Classic Drop Top with a V8: Sub-$5K 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente Convertible





























Though the month of October ends after tomorrow, the past few weeks the temperatures outside have been fairly mild. After a Nor'easter swept through yesterday, however, dumping down close to two inches of rain, the temperatures have dipped down to more seasonable numbers. With that, as the year draws to a close and the days get shorter, automotive projects begin to move inside. If for some reason you still do not have a project to wrench on during the winter, this V8-powered 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente convertible would be a great project to work on during those colder months. Find it here on Craigslist in Fox Chase, Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with an asking price of $5,500. 



























Initially intended to be a part of the ill-fated Edsel lineup, the Comet instead debuted in the Mercury lineup as a twin to Ford's compact Falcon in 1960. Initially marketed as a low-priced economy car, the Comet eventually began to shed its economy car roots and was marketed as a sporty compact car. The Caliente trim level debuted in 1964, and only the high-performance Cyclone was higher up on the Comet totem pole. This Caliente is a 1964 convertible model, and is one of 9,039 cars built for 1964. Resplendent in light blue with a white top, the paint and top has seen better days, and there is some rust and dents, most notably in the front bumper. I would address all the bodywork and paint, replace the convertible top (either in black or white, depending on color), swap the hubcaps for a set of Cyclone simulated chrome hubcaps with new thin whitewall or gold line tires, and possibly switch the color from light blue to black, red, light yellow or dark gray.




























Though a 164 horsepower 260 or a 210 horsepower 289 were available as optional engines in 1964 Comets, the engine currently in this Caliente convertible is a 302 small-block Ford V8. Though the year of this 302 is unknown, performance should be fairly decent, and the seller stresses that the car runs and drives. Backed by the Merc-O-Matic automatic transmission, the transmission shifts fine, but the passenger side exhaust pipe needs a new donut gasket to be fitted. I would take out the engine, respray it and dress it up to look like a 1964 260 or a 289, bolt on some small-block Ford performance parts, add a Gear Vendors overdrive unit to the Merc-O-Matic, and source and swap in either a 8.8 inch or nine-inch Ford rear end. 



























If there is one word to describe this interior, it would be "nice". Resplendent with a light tan interior, this Comet Caliente does need some interior work, and the blue carpet interferes with the tan and brown vibe. The back seat is also a mismatch in white, so I would have the entire interior redone in either tan or a slightly darker color, such as Medium Palomino or Medium Silver Mink. I would also source and fit a Cyclone or Falcon center console to complete the look. Though a bit needy, this Caliente convertible would be a great project for any car enthusiast to work on throughout the winter. I would work on the mechanics, the interior and the bodywork during the winter before painting and finishing up the car in the spring for car show and road cruising duty. What are your thoughts on this Mercury Caliente convertible driver project?
Location: Fox Chase/ Burholme, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA

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