Almost an Edsel – I’m not sure if that would have been a good marketing slogan for Mercury or not. For the first two years, the Comet didn’t have Mercury badging on it as it was supposed to be an Edsel from the get-go but that didn’t quite work out. It ended up being a standalone model for 1960 and 1961. This 1960 Comet wagon is listed here as a Barn Finds Classified and it’s located in Bellingham, Washington. The seller is asking $4,200.
This would make one fantastic surf wagon and it even has a few surf-related stickers on it. Maybe some red-painted steel wheels and… ok, enough dreaming. Coincidentally, those wheel covers are from an Edsel. This Comet is somewhat hard to classify, is it a Comet by Mercury? Or, just a Comet? It was obviously made by FoMoCo which also made the Edsel and Mercury, both of which were involved in the early Comets. I wonder if the Comet could have saved Edsel if they would have gambled on this new model for a couple of years? Maybe not, but who knows.
The company actually made a two-door wagon which would seem to be pretty desirable today, not that a four-door wagon isn’t. The rear cargo area looks wicked huge from the photo, more than big enough for surfboards and whatever other cargo an owner had in mind.
The front seats were reupholstered and the interior looks great both front and back. Wait a minute, is that a manual floor shift? Yes, the three-on-the-tree column shifter has been converted to a floor shifter. The seller has all of the original parts if the next owner wanted to convert it back again.
The seller doesn’t give us a VIN or any indication as to what the engine is or if it’s the original one, but if it were original to the car, it would be a Ford Thriftmaster 144 cubic-inch inline-six with 90 hp. Period literature describes the engine as being “up-front where you would expect it to be”, and I wonder if that’s a dig against the Corvair? Have any of you owned a 1960 Comet?
Do I need to get out more? This is the first one of these I’ve ever seen! Neat little wagon! Kudos to the owner for saving the three-on-the-tree components. Never really understood the compulsion to move everything from the column to the floor. Nice find.
You apparently need be more out or at least sniff around to see what’s available outside your homestead.😄 While they’re not particularly common I think I’ve stumbled upon at least 3-4 Comet longroofs during the last couple months browsing CL ads.
Sadly I don’t recall any of them being in much better condition than this but they aren’t advertized for massive $ either
These are more scarce than most realize. The Falcon outsold these about 4:1 or better. Being a first-year Comet, IMHO it’s very desirable, and being a wagon even more so. (If it were a 2dr., you could almost name your own price!) I would rebuild the 3-on-the-tree setup, and reupholster the seats with NOS fabric that’s available. Hubcaps/wheelcovers may be tough to find, but not impossible. Patch the rust, repaint in the original white/red roof and you’d have an excellent first entry into the old car hobby for yourself! Most people at shows would mistake it for a Falcon!
Too bad the 144 was the only engine available that year. I would probably upgrade to a 170, 200, or a small v8 if possible.
Dont know if I ever saw one of these.Extremly cool. About the floor shift conversion, Like the guys said once they got worn they were trouble. The column socket was soft pot metal and wore out fast. Ford never fixed this You can buy a repro column socket now. But when the linkages got worn out and jammed between gears, you instantly became a member of the greasy hand club getting it unstuck. I really like the old column shift cars, but a floor conversion made a lot of sense. Still got my diamond shape Spark o matic shifter,from Milford, PA!
Stay safe.
Cheers
gpc
My first car was a 1960 Comet four door sedan (the only car my father would let me have, and I bought it from him). The column shift sleeve was, indeed, pot metal, and mine broke off after about a year. I later found a 81 model with a Hurst floor shift (but, the only way it would work was in a reverse pattern, which was …. disconcerting). Used to see the wagons occasionally. Not a bad “first car” as it was cheap transportation. Fond memories.
I fell out of a tree during my first (and last) Boy Scout campout and the adults decided that the gash in my finger needed stitches so they drove me home. Mom called the pediatrician who had brought me through a bout of mumps and encephalitis a couple of years before. He drove over at about 7:30 pm and decided to take us to his office to stitch my finger. Mom said later that she thought he’d already had his evening cocktail but hey, he was essentially making a house call.
