The Mercury Comet first appeared as a Convertible in 1963, and that year also marked the introduction of a V8 engine into the range. This particular Comet is from that year, and not only is it a V8 Convertible, but it is also an S22. Barn Finder Miguel spotted this one, so thank you for that Miguel. You will find this Comet listed for sale here on Craigslist. It is located in La Grande, Oregon, and is being offered for sale with a clean title. The owner has set a price of $6,000 for the Comet.
The owner describes the Comet as being restorable, or it could be used for parts. To my mind, the car just seems too good for parts. The body looks very straight, and there are no obvious signs of rust. He does say that there are three spots of surface rust on the body, but that there is no visible rust on the undercarriage. One thing that I’m not a huge fan of is the Continental Kit on this car. To my mind, once you get a tire mounted up there, it will detract from the tail-light treatment on the car, which is one of the distinctive visual highlights of the S22. If this were my car, then the kit would mysteriously “fall off” the car.
The interior is incomplete, but what is there appears to be in good condition. Apparently, a restoration on the car was commenced in the 1990s, but this stalled, as they often do. The car has been stored under cover ever since. The dash is complete, and the standard radio is present. The door trims are missing, but the floor console is there and looks like it is in good condition. I would say that the seats may be sporting new covers, and they seem to also be in good condition.
The carpet looks new, but the trims are missing off the backs of both front seats. This should be a fairly easy fix. The car also appears to be missing the soft-top and all of its associated hardware, but a search on the internet reveals that everything is readily available, and a complete, good quality new kit can be sourced for around $2,000.
Under the hood is the 260ci Ford V8, and in this case, it is backed by the 2-speed Merc-O-Matic transmission. The owner gives us no details about the condition of the drive-train of the car, but hopefully, the engine at least turns freely. If it does, then getting the car back up and running may not be a big job.
Finding a 1963 Mercury Comet S22 Convertible for sale today is becoming increasingly difficult. I did find one for sale for $19,000, but while it was in great condition, it was also a 6-cylinder car. I found a couple of nice V8 Convertibles, but neither were an S22, and both were over $22,000. If this car is as solid as the owner says, then it doesn’t represent a major restoration project. It is largely complete, and the parts that are missing can be sourced fairly easily. That indicates that there could be a lot of potential in this car to be a viable project.
I totally agree, this beauty has to be finished and back on the road. I also agree that the diving board on the back would be gone, and sold on eBay if anyone actually wanted it! I’ve always loved these cars, and with a V8, would be tons of fun. And really a great price, if the engine and transmission are salvageable. I’d want more info from the seller.
I had a S-22 Hardtop 4 speed 170. I had a buddy rebuild the engine and put a new cam with a MGB grind (so he said) and that little bugger would rev up nicely. It was so much fun, sold it to a kid right out of HS and she took it to the next level, White pearl paint, it was originally white and with the NOS interior i put in and new carpet it looked fantastic. It don’t have the following that the Sprint has but it is wonderful little boat. It is also has a longer wheel base by about 2-3 inches, Mercury had to do things differently.
That sounds like a beautiful car. I love my 63 with the S-22 package and I can assure you that once a guy has those 6s breathing better, they are fun motors. Mine’s not a convertible though. This car listed here would be nice once the top is replaced.
I have a soft spot in my heart for this car because my parents bought one the year I was born. My Mother and my 3 year old self also totalled the vehicle 3 years later. Continental kit has got to go, it looks even more foolish on a car this small. The color also looks bad on this car. I think it ruins the lines of the vehicle. One color would look fine, get rid of the tu-tone. I would negotiate a better price and enjoy the car.
He now has it listed for $5500.00. Who would use this for parts?
Agreed. This is no parts car. Finish it and enjoy it!
This is a top of the line Mercury Comet with newly available V8 engine and convertible body style. Restoration is the best option for this vehicle. The continental kit has to go.l
This was probably the nicest rendition of a ho-hum car as you could get. The ’60’s Comets, like their brother, the Falcon, weren’t much of a car. I had both. Not like this, of course, but underneath, they were pretty much the same. While the V8 is a huge plus, the 2 speed automatic is as big a loss as the V8 is a plus. I had 6’s in front of them, I couldn’t imagine it could take a V8 for long. A 4 speed conversion would triple this cars value, be like a Sprint, and clearly, the dated continental kit will go, an easy fix. There was a time, the outside spare actually had a purpose, as the spare took up a lot of trunk space, but today, looks silly, especially on this. Love how the sides just scream for a different color. Even black looks good here.
It is nice to see a desirable car for a decent price.
here’s a “202” on it’s way
https://fordsix.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=77057&sid=790f94c8e56b00938a918c5050eff8a0
might try some of the same
Chrisful, that’s a really great site and I’m glad to see these Ford 6s get more respect. They’re very reliable and when you “open” them up, they are fun too. I’m behind on my postings but have been documenting what I’ve been doing to my Comet here: http://www.herbelgarage.wordpress.com
How could ANYONE suggest that this be a parts car