"lil red" 1965 Mercury Comet Caliente

[sugarmaker]

Folks,
Those two black Cyclones are a great looking pair!
John has help me a lot with the "lil red" Comet. His support and information on these cars sure was a great asset as we worked on improvements to the 65. Many trips this past year with the Comet and Johns 55 to car shows, ice cream stands and just rides in the country.
Regards,
Chris and Cheryl

[mercman from oz]

1965 Mercury Comet Caliente Two Door Hardtop

[mercman from oz]

1965 Mercury Comet Cyclone Two Door Hardtop

[5851a]

Very nice great colors.

[Ford blue blood]

The adventure begins......

[51504bat]

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[Ford blue blood]

Car came out of TX, sun baked seals and window felts, all need replacement. Has a 78 200 in it, haven't gotten all the numbers off the head and block to know exactly what I have. It runs and drives but will need some "tinkering" to make it good.

[sugarmaker]

Bill,
Congrats on the Comet! A great project!
Regards,
Chris and Cheryl

[sugarmaker]

Ford folks,
Some pictures from Easter cruise to PA state park Presque Isle in Erie PA.
Looking into the bay:


A cool but sunny day to take Cheryl for a ride and ice cream at Sara's when we exit the park after a 20 mile drive:


This was at Perry's Monument. wind was very cool!:


Along the beach (yes the sand is that high) on the lake side of the trip:


Sara's restaurant:


Got home and ordered new rear springs to bring the Comet a little above stock height in the rear. The current air shocks are doing most of the work to keep the car up and level. Hopefully new springs and conventional shocks will improve the ride also.


Regards,
Chris and Cheryl

[5851a]

Very nice

[lpgambler]

Just a quick note from south of you in Brookville , Pa. I have a brother of your Comet , same color , but black interior and 4 speed hence a brother..I have not spent the time on mine that you have spent on yours , but it fills a gap in my collections of Ford Products !

[1942deluxe]

lpgambler, you're about 100 miles from Chris and I. Been to Brookville to get charcoal for our local Lions Club's chicken barbeque.

[sugarmaker]

lpgambler,
If you get a chance post some pictures please of your Comet. John and I both would like to see them. I am sure other folks would also. We are not that far apart, would be nice to get together at some point. Lots of car cruise in's in Erie area. Some Comets there also! Your always welcome to stop in and visit!
I like your 5 window!
Regards,
Chris and Cheryl

[mercurycyclone]

My Comet bought new in 1965.

[Zeke3]

Merc, that is a really short option list, so what transmission is in your car, 3 speed manual?

[sugarmaker]

Mercurycyclone,
We need some additional pictures. I assume you still own it?

Here are some recent pictures of our lil red Comet. Cheryl has been so patient to allow me to work on it for hours. With Johns help we installed new rear leaf springs, installation kit and conventional rear shocks. The goal was to set the rear of the car about the same height as when the air shocks were pumped up near the max. The air shocks which were on the car when we bought it. They worked but did leak down over winter. I did not want them to fail and let us down on the road.
So in my infinite wisdom, Ok a best guess, I ordered new leaf springs from Eaton. I specd 2 inches higher ride height. They raised the back of the car more than expected. maybe about 4 inches.
Oh yeah pictures.....
Yesterday (mothers day) we went for ice cream up near Lake Erie and then to Raccoon Park about 3 miles to the west. Right on the lake.


Cheryl like the ride and the AM comett radio had to be called upon since there was not cell reception:


So today's project was to put the old 225-70R14 tires on the rear of the car. Yep that made it even higher!


John helped me get these on and stretch the new springs again.


The concept here was to fill up the rear wheels more than the 235-60's.




Regards,
Chris and Cheryl

[mercurycyclone]

I sold the car many years ago. I special ordered the car as shown with a 289 and three speed manual transmission. Black cloth interior.

[sugarmaker]

Guys,
(picture heavy)
I spend some time learning and sharing ideas on the Comet Forum too. Thought I better update a little with some pictures here. These are from three car events in the Erie PA area. Too much rain and 50 degrees or we would be going to one in North East Ohio tonight. Maybe next week?

Linesviille PA










64 Falcon
















Erie Bayfront cruise in












Regards,
Chris and Cheryl

[sugarmaker]

Guys,
Edinboro PA Cruise in


John's Nice 55








We bought the Comet from the guy that owns this Pontiac. He is 93!














On this short trip I lost one of the small Mercury hub caps on the Magnum 500 wheels. Ordered another set from the Auto Krafter folks. It was my fault I found it was loose and didn't take the tire off and reattach/ tighten the screws that hold it on!
I did put four new headlights in it. Two were from 1964. Man you would think Ford stuff should last longer! Low beam pass side had burnt out.
Regards,
Chris and Cheryl

[atch]

Originally Posted by sugarmaker

Ford and Merc Folks,
(note I have a thread on the 32 to 53 portion of the Ford Barn about our 32 truck)

Back Story:
I stopped to see a four door 1949 Merc setting in a drive with a 64 Ford truck in the garage in process. That was almost two years ago. The 90 year old owner allowed me to go into a back storage building with him to look at more of his cars. He had just sold his very nice jet black original 1940 Ford. As I wiped the tears from my eyes and drool from my lips,. i spied this red unit in the corner.
It was a red Mercury Comet, I liked it and asked him if he was selling some of his cars like the Comet. He said no he had guys standing in line 6 deep to buy the Comet. So I cooled down and thanked him for allowing me to look at his cars.
He invited me to a local car show and said I could park in his drive.

I came back in the summer took some pictures and he let me drive the car a couple miles. Both Cheryl and I thought this might work for us. Yes the car had some issues. But in general it was going to meet our needs of a good driver that was pretty much turn key. Not perfect by any means, But it tripped my kid trigger. and at 72 we need that!

We continued to talk over the next year, him and his wife wanted to drive the Comet all last summer. He told me he might sell the car in 2024 due to tax reasons. So last November I stopped to see the owner and his wife and made him a offer on the Comet. He said that number was about what he thought he needed for the car.

I stopped Christmas eve 2023 and we sealed the deal with a hand shake, in his warm kitchen next to his wood stove. Just after the first of the year 2024 we brought the car home on a nice day in winter.

Enough talk, some pictures:

As I found it:












My friend John and son Adam brought the Comet home about 10 miles:






Home in the shop:


The car has 81K miles. It was brought from Tennessee to Erie about 20 years ago. 289 V8 with C4 auto tranny. It is the Caliente trim pack, with bucket seats and console.




Cheryl trying it out too:




More later.
Regards,
Chris and Cheryl

Chris,

Color me jealous. There were three 1965 Cyclones in my small Missouri hometown when they were new. One red, one black, and one dark blue. All were 4-sp bucket seat cars. The blue one had the three factory gauges up on top of the dash. 1965 Comets were the absolutely best-looking Mercs of the 60's; and several other decades, too. If Sherry would just win the lottery (I've never bought a ticket) I'd have one in a heartbeat. The man who had the black one bought a burgundy one a few years ago.

I just found this thread and have only read the first half page but will go back and read the whole thing when I have the time.

Love your car. Congratulations on finding it and procuring it.