65 Comet with 390

The Era of The Square Body Racing Comets
popscomet
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by popscomet »

loman wrote: So we are now ready to take the 390 to the track in the next week or so.
YOU ought to try and bring it to CENTER-VILLE drags here in ARK.,I know you have been there before...ON October 5th,,they are having the stick shift shoot out,plus the old timers from years gone by that still race some and the regular races,,gates open at 1:30pm..me and son plan on being there...so give it a thought.. :!: I talked to a friend just this morning that is 74 and he's bringing his chevy s-10..ought to be a fun time....we were there a couple of wks ago and there was a 59edsel 390 4spd there,,ran good !! so think about it..............POP
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loman
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by loman »

Pop, sounds like a good race and a good time. I probably won't make it there, but you never know.

Also, the 390 made it to the track for its first few passes. Even though it was regular race, we used it as a test n tune. We got 5 passes in. The first two we used to test the handling of the car since this is the first time we have been able to drive it since the crites install and alinement. I let out early and there was no issues. Both of those passes I took off with trans in 3rd gear and let the trans shift on its own. Both passes were in 8.0's. After first pass we switched from the 950 carb to 650 carb since the spark plugs were snow white. We forgot to bring jets along to play so we switched to my 650 carb. The carb is ok but it just idles really funky. The last couple of passes I stalled it up to 3000 and manually shifted the car and I got a 7.97 then a 7.91. The torque converter is way to loose for this combo but it was sitting on the shelf not being used so that is what got installed. I think if we get the carb situation dialed in, a better converter, learn how the car needs to launch and a few passes to loosen up the motor 7.70's should be obtainable.
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loman
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by loman »

The crew chief and I are happy with the way the car ran at the track. Everything seems good. We did a leakdown and compression check last weekend like we do to the other race car at the end of each year. If we find something, we have all winter to work on it and not rushing in the spring before the tracks start opening. Well, we found a couple of things. First thing is we have a weak #2 cylinder. Sounds like I can hear air escaping through the motor so we are thinking ring or piston issue. Second thing was we did a compression check and we are only getting around 110 lbs on each cylinder and #2 was less than that. So we are going to pull the motor and try to find out what is going on.
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loman
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by loman »

Thought i would update what we have found. The issue with #2 cylinder seems to have been assembler mistake :oops: . The ring gaps were lined up and not staggered the way they should have been. We had dished pistons in with the Trick Flow heads which is why we had very low compression readings. The crew chief also noticed excessive play with the piston at the top of the bore. So we decided to go ahead and bore .020 over. We then finished disassembling the motor and we found that the 3 middle cam bearings were wiped out. Talked to machine shop about it and said the cam bearings were probably installed wrong. I don't think that is the case because on the block there is a machined groove in the cam journal so it shouldn't matter where the cam bearing is installed it should get oil. I did a little research and it appears there is 2 thoughts on FE cam bearing install. Install directly above the oil passage hole or rotate cam bearings to 2-3 o'clock position. Mine were installed at the 2-3 o'clock position. Side note, I'm using a different machine shop this time other than the one who originally sonic tested, honed block, and installed cam bearings. Anyway, new flat top pistons should arrive Monday and I will take everything back to the machine shop. Been slow going this winter, but I'm starting to get antsy as a lot of tracks are starting to release their 2020 schedules. Test n tunes start happening in March depending on the weather.
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lavron
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by lavron »

loman wrote:Side note, I'm using a different machine shop this time other than the one who originally sonic tested, honed block, and installed cam bearings. Anyway, new flat top pistons should arrive Monday and I will take everything back to the machine shop. Been slow going this winter
Glad you have a choice, around here machine shops are hard to find then finding a good one adds to the rarity. My motor seems to be the one thing taking forever on my build just because of the machine work, I have to figure time at machine shop in months not weeks :roll: thankfully all of that is done now, I hope.

Keep up the good work.

See Ya,
Mike
Mike's build thread
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=13058
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loman
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by loman »

The latest on the 390 project is we got it back together over the winter. We have ran it 3 times this year and it's been running in the 7.50's. it definately has more oil pressure which is a good thing. The last thing we have done is to take the wore out stock rear shocks off and replaced it with some cheap adjustable shocks from Summit. There are 3 settings and we set it on firm. Hopefully in the next few weeks we will take it out again and see what it'll do.
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loman
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by loman »

Since we did the crites kit, installed the 390, and changesd the steering components to 65 parts we haven't ran it in the 1/4 mile, until yesterday at test n tune day. The car used to dance and drift around at the top end of the 1/4 mile with my 12.9 - 13.0 small block. It seems the 65 steering parts seemed to fix that. The car went straight and didn't drift at all and I ran a 11.96 then a 11.93. It would have went a little faster but I was hitting the 6000 rpm rev limiter chip just past the 1000' .
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DesertRat
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by DesertRat »

I just read this entire thread. It was enjoyable for me to see the old school hot rodding. Congratulations on your times in the quarter.
Douglas
Oz never gave nothing to the tin man that he didn't-didn't already have-Image

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loman
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by loman »

Since the 390 is n the 11's., we are thinking nostalgia super stock now. So I need a headliner, carpet, upholstery and dual carbs. Headliner is ordered and I removed the rear window and windshield this weeekend. Gonna try to get this all done by May. Maybe wishful thinking, but gonna try.
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SASSY
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by SASSY »

Careful Loman,, you put all that "stuff" back in the car those 11s are gonna get harder to come by,,
But happy your having fun. Ya wanna be careful though or it will end up with tags on it and you'll end up getting tagged with a street racing ticket :lol: :mrgreen:
Fred
I'd rather do it myself if it's done right or not,,,isn't that what hotrodding is all about

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popscomet
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by popscomet »

for every 100lbs + a tenth of a sec...best I recall.......
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loman
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by loman »

Pop, your right. 1000lbs is a tenth is what I have been taught as well. We were hoping to be able to run the 11.75 or 12.0 brackets when done. Already have a 10 sec car don't need another 😉, for now.
Besides , slow car has its advantages. it is a lot nicer not having to wear fire suit and climb in and out of roll cage, especially in the middle of summer.
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loman
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by loman »

Putting stimulus check and tax refund to work. Headliner and carpet ordered. And a dual quad intake is on its way. :D
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popscomet
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by popscomet »

ARE you trying to tell us the goverment owns part of that comet ??? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: pop
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loman
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by loman »

Pop, I know nothing!! :D
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