My '73 Comet GT Restoration Thread

Some more tools made it into the shop this week. We now have a 30" finger brake with shear and a bead roller kit. I'm hoping to spend some time in the shop this weekend and start mocking up the new floor pans and other patch panels to fill all the holes made.

Sheet metal work, here I come!

 

Cool.. Patiently waiting to see progress

 

Only had a few hours to spend on the Comet today, so I started on my dash pad restoration process.

Had to remove the dash pad cap, which was glued on by an "interior professional" back in the 90's. It cracked a year or two after it was installed. My buddy and I used heat lamps to heat up the cap and its adhesive in hopes of making it easier to remove.


Got the old cap off, you can see the original pad is in pretty rough shape.


Some close-ups reveal the massive cracks and deteriorated foam. Its OK though, this week I will be ordering the supplies I need and we are gonna see what we can do with it.



Also, we got some new tools last week, a sheet metal bead roller and a finger brake with built it sheet metal roller and shear. Haven't used them yet, but they will surely help with the new floor boards and other sheet metal repairs. Gotta love harbor freight!

 

I bought one of those bead rollers, don't expect too much from it. They are pretty weak, and bend under pressure. There are some pretty good links around the net, where guys have made them better.

 

Thanks for tip! I will be using 22 ga on my floor pans, etc. So as long as I can bead 22 ga, I will be happy.

Also, if it is a little weak, I was just gonna make more passes. As you know, you don't have to get your bead on the first run through.

 

What do you have in mind for restoring your dash pad - going to try to bring it back to life instead of installing another plastic cap?

 

Yep!
http://mmb.maverick.to/showthread.php?t=75002&highlight=dash+pad

 

Ah yes, the infamous air hockey table

My guess would be that you have a better cap in mind

 

I had an awesome link saved, on one someone modded, but I can't find it
Here it is:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=137858&highlight=bead+roller

 

That is sooo cool! Thanks for link, we might have to look into some mods like that for ours. :Handshake

 

It has been a few months since I have worked on the Comet. Spring semester is almost over. I have two final exams coming up Monday and Tuesday, then the summer! In the next few months I plan to:

1) Finish the sheet metal repairs, including the cowls and the floorboards.

2) Get the car mounted on the rotisserie, strip and POR15 the under carriage.

3) Restore the dash pad and paint the interior pieces in between wire brushing, welding and grinding.

Should be a fun next few months! :bananaman

 

Cleaned up around the Comet this morning, gotta keep the shop in order. Made the replacement panel for the drivers bumper bracket mount. And I welded in the first patch panel! This is the first piece of sheet metal that went ONTO the car instead of cut out of it.


This piece was rotten and removed a while ago, along with the lower part of the engine bay sheet metal.


Replaced that piece with 14ga steel. The sheer couldn't handle it, so I had to trim by hand.


The backside is 3/16" flat stock, to support the nuts and provide the strength for the bumper brackets.


I used some angle iron to finish the frame repair and make the two sides meet.


This is the first repair panel to be welded in. I started in the trunk because I need more welding practice before moving on to the panels you actually see. Look away Frank!

Hopefully this weekend I can finish the trunk and move on to welding up the bumper mount repair panel. Then I can start welding in the other panels I have already made. Then move on to the floor pans and cowls. :bananaman

 

Unfortunately, nothing getting done on the Comet. It has been my window seal test bed, that's about it. Fall semester starts soon, so that is not gonna lead to any Comet free time either. Only two more semesters, then a nice income jump with hopefully more free time!

 

I have my excuses too

 

I actually got to work on the Comet today. Only had an hour or two, after working on my friend's truck, my father-in-law's camper and then my sister's car. Sheesh.

Anyway, got my replacement driver's front bumper mount made up. All that is left is to rust-stop the inside of the frame, then weld it in.



Also welded in my passenger rear bumper support.


Once the driver's front is welded in, I can start mocking up the brackets needed to get the Comet onto the rotisserie!