Hey folks. Just popped in to see what I can learn. Recently bought a '73 comet to play with. Not quite looking for full restore, just want to make it cool. Always wanted to play with old cars, bought this for 200 bucks, so I figure at that price, it will be a great learning car. The only real problem is the floor. It is hideous. Cancer on driver and pass side and a bit in the rear. My wife messed up my camera and lost my "before" pics. But I'll toss some up here soon with where I am at now. Hood and drivers fender very rusted. Sanded and sanded and got all off fender but hood was pretty thick. Treated it with rust converter and sanded more then primed. I primed alot of the car already. Turning out well I think. I also gutted the inside. Seats were surprisingly in good condition. Only two tears. Headliner same, really surprising to me. I am scared of the underside of the car. Its very rusty. Any pointers would be great, or ideas etc. See ya 'round the forums.
My pointer would be: since you are from Texas....find a rust free car to work on and use the one you got for parts. There are too many rust free cars down there to even mess around with any rust. Let us Northerners contend with fixing rust.
Hard to find one for 200 bucks though. LOL. I really want a mustang, but before I drop money into that I need to learn what I'm doing first, even in dealing with rust. Here is my rust issue. I already took care of rust on hood, fender, and trunk lid. trunk lid had very minor rust. Here's two pics of floors. I have a buddy who is a weldin' fool. So I'm thinking just cut out bad and put in new floor? Would a same year mustang floor work? I can't seem to find replacement floor for Comet. http://profile.imageshack.us/user/mightymouse/images/detail/#80/dscf1747hx1.jpg
To truly fix all that rust would be way more money than finding a rust free body. Seriously....that is BAD rust. If that car needs quarters and a trunk.....I would say it is a lost cause. I would bet the front torque boxes are rusted out as well. A Grabber was just sold on THIS messabe board from Texas for $100....and it was truly rust free. I bet you could find a real nice rust free body down there for less than $1000....quite a bit less. Even if you have a buddy who will weld for free.....you would still be money ahead by getting another body. Nobody makes floorboards for a Maverick/Comet. Need to find used (good luck) or I have heard Mustang floors can be "made" to work. Thing is....if you find a Maverick/Comet with good floors....instead of cutting them out....use THAT car to restore.
there are some bodies in Columbus TX at a junk yard, and I know of a couple down here south of Houston for sale. Just options.
Trunks fine, quarters fine, just rotten floor. I have no idea yet about underbody and stuff like that. I can get a new floor fabricated if I have to for cost of material alone. But like you mention, I have no idea what else is rusted underneath. So I don't know yet if I want to do that, or go that far. My other thoughts were to get outside looking nice, put some tires on and sell it and use that money for a mustang. Might still do that. Dunno yet. Only money I got in it is a bunch of primer and rust converter, and lots of elbow grease...lol.
