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Posted (edited)

In the fall of 1963 the Ford Motor Company leased the Daytona Speedway for six weeks and ran a series of specially prepared (but mostly stock) 1964 Comets around the clock for 100,000 miles to prove their durability.

I'm using the Model King re-issue of the AMT '64 Comet to build a curbside replica of the surviving car as part of the Lynx Project (http://www.thelynxproject.org/).

durabilityrunComet-vi.jpg

A gutted interior tub was created. Seat is from the '64 Fairlane T-Bolt; radio from the '57 Ford; roll bar, seat bolster, parts boxes, masonite door panels, and tach were scratchbuilt:

8DurabiltyCometinterior-vi.jpg

6DurabiltyCometinterior-vi.jpg

Artwork for the decals was created by Mark Jones; MCW paint:

277DurabilityCometright-vi.jpg

275DurabilityCometleft-vi.jpg

Getting close to completion, more soon!

Edited by RancheroSteve
Posted

Cool project, I thought you might like to see some pictures of a folder my father bought at a swap meet. It has all kinds of info about driver backgrounds ,appearence schedules ,contracts and photos inside.

post-11243-0-30742900-1422670281_thumb.j

post-11243-0-81960000-1422670292_thumb.j

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Posted

Cobraman: yes, the inset trim panels are different colors - I have no idea why, but that's what my reference shows, so that's how I'm building it!

Jay T. : Wow, what a find! Is there more you can show us?

And thanks for the compliments, guys.

Posted

great looking. didn't an amt kit have a gadget that looked like a bicycle wheel and attached to the rear bumper collecting data for something like this project? maybe 1964?

Posted

JC: Mark "Scalemaster" Jones did the artwork for the decals (from reference that I provided). They were printed on a high end printer - separate clear and white sheets.

62rebel: The cars were required by the sanctioning body to carry their own spare parts on-board.

Posted

Great project Steve. I forgot about the "Durability Run" Comets. I have been wanting to build a replica of the East Africa Safari '64 Comets, one of which I have seen vintage racing after a life time as a daily driver.

Posted

Phil: stay tuned ;)

62rebel: I'm thinking the stuff a car would go through in 100k miles in those days - consumables like points, spark plugs, fan belts, brake shoes, etc. in addition to whatever else might possibly go bad - like the water pump, alternator, carb. Just my guess - I haven't seen the actual list.

Posted

Excellent job on the comet

Great project Steve. I forgot about the "Durability Run" Comets. I have been wanting to build a replica of the East Africa Safari '64 Comets, one of which I have seen vintage racing after a life time as a daily driver.

Here is as far as I got with the safari car,

P1030569_zps5d9db0c5.jpg

Decals have stalled this project for years, Got this craftsman series kit when it was released in the flower power series.

I think the recording fifth wheel was in a Pontiac kit

greg

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

More progress: the interior is in, front & rear bumpers on, a bunch of little details have been added.

482DurabiltyCometWiP-vi.jpg

483DurabiltyCometWiP-vi.jpg

484DurabiltyCometWiP-vi.jpg

I'm almost ready to drop this on the chassis, add a few bits, and call it done.

Posted

The main body color is MCW #6433 "Silver Smoke Gray Metallic", the white side spear is Wimbledon White, and the blue side spear is just an eyeball match to the reference photos.

Posted

Yes - the window cranks & inner door handles, seat belt hardware, windshield wiper, and hood pins are all photo-etch by Detail Master. The hood ornament deflector and fender scripts are homemade photo-etch.

  • 1 month later...
  • 4 weeks later...

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