History 64/65 Comets old drag cars lets see pictures

Happy New Year everyone! New Years resolution --- "Start a build thread for my AWB '65 Falcon"..............soon

 

Does anyone know anything about this car? Is he(Dan Weis) one of the original owners/drivers? Anyone!! Syl

 

Roy- Can you make this Thursday? Irwindale's schedule shows track to be open...

Dale

 

Dale;NO,I have had a few setbacks,Comet is still apart!I still need to install the new control arms and finish the steering[waiting on parts] and get the new 5.14s installed and get the front end aligned[again]!! ROY.

 

Dale, Are you testing the trans brake and new rear tires? Brian

 

Hopefully. You have any helpful hints?

I know whats about to happen. I'll get so giddy after the first couple footbrake passes, I"ll unload the transbrake and all hell'll break loose!!!. It sure would be nice to see this kinda shot, only with some daylight under the front wheels:

 

Hey, I was not sure if you guys have seen these shots yet, but those last two you posted were amazing.

 

Dale;you need to put travel limiters on the front.You are getting more suspension droop than you need. 64crump;Great Pictures! ROY.

 

I don't remember seeing this one of Eddie's before.

 

Dale:

Kool pics, let me know how things go with the brake, I would like to see some air under my tires too, Ken still calls me Mr. 2 incher after my big 2 inch wheel stand at Pinks! LOL!!!!!!!!

 

Eddie, that's not why Ken calls you Mr 2 incher. Just saying....

 

Thats funny!

Going to see if I can whip up a limiter as per Roys "instructions". A piece of chain? Steel cable? Maybe I can ty-rap the shock absorbers? Hmmm, thats an idea. Just cut the travel in half, and put a limiter at that point in the up and down travel? For some reason though, I thought having that much travel was good for weight transfer. I know "ultimately", a wheelie is bitchin, just saying...

 

Dale;DO NOT use the shocks as limiters,they WILL break!!!! I use 1/8" cable with two cable clamps at each end.You do want some separation for weight transfer,you will need to test just how much.Some cars work better with no limiters,depends on suspension,HP,tires,etc.,TEST,TEST,TEST!!!!!

 

One thing I've done in the past is use Carrera shocks as a limiter. Use the ones that were meant to be coil overs. They are strong enough to limit the front end. And look just like a normal chrome shock if you leave the coil over hard ware off. They also have three way adjusment. Worked real good on the "Strictnine" 55 Chevy!!!!

 

A little off/topic...but are you using any kind of rear axle traction device?Maybe some Crites lift bars?Or some Cal Tracks?

 

I use no traction devices. The car has never had traction issues, with my tried and true Mopar Hemi leaf spring combination. Other than the the fact that these springs settle a bit, they are a bulletproof set-up... But, after tomorrow, who knows???

 

What is the rear spring set-up? Do you use a Chrysler Super Stock spring?

Mike

 

Dale, I don't think a lack of traction is what the guy's mean. A bar like the CalTrac or a ladder bar lifts the front and tranfers the weight to the rear. What are your 60' times? I am sure you have noticed how many really fast wheel standing cars run CalTracs and a 9" tire. They flat work. I wish I had them instead of my ladder bars.

Your straight axle is different than anything I have worked on but the principles of weight transfer should still be the same. It was not until last year the I got daylight under my front tires and you are right. It is cool to be able to do that. Now I want more!

Good luck testing. Brian

 

