History 64/65 Comets old drag cars lets see pictures

It does look strange now, looking at it without all the lettering.Trying to decide if I should letter the 65 or not. Putting the grill ring in it today.Two weeks to go. Also should I put the moon tank on the front or not.

That is Jays wagon ahead there in the staging lanes.Thats all I remember about that damn wagon, The Tailgate, Damn that car is fast

 

Just wanted to say thanks to all you guys for keeping the thread alive. I still havnt done a thing to Mine. Just dealing with getting My shop thru the city building department.....JOHN

 

Dale;the Rocket looked great,KOOL video!!I'm happy for you that everything worked well. Ken;JMO,I would not letter the 65,I'm not a big fan of lettered and stickered up street cars.That paint job looks too nice to cover up!!The billboards hide the fact that the track is on the edge of a giant hole,the track is built where they have been mining sand and gravel for ever! ROY.

 

John;isn't dealing with county and city personnel fun?!!!! You will enjoy that new shop once it is done,then you can get after the car. ROY.

 

Roy sure is, I cant wait to get thru the hoops, the its on the car like crazy. Ive gathered up 95 percent of what I need to build the 289 grenade. I will run it while I build a stroker motor....JOHN

 

Dale, the Rocket looks great standing still and looks awesome going down the track. It is a exhilerating moment when you finally get thrash your car after all the time and work put into. Then cruzin back to the lanes to do again, ear to ear smile.
The video of the Rocket at Sema was done by the Canadain Hot Rods mag, did you talk to Terry Denomme when they filmed your comet?
Roy, good luck at Pinks, hope to see you on tv wheels up.
Ken, great pic wheels up with Earl Wade.

Roger

 

maybe one of you guy's know the skinny on this menacing looking black machine? reminds me a little of the black one ken posted a few pages back.

 

Here is another picture of Jody's Pop. Hopefully you don't mind, Jody. Not my pic.

 

ClearSpot;that 64 Comet is an old race car,with an alcohol injected 289,4-speed.Pretty much original,unrestored,but gets raced at nostalgia type events.That picture is from the Dick Brannan,All Ford Show in Arizona back in 2006.He also had a MT,hemi 427 Galaxie on display and he has a lot of other cool old Ford cars and parts. ROY.

 

Roy,

the guy in arizona is scott dapron and he does have a lot of really great toys.
That is who had the red 65 comet that john built. I do not know how long he had it before i purchased it, but that is where it came from.
Here is a shot of the comet at his place with a cool looking fairlane in the background.

Donnie

 

Donnie;I knew his first name but could not remember his last.Scott is a real character!!Have you done any work on the 65 yet? ROY.

 

The gravel pit under Irwindale was actually one of the biggest tire dumps on the West Coast. Under both the dragstrip, and circle track, lies tens of thousands of tires. As a small boy, we used to fish in the gravel pits in the late sixties, and that one tire pit was an awesome site to behold.

 

Don't mind at all. He's almost 69 and still getting it up!! Ran a 9.64 this summer at 75-80 Drag-a-way.....

 

roy,

we removed the front and rearend when scott arrived with it as that was not part of the trade.
i have also removed all of the windows, dash, and steering to install the rollcage. After the cage i will install the 9 inch that i have for it and the straight axle that i bought from speedway motors.
i will be running a blown cammer (465 cu in) with a glide clutch and a 2 speed lenco.

donnie

 

Thought this was a cool shot of a '66 timepiece.

Maybe change the thread to 64/65/66......

 

Donnie;that engine should make that light weight Comet FLY!!! ROY

 

427 SOHC, ahh blown cammer ahh wow. Cool and fast. Waiting for pics.
Roger

 

Being that we are getting to the 100 page mark,wanted to thank Alan for starting this thread. The history has given us a source of inspiration to keep Mercurys true heritage alive and well. I have enjoyed the current projects as well as the photos and stories of the past. I know there was just a small number of Comets built and there is only so many photos, there is still a lot out there that hasnt been seen. So untill we can uncover more info good job keeping the thread alive.

Being a 64 junkie I'm still looking for a true list of the 64's. 64 Cyclone and Troublemaker made a pretty good stab at it earlier in the thread.In hopes of uncovering some new info, here I go. So One 64 wagon, a first set of 10 caliente hardtops and then a second set of 10 caliente hardtops. I'll list seperately and then go back and add info and pics.

 

Dyno Don / Eddie Shartman 64 Comet Wagon

 

#1

Ronnie Sox and Buddy Martin

 

#2

Dyno Don mid year

 

# 3

Jack Chrisman Sachs and Sons

 

#4

Bill Shrewsberry Sachs and Sons




I believe this is the Shrewsberry comet but with Jack behind the wheel


http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f315/dhb2/COMETS/64COMETCHRISMAN.jpg?t=1236861133

 

# 5

Tom Strumn






Update, Looking for the Driver of this 790 car in the official Winternationa;s entry list I discovered it was not in there and did not race.Therefore I believe it was there as a Mercury Promotional car. I believe it was then given to Tom Strumn and re numbered as seen in the pic same Bill Stroppe logo.

 

Thanks Ken, you must have countless hours, in finding andposting these photos. Keeping Mercurys heritage alive, is a worth while hobby!
Thanks, Eric

 

#6

Moyer Comet

 

#7

The Marauders Comet Ed Rashinski







DESCRIPTION
Lincoln-Mercury plunged into drag racing full force in 1964. Like their Ford cousins had done with the Thunderbolts, L-M contracted with Dearborn Steel Tubing to modify their fleet of 21 new 427 Hi-Riser Comets for the new A/FX class.

Chicagoans Ed Rachanski and Gary Dyer ran one under the banner of the Chicago Mercury Dealers’ Association as part of the “Marauder Comet Drag Team”. Rachanski took over the driving duties from Dyer in 1965 and continued to race the car as the “Marauder” and “Super Marauder” on the Midwest match race circuit.

Now restored to its original configuration by Donald Allen of Allen Restorations in Clarksville, Georgia, the former Ed Rachanski 1964 A/FX Comet Caliente is finished in factory standard-issue Wimbledon White with a Red bucket seat interior. The fiberglass hood, fenders, doors and front bumper and plexiglass windows that shaved pounds off the car are as original.

The matching-numbers Ford 427/425 HP “Hi-Riser” engine nestled in the widened engine room, one of the most potent factory race engines of the era, is also back to factory tune. Fed by two large leading edge scoops in the fiberglass hood, its clout comes from inline dual Holleys, an aluminum intake, solid lifter cam, high-flow heads and tubular steel headers. Like all the FX Comets, this one carries the iron-clad Borg Warner T-10 4-speed and 9-inch rear end.

The Ed Rachanski A/FX Comet Caliente is a wonderful reminder of Lincoln-Mercury’s salad days at the top of Factory Experimental racing.

Highlights:

- Ed Rachanski owned car new
- This car is believed to be the Ed Rachanski Mercury Comet, driven by Gary Dyer, and known as the "Chicago Marauder"
- 427/425 HP Ford Hi Riser motor
- Borg Warner T-10 4-speed transmission and a Ford 9" rear differential
- Matching numbers
- Restored to like new condition with original factory color of Wimbledon White, Red interior and lightweight plexiglass by Donald Allen of Allen Restorations of Clarksville, Georgia
- Restored to like new condition with original factory color of Wimbolton White, Red interior and lightweight plexiglass by Donald Allen of Allen Restorations, Clarksville, Georgia

 

#8

The Robinson moters comet Paul vanderly

 

# 9

Walker motors

 

# 10

Don Reider/ George Weiller Comet