Lou's 65 Comet Build

[Lou's Comet]

Lou,getting everything you want on top of the motor and keeping it under a stock hood is probably going to be a challenge.The air cleaner thing is usually the big obstacle for me.

Thanks Vicegrip,,,,,,I do have a AFX type fiberglass hood, and was leaning toward a performer rpm intake. Hopefully it fits. But yes under hood clearance will be something I keep in mind as I pick intake, carb, air cleaner.

Lou

[Lou's Comet]

Pretty cool how engine technology has advanced since these cars were new. Streetable 302 now makes more power than Shelby's wild racing 289. Small-block stroker makes more power than FE 427 hi-riser. I'm old school, before aftermarket but did buy a few things from Ford Motorsport for my son when Fox bodies were his thing.

Joe

Yea it is. I am also old school, last engine I did (other than just a stock rebuild) was like 35 years ago.
Roller cam and such is all new for me. Pretty much letting Jim at Ford Strokers pick the cam and such. My short block should be here the first week in March. I will have to install heads, intake, carb,dist, flywheel, balancer etc. cam will already be in and degreed. So still have some parts I need to choose and get

Everyday I get a little closer on the Comet. I have all the body parts wet sanded and got the doors and trunk buffed so they are ready to install. Still have to buff the hood and fenders. But pretty much into the assembly part of it. Also been working on the sound deadening, got the inside of rear qtrs and the wheel wells (inside the trunk part) done with the sound deadening mat. Got to finish up my fake fuel tank bottom and position fuel cell? And battery box in trunk before I finish the matting in trunk.

Hopefully be up and running for summer!!

Lou

[Joe Travers]

I do have a AFX type fiberglass hood, and was leaning toward a performer rpm intake. Hopefully it fits.

Lou, I'm running a Holley on Performer RPM w/ a 1" open spacer to get cross flow in the plenum. Also running 14" X 3" air filter w/ flat base and it all fits under the stock hood. Keep on keeping on

Joe

[Joe Travers]

Hey Lou! Have you already purchased the 185 heads? Just throwing this out there......

The 185 is the max head for 4.00 bore. Being you are running large bore, you could step it up for mo' power
I don't spend other guys' $$ but it's a real thing.

Joe

[Lou's Comet]

Hey Lou! Have you already purchased the 185 heads? Just throwing this out there......

The 185 is the max head for 4.00 bore. Being you are running large bore, you could step it up for mo' power
I don't spend other guys' $$ but it's a real thing.

Joe

Yes I did purchase the heads already. The heads are getting hard to get and didn't want to wait 9 months to a year.

But I did think about going bigger on the heads but the larger AFR heads have raised exhaust ports and that would likely create some issues with exhaust. Also they were not available. Talking to my builder he said the 185's would work fine!

If the 205's would have had the OEM location for exhaust ports and been available I would have probably gone with them.

Lou

[Joe Travers]

But I did think about going bigger on the heads but the larger AFR heads have raised exhaust ports and that would likely create some issues with exhaust. Also they were not available. Talking to my builder he said the 185's would work fine!

On the exhaust side, the Renegade 185 is still a pain in the butt. I temporarily sorted out plug wire boot problem w/my Hookers using a MSD button boot on #3 plug. The only ones I could find were 8mm. I'm running Autolite plugs. Accel shorties may help in that regard if you can find the correct heat range. I have my 3rd set of wires in the back floorboard, trying to get it just right. Would be best to check it all while you still have the engine on the cherry picker, in case you run into this.

Joe

[Lou's Comet]

Making progress. Got the shell, trunk, doors, wet sanded, buffed and installed. Still need a little adjustment, waiting till I get the weatherstripping done for final adjustment, and still need to final buff/polish them. But it is starting to look like a car again!



Also did some more sound deadening mat. Really want the car to sound solid with no squeaks, rattles, etc. plus want the doors to sound solid when opening and more importantly closing them. Decided to try the Dynamat, at least for the doors. From what I have read it adheres the best,, supposedly. Well bought enough to do the doors and comparing it to the Summit brand I used for the rear of the car I have to say there is a difference.



The Dynamat seems to stick a little better, was about the same to cut and work with, and seemed to work a little better when tapping with your knuckle against the metal after matting was applied. Was it a whole lot better than the Summit Brand,,ah not sure if I would spend the extra to do the whole car with Dynamat. But I did buy more to do my roof, and inside firewall/cowl. Thought there was enough of a difference to do what I thought were the more important parts with it.

Inside roof.


Didn't do the inside of firewall yet, still need to test fit some stuff.

Also did some work on my dash. Got my gauges ready to mount in the dash bezel I made for the final time.



Also to stop squeaks, rattles and such I used rubber O rings on the gauges where the bezels meet the dash and wrapped the housings with a strip of rubber to keep them snug and tight. I cut strips from commercial rubber cove to wrap the gauges., fit the gap perfectly. Took just a little effort to slid it all together.

What it looks like done.



Also got my short block this week.



So now I have been spending a lot of time on Summits site trying to decide which parts to get to finish the engine, and filling a shopping cart. But I am making progress.

Actually think I will be running this summer.

Lou

[Jims65cyclone]

It's all looking great, Lou!

Jim

[Lou's Comet]

It's all looking great, Lou!

Jim

Thanks Jim, got to admit I am getting anxious, and maybe a little bit excited, lol

Be cool when it is complete enough to have a signature picture!

Lou

[Jims65cyclone]

Use some of your in-progress shots till then. They're impressive enough for sig pics.

Jim

[Joe Travers]

Looking great, Lou!

I was chasing down a black on black '65 Cyclone couple years ago w/ Cragers.
Kinda gettin' jelly

Joe

[Lou's Comet]

Looking great, Lou!

I was chasing down a black on black '65 Cyclone couple years ago w/ Cragers.
Kinda gettin' jelly

Joe

Thanks Joe.

Don't get jelly, mine is only a Caliente. I won't be putting on the emblems, but will be reinstalling the lower Caliente body trim.


Lou

[rmertz3282]

Lou your dash looks great. Where did you source the bezel? Does that mount in the original location without modification?

[Lou's Comet]

Lou your dash looks great. Where did you source the bezel? Does that mount in the original location without modification?

Thanks,,,I actually made the dash/bezel myself. And I did have to modify the factory dash.

Lou

[rmertz3282]

Lou,

My apologies. I went back and found your original post detailing the gauge work. Really impressive.

Randy