The thing I remember most about the evening is that he had a red Comet 2-door wagon as a loaner while his Lincoln was being serviced. He thought it was a nice little car (these were the first ‘compacts’ you know) but that the seat was a bit narrow for his tastes.
Two things that you’ll never experience again: A doctor who makes house calls and an eminently practical 2-door station wagon.
Fun little story crvtt. Interesting how for car guys and gals certain childhood events include vivid remembrances of the cars involved. They do for me.
I’d make this a 1-of-none Edsel Comet. Even though it’s got the hubcaps I’d try to find some Edsel branded dog dishes (if they exist), add some nameplates, etc
I dont know if all this is true, but I was told by a co-worker who owns a 61 Comet that the reason Ford chose Comet as a name is because it had the same amount of letters as Edsel and the emblems could bolt into the same holes . He also said the fender ornaments that had the “E” were the same as the Comets “C” , they just removed the center bar. I’ve also read that the 60 Edsels tail light lenses were the same as the slanted lenses on the Comet.
Interesting info. As far a s mercury being a Ford, it was a separate division of Ford, and according to Alan Mann who managed the racing program in the UK and Europe he said to me that the two, ford and Mercury did not talk to each other back in the day. My old 63 Comet S-22 hardtop though similar to the Falcon was longer in its wheel base, Mercury must have liked doing things there own way. The wagons i think must have been the same wheel base or it would have very long indeed.
I’ve heard that too, and they actually had to come up with a five letter name.
You are correct about the tail light lenses. My first car (1964) was my father’s 60 Comet 4 door. 144 ci six, three on the tree (and yes, the shift lever socket broke off). I found out about the tail light lenses because someone smashed both of mine one night, and the replacement boxes noted ‘Edsel’. It was a nice little car, but my gearhead buddies mocked the ‘little yellow engine’ mercilessly.
I bought one of these that had been built into a cool cruiser from original Colorado car. 5.0 & 5 speed from Fox body Mustang, lowered, silver metal flake roof over mint green, fresh chrome, stainless, headliner, upholstery. Always turned heads and never saw another during my ownership. Love longroofs! Wish I could add picture here.
bone….all true. Tail lights, lettering, fender ornaments the same (on the coupes and sedans) as the 60 Edsel. As far as unicorn Comet wagons go…how about a two year run by Palmer Plastics of the 1961 and 62 Comet wagon in APPROXIMATELY 1/32 scale. If you’ve know these Palmer model kits, they replicate very loosely some interesting subjects beginning in 1959 all the way up to Volare and Montegos in 1975. One of the best replicas are the Studebaker Lark pickup and Volvo P1800. Both cherished model kits in my collection
You never see these cars in wagon form!! It’s a great little driver but I’m sure rust repair would mean lots of custom fabricated panels!! I wish I could buy them all!!
I grew up near one …..Personal experience …It was the family car for 3 years. it was a dog. We called it the Mercury “Vomet” it was so aenemic and it was a rust bucket (a bad Falcon). Best I can say about a 60-61 Comet is it “has potential”.
Ya, my Dad had a 61. On the gravel roads of Montana, that thing would slide around corners like crazy…second gear was a gas….car was also great on the back roads in snow…
I had a 62 Comet 4-door wagon. It was a great little car. My dad was in auto salvage shot me new seats out of a falcon of similar vintage. I believe my engine was the 170 and it had a 3 spd auto. At the time I also owned a 64 Chevy II. I much preferred the shift ranges of the comets 3 speed over the 2 speed in the Nova.
Nice find, and I get out to a good number of car shows, and have NEVER seen a 1960 Comet wagon before. The great thing about taking a wagon to a car show (besides people stopping by with stories of of growing up in one), is that you have lots of room for whatever you’re bringing. Cooler, lawn chair(s), canopy (on hot days), etc., are easily accommodated. Looks like the front end/hood on this stretches the “original patina” thing a bit, but a new, white paint job, and a little cleaning up would work wonders. Early Comets, and especially the wagons, are always desirable. Whether you keep the shift on the floor, or return it to the column,
never ever seen in canada – mercury dealers had rebadged falcon called frontenac—-ford dealers had rebdged mercury called monarch !!!!! never ever saw these falcon comets ever