figures! Best of everything, true craftsmanship build, just plain stunning! And not a camero.
Our cars are expensive to build, they should be expensive to buy!!!

OMG, I know you would never knock a Comet.....lol

I agree with everything you said.
Jim's car is awesome! I really think if he took his car to Mecum it would easily bring 6 figures. Cars of his caliber do very well at Mecum. Didn't get to look at a lot of cars Monday or Tuesday, was trying to buy something, but from what I seen if you want something decent they start about 30k and go up from there.
What I thought was crazy was this setup, high bid was 57k and it didn't sell! It looks better in the pictures than it did in person.
https://www.mecum.com/lots/FL0122-48602 ... rod-truck/

A lot of cool stuff there, also some junk but a lot of fun....

Lou

[SASSY]

Every time we say "that car isn't worth that kind of money" we devalue every other Comet out there!
Our cars are at least as expensive to build and IMO way nicer than any later plastic interior
"muscle car" and prettier!

[A/FX]

First off I appreciate the positive comments all of you have expressed about my Cyclone!
Having guys who know cars especially Comets say good things about the car make all the time and labor I put into the project worth it. Thank You!

As for the value of Comets, in my mind 47k should buy a almost perfect example. As much as I would like the model to be worth what Mustangs and Shelby’s are going for I don’t think that will happen for a while. The other factor is modification, when a vehicle is modified and put up for sale (or auction) the audience is limited. To find someone who is willing to spend big money for a modified car you have to find someone who likes how the car has been modified. I know this from the hot rod world, a ‘32 Ford hot rod is valuable, but that value is determined by the way it was modified and the quality of the workmanship. (Also in some instances, the history of the car.)
I know that future value had no bearing on my decision to “cut up” my Cyclone, I knew what I wanted and getting return on my investment was not a priority. From the first day I owned the car back in July of 1968 I started to personalize it. Back then it was my daily transportation and money was tight so I did what I could. As you know this time around I pulled out all the stops and built it the way I always dreamed of doing it.
As for my car going to auction that could happen. I have instructed my wife that if the day ever comes that my cars should be sold at auction. ( Although I have said NO Mecum or Barrett Jackson)
Now back to regular scheduled programming.........
Jim

[SASSY]

So,, Im getting old and forgetful! After going through this thread again I see I went off the deep end,,,, again,,, SORRY.
Jim I bought ours a few years later but same road, daily driver although mine was already going down hotrod lane when I bought it. Never intetested in them stock then or now.

[Joe Travers]

Comets started appreciating a while back. The "nice" ones have brought 30k to 60/70k at Mecum for awhile now. The thing is they are rare, not common cars. And being rare means there are not as many nice ones. Many thing contribute to the rarity, 63, 64, and 65 are basically one year only cars, not really much aftermarket support, up here in the rust states where I live not many of them survived. Way easier to build a mustang, heII I am building a 69 Mustang from scratch for a buddy, he ordered a body from dyna corn and we went from there. Finding comet parts is much harder, so not as many people build Comets.

Always like to get other's perspectives.

That being said, there are still Comets to be had if one wants to own one. I'm on my third and know of two others locally. Back when I bought my first, a '65 Cyclone in the late '80s, I thought they were rare but found three others ('65 Cyclone) within a twenty mile radius of my home. Also found a one owner 202 (#2) to putt around. Finding parts has always been tough, in my experience but maybe better now w/ Internet instead of Hemming's phone book. I enjoy hunting for parts.

Also owned five Mustangs and built two others w/ my oldest son but lost interest in them.

Joe

[popscomet]

yrs ago,,I bought a nice 65 comet 2drht,4bbl 289 factory 4spd,,bucket seats,,paint needed a good buffing,,,cracked windshield,,,it was stuck in the mud in the front yard of a guys house,,,he had blowed the clutch trying to unstick it...he said if you can get it out without rutting my yard up to bad ,I'll take a 150 dollars for it,,,so I took enuff chains to leave my truck on the pavement and pulled it out,,me and a buddy pulled it home..pulled the engine out and installed in a 65 mustang and sold my buddy the 4spd,,,gave the comet to the crusher,,,,that's where I messed up,,I was into stangs at that time ,,,not into comets,,I wished several times I had sent the stang to the crusher and kept the comet,,,,but that's just how it was back then....pop

[tomb22]

I follow your line of thought Jim. Everything I've owned I have personalized not caring wear the value is going. I love how my Comet looks and drives now. I'll be keeping it until I can't drive it or die and it's willed to one of my son's who showed a lot of interest in it. I know I'm going to raise the value with the insurance company this winter.
Tom

[caseville cyclone]

Hello everybody, I would like to chime in her for a minute. I ordered a 1965 Comet Cyclone back in 1965 when I was 18 years old. I ordered my car with the A code 4bbl motor,4 speed trans, and posi traction. It was burgandy with black interior. I paid a whopping $2500 dollars for it and that was with 4% Michigan sales tax added in. My present Cyclone has a modified 351C in it with a highly modified C4, along with 4:11 Detroit Locker. Sometimes I think back and wish I would have just made it stock like my first one. I told myself this car will be mine forever, so value isn't important, it's worth a lot to me. My son drag races a car so I know he will like the car when I'm ready to pass it on. LOL Thanks for listening!!! Andy

[Lou's Comet]

Always like to get other's perspectives.

