One Year With A Barn Find Daily Driver - Experiences & Expenses

"J. Drew Silvers" (drewcoustic)
06/04/2015 at 09:03 • Filed to: Barn Find, Daily Driver, Mercury Comet, Opposite Blog

The time has come. It has now been exactly one year since taking on the task of driving my 1963 Mercury Comet barn find car every single day. You can read the article which details my first few months of owning her right !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! but I’ll give you the basic rundown if you don’t feel like jumping into that one.

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Before I acquired it, the Comet was owned by an old man who had it locked away in storage for a few decades sitting beside a Dodge Rampage, of all things. This man had a friend of his pull both cars from a barn in the rural town of Cleveland, Georgia in the spring of 2014 so they could be sold. He brought them up to running condition, which essentially means “They’re not safe, but they drive and sort of stop.” From what I could tell, he cleaned the gunk out of the fuel system, changed the plug wires and rotor, ran new rubber brake hoses to some new wheel cylinders in the front, put some mismatched, nearly bald tires on every corner, and called it good. The oil filter hadn’t been changed since the Carter administration and the oil itself was the color of bacon grease, so I know he only tackled the necessities needed to allow for a test drive. Honestly, I wouldn’t have bought the car if I couldn’t hear it run, so that was the most of my concern, really. $2000 is what it took to bring her home - that’s when things started breaking.

Incidents and Cost Breakdown:

(Some parts I acquired without cost from family members, but I’ll add their internet prices accordingly to be fair about it.)

The day I brought it home, I took the valve cover off, cleaned all of the sludge off the valve train and replaced some cracked (but not leaking) upper gaskets.

-Valve cover gasket ($9.07)

-Exhaust manifold gasket ($12.39)

-Exhaust manifold flange gasket ($2.12)

About a week after bringing my Comet home, an ear on the shift collar for the column-shifted three speed manual transmission sheared off and left me stranded, which led to a tow truck.

-New shift collar ($14.02)

-Replaced myself in half an hour.

About three weeks later, I was in traffic, put my foot on the clutch pedal and something popped before the pedal went to the floor. I pulled the transmission and found one of the springs on the pressure plate had snapped off and flung itself through the bellhousing.

-New clutch kit ($274.37)

-Replaced myself in about eight hours.

I went on another month or so without incident until the generator started squealing. I didn’t get stranded but the pulley bearing let go when the car was idling in my driveway. I got a ride to two different parts stores and replaced both bearings with my uncle’s supervision since I couldn’t find a good tutorial online.

-Pulley bearing ($5.78)

-Commutator end bearing ($2.47)

-Replaced with help in under an hour.

The longest stretch without incident up until that point was about three months when the brake pedal started to get squishy and I would have to occasionally pump it to bring the pressure back up.

-New brake master cylinder ($31.14)

-New front brake shoes ($16.97)

-Replaced master cylinder in about fifteen minutes, brake shoes in an hour.

At that point I went through the rest of the fall and most of the winter without anything notable happening other than regular maintenance, until February of 2015 when the generator started falling out of polarity. Eventually, it wouldn’t stay in polarity even with a lead jump, so I went to the junk yard and scoured it for a Ford 3G alternator. I found one on a 1995 Ford Taurus that looked new and had “REBUILT” stamped into the aluminum housing. I bought the alternator, wire harness, and a v-belt pulley from a 1985 Chevrolet S-10. I then built a bracket out of some steel and installed it all in the Comet.

-Alternator, harness, and pulley ($46.88)

-It took me about two hours to build the new bracket, and about fifteen minutes to mount and wire the alternator. Yes, really. I researched it extensively the day before and it’s unbelievably easy to do.

About two months ago, the upper ball joints started bumping, so I replaced them and the tie rod ends while I was under there.

-Ball joints and tie rod ends ($75.56)

-This took me about half a day to install and about a week of tweaking the alignment once a day to get it to track perfectly straight again.

Parts Total (not including regular maintenance): $487.77

This list just includes the parts I have installed, not the parts I have bought. In the same way that most people kept a collection of parts in the trunk of their cars back in the day “just in case” so do I. I currently have an upper and lower radiator hose, some spark plugs, water, oil, three fan belts, a fuel filter, hose clamps, and assorted glass fuses stored away in my trunk. Have I needed to use any of them yet? Nope.

Common Questions:

Do you really drive that car everyday without a backup?

Yes. Every single day. No backup car.

Doesn’t it get awful gas mileage?

Mixed driving yields about 25mpg on average. All things considered, that’s pretty phenomenal.

Is there anything you don’t like about the car?

I’m not too fond of the three speed on the column, only because first gear isn’t synchronized. Because of this, you have to be at a complete standstill to shift into first or it will grind itself to pieces. Also, the lack of an overdrive makes going over about 60mph uncomfortable due to the engine RPMs. Eventually, I want to swap it to a T5 manual 5-speed with the available bolt-on conversions, but the current transmission works well for the time being.

How many miles have you driven it over the past year?

