Been reading the HAMB for a while, but just signed up last night. This place is killer- I can't get enough of it. I'm getting ready to build my first car. I'm in my late 30's and owned Fox body 5 liter Mustangs in my early and mid 20's, but never did any real serious digging into them. So the learning curve on this Comet build is going to be a bit steep, but I'm up for it. It's a 64, 2 door post coupe, and it's pretty solid. I'm going to need to do a little floor work up front, and the passenger side of the trunk floor is pretty rugged, but the quarters and rockers are solid, so that was huge. It's been garaged since 1987 and has a 6 cylinder in it from a 68 Falcon. Going to do the full 5 lug disc swap up front with a 9 inch out back. I picked up a late model Explorer 302 motor with the GT40P heads for a song- couldn't pass it up. The idea is to cram that thing in there with a C4. I wasn't planning on tearing the motor down and rebuilding it- just going to ditch the fuel injection, swap pan & front cover, put an intake and carb on it, and get it running. I saw that Summit has a Summit brand $140 HEI distributor with vacuum advance and a steel gear (good for the roller cam, right?), and I'm wondering if that thing is a good place to start for a distributor? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I know about the hassle with plug angle on the p-heads and found a set of mid length headers that JBA makes for the GT40P's for 65-73 Mustangs. I can't seem to find a consensus, but I'm kind of crossing my fingers that those would clear the shock towers with this motor. Feel free to hurl suggestions at me- I probably only know enough to be dangerous with this thing. I have discovered the guys over at Comet Central and that place is a wealth of knowledge, but nobody had done the explorer motor swap.
After doing several small block swaps into '63-'65 Falcons, I would advise you to notch the shock towers no matter what kind of heads, manifolds or headers you are using. Everything will be much easier if you do. The GT-40 P heads may or may not clear alot of headers made for early Falcons.
Check out TFFN.net.It is a falcon forum with a TON of info on the Falcon/Comets.Pretty much anything accept sheet meatal will swap with the falcon and mustang.A friend of mine bought a complete 75 maverick roller for 300 bucks and did the disk/8 inch swap into his falcon.That might be something you could look at if price is a factor.
There is a great Comet thread on the HAMB . and check the Comet site below also. http://www.cometcentral.com/forum/
I'm with Drive Em. Notch the shock towers. Go to Crites.com. I know they have Fairlane stuff but probably cover Falcons too.
Judd;you beat me to it!!! Floors are available,same as same year Falcon.Do yourself a favor and use all 65 V-8 steering as most after market brakes are set up for 65-66 models.Tons of info over on the cometcentral forum,a lot of 64-65 Comet owners/builders.The tffn site is OK,too much BS for me.I own a 65 that I have had since 1967.I am not a big fan of that HEI half breed distributor,used one[not my choice]on a build,ended up ruining the cam and the distributor.I would use an MSD or Mallory "Ready to Run" type. ROY.
I'm probably entirely wrong here but I was of the impression that you ran a bronze gear on a roller cam. Maybe that's only for billet cams. You should know and understand this going in. Nothing is a screw together. Yes if your headers fit a Mustang they should fit your Comet just fine, the operative word being should. You won't be wasting your money on them but be prepared to tweak something before all is said and done, its just the nature of the beast. I'm not a big HEI fan myself, not because of the whole trad thing just because I don't like them. The coil in the cap just isn't the ideal situation. but they do make spark and if making spark is all you are after then you would do fine with the summit unit. if it were me I would look for a Ford electronic unit with the external coil. Or maybe an after market unit. Perhaps contact GMC Bubba and get his suggestions on an ignition. Tell you what a polished magneto looks exceptional hanging out on the front of a ford small block. They are rough on stereo equipment but they are the bomb.
the HEI on a Ford looks very out of place and gets in the way in most cases. btw, I have a 2 door post 65 Comet and a hell of a lot of parts for that model...let me know if there is anything that you may need....Did you know that it's pretty easy to make a hardtop out of the post car?..........Just find a top off of a Falcon or Comet and cut the window frames off the doors...a bit of trimming and it all fits. You will need the section behind the roof also...the rest is a slam dunk. I have a 65 hardtop that is wasted below the beltline...been looking at it lately as a donor............ We are doing a similar thing with a couple of 62 Chevy Impalas...using 61 Buick tops and building "Bubble tops" out of the not as desirable Impalas...........have one almost ready to weld now. Has been about a 3 day cut and fit session so far.......Looks like 2 more days of work and we should have it welded back in place. M. M.
I have two '65 Comet hard tops (Calientes) and I would love to find a two door post, as I have always liked the post models. I found a '64 202 post in a boneyard yesterday and I am really thinking of going back for it, but it is missing the doors. Do you know what other doors would fit?
Drive Em;any two door sedan,Ranchero,two door wagon from a 64-65 Falcon-Comet will fit.The only difference will be any exterior trim. Porknbeaner;most Mustang headers hang down too low,not a good fit,been there,done that and the T-shirt shrank. ROY.
Roy, I ended up picking up a pair of original 289 manifolds (65 mustang) for 30 bucks the other day. Couldn't pass them up for the price. I'm going to see if they work with the GT40P heads with angled wire boots and drop in. I'll go from there... Thanks for all the responses guys-
i know some people hate them but i love msd ignition boxes, i would just run a 6a or 6al and use the distributor you have, the box just uses your dist as a magnetic pickup.
umassjj;the shortie headers may work.It would be great to try a set before you buy,I tried a set of Hookers for a 64 Fairlane with the GT40 type heads,were not even close,the shop would not take them back,took about 8 years to sell them[at less than 1/2 price].The big issue with regular Comet-Falcon headers with the GT40s,is the plug points right at the next exhaust tube,don't know about stock manifolds. ROY.
BTTT I personally love the HEI on my SBF. Been really trouble free, easy starts and very reliable. Set it and forget it. It is UGLY, but so is the car so the hood stays shut any way. I'm planning on swapping my 289/C4 for a 302/T5 this summer with the GT40P heads, so I was paying attention to this thread to see if anyone has pics of the notched shock towers in their Fairlane/Comet/Falcon.
Roy, I wish this thing were moving faster than it is. I've been gathering lots of parts to build it up, but that's about it. The car has been sitting snugly in my garage since I bought it. We've been thrown some curve balls in the last year with life sneaking up and biting us in the ass, so the car has had to sit. I still spend a lot of time reading over at Comet Central and here, and I always enjoy reading your posts and keeping up. Jay
Long time, no update. I've been working 70 hour weeks for most of the last 10 years...until now. Finally decided to throw in the towel on my side gig and go back to 40 hours a week. Also retired from racing bikes (too many concussions) and have been jacked up from that, so slowing down before I don't know who I am anymore made sense. Going to take that extra time to work on the car and spend time with my family. I had some time to myself yesterday and started pulling the front end of the car apart. I got the driver's fender into the back yard and started to take it down to bare metal. It looked straight as hell before I started, but then I ran into the inevitable bondo. This braze was hiding under it: What do you guys figure the vintage of that repair is? 70's? The surface held up real well before I took it down- no bubbling or anything. Looks like I'll be cutting that out and patching it.
That is a good repair, next to cutting out and new metal. there is lots of info on the swap. We just finished a 351 w in a 65 h/t, no shock tower cutting. Don't cut if you don't have too. Since you will have the eng and suspension out this would be a good time for the shelby mod on the location of the upper a arms. google it and you will see. lowers the f/e almost 2'', better handling. I have used a petronix ign in a points dist for yrs, still going good and cheaper. Lots of info there, just use it before you start.
The Jalopy Journal
