For the most part, this 1964 Mercury Comet looks to be a beautiful restoration. The bright Carnival Red paint, rich and deep, goes well with the white inset trim and beautiful chrome. The interior looks fresh. But this isn’t a full-on restoration, not by any means…and the rear tires alone should have given that away. This Comet is a great example of a “day two” car: one that is mostly restored, but has proper bolt-ons that go well with the car and make it a little more appealing to those afflicted with the gearhead curse. In this case, this former 260-powered car really scratches that itch. Take a look at the engine bay:

Just knowing that there is a 347 stroker Dart block under the hood would be enough for most speed freaks, but those eight injectors, coupled with the functional ram-air hood (see the open ports?) are the stuff dreams are made of, both for the car show crowd and the drivers. A Tremec five-speed manual transmission puts the power through the 4-linked 9-inch rearend that’s packing 4.30 gears and a Detroit Locker. The fat rear tires will never stand a chance when you step down on the long pedal and open up the blades.

Inside you still have the just-right feeling: a column-mounted tach and a couple of extra gauges are the only takeaway from the stock dash, and the big Hurst stick coming up from the floor are so very satisfying to see. The AM radio is there for posterity’s sake…use it or not, that’s up to you. But if you somehow grow tired of the 347’s exhaust note, you can take your hand away from the stock steering wheel with Mercury’s head in the center cap and turn it on.

We don’t know if we’d change anything about the Comet. The paint is killer, the engine is ideal, and the car was built to cruise for long distances. That’s a win in our book no matter what car it is!

eBay Link: 1964 Mercury Comet