I have no idea. The odometer isn’t accurate. But I live about halfway between Atlanta and the bottom of the Appalachian Trail and have taken it to Atlanta numerous times, as well as trips to the mountains without issue, on top of my daily drives around the city.

How do you drive in the south without air conditioning?

The same way I walk down the sidewalk without it. I’m not a pansy.

Would you recommend I buy an old car and daily drive it?

That depends on quite a few variables and not just your competence of working on cars. It also takes patience to drive something as old as I do. If you get easily frustrated when something breaks or like to throw your tools across the garage in anger, don’t do it. If you don’t currently own a full set of hand tools that are well broken in, you probably shouldn’t try it either. Old cars “tell you” when something is going wrong and you have to pay attention to it instead of plugging it into a scan tool and having the OBD system tell you what is happening. If you notice changes in how the car is behaving, you have to immediately troubleshoot. However, most remedies can be found with a screwdriver or wrench if you catch the issue quickly. I haven’t needed anything beyond a set of SAE sockets, combination wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, and a hammer to fix anything on my Comet yet. I keep all of those in the trunk at all times as well.

What about security when you park it somewhere?

Who the hell knows how to drive a three-on-the-tree these days? I leave my windows down everywhere I go if it isn’t raining or cold out.

Does it have seatbelts?

Nope! I’ve been pulled over for not wearing one once as well. Federal seatbelt laws were enacted in 1968. My car never had them and lacks the optional mounting plates in the floor. I can’t get a ticket for a safety feature the car never had.

What about parts? Are they hard to find?

Not at all. The inline six in my Comet was available in pretty much every car Ford made from the first Falcon in 1960, all the way through the mid-eighties in the fox body Mustangs. My car rides on the Falcon platform and the first generation Ford Mustangs also used a modified Falcon platform, so an unreal amount of replacement parts carry over between the cars. Anything you need is either available through any parts store or can be pulled from a warehouse within 12hrs or less where I live. If you bought, say, a Hudson Hornet, Studebaker, or even anything Mopar of the same vintage, you wouldn’t have this ability.

Conclusion

I bought my Comet because I loved it the first time I saw it. Over the past year, it has become a part of my identity and everyone around here knows my car because of how unique it is. I’ll walk out of a store and find people who are taking pictures standing beside it, people who pull up next to me at traffic lights and ask what it is, older guys who stop to tell me car stories from their pasts and commend me for keeping it alive. Even the truck-hating people who drive hybrids and electric cars give me compliments and want to talk about how fun it is to see someone driving such a heap everyday.

Some cars just have a tendency to become a part of you. I found mine.

-Grace and Peace, Drew

DISCUSSION (100)

jjhats > J. Drew Silvers
06/04/2015 at 09:14

awesome writeup. love the car I commend your courage

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > J. Drew Silvers
06/04/2015 at 09:18

About two months ago, the upper ball joints started bumping, so I replaced them and the tie rod ends while I was under there.

One of the often-ignored benefits of the spring-on-upper-arm setup on these is that ball joint failures aren’t quite the “CRIMINY YOU’RE GOING TO DIE” terror they are on some other cars. When I pulled the UCAs off my Ranchero, one of the ball joints was outright rattley, and somebody had been driving it that way long enough to round off a tire. Incidentally, there’s also a bonus to having a ‘63 and not one any earlier, given they upgraded the upper ball joint size that year.

I saw a ‘64 Comet Cyclone recently while I was on vacation. This one:

Kinja'd!!!

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > J. Drew Silvers
06/04/2015 at 10:02

Sweet! I don’t daily drive my old cars but I do drive them VERY often. I just so happen to take my ‘79 Lincoln to work today. Old cars are the best but I would suggest having two. So if one doesn’t start you have a backup.

I have a ‘79 Lincoln Continental, ‘86 Chevy C20 Truck and a 2013 Ford Fusion for daily driving. On the weekends I don’t even touch the Fusion.

At this point I would have no problem getting rid of the fusion and relying solely on the classics They have proven to be just as reliable as a newer car and are a snap to fix(until you snap a bolt in the head that is. ask me how I know).

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > J. Drew Silvers
06/04/2015 at 10:10

How do you drive in the south without air conditioning?

The same way I walk down the sidewalk without it. I’m not a pansy.

Awesome. There's something about driving an old car. Granted I haven't driven an old car in years, but that doesn't mean that I don't still enjoy it.

J. Drew Silvers > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
06/06/2015 at 05:55

Haha, mine weren’t quite that bad. I actually had to hammer them out of the UCA, but I have heard of them just flopping right out when unbolted. It really didn’t make THAT much of a difference other than getting rid of the little bump when the suspension flexed, so you’re right about that. Well, I was able to adjust the camber out a lot more too, but you know.

Some guy near me has been trying to offload a Falcon Ranchero since before my car was up for sale. It runs and drives with a 250/C4 in it and is pretty much intact. He has dropped to $1000 at this point. I wish I could justify it...

