COMET CENTRAL

bigdan wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 15, 2024 6:40 pm

Thanks for the input fellas. I don't know if I'll remove the lead, but the quarter issue will be fixed correctly for sure. Hung upside down to get a pic- just bad dent repair; I don't think the two are related now. Either way - with sub frame connectors it ought to stiffen up a bit; maybe a cage as well. We'll see what I find as I strip it down!



Dan

Don't you just love the bondo worms they will come back and bite you every time.

Finally getting started. Plan is to get the body stripped down and cleaned up first, of course. Like my last project, I'll stitch all the body seams just in case and replace the floor. At that point, I'll probably go to a rotisserie for the rest of the rust repair. Biggest surprise thus far is the factory seam sealer; it seems to be separating all over the car. Oh - and a previous owner tacked the bottom bolt on the passenger fender . Still need to grab toe board panels ( any recommendations?) and get the suspension removed, but it's progress.





More later -

Dan

bigdan wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 24, 2024 4:49 am

Finally getting started. Plan is to get the body stripped down and cleaned up first, of course. Like my last project, I'll stitch all the body seams just in case and replace the floor. At that point, I'll probably go to a rotisserie for the rest of the rust repair. Biggest surprise thus far is the factory seam sealer; it seems to be separating all over the car. Oh - and a previous owner tacked the bottom bolt on the passenger fender . Still need to grab toe board panels ( any recommendations?) and get the suspension removed, but it's progress.
More later -

Dan

Ford put the seam sealer over bare metal, didn't work so well. On mine the factory seam sealer was coming off everywhere too.
Made it easy to remove Just used a gasket scrapper. Then after cleaning the seam of any rust, I stitched all the seams.

I epoxy primed and seam sealed a couple seams in engine compartment, with some high end seam sealer, 6 weeks later it started to crack and separate a little. Got Plssed and took it all back to bare metal and sealed all my seams with 3m 08115 panel adhesive, no Mor problems.

Looks like a really nice car to start with!!

Lou

Dan the store bought toe boards were a big let down for me. they were over 100 each shipped back then, & even higher now & were pretty simple & needed work after you get them. the corners near the hump are spliced 3-4'' just as you would if you made them & need welded up there. & one of mine was on back order for a couple months, made it seem worse sitting around thinking I could have made them a lot faster. & they weren't tall enough I still had to use some donor metal on the tops of them. The only worse rip off of a bad deal was trunk floor drop offs.

Thanks for the info, fellas.

Johno- for the toe boards, if it's that much hassle I'll just save the $ and fab myself. Thanks for the heads up.

As for it being a nice car, Lou - that's what I'm digging into to find out . Floor pans are about a given at this point, of course, so no surprise there. I did find some secret rust in the drip rail and driver's cowl vent today, so that's a bummer. Not too bad overall though - and best I can tell it's never been wrecked, so a win there!

Plan is to get it completely stripped to a shell, get it sitting on solid jack stands and replace the floor. Shouldn't have any issues with flex if it's sitting square, but I may tack the rocket flanges together from underneath. Once the floor is done, I'll go ahead and figure out a rotisserie and fix the rest standing upI hope!

More later -

Dan

Still making progress. Car is up in the air getting stripped down prepping for the floor install, and still happy at what I'm finding (or not finding, to be clearer). I think I have an overall plan together, but no need in final decisions yet.

But - went to meet the gentleman I got the car from to pick up a few trim pieces he had found and . . . . . He had found the missing rear badge I needed! So, we're "complete" as far as trim goes.

Enjoying taking my time and no real hurry, so this should be fun!

More later -

Dan

Keep posting, Dan. Looking forward to following your build.

Jim

Jims65cyclone wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 07, 2024 10:41 pm

Keep posting, Dan. Looking forward to following your build.

Jim

Thanks Jim! I hope my neighbors are ready. It's almost time to break out the needle gun and remove this gobbed on undercoating - my favorite! Of course, I listen to their dogs all hours, so we'll call it even

Dan

Dan,
I had not thought about a needle scaler. Does a heat gun help or hinder. This old undercoating would be tough to remove.
Like the pictures! You have your car in a good position, for work.
Look forward to your progress updates.

