Ford launched the Maverick compact in 1970, and it would go on to be the company’s biggest sales hit since the 1965 Mustang. It was a simple car whose construction was similar to that “pony car” and the Falcon. Mercury was quick to lobby for its own version of the Maverick, and the Comet was reborn in 1971. The seller has a 1975 Comet coupe, which looks good until you look at the upholstery. Located in Ontario, Oregon, this cosmetic project is available here on craigslist for $3,800.
The Comet entered the Mercury world as a compact in 1960-61. Then it was a mid-size product from 1966 to 1969. When the rebadged Maverick was dreamed up the year following the Maverick’s debut, it became a compact again. The revived Comet was a Maverick except for the front clip sheet metal and the taillights. And by 1975, both cars had cowcatcher-sized bumpers that were the company’s response to changing Federal safety standards. Between 1971 and 1977, Mercury built and sold nearly half of a million Maverick clones.
Standard in the 1975 Comet was a 200 cubic inch inline-6, the same powerplant I had in my Mustang from a decade earlier. That’s what’s under the hood of the seller’s car, which purports to have just 41,000 miles. The 200 had decent acceleration (at least in the Mustang I had), and the one in the seller’s car is paired with a 3-speed automatic transmission. We’re told that the Merc here runs and drives “good.”
We don’t know much else about this Comet. While the body and paint look quite good for the age of the vehicle, the interior is another matter. There are coverings over both bench seats, and they’re there to make up for upholstery that looks all chewed up (at least on the driver’s side in the front). How this has happened is anyone’s guess. This vehicle is one of 22,700 2-door Comet coupes built in 1975 when buyers were flocking to more fuel-efficient cars. Does this Mercury need anything more than new upholstery?
Good grief!!! Did a beat attack that front seat??? The exterior looks great, I was just so surprised by that front seat. I know most folks on here, me included prefer the early small bumper models, but given how good the rest of the car looks, and if theres no rust and runs good, I think it would be worth it to redo the interior.
That was supposed to say Bear…. Not Beat…. Sheesh, me and my fat thumbs.
I feel your corn dog thumbs pain…I was thinking a cougat attacked the seat.
From the looks of the engine bay I would say this car has at least 141,000 on it.
And the front seat clearly has 241k on it. 😏
Is it possible to “backdate” the bumpers ? Change em out for the smaller ones
Possible, but not as easy as you would think, the Federal “Bash Beams” were mounted to huge shock absorbers mounted to the core support and inner fenders. The old mounting holes for the pre-1973 bash beams might still be there, so unbolting the shock absorbers and bolting in the older bumper brackets might be possible. Has anyone else tried a bumper retrofit on one of these cars? Thoughts?
P.S. I’d try to find a set of the Luxury Decor Option (LDO) bucket seats to replace that bench seat. They should be a bolt-in operation, and would look good in that car!
P.P.S. At least they finally put a glove box in these, to replace the cheesy package shelf they used to have before 1973!
Swap out the horrible seats with a pair of bucket seats from an LDO Maverick or Comet, drop in a 302/5.0L V8, mount the shifter on the floor and finally, upgrade the front brakes to power disk brakes, then drive it like you stole it, LOL!
Actually I may have the answer to that seat. An accountant I worked for had a very large wife. Very kind and sweet but I don’t think I’d be exaggerating to say in excess of 400lbs?
During the time I was there she drove a similar comet, an aspen and Volare and an AMC concord. All low mileage when dealt and all had similar bench seats.
All the constant in and out and as she said herself wedging in under the steering wheel left the seats like this in very short order.
I had a friend who bought one of the mopars and showed me the actual seat frame had been twisted from all the movement. So the upholstery did not stand a chance.
Those Government required safety bumpers…..yipes ! Ruins the whole look.
We had a ’74, four door, 302 auto. It was a reliable car, but kind of a slug even with the V8. It had a gold brocade type of upholstery that just disintegrated at around 100k miles.
It was a slug thanks to the EPA. IIRC, in ’74, the 302 made about 145 hp. The only thing it had going for it was that it was the last year before unleaded gas. If you had that car now, double the stock horsepower for that motor is easily within reach, thanks to the aftermarket!
There is something about the Comet an the Cyclone that has that better look about them compared to the Maverick or Torino, Just my opinion