J. Drew Silvers > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
06/06/2015 at 05:59

Well, I’m not alone then. Haha. I’d have a backup, but I can’t justify it, really. This is my 14th vehicle of everything from a ‘66 Mustang, CJ7, MGB, and others, so I hold a certain amount of confidence in a car after some amount of getting to know it. The first few months with the Comet kept me on edge, but she fires right up everytime and short of dropping a rod or shearing off a transmission gear, which could happen in any car, I have no worries. If it had an OD transmission, I'd drive it cross country.

J. Drew Silvers > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated!
06/06/2015 at 06:01

The vent windows and floor vents help. As long as you’re moving, you’re golden. But I’m also a motorcycle guy and most of the 14 cars I’ve owned haven’t had AC either, so I probably wouldn’t use it if I had it. Go get yourself an old car though. Haha

pintowgn73 > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 14:53

I’ve been daily driving my F100 since october, granted it isn’t very original anymore. fuel injection and an overdrive transmission are amazing in an old car, and even if I’d left the suspension alone, the engine and trans upgrade would’ve made it infinitely more livable, day to day. a couple weeks ago I picked up an 86 5.0 with a T5 and I’ve been considering swapping the T5 into the truck and the AOD into the mustang, just for the fun factor of a 5spd in the truck.

Your Comet is badass, btw. I’ve always wanted a 64-65 Falcon, never come across one though.

Have Jeep, will travel. > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 14:54

Articles like this is why I like Jalopnik. Thanks! Glad to see someone keeping old iron on the road.

rudyH > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 14:54

Pretty much almost everything you had fail I would have changed as soon as I bought it. I used to buy old cars all the time and I learned not to wAit unless I was broke at the time. To possibly eliminate the grinding when putting it in 1st, try shifting either to reverse then 1st or possibly 2nd then 1st. This helps on some cars. I love 3 speeds on the column. I wouldn’t drive a car like that everyday anymore. I like modern cars too much but I bet it’s fun once in a while.

1965gto > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 14:59

Double clutch into first, and these things were crap when new. When I was in high school, graduated ‘72, these and their sister Falcons were rusty, but ubiquitous in the parking lot as they could be had for a few hundred bucks. Does yours have the manual choke?

E92M3 > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 14:59

Bravo!

PS: I saw you leaving Caffeine & Octane in it once, but didn’t stop to say hey since you were on your way out.

Keep motoring on.

J. Drew Silvers > E92M3
06/06/2015 at 15:04

Aw, man! Come to the next one - I should be there and we can hang for a bit.

J. Drew Silvers > rudyH
06/06/2015 at 15:06

That was part of the fun, really. I like wondering what is going to happen to it next. Also, funds were kind of tight and my other car had suddenly blown itself to pieces right before I got the Comet. I was starting a business and just trying to stay afloat, so it actually made more sense to get something I could fix $20 or so at a time. :)

imgonnamakeyouloveme > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 15:09

“ the column-shifted three speed manual transmission”

Somewhat off-topic, but that reminds me of a summer job that I had with a guy who did property management. He had an old truck for me to drive so that I could haul stuff to and from the houses and apartment buildings we worked on, and it used to be a “three on the tree” but someone had converted it to a regular manual transmission....but they used a shifter for a car not a truck, so when you needed to shift you had to reach down to the floor to get it done. Strangely enough, that wasn’t even in the Top 25 of the weird things about that job.

J. Drew Silvers > 1965gto
06/06/2015 at 15:09

Double-clutch doesn’t do it. I always shift 3-1 instead of N-1 when taking off from a start though. 3-R as well. Mine has minimal rust but it lived all of its life down here as well, so that’s probably why.

J. Drew Silvers > Have Jeep, will travel.
06/06/2015 at 15:09

Thank you! I really appreciate that!

Rob > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 15:10

...instead of plugging it into a scan tool and having the OBD system tell you what is happening.

It’s absolutely hilarious that people still think this is how it works.

rudyH > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 15:10

You’re absolutely right! Now that I think about it, the challenge of doing the work was pretty damn fun at that.

alohahomer > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 15:11

Used a 63 Falcon for a daily driver too which is basically the same car. All the same things you mentioned through a Quantico summer and winter with no breakdowns once I got the main stuff like you’ve done covered although I kept a rebuilt generator. Would also recommend replacing the distributer rotor with a sparktronix ignition - still fits under the distributor cap and you don’t have to adjust the gap anymore. Also something worth doing is changing your rear wheel bearings - I had one blow out on me on the freeway and its not fun. They’re cheap but I had to go to a machine shop to get it pressed onto the axle. I was surprised how quiet it was after I replaced them. You take all the rattles and squeaks for granted after a while.

In a Mini; let them mock me as My Mini Countryman is higher than you > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 15:12

Kinja'd!!!

