The 1970s Mercury Comet was a rebadged version of the popular Ford Maverick. But the Comet sold in far fewer numbers, perhaps one to every Maverick that Ford cranked out. This very nice 1974 edition of the Comet looks like a nice survivor and its possible mileage could be only 39,000. Apparently in need of nothing, this sweet Merc is available here on craigslist and in Tustin, California for $10,500. Thanks for the heads-up on this FOMOCO tip, “numskal”.
Detroit is good at making me-too cars. The Chevy Nova led to the Pontiac Ventura, the Plymouth Duster spawned the Dodge Demon, and so on. Such was the case with the revitalized Comet, which returned to the Mercury lineup a year after the Maverick’s debut. Other than minor sheet metal changes, these two cars would be the same from 1971 to 1977 when Ford produced more than two million Mavericks while Mercury saw nearly 500,000 Comets. Both cars, like the earlier Ford Mustang, had the 1960 Falcon as the basis for their development.
The “new” Comet saw its best production year in 1974 when almost every “economy” car saw an uptick in sales after the 1973 OPEC oil embargo changed the game at the gas pumps. That year, you could get either a 200 or 250- cubic-inch inline-6 under the hood that would generate decent returns when the gas gauge dropped below a quarter tank. Even with the heavier, ginormous bumpers now required. The seller doesn’t identify the motor and says it has a manual transmission (there appear to be three pedals under the dash).
Not a lot of information is shared by the seller about this car. It’s said to run and drive well in original condition, but that’s all you’re going to get from him/her. If the mileage is correct, this could be one of the nicest Comets still on Planet Earth. If may need nothing more than a new home and an owner to continue the process of taking good care of it.
Loud yellow-gold paint (yes this color had a level of popularity in its day), loud striped multi-tone upholstery (ditto), three speed manual, yet in good shape make this an interesting Comet. Something different for Cars & Coffee, and you can still find repair parts for it at Autozone. Close to the record for “most scant craigslist description”: six words.
Quote,”most scant craigslist description”: six words.”
Lol I just thought to myself…….
It’s the same amount of words as it has cylinders!!! Lol
But seriously, this is one very clean well preserved car, Id love it for cars and coffee.
Identical arm rest/door handle as the ’68-’76 Bmw 2002!
Partridge Family Edition?
LMAO!
He we go again, thanks to misterlou!
My Dad’s ’77 in two tone copper and brown is a 250 – 6 automatic with air. It had 38,000 miles on it when I found it for him and it is in at least as good or better in condition. He had owned the car right about 35 years before he passed a year ago…. it’s still in the family and driven only to a few car shows in his honor.
I also own a 19,000 mile one owner Maverick in two tone white over red with red interior. It is a 302 – V8 car with air and deluxe interior; a Spring Special made in the very last part of ’77 before the Fairmont replaced it. I hazard a guess 99.5% of the Maverick / Comet line was used and abused until they rotted to nothing. Cheap and economical with a fairly hardy and robust drivetrain they were the darlings of older folks with empty nests or college kids that needed cheap wheels. On the note of ‘hardiness’: I drove a coupe for nearly 300,000 miles before I drove it the final 300 miles to pickup my new Harley, where I gave it away at the curb. It had lived a good and faithful life
I had a friend who had a Maverick the same colors. Like that one a lot better. Never been a real fan of the Mercury Comet front end. Also just not quite enough cylinders.
Our Family had a ’76 Comet in Orange with the 250 cubic inch one barrel. Worked just fine and looking back I give that simple Ford a solid thumbs up.
It served us well, reliable and survived me learning how to drive, given it handled like a boat. Ideal for the teen expecting a BMW or Charger.
I like this one but more information would help!
Worth it to have a mechanic to look over. Bet seller will come off that $10,500.
Good Luck!
Did your Comet have a front sway bar? – my 6 cyl 1970 boxy falcon “futura” did not! – Lousy handling too, especially with skinny bia ply tires back then.
& very slow/many turns lock to lock power steering.
lol
Ive had three of these, a orange/tan interior 6cyl/manual Comet, a white/black interior 6cyl/auto Maverick Grabber and a blue/black interior/black vinyl top 8cyl/auto Comet. all were really good cars I drove til they rotted away from our NE Ohio winters.
Buddy had a 74 brown Comet 4-door. 200 six. We used to call it the Vomet. I just remember one time as a gag we pulled the spark plug wires off the distributor cap and mixed them up just to mess with him. I doubt that made it much slower.
Funny!
I always liked how the back end had the more unique “railroad crossing” lights over the Maverick. If you remember, the Maverick and Pinto shared the exact same tail light set up. This one has the “3 on the tree” manual transmission. I remember waking the dealer lots. This set up was more prone in the 200 6 cylinder. Remember that 74 was prime Arab oil embargo time. Everyone was trying to get better gas mileage. I would see less 250 six cylinders with 3 on the column. Being that this is a 74 it also had a glove box. The early Mavericks and Comets did not. They had an open tray that stretched from the radio, ( if it had one) to the passenger side door. My neighbor had one of the first Comets in 71. It was the 302 with bucket seats and automatic on the floor. Grabber blue and that fake hood scoop. Stainless steel dog dish hub caps and Goodyear raised letter tires. It was sharp and and had good pick up. It never gave them any trouble. They were simple and reliable. 😊
The taillights are the same as 70 Montego lights
In looking at this one, I can also tell you that the outside mirrors are aftermarket, not Ford. You could go to the auto parts store then and buy them. They came in flat black ready for you to paint, or fake chrome like the ones seen on this Comet. I think the company was called Roeberk but I am not sure. Also, the full wheel covers, front/rear bumper guards, and side mouldings were options that this Comet has.
Lastly, it also has wheel opening mouldings and rocker panel mouldings. These were optional. Ford sometimes called this the “Exterior Decor Group.” WHAT IS NOT ORIGINAL is the mercury emblem over the rear marker light. They NEVER left the factory like that.
A beautiful survivor that deserves a good home. Now, about the numbers;
“ But the Comet sold in far fewer numbers, perhaps one to every Maverick that Ford cranked out.” So, that would be…1=1? Or, 1 to every 4? 2,000,000 to 500,000, as referenced.
An interesting side note to my ownership of Comets/Mavericks: I used to buy and sell these with regular abandon back in the day. Buy them from a local weekly trade paper with mechanical issues (usually the electronic ignition box on inner fender well), or clutch, or leaky radiators/heater cores. Fix them, drive a while, then next month run an ad in that same paper and flip them for marginal profits. This was the early ’80s to early’90s and they were plentiful. I stayed away from accident damaged or ragged out – abused to death cars. I sometimes bought them for a couple hundred bucks and after some repairs would easily sell them for a thousand…. never had one come back but DID have to repo one with a very unusual drivetrain. It was a dark green, base car in a 250 six with a three speed on the floor. Factory original with 50 thousand one owner miles. The guy’s money bounced and he hid the car in his backyard; did not respond to calls. I had the extra set of keys and title yet and after about six weeks, went over in the night and took it back. He had fried the clutch ! I had to replace the clutch and moved it about a month later thru the same trade paper to a young fellow who got t-boned not long after. Pushed into a utility pole, bending it into a u-shape right up to the center tunnel where that very unique 3 speed shifter lived. I should have really kept that one out of the 28 I had bought and resold….. it did not deserve to have a double whammy take it down the path it took