I almost bought a needle scaler when I took off the factory undercoating behind the fenders . it was really thick in places & looked like it was going to be a pain to get off but I pecked around with a screw driver & it was so brittle I popped it all off with screwdriver in just a little while ,30 min to an hour I think it was for one side.

& there were some places that were really thick, that's a dime laying on ledge of a thick piece in the 2nd pic. It looked like it was sprayed on so thick it slide down the coil cover. but it came off so easy. I did buy a needle scaler later on to do a rearend carrier & loved it.

as for my neighbors ,I lost my status as the loudest neighbor, some young punk moved in near by with 4x4's & 4wheelers all loud & he holds the title now.But he has friends who pitch in. I'm just a one man show most of the time. but at least my neighbors are talking to me again,even though I still try to do my part, but it's usually to grumble about the loud guy

Thanks fellas.

Yes, Chris, a heat gun helps in some instances - kind of a combination of needle gun- screwdriver- scraper- heat gun- etc. It's definitely not a "one size fits all" solution! Kind of therapeutic though.

Johno- I agree, most of the seam sealer and undercoating scrapes of fairly easily. As for the neighbors, I do try to at least keep the noise in check; no loudness between 9pm to 7am is my rule. Works pretty good - no complaints so far.

More later -

Dan

Looks like you are making some progress. I am getting ready to cut up my freshly installed floor pans and make a bigger tunnel to clear the C-6 transmission I am going to use. Since I only used a small strip of the original tunnel. My new pans will have to be trimmed.

saSSoman8810 wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 11, 2024 8:21 am

Looks like you are making some progress. I am getting ready to cut up my freshly installed floor pans and make a bigger tunnel to clear the C-6 transmission I am going to use. Since I only used a small strip of the original tunnel. My new pans will have to be trimmed.

Sounds good! I'm almost ready to cut out the old pans. My plan is to run a TKX manual, so I'll have to pick one up fairly soon to verify shifter location - good thing is American Powertrain is right up the road! I ran a TKO500 in my 65 Falcon, but that needed extensive floor work. I'm running a TKX in my 53 Ch#vy truck - way smoother shifting than the TKO was and a smaller top profile. Plus multiple shifter locations it might just fit ......

Dan

bigdan wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 12, 2024 4:46 am

My plan is to run a TKX manual, so I'll have to pick one up fairly soon to verify shifter location - good thing is American Powertrain is right up the road! I ran a TKO500 in my 65 Falcon, but that needed extensive floor work. I'm running a TKX in my 53 Ch#vy truck - way smoother shifting than the TKO was and a smaller top profile. Plus multiple shifter locations it might just fit ......

We kicked around the TKX a bit some time ago but I don't remember anyone chiming in on the thread. Please post your findings for the record, if you don't mind.

Is your car a factory 4 speed car? I believe the TKX shifter locations are all on centerline of the case?

Thanks

Joe

Joe Travers wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 12, 2024 12:54 pm

bigdan wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 12, 2024 4:46 am

My plan is to run a TKX manual, so I'll have to pick one up fairly soon to verify shifter location - good thing is American Powertrain is right up the road! I ran a TKO500 in my 65 Falcon, but that needed extensive floor work. I'm running a TKX in my 53 Ch#vy truck - way smoother shifting than the TKO was and a smaller top profile. Plus multiple shifter locations it might just fit ......

We kicked around the TKX a bit some time ago but I don't remember anyone chiming in on the thread. Please post your findings for the record, if you don't mind.

Is your car a factory 4 speed car? I believe the TKX shifter locations are all on centerline of the case?

Thanks

Joe

No, my car was an automatic. I've used a TKX previously; I'm hoping the forward shifter location will clear the tunnel support. Floor first, of course. Here's the last I installed; the square plate with the sticker is for the forward shifter location. Thanks for looking-

Dan