>Inline 6

Coulda had a V8: http://classiccars.com/listings/view/…

alohahomer > rudyH
06/06/2015 at 15:16

IIRC no synchromesh in the 3 speed for first gear. Had one in my Falcon. Great from 0-30. After that acceleration kind of went flat! ;)

J. Drew Silvers > Rob
06/06/2015 at 15:16

Always, no. But when it throws a code at you, it does pretty much pin-point you where to go. Trust me, I’m well-versed in the ways of OBDI/II, it just isn’t my chosen way of diagnostics. Can it pinpoint a vacuum leak or tell you have a blown head gasket? Not necessarily. Can it indicate engine wear? No. But when an engine management sensor takes a crap on you, you’ll probably be able to figure out why relatively quickly. Give me mechanical linkage and adjustment screws over having to deal with TPS, MAFS, or IAC’s any day.

J. Drew Silvers > In a Mini; let them mock me as My Mini Countryman is higher than you
06/06/2015 at 15:18

My Mustang has a 289. This is a daily.

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 15:18

You have quarter light windows, you don’t need AC.

J. Drew Silvers > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts
06/06/2015 at 15:20

Bingo! And fresh air vents that pull from the cowl. Open all windows, pop open the two doors under the dash, and you’ll not sweat a drop as long as you’re moving at least 15mph.

revarthurbelling > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 15:21

“Does it have seatbelts?

You really should get seatbelts (there’s got to be some kind of aftermarket stuff for that, right? Especially driving around Hotlanta.

Sounds like a fun project DD, though. kudos to you for keeping it running.

K5ING > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 15:22

Kinja'd!!!

Our family had a ‘63 Comet convertible similar to this one (only ours was gold) from 1963 until 1967. We even took a 5,000 mile vacation throughout the western US in it (with the top down most of the time). It was a great car.

Kinja'd!!!

J. Drew Silvers > revarthurbelling
06/06/2015 at 15:24

Lap belts scare me more than having nothing. Welding a reinforced floor plate in wouldn’t be a big deal to mount them to, but I’m not entirely convinced they would be of much benefit. There is a company who makes a three point conversion though and I’m looking into it seriously.

Rob > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 15:25

Agreed on all points. In my opinion the introduction of OBD has made diagnostics WAY more complicated. Mostly due to the additional emissions equipment and sensors. However many techs think that they can plug in a scanner, see a B1S1 lean code, and change the O2 sensor automatically.

I usually promote these techs to customer real quick.

The thing is the OBD2 data tells you everything that using a scope, DVOM, and vacuum gauge would otherwise, one just needs to know how to use the data he or she is given.

J. Drew Silvers > K5ING
06/06/2015 at 15:27

They do look better in drop-top form. I’m happy I got a sedan though because of the work I do. However...I’m a convertible guy and I have a serious want for one to match mine. Haha.

E92M3 > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 15:28

The next one is tomorrow right? Unfortunately I’m in NY this weekend. I should be there in July though.

J. Drew Silvers > Rob
06/06/2015 at 15:29

On point, my friend. Very well said!

revarthurbelling > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 15:31

Yeah, I wasn’t thinking lapbelt, but I’ve known too many people get seriously fucked up because they weren’t wearing a seatbelt. Had a student last year get thrown from a pickup when it slid off the road in some developing nasty weather. She was 19, died on impact. Also, what’s the dash/steering column like on that year model? Were they still the old steel/hard as nail kind?

J. Drew Silvers > E92M3
06/06/2015 at 15:31

Yup. It’s in the morning. I’ll be there in July as well. I’ll see ya then!

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 15:32

Yessir. I need a vehicle with them.

J. Drew Silvers > revarthurbelling
06/06/2015 at 15:35

Kinja'd!!!

Yep. All stamped steel. No padding whatsoever.

Unitedmoviemaker > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 15:42

I’m gonna try to make C&O tomorrow. I’ll make sure to look for this classic, if I do make it!

J. Drew Silvers > Unitedmoviemaker
06/06/2015 at 15:47

Sounds good!

SharonNeedles > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 15:51

Nice write-up, I daily drove my ‘65 Comet Cyclone before I dropped a valve and blew out the cylinder wall. Currently building another 289 for it.

J. Drew Silvers > SharonNeedles
06/06/2015 at 15:53

Oooooouch...

bingoaway > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 15:58

Not at all. The inline six in my Comet was available in pretty much every car Ford made from the first Falcon in 1960, all the way through the mid-eighties in the fox body Mustangs.

I had one of those motors in a Foxbody, a first gen one. The 200 was teeming with hatred and failure. I didn’t know anything about motors, carbs (haha, still don’t...oh, joke’s on me), or much beyond the basics. But I knew, when I poked the carburetor, that it should not ever come off the manifold without me removing the bolts. They backed out after a few months. No amount of Loctite helped. I still have nightmares about that.

J. Drew Silvers > bingoaway
06/06/2015 at 16:03

You had a smogged one with all of the fun emissions junk attached to it, haha. I wouldn’t want to dig around in that mess either. Even with the most primitive setup like mine has, the intake stays extremely hot since it sits right over the exhaust manifold. Add a smog pump and a bunch of vacuum hoses and you get the bolt-backing nightmare you had. But from what I understand, it was still better than the V6 they used briefly when the foxes debuted. If a smogged 200 was the improvement, I would hate to see how bad the V6 really was. Yeesh.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated!
06/06/2015 at 16:17

My 2009 Hyundai Accent doesn’t have A/C and I am happier for it, lol. One less thing to go wrong / maintain / suck down my fuel economy. People used this really interesting technology called “opening windows” back in the day. They still work as well now!

