In the first half of the 1960s, the Comet nameplate applied to a compact sold by Mercury. Then it adorned a mid-size Merc for several years. Given the success Ford was having with the Maverick beginning in 1969, Mercury dusted off the moniker once more, and it was applied to a Maverick derivative from 1971 to 1977. This 1974 edition may have been a nice car when it was parked 27 years ago, but that’s no longer the case. Mother Nature has had a field day since then, so it’s available in Granite Falls, Washington, and here on craigslist for the cheap wheels price of $500.
The 1970s Comet was a Maverick with a different front clip and taillights. In 1973-74, the bumpers grew to almost ridiculous proportions to avoid major sheet metal changes to satisfy greater DOT safety precautions. The Comet wasn’t as big a seller as the Maverick, but did well in its best year in 1974, 125,000 units vs. 201,000 (the year following the OPEC oil embargo had buyers flocking to fuel-efficient automobiles).
While a 200 cubic-inch inline-6 was standard in the ’74 Comet, a 302 V8 was optional, and that’s what lies under the hood of the seller’s car. Flanked by a 3-speed automatic transmission. We’re told this Merc ran fine the last time it was in service, but that was in 1999. Since then, it’s been parked under cover, though the photos suggest a less favorable location was used. The odometer reads 32,000 miles, but it could be on its second time around or in-op.
The body on this Comet shows a fair amount of rust and – since it’s a 4-door sedan – that may deter anyone from using the Mercury as anything but a donor. The interior may have fared a little better, but this looks like this Comet was more than an economy car when the original owner put down their $4,000 (more or less). Bring a trailer – and maybe a winch – to take this project away. Thanks for the tip, “Curvette”.
I like to give credit where it’s due, at least the seller isn’t asking twice its weight in gold. That said, it probably would look a lot better with a good deep cleaning, which would probably only be worth it if the engine turns freely, meaning it could be running and driveable again.
This is a parts car, $500 is cheap. It’s complete, all the engine brackets and pulleys are there, it likely has disk brakes where the calipers could be used as cores, the bucket seats might make good cores or used as is if they don’t smell, the transmission will have likely have its brackets and linkage, not to mention all of the engine bolts and miscellaneous hardware.
It’s not too far away from a large population center, it probably won’t last long.
Steve R
It’s disc brakes,actually.
As mentioned above as ‘probably’. Which if for nothing else is part of a nice parts haul. That disc set up can be swapped straight on to any number of earlier midsize or compact fords.
Front only
Not according to the spellcheck on my phone.
Steve R
Disk=disc and break=brake. What are they when a word sounds the same and is spelled different? A homonym, I think. Am I the only one who likes this car, big bumpers, color and all. Maybe not, looks sold.
A V8 bucket seat park bench bumper Comet for 500 bucks?..yes please!!!
Also,the body looks sound ,just covered in branches dirt and leaves.But those bumper’s are shot.
They probably don’t have running water, at the campsite.
Bucket seats in a four-door sedan. And they look to be in very good condition. If you want/need them, they might be worth the price of admission.
I’d buy this just for the drivetrain to rebuild and put in the lime green 67-68? Mustang convertible from yesterday. $500 is nothing for all those parts.
No you wouldn’t, this is a low compression emissions 302. You’d have to completely rebuild the engine with different pistons and heads.
I didn’t say it was gonna be a fire breather.
It’s a good thing those in the know are not posting daily pics of what shows up at the local scrap yards. Well, they do on many sites. There is a pattern. Many cars like this rag and better are being hauled off.
This car would have had a better chance at life as early as 15 years ago. The population buying projects are aging out. While there are great pieces as mentioned. A V8 with about 140HP. Who would want it as there are more desirable engine options?
Thankfully the seller is only looking to make a few hundred before cleaning out the garage and turning this into a metal dumpster. Good for him
I lean towards liking the Comets nose and tailight design a little more than the Mavericks, just a personal preference. Someone definitely checked off a good number of boxes on the order form at their local Mercury dealer on this one, the nice bucket seats 302, automatic, color keyed wheel covers. I’m wondering just how well this could clean up. As was already mentioned above, for the right price, this at the very least would be a good parts donor.
To me, the ‘color-keyed’ wheel covers were a styling dud.
I love the front and rear battering rams.
The new car manager at my parents’ Ford dealership had the Maverick version of this car as his demonstrator. His was a 4 door and was this same color but with a brown vinyl top and matching bodyside molding. His demo, like this one, had the Luxury Decor option which included the vinyl top w/matching bodyside moulding, body color keyed wheel covers, super soft vinyl bucket seats (to imitate leather with tall headrests – missing here), extra thick pile carpeting, and special interior trim. I agree with Russ, was fairly nice once but now – ? I also agree with others above, maybe good as a parts car at a decent ask. Comets (and Mavericks), in factory form, were never hot performers but they did fill the bill for many as affordable and somewhat economical family transportation. Hope its parts can give someone else’s project(s) some new/renewed life.
