Lou's 65 Comet Build

The Era of The Square Body Racing Comets
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Joe Travers
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Re: Lou's 65 Comet Build

Post by Joe Travers »

Looking great, Lou 👍

Hard to find those fins for the lens w/o a broken stud or two.

Joe
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1963 1/2 Custom Hardtop
342 stroker, solid roller, T-10, 3.55 posi

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Jims65cyclone
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Re: Lou's 65 Comet Build

Post by Jims65cyclone »

Lookin' good, Lou! The lens with two refracting sections looks like its a good 3/4" shorter than the other lens. Are there two different housings, too? :?
By the way, your sig pic with no headlights installed has a "wicked" (in a cool way) look to it. 8)

Jim
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poboyjo65
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Re: Lou's 65 Comet Build

Post by poboyjo65 »

I'm surprized you didnt drill more holes to the sides of the original one & make them sequential & use leds ! they look great!

window frames look great too! kinda gives it a different look from other hardtops. I like how the divider bars between front & back glass disappear ! :)
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SASSY
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Re: Lou's 65 Comet Build

Post by SASSY »

The work around the glass and their frames is STYLIN!!
Great clean simple look..
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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Lou's Comet
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Re: Lou's 65 Comet Build

Post by Lou's Comet »

Joe Travers wrote:
Fri Jan 03, 2025 11:24 am
Looking great, Lou 👍

Hard to find those fins for the lens w/o a broken stud or two.

Joe
Thanks Joe, I bought new for the car but have a few old ones that are still good
Jims65cyclone wrote:
Fri Jan 03, 2025 11:36 am
Lookin' good, Lou! The lens with two refracting sections looks like its a good 3/4" shorter than the other lens. Are there two different housings, too? :?
By the way, your sig pic with no headlights installed has a "wicked" (in a cool way) look to it. 8)

Jim
Nah, the lens are the same exact size. Just looks smaller in pict. Yea I like the way it looks with no headlights too, actually looked for some headlights that were tinted black or smoked. Thinking it would kind of give it the same look?

Lou
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Lou's Comet
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Re: Lou's 65 Comet Build

Post by Lou's Comet »

poboyjo65 wrote:
Fri Jan 03, 2025 2:12 pm
I'm surprized you didnt drill more holes to the sides of the original one & make them sequential & use leds ! they look great!

window frames look great too! kinda gives it a different look from other hardtops. I like how the divider bars between front & back glass disappear ! :)
Not really into the leds, too modern for my car.
That was one of the things I was shooting for doing the window frames black. Thought about trying to find a smoke gray color to match the glass but decided to just use black,,I like black!
SASSY wrote:
Fri Jan 03, 2025 2:33 pm
The work around the glass and their frames is STYLIN!!
Great clean simple look..
Thanks Fred.

Lou
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Lou's Comet
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Re: Lou's 65 Comet Build

Post by Lou's Comet »

I have my Battery in the trunk, so had to do some extra wiring and add a remote shut off switch(if I want to race it) . I wanted to keep everything on the pass side of trunk.

After mounting my batt box I made bracket to mount my remote shut off.

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Also wanted my starter solenoid close to my batt so the 1/0 starter cable running to front of car is only hot when actually starting the engine. Made this bracket to mount the solenoid to the same bracket as the shut off.

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On the backside of this bracket I mount my 2 mega fuses, 1 for the alt, and 1 for the fuse box/ power feeds.

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With covers

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The way I have it wired is a 1/0 welding cable comes off the positive side of the batt into the starter solenoid, and another 1/0 welding cable goes from the other side of solenoid to starter. This is only for starter. Also ran a 1/0 welding cable off the neg side of batt up to the engine block beside the starter.

Then I ran a 2 ga welding cable off the pos of the batt to the one side of the mega fuses, the side with the jumper bar connecting the 2 fuses. And a 2 ga welding cable from the neg on the batt to the base of the trunk mount for switch/fuses/solenoid for additional ground.

The top fuse has 2ga welding wire exiting and running to alt.
The bottom fuse has 2 ga exiting to shut off switch and then 2 ga exiting switch and feeding fuse box/car power.

Here is what it looks like painted and wired, I also ran a brace from top of mount to taillight to keep it all from vibrating

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Then I needed to install handle for kill switch. Only going to need the shut off switch when I go to the strip. So I don't really want it on car all the time. Easiest for me was to run it thru the taillight. So I install an old lens on the taillight and drilled a hole thru it.

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And thru the housing,,

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Then installed the handle for the switch, this is the switch handle in the off position.

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How handle connects inside

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And handle in the run position, I made the "Push Off" tag out of some scrap material and white paint stick. I am having my Aunt make me one out of black parachute material embroidered in white.

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All I need is to disconnect handle at switch and change back to new lens and all stock looking. If I go to the track just change lens and install handle.

Thinking of throwing the lens with hole in it, handle with tag, and the screws in a cool box and label it "drag pac" and mount it in trunk lol

This was a lot of fun planning/doing and very happy with results.

Sorry about longer post.

