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Projects 64 Comet Build for Sema.....Its build time....

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Total Performance, Jan 10, 2011.

  1. Cyclone64
    Joined: Jan 3, 2011
    Posts: 22

    Cyclone64
    Member

    Looking good TP. Who did the face plate? I am looking to get mine redone. Thanks, Jim
     
  2. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal


    Thanks! I'll be posting pics with the wheels in the next week or so. I want to get them on the car for a "real life" image. Just think old and new (could I be more vague??)

    TP-
     
  3. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal


    I had the faceplate chromed by Tony Azcue out of texas. Its a good job with a nice real chrome look. I did the other work myself, trim, paint, camera case (pain in the but) and new style guage fitting. If you need any info i'd be glad to help ya out!

    Total Perf-
     
  4. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    Thanks Myron!
     
  5. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    Thanks all for the nice comments about the guages! Here's a pic of the whole set of dash inserts all done before they went in the car.
     

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  6. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    Here's one of those old school additions i'm plugging into this build and realistically you guys will probably be some of the few that will actually notice it. I put a factory radio delete on the radio panel from a lighweight car. A little nostalgia flavor for those of us who love it!
     

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  7. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    Another nod to the past is the factory lightweight tag I placed in the glove box. Though this car is far from a lightweight (hey! it's got a glass hood!) I love the tag and had to incorporate it in this build.

    Total Perf-
     

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  8. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    Here are a few more detailed shots of the dash pieces going together. You'll see the ribbed surface the camera case has to stick to. I knew before I tried that there was no way it would stick and last sitting verticle at an event or driving in 100+ degree heat. it would be on the floor. So I did what the factory did and hand formed some beer can thin aluminum and used it to be the middle solid piece. Worked well though it really took some time to get everything set up correctly. By the way, dont use contact cement on camera case finish material. Contact cement = melted material, dammit.....

    Total Perf-
     

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  9. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    The hardest thing on the build so far is keeping the balance of old and new so the car speaks to both era's. With all the Hi-Tech goodies were using on the car I wanted to make sure they were heard and not seen until they were needed. Then I wanted them easy to get to and easy to service. I put my head together with Matt's, figured out the few things I wanted to see and set Matt loose to create some coolness.

    I wanted to get all the electronic components into the back of the glove box and out of view, even from looking at the dash. He did it perfectly. He incorperated the Painless harness, FAST EZ-EFI control and brain and the MSD Ignition all on the glove box panel. He's still finishing it though here is a sneak peak of the progress so far.

    The panel will be in the back surrounded by the factory style gove box making it slightly functional still and having the components located in the rear of the box viseable and able to be serviced at any time. Sweet!

    Total Perf-
     

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  10. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    Here are a few shots of the panel test fit in the glove box area.

    Total Perf-
     

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  11. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    Specializing in vintage drag cars and period correct restorations being a major part of our business its usually the hardest thing but also the crown of vintage class to place the correct tach in a car. Be it a Thunderbolt with the 8K Rotunda or a Yenko with the greenline SW, it really shows the detail of a build if theese things are right in my eyes. Thats why from the start of the build I wanted to put a period correct tach on the dash of this car. Not the regular over the counter option, i mean a cool period piece thats really hard to get. The nod went to the 8K Rotunda that would have been in a competition drag or road race car of the day. Its quite a bit shorter than the Thunderbolt/Galaxie style. Its made for the Falcon/Comet/Mustang shorter dash body style cars. I love this one and its an early part that is correct for this cars era.

    The issue was mounting it. I didn't want to just slam some holes in the dash and walk away. Another issue was if we wanted to use this tach it would have to sit fairly far over the dash pad, and for me punching holes in the pad wasn't going to happen on this build.

    What insued was I had to make a bracket patterned off the original that would raise the guage (most race cars didn't use a pad so we had to raise the guage to compensate) and move it 2.5 inches closer to the driver.

    The result was a custom bracket that was seriously patterned off the original that gets this gem sitting pretty in the correct location in command of the revs.

    Here are some of the pics while it went together

    Total Perf-
     

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  12. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    We went through quite a few tach configurations. I think it turned out well. Here's some of the "tack mess'.........

    You can see the finished bracket on the table after it was trimmed and ready for instal next to the weathered original.

