Hey everyone.... I'm gonna break down and ask for help.... I've had my 72 merc comet for about 7 years now and haven't done much with it. But I want to start fixing it up... I'm not wealthy so it's gonna be a slow process, but what I want to know is where do I start? I want it to be a nice looking, fast street car, with lots of power and everything to back it up.... I mean, not a daily driver exactly but reliable enough I'm not rebuilding the engine all the time or replacing parts. I have help for the engine rebuild, and the body work but as for suspension, trans, etc... I'm not that experienced. Any help would be greatly appreciated.... 64,000 original miles, 2dr, 302, AT trans, um... any other info needed? Anyway thanks guys! -Seth
GET WEALTHY just kidding :Handshake i'd say start at the bottom and work your way up (but who am i to say i'm all over the place with mine) but IT WILL all come together one day!
First thing to do is upgrade the brakes. Find a Maverick with disc or a a granada and get the spindle rotors, and calipers. For even better brakes, add a booster. Information for the cheapest and easiest way is in this thread: http://mmb.maverick.to/showthread.php?t=36934&highlight=waste+time
Let's see ... green 72 Comet, 302,AT, black hood, ... if it has a Grey Gold interior, PS, and Air, it is my car's long lost twin. I agree with Dennis ... front discs really do a ton toward giving these cars a much better chance of dealing with traffic. As soon as you put a 4 barrel carb on that 302, you really start getting the ability to vastly overdrive drum brakes. Another area to look hard at before proceeding is the cowl area ... if that is leaking water into the interior, your floors won't last long. This is the Achilles Heel for Fords of this era. Once you're sure the structure (good floorboards, torque boxes, cowl) and safety (steering and brakes) are in order, Then making it run well is next. If that involves pulling the motor, it is better to do that before paint, so that you aren't scratching a fresh coat. I would detail the engine compartment while it is out. Of course, all of this has to happen as budget allows. My work really happens in rushes and lulls ... I have finally hit a point where I have stockpiled what I need while too busy to work on the car, but do have the cash, that now, when things slow down, and cash is tight, I have stuff to work on. It all happens over time.
1.Decide what you want the car do/look like 2.Figure out what needs to be done. 3.Decide what upgrades you wish to incorporate into your car 4.Figure out what you can do yourself and what needs to be farmed out. 5.Develop a plan and stick to it. These are easy cars to work on/modify but not easy or cheap to restore.Plan your money/time wisely.Deal with safety/structural issues first,then reliability issues.Modifications/upgrades will fall into each of these catagories as you deal with em...Good luck!!!
I say first get it to be a dependable ride even though it’s not your daily driver i.e. new brakes, wheel cylinders, master cylinder, (If you cant afford the disc upgrade, I'm holding off myself right now.) timing, points, plugs, tires etc, and make sure the radiator and water pump are good among other things. This way you can enjoy driving it on occasion and won’t get as frustrated while building it along the way. This sounds like B.S. that you don’t want to put up with but it will pay off, my car’s been down most of this summer but its running and I don’t think it ever ran or sounded better. Then get to your engine, tranny and traction upgrades.
I really appreciate all the advice from everybody! Um... the engine runs good, and the body isn't in too bad of shape... It was it a hail storm so the body does need some work, but for the most part i'm just looking for advice on the steering/suspension right now. I think that'd be a good place to start considering that's my weakest part of knowledge. The brakes are good and the engine still runs strong for now, and the interior is good enough for now hahaha...... So I can still drive it but i just want to start modifying it to my liking... now I'm rambling.... What should I do with the front/rear suspension?
