Lou's 65 Comet Build

[Lou's Comet]

She's looking sharp, Lou

Nothing cleaner than a shiny black straight paint job.
Nothing dirtier than a wavy one.

Joe

Thanks Joe.

Lou

[Lou's Comet]

Everything looks fabulous, Lou! That trim against the black just POPS. What are you using to sand/polish your bars and center emblem?

Jim

Thanks Jim, I start with 400/600 paper then work my way thru 1200/1500 to 2000. Then use a sears bench buffer with compounds on compound wheel and polish on a polish wheel, takes a little time but results are worth it. I even use the buffer to do small stuff like the heads of screws and such. Those weird tail light lenses screws, with the spiral shaft polish up real nice on the buffer wheel, and only take a second or two!

Lou

[Lou's Comet]

Wow the car looks awesome Lou! Digging the vinyl top and all that purdy trim!

Joe

Thanks Joe.

I am really happy I did the vinyl top. Something I wanted to do from the beginning of the build.

Lou

[tomb22]

You have special talent Lou and your car is proof of that. Nicely done.
Tom

[A/FX]

Your project is looking great!
In reference to the package tray/ rear glass install.
The package tray does not need to be in place before the glass is installed. After the glass is in place the inside rubber on the bottom of the rear glass can be pulled over the tray, that helps keep it in place. The factory also had some small clips screwed to the rear seat backrest support that retains the front of the tray. The factory tray was a thin textured piece of “masonite”, there is enough space to use a padded piece or in my case a carpeted panel.
I hope this helps.
Jim

[poboyjo65]

Yes it helps,thanks guys. that rubber piece is what I was concern about. just looking it's hard to tell how tight it all is. My board has been replaced once by the PO but he parked in the sun & the vinyl he covered it with is busting/coming apart now . I have new 6x9 speakers to replace the ones he put in there. sun got them too. I have a new rear window seal on hand but I'd like to wait & do that down the road ,too many other things to do right now. hate to open up a can of worms. so I want to wait & just do tray & speakers this go around.so yea thanks!

[Lou's Comet]

You have special talent Lou and your car is proof of that. Nicely done.
Tom

Thanks Tom, I really enjoy the build process.

Your project is looking great!
In reference to the package tray/ rear glass install.
The package tray does not need to be in place before the glass is installed. After the glass is in place the inside rubber on the bottom of the rear glass can be pulled over the tray, that helps keep it in place. The factory also had some small clips screwed to the rear seat backrest support that retains the front of the tray. The factory tray was a thin textured piece of “masonite”, there is enough space to use a padded piece or in my case a carpeted panel.
I hope this helps.
Jim

Thanks Jim, good to know! The stuff I bought they called "Cowl Board" it is already Black and has a texture to it.
Did you use the same carpet on yours as you used in car?

Thanks again for the info

Lou

[A/FX]

Thanks Jim, good to know! The stuff I bought they called "Cowl Board" it is already Black and has a texture to it.
Did you use the same carpet on yours as you used in car?

Thanks again for the info

Lou

Yes, we used the same carpet throughout the interior, with the backseat removed I wanted the area to look finished, it only made sense to continue the carpet to the base of the back glass. There is a steel firewall between the backseat area and the trunk, I also installed sound deadener throughout.
Jim

[Joe Travers]

Please excuse the interruption, Lou but I have to ask.

Jim, your Cyclone has Lincoln accoutrements for rear quarters window action?

Joe

[A/FX]

Please excuse the interruption, Lou but I have to ask.

Jim, your Cyclone has Lincoln accoutrements for rear quarters window action?

Joe

Joe,
No Lincoln parts were used. The trim is factory Comet stuff, the lower trim is from the doors, I “butchered” a pair of extra’s that I had to finish off the rear panels after the seat bottom was removed. The seat riser was also eliminated.
Jim

[Joe Travers]

Joe,
No Lincoln parts were used. The trim is factory Comet stuff, the lower trim is from the doors, I “butchered” a pair of extra’s that I had to finish off the rear panels after the seat bottom was removed. The seat riser was also eliminated.
Jim

I don't see window cranks, thought you might have gone w/ electric motors.

Joe

[A/FX]

Joe,
No Lincoln parts were used. The trim is factory Comet stuff, the lower trim is from the doors, I “butchered” a pair of extra’s that I had to finish off the rear panels after the seat bottom was removed. The seat riser was also eliminated.
Jim

I don't see window cranks, thought you might have gone w/ electric motors.

Joe

I did. Power windows all around, power locks and deck lid while I was at it.
No keys needed for anything although I left the mechanisms for them. No ignition key either. ( Sorry for hi jacking the thread)
Jim

[Lou's Comet]

Yes, we used the same carpet throughout the interior, with the backseat removed I wanted the area to look finished, it only made sense to continue the carpet to the base of the back glass. There is a steel firewall between the backseat area and the trunk, I also installed sound deadener throughout.
Jim

Thanks Jim,
I forgot you didn't have back seat. Looks really nice though.
I am going to have back seat and rear seat belts for the grand kids !!
I am also going to have a firewall behind my rear seat. Haven't figured out how I am going to do that yet. My back seat folds down not sure if I will ever use it so not sure if I will have the rear firewall also fold down or not.

Lou

[Lou's Comet]

Still fitting front end. Finished my grille emblem. Sanded and polished it, then instead of doing the red, white and blue stripes I did black so it matches the V8 emblems and other trim.



When I painted my rad black I just did the tanks and brackets, left the core aluminum. Really didn't like how it showed behind the grille and wanted something to keep crap out of the rad core. So I got some black screen for a screen door. I bought the better screen for pets. Made a cover for in front of the rad with the screen and some gorilla tape.



Here are some before and after photos.

Before



After



Before



After



Test fitting the bumper, grille and headlight trim. Someone forgot to order the headlight bucket adjusters



Everything fits pretty nice, will pull the grille, bumper and gravel shield back off to finish. The grille brackets need removed and painted the reinstalled with better hardware, has some bent up rivets right now. Need to spray the bottom of gravel shield with Raptor to help with vibration/noise. Also need to fab some bumper brackets, the round tube ones I have are bent.
And need some headlight bucket adjusters/springs.

Starting to look like something!!

Lou

[Jims65cyclone]

It's all looking great, Lou!

When I painted my rad black I just did the tanks and brackets, left the core aluminum. Really didn't like how it showed behind the grille and wanted something to keep crap out of the rad core. So I got some black screen for a screen door. I bought the better screen for pets. Made a cover for in front of the rad with the screen and some gorilla tape.

I was the same way when I put the aluminum rad in mine. My grill is totally black except for the corral and the center emblem, and I didn't like the way the bright aluminum showed through the grill, so I took it back out and lightly sprayed the front of the core satin black. I left everything on the engine side of the rad the polished aluminum. Just wondering, you're not concerned about the screen blocking off part of your air flow? I would think it would probably be the equivalent of blocking off around 30% of the area of the front of the rad.

Jim