65 Comet with 390

The Era of The Square Body Racing Comets
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loman
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65 Comet with 390

Post by loman »

Since I let Hurricane Alberto scare me off from PF :shock: , I thought i should do something useful to one of my Comets. I decided to start the 390 swap today. I started removing the front clip and prepped the motor and trans for removal tonight. My crew chief (aka dad) is coming over tomorrow and we'll remove the hood and yank the 351 drivetrain from the car. After the motor is removed we'll start looking at the parts we bought from Crites and make a game plan.
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loman
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by loman »

Yesterday, we got the hood off, motor and trans pulled, and disassembled the suspension. Then we got our Crites kit out and got the passenger side cut out. It still needs some massaging to fit correctly. All in all a good day.
Today is going to be a nice day so we are taking the black car to the track.
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Rocket989
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by Rocket989 »

Enjoy man!! Looks like today/tomorrow are the last sub-90 days we’ll see for a loooong time!!! :lol: :roll: :D
'cause Johno says you gotta have a sig pic! :)
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loman
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by loman »

Today I removed the driver's side shocktower and massaged the openings to match the new shocktower plates. Then I clamped the frame mounts and new crossmember in place.
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Rocket989
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by Rocket989 »

Looks good! What’re the plans for the FE??
'cause Johno says you gotta have a sig pic! :)
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loman
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by loman »

Rocket989 wrote:Looks good! What’re the plans for the FE??
Nothing to wild at first. Plan on a mild cam, single plane 4 bbl, stout c 6 with a small stall converter and 9". Goal is to get running in the 12's via foot brake. Keep it cheap cheap fun fun. Then down the road, maybe a stroker with 2 4 bbl's.
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loman
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by loman »

Nothing to exciting tonight, but I finished fitting my shock shock tower plates. Then I tack welded the frame mounts and shock tower plates in. Next step is to put a arms back on and double check things. If everything looks good then I'll weld everything tight.
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lavron
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by lavron »

Looking good.

I just wish the weather would cool down, I can't imagine welding in this heat.

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

Post by popscomet »

lavron wrote:Looking good.

I just wish the weather would cool down, I can't imagine welding in this heat.

See Ya,
Mike
it's all about the want to,MIKE…...we worked on rusty with out sleep tired hot and half way didn't feel good,,but we had a date to cover and that was what we were shootin for....and we made it....now rusty sits in the shop untoched since it came home from PF....right now we have gone back to the dirt track races,,,it's all about the desire :shock: :wink: ….pop
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pop/glenda

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SASSY
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by SASSY »

popscomet wrote:it's all about the desire ….pop
Yep,,,

but heat isn't so much the problem in Canada,, lol
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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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Rocket989
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by Rocket989 »

Fred - you need some insulation & a 50,000BTU Dayton!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
'cause Johno says you gotta have a sig pic! :)
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popscomet
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by popscomet »

trying to find enough heat where your at FRED should be a problem...man you look COLD in that pic...pop
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pop/glenda

lavron
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by lavron »

popscomet wrote:it's all about the want to,MIKE…...we worked on rusty with out sleep tired hot and half way didn't feel good,,but we had a date to cover and that was what we were shootin for....and we made it....now rusty sits in the shop untoched since it came home from PF....right now we have gone back to the dirt track races,,,it's all about the desire ….pop
You must have missed the updates on my build thread :roll:

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 »

Mike, keep plugging along. My hats off to you for working on your car in this heat. I only tack welded the other night and if was after the sun was getting low. It wasn't to hot.

Today, I cranked up the A/C in the shop and got the shock towers and frame mounts all welded in. Might have been 97 98 outside but it was a balmy 85 86 inside. My A/C doesnt keep it cold but at least it keeps it at a temp you can comfortably work in. Besides the price was right, I traded an old 302 and AOD for it.
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loman
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Re: 65 Comet with 390

Post by loman »

Haven't done much since welding towers in, but I did manage to order a rear motor plate for the 390. I also called Opentracker and talked about the funky steering on my car. After explaining to him what I have, he was confident that I had 6 cylinder steering that somehow in the past someone managed to connect to V8 spindles. So I ordered a manual steer drag link and I'm going to use the idler arm, pitman arm, and tie rods off of a 65 mustang, with my Comet spindles, control arms, and ball joints. Or at least that is the current plan.
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