That being said, there are still Comets to be had if one wants to own one. I'm on my third and know of two others locally. Back when I bought my first, a '65 Cyclone in the late '80s, I thought they were rare but found three others ('65 Cyclone) within a twenty mile radius of my home. Also found a one owner 202 (#2) to putt around. Finding parts has always been tough, in my experience but maybe better now w/ Internet instead of Hemming's phone book. I enjoy hunting for parts.

Also owned five Mustangs and built two others w/ my oldest son but lost interest in them.

Joe

I agree, you can still get a Comet if you want, but the selection of Comets for sale is minuscule compared to say a mustang . That's what I mean by rare. If you do a search on Mecum for 64 and 65 Comets only 69 have gone thru since 2007. Do the same search for 64 and 65 Mustangs the number is 1200. Right now on eBay only 4 64/65 Comets for sale but there are 80 64/65 Mustangs for sale. Comets are not a mainstream car.
I don't mind hunting the parts, took me 3 years to find my vinyl roof trim, and took awhile to find the cyclone wheel well trim. But not all people have the patience we have.
I am happy to see the value of Comets going up, no plans to sell mine but it is nice to know if I do decide to sell, which might happen, that it will bring some money. Their were a few Mustangs I seen that were probably overall a nicer car than the black 64 Comet but brought less money, and I am ok with that!.

Lou

[A/FX]

Actually when you look at the majority if not all of the Comets on this forum they are modified. These cars just lend themselves to modifications. Maybe someday a bone stock model will set a record price at auction and we will regret what we have done to our cars!
(Not me!)
Jim

[Joe Travers]

I agree, you can still get a Comet if you want, but the selection of Comets for sale is minuscule compared to say a mustang . That's what I mean by rare.

Compared to Mustangs, yes they are rare! Over 500K Mustangs sold in '65.
The '63 1/2 hardtops, '64 & "65 Cyclones were around 7K each, IIRC.
Already told my oldest he gets mine.

Joe

[Lou's Comet]

Hello everybody, I would like to chime in her for a minute. I ordered a 1965 Comet Cyclone back in 1965 when I was 18 years old. I ordered my car with the A code 4bbl motor,4 speed trans, and posi traction. It was burgandy with black interior. I paid a whopping $2500 dollars for it and that was with 4% Michigan sales tax added in. My present Cyclone has a modified 351C in it with a highly modified C4, along with 4:11 Detroit Locker. Sometimes I think back and wish I would have just made it stock like my first one. I told myself this car will be mine forever, so value isn't important, it's worth a lot to me. My son drag races a car so I know he will like the car when I'm ready to pass it on. LOL Thanks for listening!!! Andy

I agree with Jim and Fred, build how you want. It use to be original cars were more valuable, and it was taboo to cut it up or make major modifications. That doesn't really apply anymore. Time are a changing. Back when I stared cutting/modifying my car I had a few people bust my nuts about it, but that was years ago.

I have recently had some major life changes and now have a lot of time, and need to find more to do than just my shop. So my kid also races but road tracks and auto cross. My Comet is not going to be any good for either of those. So came to Florida to visit my dad and maybe buy something at Mecum to road race with my kid. Happened to be looking at a c5 corvette and some corvette guys were there. Got to talking with them and mentioned a few modifications I would do to the car if I bought it. The one guy just looked at me and said " you got the balls to cut up a vette" and I thought here we go, going jump on me for modifying it. I said yea no problem, he gave me a handshake and the other guy patted me on the back. They were cool with it.

The hobby has changed. Not only is it ok to modify a old car I think for most people it is actually preferred.

Ok just out of curiosity, is the Comet that you have now more fun to drive than the original one??

Lou

[Lou's Comet]

Actually when you look at the majority if not all of the Comets on this forum they are modified. These cars just lend themselves to modifications. Maybe someday a bone stock model will set a record price at auction and we will regret what we have done to our cars!
(Not me!)
Jim

No way a bone stock model is going to set a record. And no way I am ever going to regret what I did to mine. I might regret no power steering but never going to regret the modifications.

Think of this,, the Comets that set the records and brought the most money were modified! The AFX and BFX cars were modified Comets. right?

Lou