I used the mopar Hemi SS Super Stock spring years ago on my 65 BFX Comet it hooked up so hard that I bent both spring broke the yoke at both ends of the driveshaft using 1350 series U joints. The clutch was slipping on the two time trial runs so cleaned the clutch with hog wash ( brake cleaner) I was running 30" X 9.0 wide slicks with a D-12 compound with a Jerico Trans. They work better with a Auto Trans than a stick trans. What I didn't know is the guy with me Lowered the tire pressure and the track was sprayed with fresh glue. The car hooked hard and that was it. I put the original spring back in got a set of Cal Tracks put the correct shocks in that Cal Track sells. Now the Comet will hook up in a car wash! Just kidding. I have more fun giving people rides at the Michigan down river cruse. Like the Plate on Rear Reads ( it's only a 289 )
~~~~~~~~AFX DAVE~~~~~~~~

 

Here is the spring:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DCC-3412002/

I use two right hand sides. Normally, the left is one spring shorter on the bundle, but I disliked the caddy-wompassed look of the car.

I realize this combination is not for everyone, and, I have had VERY GOOD luck with John Calverts suspension parts (heck, he races occasionally with our AFX group, and puts the smack on us all!!!) in my past cars. But- Chrysler ,back in the sixties, spent an enormous amount of funding testing different spring combinations. If you ever notice a Chrysler car, when it lauches, you will notice the squat/lift of the rear of the car. Alot of leaf-spring equipped cars (like GM-based Novas, Camaros, or some Fords) do a squat and roll. My Comet seperates, and goes. No fuss. No tuning. No bars. Its okay with me, but, who knows, like I said, maybe the new combination will need a new suspension tweak.

Oh. Also- this also weighs in heavy as well. For me, as well as MANY of us out there, cost effects decisions as well. The Mopar springs are generic, off the shelf units that are readily available, and reasonably priced.

 

Ahhhh..

And- - - one more piece of exciting news for our Comet Community!!

Next week, at Irwindale's famed eighth-mile, CarCraft will be executing a feature shoot of Todd Hoffman's injected Comet for an upcoming issue. This is uber-bitchin for our cars, as it exposes them to yet another generation of gearheads for an introduction in what raw, brutal horsepower is all about!!! Rumor has it that Todd'll be cleaning out the injectors extra special so that ALL the fuel will delivered for one hell of a multiple photograph wheelstand!!

Food for thought- we'll now have had THREE Comets featured from this group of racers!!! And- I'm thinking more will be coming soon!!

 

I'm curious about the Mopar rear spring set-up. What needs to be changed/altered to use those springs?
Thanks,
Dan

 

Hey, I know this is for older cars, but here are a few more shots of Scott Dupron's Comet's from the Irwindale/Mooneyes show.





This one (Below) he just got from back East with a 427 FE.



Here's the link to see the rest of the pictures

http://s585.photobucket.com/albums/ss293/64crump/MoonEyes2011/

Clark

 

The think about Mopar Hemi spring they use the 68 SS Cars. They are 1.0" shorter then a Comet spring, their is a RH and LH spring!!! DON'T mix them up the length is same, the front spring mounting Eye is larger than a Comet, Just make a new bushing out of alum. and press it in. Now drill new locator holes in the axle to spring mounting pads 1.0" to the front so it will move your axle to the rear to put it in the stock Comet Location. You might have to use home made spring clamps on the RH front of the spring and LH rear of the spring. The next trick that they used a pinion snubber, but make it adjustable you can use 50/50 shocks or the ones that Cal Track Sells. I learned this from my Engineer Friend that ran SS Dodge's at NMRA and is racing today ( Harry Doolittle) I had two guys come over to the Comet at the track one time. one guy looked under the rear of the car then his buddy said what does have? NOTHING just stock, he said why is he comming out hard. The guy said I Don't Know!! I Loved It. ~~~AFX DAVE~~~

 

Clark-
Scotty and I took an opportunity to race each other that day. It was THE CLOSEST race, and the most fun I"ve had in a long time. I nosed him by .325 sec. at the stripe, but he told me he was having some fuel issues. I could not imagine what the car would do on full tilt!!!


http://public.fotki.com/bowtie0069/cruises-car-shows-etc/2011-mooneyes-xmas-show/img-1198.html

 

So Dave-

It sounds like you "adapted" the springs for use on the Comet platform when you ran them? Do you think this could have been a plausible explanation as to why you had breakage issues? Adapting the front spring eye bushing should not have had anything to do with this, but I saw a red flag pop up when you just described re-drilling the pin center bolt, as well as re-clamping the leaf segments. Maybe this would cause the leaf segments to respond in a different manner than normal? Not sure, just throwing it out..

I did not adapt the spring for use, but rather re-built the perch mounting locations to suit the springs. I just went through my build pictures, and do not have many from this area of the build, but I will tomorrow, after I pull the slicks off , take several detailed shots of how I came about to complete their installation. You will notice one thing immediately. The front perch mount location is exactly in line with the old Comet front spring mount. But, due to the fact the Chrysler spring has shorter front spring segment, my Comets rear axle is 4 1/2 inches forward, the result being an altered wheelbase.

 

Early build pic that shows where the axle ends up after initial mock-up:

 

64crump;this thread started with old Comet information but has morphed into coverage of both the older cars and the newer versions.I believe Scott's 64 is an original dealer built B/FX car.Scott has a great collection of old Ford race cars and parts. Dale;you testing tonight or waiting until next week? ROY.

 

It's easy to Hate you Cali guys, who's weather lets you play year around. Instead of working on my toys, I was cutting and stacking firewood the last 2 days, cause it's gonna snow again, Monday!!

Can't afford to move, either!