Your statement on the topic is my sentiments exactly OP! :P

SharonNeedles > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 16:40

Ouch indeed...

Kinja'd!!!

SharonNeedles > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 16:42

This is the car...

Kinja'd!!!

NipperDawg > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 16:43

My 89 Justy was a barn find. I drive it without thinking about it, except for days where there is rock salt on the road. Mine sat parked for 15 years before I got it. The only thing I dont see here is a carb rebuild and tire replacement, otherwise yup thats what it takes to bring a car back to life.

oldjohn > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 17:01

My first car was a 1964 Falcon. Paid 175$ for it. The whole left side was “wrinkled” because the sweet old girl who owned it miscalculated a distance on garage insertion and it was front to back dinged. I was a terrible body man and gooped on enough bondo to fill a wheelbarrow. The left side was so heavy from bondo it leaned over. Slammed the difficult-t0- close door and a large chunk of said bondo plopped onto the driveway. It spun around on a snow covered road and broke a bunch of stuff when it bounced off some rocks and a guardrail. Only my pride was wounded. Come springtime, I bought a motorcycle.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 17:12

Kinja'd!!!

I’ve had really good results in a variety of manual transmissions with Red Line synthetic manual transmission lubricants (MTL). The stuff will take ten years off the perceived age of a transmission. Not Amsoil . I have not had good results with Amsoil’s MTL products. I have been startled by the difference that the Red Line MTL can make in a transmission. If you decide to try it, be sure to call them and get their recommendation of which precise product to use.

I enjoyed reading your account. Sucks that all that stuff broke, but fun that you can readily repair any of it.

I’d install some restraints. Those seat belt laws were enacted for good reason...

Slave2anMG > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 17:15

Before I did the Nissan gear box swap on my ‘72 MG Midget, there was no sync on first...so as you intimate the trick getting into gear at a stop was to put the car into 2nd and then into first. The trick to getting into first on the move was to stop and then put it into first; the torquey long stroke 1275cc engine would pull from idle in 2nd gear no problem...

I hoon, therefore I am > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 17:17

$2k for that car?? Color me extremely jealous.

The only thing stopping me from dailying my ‘71 Nova is my twin toddlers. Of course, I’ve had it 15 years, and it has an LS and 6-speed (plus nearly everything has been replaced), so it's not even close to being comparable.

Robert Chandler > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 17:23

Please consider at least lap belts. Those cars are unforgiving in an accident. Look at one of them, or an early Mustang with the front fenders and hood removed. The uni-structure revealed is shockingly skimpy. I would love to have a simple old car like yours but lap belts and a dual master cylinder are together a big help for safety.

Iwaswonderofwonders > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 18:09

Kinja'd!!!

Other than the red wheels (which are boss, never change), this my favorite detail of this car. This is coming from a guy who has owned 5 Dodge/Plymouth slant sixes.

Carry on brother!

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 18:20

This is wonderfully written and I am very impressed with how mechanically inclined you are.

slob > K5ING
06/06/2015 at 18:23

My grandfather had one of these, the less expensive Meteor, in brown with (probably) a six and an automatic. I always liked the interior, and the fins were “just right”. It was pretty reliable and he drove it till about 1975. Amazingly, it didn’t seriously rust out in Chicago, just a little at the behind-the-front wheel well area, which my incredibly handy grandfather fixed with Bondo, a cut-up tin can, and some spray touch up paint that matched the dull and faded rest of the paint perfectly! And he did it in one shot, in an afternoon.

I must be getting older and closer to mortality, but there are some things that would stop me flat from driving a pre-1970 car as a daily driver, even WITH seat belts installed:

1. No side beams in the doors. This is a big deal. I have seen a 68 Camaro T-boned and it was not pretty. Even at side street speeds, my friend was injured fairly badly.

2. (Pre-68) Single circuit brakes. Hard to believe that before 1968(?), this was “normal”. A single leak, anywhere, and you have basically no brakes. And at that age, I wouldn’t feel comfortable about driving it unless all of the soft AND hard brake lines were replaced, along with all new brake cylinders.

ozkar0rtiz > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 18:44

Love the story. I drive a w123 Benz diesel and its just cool. Even though has a little rust and will never be a collectors car I keep it running because I know I can keep it as a parts car if I ever decide to get one in prestine condition. Yes you can drive a classic everyday.

Sullivanish > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 19:59

I love the 60s Comets. I'm especially fond of the mid-late ones with stacked headlights. I want to say 65-67?

