1965 Comet Caliente (little red)

[Sugarmaker]

Comet folks,
Cheryl watched as I finally gave the Comet a good hand washing. The weather was cool today but dry. Perfect day for a ride. Texted a friend in Erie and set up a short run to the lake and another tour around the state park.


Gordon has a very nice 68 Torino and is just getting his new to him 55 Tbird ready for touring this year too.






We had sandwiches and ice cream at Cream land then headed back to John and Cathy s place to visit. We joined them at the local Moose club for some fresh cut french fries. They drove "Howard" the 46 Ford,



I picked up a new heavy duty flasher to see if it will slow down the rapid flashing of the turn signal.
We also stopped at the previous owner of the Comet just to say hi. He is 93, and was happy we stopped.
The trip was uneventful as far as the car performed very well except for hard starting when warm. I think the change to new rear springs may take out some of the soft sway while cornering hard.

[Sugarmaker]

Folks,
A couple things:
The turn signal on off is very fast. I bought a recommended heavy duty flasher. That did not change or slow down the flashing. This is the old one.
Any suggestions? I googled the problem and someone on the Comet forum said it might be in the turn signal switch in the column.


The other issue is the heater motor/fan. The fuse was blown. Changed that and the fan is still not working. I may try to take the front off the heater plenum. I also think that may be the fan may be clogged with mouse nest. So I need to get the heating duct front off and see what is going on.

Cheryl and I went for a ride up to Lake Erie. The Comet did a nice job!

[poboyjo65]

Well you've redone everything else you've tackled, might as well restore the heater box, especially if the heater hoses look old. it's not too hard to completely take out. only the four nuts in the engine bay around the fan motor to mount it. then defrost ducts & a couple of cables & the heater hoses & it's free. you could inspect the squirrel cage part of the fan & motor as well as the heater core,& up on the work bench vs standing on your head. if it needs a new blower motor it'll all have to come out anyway. a foam kit to seal the internals of heater box & new plenum are both inexpensive. if the plenum is still the factory cardboard plenum it's probably half rotten. if it is plastic it has been replaced & possibly heater has been gone thru already. but if a mouse house in the squirrel house it'll all need to come out as well. heater box is 2 halves held together with clips & you would want to use silicone or something to seal the 2 halves back together to prevent heat in summer.

If heater internal foam seals for the doors/flaps are old you will get heat in the summer time because there was no factory shut off valve to the heater core, unless someone added one. I added a couple valves to my heater hoses just so the core doesn't get hot in summer.

[Sugarmaker]

Joe, Folks,
Well that sounds like a heck of a project too! Thanks for the support. I will need to think on that one. Sounds like a better winter project. We have a car show this Sunday.
The rear springs will be here in a couple weeks and hope to get into that project shortly after.

[Sugarmaker]

Folks,
I was very surprised and please when I received a email from the rear leaf spring manufacture. Eaton Detroit Spring gave me a status update on my order of the rear springs. It will be a interesting project.
Update: The springs are in packaging and should arrive within a week or so.

[Sugarmaker]

Comet folks,
This arrived at the front of the house, Thanks FedX!


All parts looked good.


















We used the engine lifter to support and adjust the rear end as we did assembled one side at a time.






All of the old fasteners came loose. Side note Eaton sent bandaids a long with their kit!


Old spring in front of the new spring assembly.


Re assembly:


This is the distance to move the front spring eye.


Installed the portapower to spread the spring.




It worked very good to bring the front spring eye into position.


Cleaned up the Ford original parts to be used.




We should have the Comet back together tomorrow. Happy with parts and fit so far. More later.

[Sugarmaker]

Guys,
So the new springs are very stiff, pulling the shackles forward and the spring eye was up against the frame.


Before a test drive, after stretching the springs with the portapower and put new standard (not air) shocks in position.


After short drive Shackle position. We brought the shackle more vertical, but still slightly forward. After a drive around the block this is how it looked.


Yep its up there! Late 60's early 70's look.


The car was a little rougher in the ride. But I think the general handling was improved. The stance.... Well its about the look I wanted. It's not a tail dragger any more. Some may like it and some may not?

[Jims65cyclone]

Looks like the stance is about the same as it was before using the air shocks. Is it? Hard to tell without a profile shot.

Jim

[Sugarmaker]

Jim, Folks,
Yes its almost the same height now, as the air shocks at 100 psi. The front is now higher than when we got the car due to the new front coils. It looks like the clearance is there for the bigger tires on the rear? They might fill the wheel wells a little more as they are larger in dia by an inch or so. It is sfiffer with these new springs for sure. I was very happy with the springs, install kit, and shocks from Eaton Detroit Spring. US company, USA made parts. Not a full profile here, but the weather is not good outside.

[Jims65cyclone]

Looks like you gained about 2 inches compared to your sig pic.



Jim

[Sugarmaker]

Jim, Folks
Thanks for the comparison on the height of the car before and after. That is a good dimensional comparison. As I read back through a lot of the post on here advising me about new rear springs. You guys were right on the money. The 2 inch higher than stock springs are taller as you guys told me. Not unusual for me to do something that my brain thinks is the right thing to do. We are going to drive the car and will report as we test more on it.
Thanks to everyone on here for the support, information, suggestions, and recommendations.

[Sugarmaker]

Folks,
Brief update:
I called Eaton again they said that the shackles need to be pointed to the rear. Well I tried the portapower again on both sides of the car, trying to get the shakles to stay back. When the pressure is released the spring tension brings the shackle back towards the front. That event maybe brought the dimension from floor to wheel well down about a 1/4 inch or so. I will keep you up to date if i come up with revelations or changes. Plan to go on some drives soon.

[A/FX]

Eaton is correct, the preferred angle of the shackle should be off center to the rear but not too close to the frame rail when there is weight on the springs. The shackle needs to move when the spring flexes, it seems that your springs have quite a bit of arch in them. You may want to remove one leaf and see if the shackle relocates to its correct angle, you can always reinstall the leaf. I know that when I ordered my springs I specified how I wanted the car to sit and approximately how much weight I would have behind the rear axle line. ( I have a reversed eye on the front of the spring) I ended up adding a leaf, and driving the car so the springs settled, now the ride height is exactly where I wanted it to be. The shock absorbers should not carry any weight, their job is only to control compression and rebound.
The attached pictures may help, note the angle of the rear shackle.
Jim

[Lou's Comet]

Folks,
Brief update:
I called Eaton again they said that the shackles need to be pointed to the rear. Well I tried the portapower again on both sides of the car, trying to get the shakles to stay back. When the pressure is released the spring tension brings the shackle back towards the front. That event maybe brought the dimension from floor to wheel well down about a 1/4 inch or so. I will keep you up to date if i come up with revelations or changes. Plan to go on some drives soon.

Try putting some weight into the trunk. When I put new springs on the rear of my Comet I had same problem. Put (5) 12" cement blocks in trunk for a week or so and the shackles went into place

Lou

[Groover]

I seem to recall doing the same thing Lou said.