Hey guys hows it going, I'm new to the forum and a new owner of a 74 mercury comet. I want another bumper, the one thats on the car now is freaking ugly and huge. I like the 70 maverick style can you guys help, thanks
Your Only options are Recess/sink it in closer to the body which is the cheapest way, find an early parts car from 71-73 which '73 still looks like a step but here's pics of each year '71 72 73 OR See if someone wants to swap you a front end from a Maverick for your Comet ( I wouldn't but maybe someone will) or look into buying the hood, fenders ( you need notched fenders for the small bumpers either factory or you notch them), and the rest someone will speak up on I'm sure. It's not cheap with the cars to swap to small bumpers as people know they have the gold mine and monopoly with small bumpers .... IMHO especially for the uglier Comets (Sorry I dislike the way they look and understand why they had to give them a few nicer options to sell the wilder beasts so long ago)
the original 74 bumper position does give it an added longer look. ... the 'safety mandated' 74's bumper is a large thing but it's the weight on the very front end that really bothered me. For current Mav' SC project I removed the @ 75 pounds bumper inner beam and frame mounts and used only the chromed outer bumper shell with light angle iron to support it, also moved it in-board a bit. nose looks a little flat currently with Comet hood , grille, bumper shell 'tucked' and the lost weight. have fun The Mavericks' 'energy absorbing bumper ' is an engineering marvel compared to the plastic and styrofoam 'fascia' of all the modern sh&% boxes.
Even though it's a Comet You Did Improve it's appearances a good bit. Only other thing I personally would do is build a thing sheet metal filler for the gap between the grille and bumper. Then again it's free air flow and little extra things add up lol. Is that a reversed Thunderbolt style hood scoop ?
I'd do a small bumper swap. You can't tuck the bumper very much, due to the longer front grill that the Comet has.
we moved Terry1 bumper back to the next set of holes (no drilling). I think it looks great. this is a before pic from above.
Even that's a little Improvement 71gold and I could live with that a little better but I still would do like Powerband did though if I owned a Comet with big bumpers ... until I found a skinny bumper swap . Skinny bumpers just make these cars look so lean and pretty
People like what they like, and that's not gonna change. All I know is that those big bumpers were a cheap, poorly executed afterthought from Ford, and to me, they look terrible. They help to protect the car, not the occupants. General Motors did a far nicer job with their bumpers in getting into compliance with the new Government regulations for passenger cars. They look like they're part of the car instead of some monstrosity that's bolted onto it. I know there will always be people who like the way their Mavericks/Comets look with those '74-'77 bumpers, but really...the smaller ones look much better along with the valance pans, and even the '73 front bumper if it's tucked a little bit and the ugly guards are removed.
Hey hey hey Now Frank I intend on running Mustang wheels for a good little bit because of necessity of needing 5 lug wheels, they were like $150, they're plentiful (should 1 of them ever get messed up etc) & they resemble the Shelby wheels like these and they're not the most horrible or as horrible wheel ever put on a Maverick Now I kinda like the retro'ish look of them, they're 16" at least and what " Mustang " wheel hasn't been put on a Maverick I mean we share the same 5 lug pattern with them & even the 4 lugs too with pre Mustang II guys. Everything I've seen on here I've seen on a Mustang .... with maybe the exception of the Green Car on Enkeis. I have thought about GM Corvette Rally style wheels on the Maverick just because I have Never seen 1 with them in either a baby moon or a smooth style derby cap. I mean you're entitled to your opinion just like we all are but c'mon you know somebody would hate on the GM wheels on a Ford
They Shelby Branded wheels were generally on Shelby cars & the 'special' Shelby Mavericks Mustangs. The Maverick I posted (who ever owns it) is 2005-2009 Mustang GT wheels (IF they had the chrome Tri bar spinners). I know this because I have the exact wheels & the tri bar spinner caps for 'em
Magnum 500s are not Mustang wheels. They're just wheels. Ford, GM, Chrysler, and AMC all used them on various models.
How about a big bumper tuck with the lower part of the bumper painted body color? Wonder if it has been done and how it looked.