Whitesmoke > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 20:02

Hello from scenic Dahlonega. Just went up to Cleveland today. Believe I’ve seen your car on 400 or maybe 115

Scott Swenson > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 20:17

Nice work and write up:). Yes, you can DD a ‘classic’ or even ‘not quite a classic but older than dirt’ car and not end up getting fired for missing too much work. About 75% of my driving (winter and summer...and I live in Maine so winter is WINTER) is done with a 1978 VW Bus, stock except for glass pack and header instead of the stock exhaust, some BFGs on all four corners, reindexed rear torsions and some adjusters in the front for a mild lift. Only time it’s stranded me was with the fuel pump packed it in (FYI - 5.0 Crown Vic pump works just fine and is about 1/4 the price of the Bosch replacement). I do carry plenty of spares, tools and a Bentley in the back.

JCAlan > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 21:00

25 MPG combined? That seems....unlikely. Especially since you stated you have no idea how many miles you drive.

Excellent write up though. Soldier on, brother. I always wanted to try to daily drive a classic, but there’s just so many reasons why new cars are better to live with for most of us.

itranthelasttimeiparkedit > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
06/06/2015 at 21:09

was that a factory (non)option?

Bowtie_Guy > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 21:11

You know I bought a 72 Cutlass that Im restoring & i figured the AC wouldnt be working on it... But i was really pissed when I went to look at it and saw that it didnt come with vent windows?? WTF Olds? 2-70 with the vents open is the perfect AC imo

rudyH > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 21:19

Where is this car now?

Bowtie_Guy > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 21:54

Love it man! I DD’d a 76 square body Chevy truck for a couple years in High School/College. My biggest expense was a rebuilt transmission @ $500. I dont think any other part was over $50... I miss having a classic to drive, alot more of an adventure and not nearly as bad as people think to daily. I have a Cutlass im restoring but my goal is to find another square body after my diesel is paid off and make that my daily driver & save the cutlass for a sunny day/ summer car. I look forward to following your adventures!

J. Drew Silvers > JCAlan
06/06/2015 at 22:13

GPS tracking from a full tank from one fill-up to the next. I did it twice to be sure. The “secretary six” in these things were known to pull 30mpg+ when new. Go over about 55mph and that number drops considerably though. I shift at low RPMs out of habit and leave stop signs/traffic lights gingerly as well. Sometimes you have to give it a high rpm stomp just to blow out the carbon deposits, but other than that, these cars drive like snails.

J. Drew Silvers > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
06/06/2015 at 22:15

Well thank you! Cars are my hobby, my career is carpentry. Two different worlds. Haha

J. Drew Silvers > NipperDawg
06/06/2015 at 22:21

The guy who yanked it from the barn put some crappy used tires on it. It has all new rubber now, but I didn't list it because that is a standard maintenance item. The carb hasn't had a rebuild either, shockingly, you can tell by how the gaskets look on the outside. It fires right up without a choke, so figure it would be in my best interests to not take it apart. If it isn't broken, don't fix it. Haha

J. Drew Silvers > Whitesmoke
06/06/2015 at 22:23

400 south, occasionally, between Alpharetta and Atlanta. Anything I do on the north end is by backroad though. I’d rather take the scenic route,

Iwaswonderofwonders > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 22:31

I’m 57 years old and have been in the front seats of these cars since 6. I’m still here.

69montego > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 23:09

I daily drove a 68 torino for 4 years, and I miss that car. one thing that made a HUGE difference was the addition of disc brakes from a ‘77 Granada (the Granada swap). the difference over the front drums was night and day. those brakes are currently on my wife's '69 montego

in case you haven't found it yet, woody's fairlane site is a good website with a ton of good info on '62 up fairlanes (and their mercury cousins)

69montego > pintowgn73
06/06/2015 at 23:12

I had just about bought a ‘64 f-100 when I bought my ‘ 68 torino, but it had a stiff kingpin and I didn’t want to mess with it. in retrospect, I wish I’d bought the truck.....Love those Slicks

bingoaway > J. Drew Silvers
06/06/2015 at 23:12

If 8MPG with a 0-60 time of not-happening-buddy is an improvement, I cannot even fathom how monumentally bad and slow the V6 must have been. I’m floored at the thought of the straight 6 making 25MPG.

I have nightmares about the motor (which was indestructible), but the positive side was that I was the only kid in my group with a car and my work forced me to park in a far-away dirt parking lot that no one else used. Words can’t communicate how fun it was to careen, sideways, across the whole stupid thing at 10MPH, raising up a little dust cloud.

J. Drew Silvers > Iwaswonderofwonders
06/06/2015 at 23:17

Still safer than a motorcycle. That’s how I look at it. I haven't had a bike in a few years, but I still have the endorsement on my license. Haha.

NipperDawg > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts
06/06/2015 at 23:35

My father never owned a car with ac, it was floor vents and vent windows all the way.

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > NipperDawg
06/06/2015 at 23:41

floor vents are good when you are taking a girl for a ride who has a thing for skirts.

