franktf

iTrader: (6)

Let me give you a little history on the car to get started..... It's a 72 Comet with a 200 6cyl/C4 auto trans that I purchased in early Jan of 2013 for a project..... This car only had 15,052 miles on it when I bought it, it spent most of it's life in a museum in NJ..... I found it for sale on the Maverick/Comet fourm, struck a deal over the phone with the owner and drove to NJ with a trailer to pick it up..... It was a very solid car the way I got it.....

Here are a few pic's of it the way I picked it up.....























and here are a couple of the bottom side to show how solid it was to start.....

franktf

iTrader: (6)

I drove the car for about 3 months after I got it then tore it down and got started on it..... It is intended to be a street/strip build..... I added some custom fitted frame connectors, had a chromoly cage installed with swing out/removable side bars for street use, stripped and applied POR15 to the entire underside, also applied Lizard Skin both inside and outside of the floors, Carbon fiber cowl hood, Caltrac's, split mono leafs, Moser Fab 9 housing, Strange nodular center section, True-trac unit, Richmond 3.25's, Strange 31 spline axles, Billet Specialties Street-Lite big and littles, Willwood's all around, Fire system, custom in dash gauge install and some custom interior work.....

I am currently driving the car with the 6 cyl still in it, I have some more parts to collect before I start the engine swap/front suspension project.....

For anyone who would like to check out the build to this point here is a link to it: http://www.theturboforums.com/thread...ry-Comet-Build

Here are some pic's of what it currently looks like.....

franktf

iTrader: (6)

Plans for the swap are a 5.3 turbo with a glide.....

I have these parts collected so far:

Purchased a new GM crate engine(part#19244096)
Holley Retro Fit Oil Pan Kit with Baffle Assembly
Improved Racing Crank Scraper
JFR Isky triple 12 Camshaft
Isky 165A Valve Springs
LS2 timing chain
Trick Flow Timing Chain Damper Kit
ATI Balancer
Yank EL3200 Converter and Flexplate
Master Power 76mm Q-trim T4 with a 1.05AR
VS racing turbo blanket

and still collecting.....

I will be using a Powerglide trans.....

The engine is essentially a truck with a car camshaft in it, it has the 862 heads on it..... I sold the intake manifold, truck oil pan/pickup and balancer that came on the motor.....

I have now torn the motor down to the short block..... I will also be taking the pistons/rods out so I can check ring gaps to be safe..... I was not overly thrilled to find this basically is a true GEN III motor, it has the smaller early connecting rods and timing chain in it(I know a lot of people have gone very fast with these rods but I just assumed it would have the better rods being a new crate motor).....I do like the pistons though.....

Here is the motor from the time I received it to it's current state.....







































and here is the connecting rods and a pic of me holding an LS2 timing chain in front of the time one that was on it.....

chiaj144

iTrader: (4)

Are you going to run a blow through carb setup on this one? I followed your 86 notch build, one of my favorite builds and I'm sure this one will perform even better.

murphinator

iTrader: (2)

the grille , front bumper , rear blackout treatment , black filler panels in upholstery are all headed a good direction from where you started - this will be very nice...

franktf

iTrader: (6)

I am trying to decide at the moment..... The carb stuff I really understand and it would be less expensive for me, but I would like to give the fuel injection a shot..... Decisions-Decisions..... and thanks.....


Thank you.....

static low 92

iTrader: (2)

I agree with this.

Not a huge fan of most things blue oval, but its amazing what wheels and some subtle changes make, especially the hood for me. Looks killer.

cl08

iTrader: (5)

Well hop on theturboforum and see the full build, impressive to say the least!!!

S10xGN

iTrader: (11)

Frank, go for it! Haha, haven't seen this posted over on MMB yet? Those ford guys are pretty snobbish about GM power...

franktf

iTrader: (6)

Thank you.....


Thanks.....


Hey Russ..... I posted the LS info when the motor showed up a while back in my build thread, there were a couple people thoroughly upset about it..... I have also noticed a decline in post responses, even though there are still a lot of views..... Oh well, to each there own..... It's my car and I am going to build it the way I want, and I feel everyone else should do the same.....

franktf

iTrader: (6)

Friday after work I finally made a little progress on the new motor..... Got the pistons/rods out and rings off to check the gaps, everything is layed out on the bench in an orderly fashion..... I will get some more done on this next week after work..... The engine is currently at work in the engine room, it's just a much cleaner place to keep it then my shop, plus it's one less thing in my shop.....

Here's what the motors looking like right now.....







I also worked on the car a little today..... I fixed a little problem with the speedo cable..... I also changed the brake block arrangement on the rear end for more clearance for the left rear shock(the Calvert Racing rear shock I am getting are much larger diameter then the stock ones)..... and I drained the fluid from the rear end(I had break in fluid in it and it's got enough miles on it now and it's time to change it).....

Bowtiedford

iTrader: (9)

the car in person is real beautiful so far, good seeing you at the track. Andel

franktf

iTrader: (6)

Thanks Andel..... It was great to see you too, been along time.....

franktf

iTrader: (6)

Got a little done during the week, it's a good thing I decided to check the ring gaps..... The top rings were all .013-.014, that would have definitely been a problem..... The second rings were all right at .024 which probably bee OK..... Now the tops are .024-.025 and the seconds are .027-.028, I should have no problems with that..... I got the rings all back on the pistons but have not put them back in the block yet..... I did was wipe all the oil off the outside of the block, I think I am going to try and debur around some of the machined surfaces on the block before I put thing back together(the are really ragged and sharp).....

I also ordered and received both of the ARP thread cleaning tools for the head bolt holes(even in this crate motor the bolt holes had some kind of glue or Loctite in them which doesn't allow the studs to screw in freely)..... I also got a Kent Moore lower timing gear removal tool.....

franktf

iTrader: (6)

Got the block all cleaned up and put the pistons/rods back in the motor this week.....

Today I removed the windshield trim so I could get a look at the sealer, last couple times I washed it I found a little water between the seal and headliner..... Not a lot but more then I care to see..... The sealer had settled a little and worked out a couple air bubbles, so I repacked it and added some more sealer around the top..... Then put the trim back on, unfortunately I somehow got a little ripple in the upper right hand piece of window trim..... I really pissed me off when I cleaned everything up and noticed it, I am very carefull when installing(I use a rounded block of wood and rub along the top of the trim to catch the clips)..... They are not real bad but bad enough(I tried to take a pic but the ripples didn't show up in the pic's), I will have to find a new piece of trim since I don't think I can get it straight again.....

Tomorrow I am going to try and start restoring the old single stage paint a little better, it looks pretty good now but still has some dull spots in a few places.....

compton-z28

not huge fan of this body style but man sure was a clean car when you got is sir and awesome progress

franktf

iTrader: (6)

Thanks.....

franktf

iTrader: (6)

Today I clay barred the entire car, then touched up all the small nick's in the paint..... Now it's ready to start with the Meguire's #7 to try and get some of the oils restored in this old single stage paint.....

speedtigger

iTrader: (16)

Reminds me of Brannen's car. When is this thing hitting the track?

franktf

iTrader: (6)

Yeah, he ad the same color Maverick..... It's going to be a little while, I still have some stuff to get so I can do the swap..... I wish it could be sooner, but it is what it is.....