    Total Perf-
     

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  13. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    Now its time to get the panel for the air ride components all set up. I wanted to have all the Air and Optima on a panel of MDF suspended under the package area in the trunk. As expensive as this stuff is I wish I could mount it on the roof or the hood......... but it'll get buried over the rear wheels in the trunk by Denny when he finishes and fine tunes the upholstry.

    Now I just have to work out the configuration.

    Total Perf-
     

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  14. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    Speaking of the interior-

    We measured for the center console last week. (boring pictures of us measuring inserted here).

    I mention this because we have some really great stuff planned for this console. Not ugly or WTF? - cool stuff. Cant wait to show ya!

    Total Perf-
     

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  15. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    I finished the 8 port injection manifold the other day as well. I hate the look of all the vacuum lines on modern 8 port injection manifolds with very few exceptions. So Matt machined a plenum in the bottom of our manifold and made a plate for the chamber. All that was left was to bore a hole in each intake port into the plenum to achieve a contant vacuum signal. So I chucked it up in the mill and proceeded to drill 8 holes in this $4K manifold (I was covered in sweat). All came out good and without any issues. Heres the finished part!

    Total Perf-
     

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  16. ec164
    Joined: Aug 9, 2011
    Posts: 500

    ec164
    Member
    from MI

    looking great! You all do some nice work cant wait to see wheels and car finished....Al
     
  17. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    Were just about ready to drop the engine in the car so thaty means I have to tear it apart and get it ready for the "spiffy" new parts for the build including the 8 port injection and the sweet valve covers as well as all the other stuff.

    So before I rip it down I decided to run it for ya on You Tube on the stand a bit. I snuck down on a sunday when the shop was closed and let her rip a bit. Its a cool little raspy small block. And yes, its got mufflers on it in the video.

    By the way, Sorry for all the "um's" in the video. I guess the little lady's right. I'm not good at multi tasking. LOl

    Below is the link the the Video! Thanks and enjoy!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3G5rWokss4
     
  18. KustomCars
    Joined: Jul 31, 2011
    Posts: 3,465

    KustomCars
    Member
    from Minnesota

    I cant wait to see it done!
     
  19. 65COMET
    Joined: Apr 10, 2007
    Posts: 3,086

    65COMET
    Member

    Aaron;WOW'the manifold turned out great!!!The new engine sounds crisp!!A good friend has one of those run-in stands,he can't imagine doing engines without it!!! I like the tach idea,I mounted some of my gauges in a similar fashion. ROY.
     
  20. Wow, your Comet is really coming along nicely. I love the attention to detail and effort you are putting into it. Great work!
     
  21. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    Thanks a bunch guys for the support! I'm having a fun time on the build for sure! Thanks for following along on the ride!

    Total Perf-
     
  22. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    Thanks Roy! I appreciate the kind words! I love the run in stand. It really pays for itself. On this build I actually had a oil pan that had a leak/unfinished weld and squirted all over the place once the pressure came up. Thank god it wasn't in the car. Oil on fresh mat-black paint = gross smudge forever. Your always welcome come on down to use the stand if you ever need to! I was worried about the tach at first and wondered if it would look ok, thankfully it turned out great. Thanks again!

    Thanks claymore! I wanted the car to have a little bit of an attitude!

    Total Perf-
     
  23. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    Well --------- I guess its time for the big wheel reveal!


    Firstly, it was REALLY important for me to choose a wheel that took styling from the old school drag and salt flat designs that looked so good on the high horsepower and speed machines of the day. Secondly, I wanted to reflect the quality and modern workmanship of todays technology. Molding the two together was very difficult and proved to be very involved. I must have spent in total, months looking at wheels comparing the different designs. I actually took a picture of the car and taped the wheel finalists to the car's picture to see how it was going to look.

    Car guys--we're a breed all our own-

    The winning wheel and the set I feel hits all the high points is the Bonneville G from Billet Specialties. I know their not the typically H.A.M.B. friendly set of old hoops, though I believe thier the closest modern equivalent. Talking with Scott S over there (who is a real car guy, someday I hope to pry his 64 Galaxie woody wagon away from him, Scott--I know your reading this!) and he knew exactly what was going to fit with the info I gave him.