J. S. > J. Drew Silvers
06/07/2015 at 02:34

I was laughing to myself..in the 60’s I sure don’t remember any 50-60 year old cars tooling around. There were a few built in the 30’s...very few. Nice that your Comet is a daily driver. Brings back memories of trying to start our ‘58 F8 dump truck with a transplanted 390....after it was good and very warm.

dannyzabolotny > J. Drew Silvers
06/07/2015 at 02:46

I recently bought a 2001 BMW 540i, which isn’t vintage or even that old by any stretch of the imagination, but my parts list is already longer than yours in my first weeks of ownership. 200k miles and damn near everything has to be replaced haha. Funny how a 50 year old American car cost you less to run for a year than a 14 year old German car.

manamari > J. Drew Silvers
06/07/2015 at 02:56

Ive dailyed a 71 rover p6 sc automatic for a couple months now nd the only real issues have been rust in the fuel system and corroded radiator. its been good the only down side is it takes forever to pick up speed.

Wolc *grammar nazis go f*** yourselves* > dannyzabolotny
06/07/2015 at 03:57

But 24yo german runs great. In 3 years on my 320i had to replace water pump, rear disks, o2 sensor, ecu, rear bushings and rear springs. Funny thing, everything was still original when I bought it.

Jim Drivas > J. Drew Silvers
06/07/2015 at 04:07

I learned to double clutch into first on my dad’s 1959 VW Bug where 1st gear wasn’t synchronized. I got pretty good at it. I would only grind maybe once in 10 shifts. At a dead stop, grinding could be avoided with a Neutral to 2nd gear, then 1st gear. Three on the tree with practice could be shifted into 1st without a grind with a quick double clutch and a slight blip of the throttle. Just like rev-matching (heel and toe) downshifts except with an extra de-clutching.

J. Drew Silvers > Jim Drivas
06/07/2015 at 06:33

The ratios are really wonky with this tranny and I’m a rev-match guy anyway. I don’t clutch my downshifts in anything I drive. I haven’t experimented extensively with dropping to first because they don’t make replacement parts for this tranny anymore and if I’m doing a swap because I chip a tooth, it’ll be to a T5 and something I set aside a day or two to accomplish. It’s a little annoying, but it doesn't make me want to pull my hair out.

Algimantas > J. Drew Silvers
06/07/2015 at 06:50

I really hope that by T5 you mean a volvo inline-5 high pressure turbo.

Michael J Posner > J. Drew Silvers
06/07/2015 at 08:59

As someone who owns and drives a classic car I have some comments for those thinking about doing this daily. 1. If you ain’t got the skills for minor roadside repairs, don’t bother. 2. Drum brakes are weak so drive accordingly (highways are extremely dangerous). 3. If you absolutely have to be somewhere don’t risk it. 4. Drew may not be a pansy but I bet he smells to high heaven and hasn’t had a date in a year, a/c is a must in southern or summer climates (I gave up on a 66 coupe due to the number of shirts I spoiled sweating like a pig). Or simply get a convertible, which is what I did 5. Check if you classic needs lead additive (if you don’t know what this means, then you are not ready). 6. Join a car club, friends help friends fix things. 7. Be wary of ethanol fuel. 8. Keep spare parts ready. Mine: http://tinyurl.com/nr9ec9x

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > itranthelasttimeiparkedit
06/07/2015 at 09:34

I have a base-trim Canadian-spec 2009 Hyundai Accent L - It came from the factory with no power mirrors, no power windows, no power locks, no ABS, no Cruise Control, and no A/C. I bought it used for a very good price because most people don’t want such a basic car.

I sometimes miss not having power mirrors sometimes when parking, especially on the right side of the car so I can easily see how close to the curb I am, etc when parallel parking, but other than those situations, it’s a “set and forget” type thing so why would I need . The only other thing I sometimes miss is Cruise Control on long trips, but that’s not really too much of a bother as most of my longer trips aren’t much longer than two or three hours. It would be nice to have the ABS in case of emergencies though...

bdinger > dannyzabolotny
06/07/2015 at 09:59

A 14 year old german car with 200k miles? Dear lord man, do you like pain?

(that said, if it’s a 6 speed I’m jeaaaallloouuuus)

bdinger > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated!
06/07/2015 at 10:01

This all the way. I picked up a ‘98 Accord EX for hella cheap because tires were shot and dry rotted, it wouldn’t start (needed new terminals, i could tell from the titanic amount of corrosion on them), and the AC wouldn’t work. Hard sell in Nebraska. I wanted something that gets more than the 12 mpg my F-150 does for summer kid ferrying duties while my wife takes the nice new minivan to work every day. Kids keep asking when I’ll fix the AC. I keep saying when the windows stop working.

I’m turning into my Dad.

J. Drew Silvers > Michael J Posner
06/07/2015 at 10:08

Thanks for making an assumption about my hygiene, but no, I don't smell, nor do I ruin shirts from sweating profusely. After owning quite a few convertibles, I can say they make you sweat more than something with a roof because you're directly in the sun...

