Cheap Wheels Running Project: 1961 Comet

The Comet compact was originally intended to be an Edsel product, so Mercury took the car under its wing when Edsel went “sneakers up.” The 1960 and 1961 Comets had no parental badging but officially became a Mercury in 1962. This ’61 Comet is a working project with lots of new parts already installed (with more provided). It has the makings of a good project and is budget-priced at $2,495, and offers will be considered. Located in Portland, Oregon, this little gem is available here on craigslist. Thumbs up, “Curvette” for the tip!

Under the skin, the original Comet (1960 to 1965) had its roots in the new Ford Falcon. But it was generally better equipped than the Falcon, and the earlier Comets had lofty tailfins with integrated taillights. While a 144 cubic inch inline-6 was standard, a 170 was optional, and that’s what’s in the seller’s car, paired with a 2-speed automatic transmission.

The unibody looks decent from the photos the seller provides. But it will need new floor pans, and the seller is sending them along to the buyer. The seats have recently been recovered, but it looks as though the headliner may have been removed. The paint has plenty of patina and appears to be pale green in color.

This compact has been well-used as the odometer reads 70,000 miles and is on its second time around. The seller has already invested in new tires and brakes, and the alternator is new, also (I thought they still used generators in those days?). Once you tune the carburetor, you may be able to drive it around the neighborhood. As long as your goal isn’t perfection, this could be a great warm-weather project that might not put a dent in your bank account.