My high school girlfriend’s parents bought one of these in 1975 or 1976, probably a few years old. I was a huge Honda Civic fan and tried to get them to buy one because they wanted something fuel efficient. Instead they bought this – being marketed by ford and mercury at the time as small and economical. They got the V8, it got only about 15 miles per gallon.
We did not know how to build small cars then, and now we could but don’t.
This looks to be a rare car with the “Luxury Decor Option”interior, LDO
A significant upgrade over the standard “Cheap and Cheerful” Maverick plaid bench seats. Ford was looking to compete with increasingly upscale imports from Toyota and Datsun.
This was probably a test case for a more upscale compact offering, while the Maverick’s proposed replacement was being repositioned as the upmarket Granada/Monarch twins,
An interesting car
And if you don’t think ford was not looking at the 300D for inspiration, just check out the body colored painted hubcaps!
I had a similar thought as GeorgeB. AI tells me the LDO option was released in Spring 1972. The Granada was released in Fall 1974. So when the LDO was released, the Granada would have been in development. But there would be time to use the reaction to the LDO (good or bad) as influence.
As I recall, the LDO did sell well. And the Granada is generally considered a success, as an upscale compact (especially considering its humble roots).
Thank you.
The Granada/Monarch got a significant upgrade in 1977, when the front shock towers were modified to provide better ride and handling.
The Monarch Ghia and the Ford Granada ESS showed that Ford was trying to aim the platform even higher.
Ford and GM both looked at smaller luxury cars in the early 70s. Ford blinked, but GM made the brave decision to produce the 1976 Seville. When the Cadillac proved to be an astounding success, Ford had an improved platform ready that could put a credible competitor, the Lincoln Versailles into showrooms for a very short production of three years before the Fox platform was launched
The Versailles was certainly was not as brave and distinctive as the Seville, but it was credible and kept about 80,000 Lincoln buyers in Lincoln showrooms, at a low cost to Ford
Had a more door Maverick with a factory 302 close to the same year
back in the mid 80’s…
Although I was way too young at the time to drive a car, I remember cars like this Mercury Comet and the Ford Maverick. I don’t have a favourite between the two cars. I’d drive either car if offered. The only problem I have is that it wasn’t offered as a station wagon. You could get it as a 4 door sedan and 2 door coupe.
As you may know, a short run of Maverick station wagons was built in Brazil by a group of dealers in order to convince Ford to make one.
Unfortunately, they didn’t.
500.00 bucks is a no brainer. motor alone is worth that. great parts car to have in inventory. i know if were close to NJ i would buy it just because.
Why do you say that?The car’s in Granite Falls,Washington.
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The hideous bumpers are remarkable for their low effort ugliness. And people mock the 74 AMC Matador 2 door which did a far better job integrating 5 mph bumpers than Ford ever did on the Pinto Maverick or Torino
A shame. The Comet and Maverick were good looking cars before the federal ugly stick hit them.
I had one of these. I hated it. I was glad the day its engine seized after incorrect repairs. Such a cheap car so a cheap price like $500 is right in line, lol.
Scrap value is about $400. That is all the money for this one.
Cheap parts car. A resourceful fellow could probably get it running & street safe with a bit elbow grease and some cash.
Everyone who thinks this is a parts car must not have grown up in the northeast. This Comet has less rust than similar ones in the northeast had by 1977.
This car is a good project for a relatively young person, I think. It would be fun just to clean it up while the engine is soaking to maybe unseize. It could be better than a parts car, but if not, nothing lost but time.
This is an LDO Comet.
The Luxury Decor Option was obviously an upgrade from the standard fare.
Parents purchased a 1972 Maverick LDO.
Mom just powered out of the dealership at 65.
302 V8.
That was a fast car.
If this wasn’t 2450 miles from me I’d buy this in a flash. I love the 4 doors and I’d take the chance of getting back on the road again in less than a couple weekends. That it is a 302 car is a cherry on the top. Matt
Somebody got it. Ad is gone.
I just can’t imagine anyone would really “want” that, but WOW, those bumpers might make it worth it.
Cheap, but terminally ugly. I don’t care how much you polish it, the bumpers of that era are just ugly. Thank you NHTSA
These bumpers were produced at the insistence of the insurance industry.
The intention was probably good, but the cost of repair above 5 mile an hour offset savings below that speed.
And they were firmly in bed with the govt.
With junkyard parts those bumpers are replaceable with earlier pieces. They are damn ugly though, always were.
Insurance companies run the goverment.
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