J. Drew Silvers > Algimantas
06/07/2015 at 10:10

Nope. If I did an engine swap, I would want it to be either a 4Bt, or more realistically a 2.3L Ford SVO.

webmonkees > J. Drew Silvers
06/07/2015 at 10:17

Kinja'd!!!

Slightly off-topic.

Next major R&R success, a visit to Mount Airy is requisite for photo ops. They are a bit intense on the Mayberry.

Jugstopper > J. Drew Silvers
06/07/2015 at 11:13

My daily driver for the last 5+ years, a 1966 Chevelle Malibu:

Kinja'd!!!

Like you, I leave the windows open in hot weather, unless it is going to rain. People ask “Aren’t you afraid people will steal something?” They can’t steal what you leave there. Or “Aren’t you afraid someone will steal your car?” Anyone who would want to steal this car wouldn’t be deterred by those door locks, lol! Unlocked is only a coat hanger away! Air conditioning? Like Drew said: Don’t be a wimp! I have noticed that the heat in SC doesn’t bother me nearly as much since I have been driving a car with 4-70 AC (roll down all 4 windows and drive 70.) This is the exact same model car I had as my first car in high school and college back in the late 70s to early 80s. It was just an old car then. Now, people are always complimenting me, guys are constantly trying to buy it off of me, and a shocking number of women come onto me or want a ride!! Regarding seat belts: It had lap belts when I got it, but I found out that GM starting installing mount points for 3-point belts halfway through 1966, in anticipation of the requirement for them in 1967. I check and found I had them, so I installed modern, retractable, locking seat belts. That is at least a minor step forward in safety.

I love being able to work on it and parts for a GM small block V8 are usually in stock at most any parts store. The mileage isn’t as good as Drew’s Comet, but I can push 20 mpg if I drive like there is an egg between my foot and the accelerator. That doesn’t always happen, since I love the roar of the dual exhaust with cherry bomb glass packs!

Drive on, Drew - and please get me out of the gray!

Jugstopper > 69montego
06/07/2015 at 11:25

Naw, a Torino is just plain badass.

Jugstopper > alohahomer
06/07/2015 at 11:26

Electronic ignition is definitely a thing to do. No thank you to points and condensers!

Jugstopper > oldjohn
06/07/2015 at 11:28

That is hysterical! My buddy back in school bought an old wagon, only to discover it was approximately 60% + Bondo, 20% rust and 20% metal. He would do stuff like slam the tail gate and hunks would fall off.

Pistons of Fury > J. Drew Silvers
06/07/2015 at 11:31

Exactly this. Older cars were engineered to move a ton of air through the cabin. I drove my ‘66 mustang across the country in the middle of July back in the late 90’s and the airflow at highway speeds is more than adequate to stay comfortable. It’s only when the car vapor locked going through death valley and forced us to stop that things got a little toasty...

Algimantas > J. Drew Silvers
06/07/2015 at 12:57

Ahh, you’re killing my inner volvo.

Hoccy > J. Drew Silvers
06/07/2015 at 13:11

Good to hear that you enjoy daily driving this. Of course, things will break on cars that have been standing still for decades, but it’s very satisfying to keep them running too! Any future plans besides driving it?

Opa Brummbaer > J. Drew Silvers
06/07/2015 at 13:41

Reference your non-synchro first gear, try double clutching just before you come to a halt and it should slide right into gear if you have properly matched your engine speed to your road speed. Hell, I used to drive a 55 Chevy with three on the tree without even using the clutch half the time. Nudge into neutral as you back of the gas, rev the engine a bit and gently nudge into the desired gear, either up or down.

J. Drew Silvers > Hoccy
06/07/2015 at 13:58

Not really. Just drive it and enjoy it. An engine swap and such would be the “normal” thing to do. I just want to see how long it will last as a stock car.

J. Drew Silvers > Opa Brummbaer
06/07/2015 at 14:02

Yeah, I know how it works, but sometimes you do miss. Actually, I avoid the clutch pedal as much as I can in general and have on all of the other manual cars I've owned. I just don't know the actual condition of the transmission internally, meaning it could be one hairline crack away from a tooth chip and they don't make rebuild kits for that transmission anymore. Daily driver with an unserviceable component = caution. I want to swap a T5 anyway, but I want to do it when I set aside a day or two after collecting the right components if that makes sense.

IGetPwnedOften > J. Drew Silvers
06/07/2015 at 14:03

Very interesting article. I really don’t have the patience to work on cars these days, but I sometimes think it might be nice to get a nice Morris Oxford or something to tool about in with the missus and the kids at weekends; maybe one day...

My first car back in 1987 was one my dad got for me - a 1962 Triumph Herald convertible, white with a red roof and red interior. At first I was horrified, but then quickly realised it was actually a fantastic car. With my brother’s help, we replaced the rear wheel bearings, the clutch, fitted a new alternator and belt and gave it a thorough service. I kept that for about a year and drove it every day until my dad sold it (turns out he never actually gave it to me, just “loaned” it, although he never said that. He also never offered anything for all the parts I put on it, but that’s a different story).