1974 Mercury Comet - Working AC! Daily Driver - 302 V8 - Maverick - Mad Max Car

1974 Mercury Comet Additional Info:

Thorough 30 minute walkaround and drive video available on YT - https://youtu.be/dz17jS8Mg68
This Comet has been well maintained and is in remarkable condition. It starts, runs, and drives beautifully. The patina on this car is storytelling - it’s clearly been in daily use for 51 years.There’s small bits of other project’s paint. These are highlighted in the photos. There are two areas on the roof where the UV ate through the color. The car was professionally detailed 2 years ago, compounding off the oxidized paint, showing the Saddle Bronze Metallic Paint, Ford #5145-A, and removing the mid-body factory trim. Regularly washed and waxed with Meguiar's Quick Detailer.
The Comet was the Ford Maverick with different badges, hood, grill, and rear light assemblies and nicer trim.
I built this as a “Sleeper”, a deceptive literal plain brown wrapper that can lay it down and make some noise. It has fancy Mercury hubcaps and genuine whitewall 14-inch tires. Dogdish hubcaps come with the car in a box if you prefer the simpler look.
It has the famed Ford 302 V8 from the factory. This is the 5.0 in the later Mustang. Automatic transmission. Shifts smoothly if you like and if you just floor it, she’ll bark the tires going into second gear.
Classic appearing stereo with USB input and Bluetooth! 4 quality speakers. Comes with two brand new uncut kick panels if you’d like to remove the front speakers and make that area look stock, or cut them to fit the speaker.
Comes with a brand new factory-type dash from Justdashes in the box! Not a cheap cover, the real replacement bolt-in padded dash!
The technical details, for those so inclined:.
The engine appears stock, with the factory-style 2-barrel carb and factory air-cleaner assembly. It has been hand-tuned by famed Ford tuner Bill Brown of Oregon. The previous owner added a slightly lumpier cam and a discretely more free-flowing exhaust. It’s not loud - but it sounds nice. Lots of sound examples in the video.
The cam gives it a little dip right off idle which fades as it warms. You'll remember how to drive the early-70s V8s, using the accelerator pump more when it's colder.
The aftermarket A/C system blows cold and was professionally installed.
It has an aluminum radiator to handle the additional performance and A/C system.
Mechanical fan replaced with the largest electric fan for optimal heat removal.
The stock alternator has been replaced with a single-wire truck alternator to power the fan.
A Davies-Craig electronic controller manages the fan, even running it after shutdown until the preset temp is reached, allowing the system to cool through thermosyphon cooling.
Needs front seatbelts and fuel gauge repaired.
Marti Report included
Brand New windshield professionally installed - 2023
Tires have 90% tread, all date-coded April/May 2022
Battery tests good, shows 77% SOH (State of Health)
I've spent a lot of time hunting down rattles, creaks, and squeaks that were just part of the deal in 1974, adding small pieces of foam to quiet rattling trunk-lid torsion springs, adding Dynamat over some areas, etc, to make this the most pleasant Mercury Comet to drive, even enthusiastically. You will surprise people in this car!
For Mad Max fans, the Comet is a really good stand-in for the 4 door police cars in the film. A Big Bopper, March Hare, or Interceptor would be perfect!