My '73 Comet GT Restoration Thread

A good thread to follow.

I like the way that you are raising the bar of excellence.

Keep up the good work and be sure to post pictures of each steps completion.

 

Spent a couple hours on the Comet today. I got 4 repair pieces welded in. You can see the before pics earlier in the posts. They came out pretty good, just gotta touch up a few holes I found while grinding. I had fun!

Had an old, rough patch panel here before, it will be smooth now.

The end of the inner fender, under the cowl support braces (whatever they are called), was completely rusted out.


Same place for the passenger's side, under the cowl support brace.


Finally, my charcoal canister bracket rusted a hole through the inner fender. Good thing I won't need it anymore.

 

It is looking great...

 

Thanks! Slowly but surely.

 

6 weeks until graduation. Job offer accepted, I start my new career May 29th!

My updated schedule:

• Comet on the rotisserie by July '12
  • Sheet metal patches completed, cowl repaired
  • Underside stripped, blasted, POR15'ed, painted
  • Inside stripped, blasted, POR15'ed, sound/heat insulated and painted
  • 20gal fuel tank, with pump, installed
  • Power windows and locks installed in doors
• Comet off the rotisserie by December '12
  • Purchase 5-speed and components
  • Front buckets and rear seats sent out for re-upholstery
  • Order new wheels and tires
  • Rebuild front/rear suspension, sit her on the ground
  • Install Borgeson gear box, steering components
  • Install 4-wheel discs, new brake lines run, parking brake cables run
  • 302 block and transmission chassis mock-up
  • Side exhaust mock-up, skirts installed
  • Order DIY 347 engine kit
• Comet at the paint shop by June '13
  • Drop off bumpers, misc items for re-chroming
  • New engine arrival and assembly
  • MS3 purchase, assembly and test - harness mock-up
  • Dash and interior plastic restoration
  • Design and make new door panels
  • Paint shop install front and rear glass
• Comet back from paint shop by January '14
  • Install carpet, dash, interior and re-upholstered seats
  • Hang bumpers and exterior parts
  • Drop in engine, install transmission
  • Install clutch and brake hydraulic components
  • Install and hook up MS3
• Comet running by April '14
  • MS3 Initial Tuning
  • Moving under its own power, put some local miles on it
  • Dyno trip and final tuning
  • Finish up the details
• The Comet, my wife and myself attend our first MCCI Nationals Roundup in July '14

Gene... I plan to see our cars side by side sometime in July '14.

 

No bets! lol.. It'll happen.. someday.. .. Your car will be the one drooled over.. Especially by Ray the drooler. < -Ray..

 

I found the last gauge that matches my set (2 5/8" Stewart Warner Competition Series, black face, silver trim) ... turns out this series is discontinued from SW... which explains my good deals on the previous ones.
I was able to get 6 new gauges all for under $300 total. Includes fuel pressure gauge with electric sender (no lines to run).

 

U planning on driving or trailering to the MCCI? I want to see it no matter how u bring it.
Guess I better make my reservations.

 

Only driving, not trailering.

 

Spent a couple hours working on the Comet. Got the manual steering center link broken down, removed the inner and outer tie rods. Separated the pitman and idler arms and pressed out the idler arm bushing. Cleaned up the parts I'm re-using and shot-em with some paint.

 

I also forgot to mention that my homemade 4-wheel disc brake brackets and caltrac brackets are done. The wood pieces were my disc brake templates and my buddy measured and CAD'ed up the brackets from them. They are made from 3/8" steel.

 

Nice! Could he have cut you out a new Comet?

 

He tried 3 times! But the CAD program said it had insufficient resources to handle the intense speed and awesomeness.

 

what calipers are you using? I did the same thing when I mocked up the brackets on disc brake spindles, but I have been considering using the drum brake spindle for a different caliper and rotor setup. Those brackets came out very nice, great work!

 

I am using 2008 Mustang GT discs all around. I just looked at mustangsteve's kit and mocked mine up the same way. My buddy also turned out some rotor spacers for the hub diameter difference. I was able to get all 4 sets of rotors and calipers with pads off of eBay for $265 to my door (new car take offs). Now all that is left is to work out brake lines (banjo type hoses) using Earl's stuff and Lokar parking brake cables. There will be pics, but not for a while.