    Anyhow, These wheels are great! Awesome workmanship and the grey tinted centers really set off these babies, and the polish is fantastic. The aluminum is top quality which makes the lustre on the polish look deep and, well, expensive. Really they make some of the other (new school) wheels in the shop look like seconds. Hopefully you guys dig them as much as I do for this build!

    Thanks guys.

    When we got the rear end narrowed and ready for the install we had to get the wheels on there and give it a test fit.

    It was a great moment. The suspension was lightly tested, and worked great. The spacing on the wheels was perfect and the rear end fit in the car fantastic. The pics dont have the brakes on the axles so they'll move out a bit more, perfect!

    Sigh of relief!

    Now we have to take it all back out to make it pretty.

    Total Perf-
     

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  24. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    Here's another shot. The car has about 5 inches of travel so it shouldnt be hard to get the stance just right for every situation.

    Pics of the front soon to come, actually i'll get the whole car when its rolling after the rear end is all back in and perdy-

    Total Perf-
     

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  25. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    Once the rear end came back out of the car it was one step closer to getting Alain's (Allen's) special touch of paint perfection. But before it went into the paint booth I had a bit of work to do to get it ready for him.

    First, Brian spent some time with it in the blast cabinet to take off all the years of crud. It was night and day when it was done. Gotta love the "Blat-it-all"!

    From there Alain gave me some super high strength silicone to seal up all the nooks and crannies just in case the media got lodged in there and decided to dislodge and get into the gears. This stuff is aerospace grade. I tried to put it on with gloves and it literally ripped the glove finger off my hand. Im not worried about it coming off, ever....

    Next step, rearend facelift!

    Total Perf-
     

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  26. ec164
    Joined: Aug 9, 2011
    Posts: 500

    ec164
    Member
    from MI

    Pretty awesome to say the least!! All that ride adjustment will give lots of looks. The paint, body lines and door gaps look good too! Like the color, thats what I went with too, but will have trim installed and Red spear.
    Its going to catch some attention at SEMA. Its really nice seeing how everyone has different ideas using todays technology and yesterdays cars and looks. AL
     
  27. No_Respect
    Joined: Jul 27, 2005
    Posts: 1,172

    No_Respect
    Member
    from So-Cal

    I love this car!!!! Its finally getting finished! Just a few weeks past the deadline:p but your still going and that is good to see
     
  28. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    ec164- AL-Thanks for the kind words. I almost went with the trim on this car but went with the clean look in the end to give the car a more modern feel. Your car sounds great! I love the red insets on the trim.

    No_Respect- Thanks man! I really appreciate it. You said it, FINALLY! Thanks for sticking with us as it comes together!

    Total Perf-
     
  29. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    THE DOCTOR IS IN!!!

    Sometimes things get painted and you say, "wow, that looks nice". Then there are the other times when things get into really skilled hands and they are totally transformed. Alain has had many of these roll through his hands in the paint shop, either complete car or a component he is extremely able. But this was truly amazing as this rearend came together under the doctors touch.

    You all have seen how raw and nasty these wrecking yard rears are and the PSYCLONE rear was no exception to that. Within the first day Alain had it in a state that I couldn't recognize it anymore. I was really curiuos about this particular piece because it will be looked at and photographed so much in its life firstly. But secondly because it was such a carved up frankenstien piece when I walked it over to him. He looked at it and said, "Cool, you won't recognize it when you see it next".

    Man, was he ever right about that, check out the pics I got of him during the process.

    Total Perf-
     

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  30. Total Performance
    Joined: Jan 4, 2011
    Posts: 1,496

    Total Performance
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    This is one of those situations again where pictures do not do it justice. This thing is sanitary! There is not one seam, or weld track or ripple on this thing at all. The gloss is even and really deep. Alain did a rear end for Denny's (Upholstery, you'll meet him shortly) 57 about 20 years ago and its still as beautiful as the day he shot it. Great work!

    Alain made a trip down to the shops this morning (sunday) to unvail this thing, and was blown away. I told him I was screwed, because it was now the nicest thing on the car! Including the car...........HA!

    Im so happy to have his years of experiance to pull from in paint and all the other parts of the build (s) as well. Thanks Alain! Amazing work! With as many issues as we've had on the rear suspension of the car (outlined in previous entries) I couldnt be happier with how its all turned out.

    Total Perf-
     

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