Lou
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SASSY
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Re: Lou's 65 Comet Build

Post by SASSY »

Never be sorry about long posts, imo. A fair amount of effort is required on our site to create detailed posts with pics and I appreciate all the effort of everyone.
Thank you for the detail.
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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Lou's Comet
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Re: Lou's 65 Comet Build

Post by Lou's Comet »

Thanks Fred!

Moving along did my brake lines. Bought couple rolls of 3/16 SS brake line and fittings from inline tube. This way I can cut to length and won't have to do unions on the rear line.

I have a flaring tool from Eastwood that just makes great flares every time. LOVE this tool, quick, easy, and no leaks.

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And here are what the double flares look like.

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I have a Roll Control and adjustable proportioning valve that I mounted under the drivers side hood hinge beside the MC. Keep everything back out of the way.

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The way the proportioning valve is mounted the adjustment knob sits in a recess of the shock tower. Looks like it was suppose to be there lol.

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The front brake lines come off the roll control valve, the rear brake line comes off the proportioning valve. I copied Fred's idea with running brake line thru interior. I was going to also place the proportioning inside but went with under hood so I had no fittings inside car. Brake line running inside left rocker.

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It exits car behind back seat where the mount for the rear rubber brake line is. I made a bracket for the rear rubber brake line to mount to rear axle at top center carrier bolt, instead of mounting to axle vent.

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This way I won't have any issues with the brake line and left rear tail pipe.

How the rubber line is now mounted, I also cut down the bracket on the car to get line closer to floor.

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Went back and forth on the dot3 vs dot5 fluid and decided to just go with the dot3. Before bleeding I place cardboard and then shop towels under all fittings. This way if any leak the towels/cardboard will keep it off the paint. And just as important the towels will show any leaks right away.

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I had only one leak and it was a fitting on the roll control valve that I didn't tighten. After fixing that all was good, left the towels in place overnight and no leaks !! :)

So brakes are done,

Lou
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Lou's Comet
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Re: Lou's 65 Comet Build

Post by Lou's Comet »

Ran into a small problem this week when I went to install the brake light switch. It fits on my old brake pedal but doesn't work on the new pedal. The new pedal has a shorter pin for the MC pushrod, and a groove cut into it. Picture of new pedal with 3/4" tape for reference.

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And the longer pin on my original pedal with a hole in it instead of groove. Same roll of tape.

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Pin is about twice as long. So as long as I was making a mount for the brake light switch I also want a clutch safety switch. Where car won't start without pressing clutch pedal. So decided to make a mount that incorporates both switch's. Easiest route wat mount to steering column. Piece of exhaust pipe and some 16ga to make mount.

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Here is how it will look like on column with switch on clutch pedal side.

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With switch on brake pedal side.

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All I need now is to clean up mount and paint it, and get two switches that are black.

Another thing off the list :)

Lou
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Jims65cyclone
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Re: Lou's 65 Comet Build

Post by Jims65cyclone »

It all looks great, Lou! 8)
Lou's Comet wrote:
Sun Jan 05, 2025 7:07 pm

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What steering gearbox and gear ratio did you use?
Lou's Comet wrote:
Sun Jan 05, 2025 7:07 pm
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Wow, Lou! Not many guys with rear axels you can see your reflection in. And making sure both switches, LOCATED UNDER YOUR DASH, are black. That's a testament to your pride in workmanship and attention to detail. :wink:

Jim
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Re: Lou's 65 Comet Build

Post by Sugarmaker »

Lou,
Wow the details of your rear Shut Off switch and the brake and clutch switch bracket are awesome! Thanks for posting the pictures as you go. You will inspire others to keep moving on their projects too!
Regards,
Chris and Cheryl
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Lou's Comet
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Re: Lou's 65 Comet Build

Post by Lou's Comet »

Jims65cyclone wrote:
Sun Jan 05, 2025 9:48 pm
It all looks great, Lou! 8)

What steering gearbox and gear ratio did you use?

Wow, Lou! Not many guys with rear axels you can see your reflection in. And making sure both switches, LOCATED UNDER YOUR DASH, are black. That's a testament to your pride in workmanship and attention to detail. :wink:

Jim
Thanks Jim. I used a Flaming River steering box with 16:1 ratio. And I am having a lot of fun with the little details.

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Sugarmaker wrote:
Mon Jan 06, 2025 12:25 am
Lou,
Wow the details of your rear Shut Off switch and the brake and clutch switch bracket are awesome! Thanks for posting the pictures as you go. You will inspire others to keep moving on their projects too!
Thanks Chris.

Lou
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Joe Travers
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Re: Lou's 65 Comet Build

Post by Joe Travers »

Lou's Comet wrote:
Sun Jan 05, 2025 7:07 pm
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Hey, Lou! Are you going to weld clips to the housing to snug up the rear line?
Just wondering if it's necessary, also considering factory practice.

Thanks for all of the cool pics!
Really like the proportioning valve location. Gave me an idea :idea:

Joe
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1963 1/2 Custom Hardtop
342 stroker, solid roller, T-10, 3.55 posi

tomb22
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Re: Lou's 65 Comet Build

Post by tomb22 »

You do awesome work Lou. I have totally enjoyed watching your project and thanks for the detailed pictures. I know what it feels like to build a one of a kind to your liking. Glad your having fun with it.
Tom
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tomb's 65

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