Vehicle Description
WOW!!! How is this for a radical ride??? This outrageously modified
1964 Mercury Comet Gasser harkens back to the early years of drag
racing when attention-grabbing Gassers ruled the quarter-mile. This
mechanical masterpiece, dubbed the "Filthy Greengo", was built on
the Discovery Channel show Texas Car Wars, Season 1; Episode 3. If
you've ever watched that show, or the many like it on cable
television, you know that it takes the skilled hands of master
craftsmen to finish off those builds to be presented to the world,
and that is never more evident than in the terrific execution of
this electrifying tribute to the good old days. The "Tale of the
Filthy Greengo" is ready to be told!
Honestly, this two-door hardtop sedan is such an eye-catcher that
it's really hard to say what grabs your attention first. It
definitely embraces that vintage gasser look, raised high all the
way around with a solid straight axle up front, although it's been
keenly engineered to not be too bouncy. This wasn't some
half-hearted project, but rather a labor of love, and although you
don't see too many Mercury Gassers, this Comet is instantly
recognizable with its original trim, bumpers, and lights still in
place. It has a deep metallic green paint job with a lot of flake
that pops in the sun and looks great, and although it's every bit
of a driver-quality finish, the custom pinstripe work throughout
elevates it to a level not often seen at the racetrack. Up front a
gorgeous 'razor' grille between a set of colorful headlights sets
the tone, further punctuated by the gigantic cowl hood up top, and
the painted silver accents all over the body provide a wonderful
contrasting backdrop to the hot-green finish. Every modification to
this machine further emphasizes the competition-based theme, but
they didn't go so overboard that the spirit of the original Comet
design is lost. No, it's instead enhanced, leaving us to wonder if
the '64 Merc was always born to be wild.
A quick survey of the inside reveals that the foundation of the
interior is basically stock in appearance, albeit with some added
hardware to account for the neck-snapping acceleration in this
car's repertoire. The original-style tan bench is in great
condition, and actually surprisingly comfortable compared to most
racers, and offers lap belts for safety, although we might
recommend installing harnesses to the roll cage that took place of
the original ear bench. The door panels are stock materials that
were painted bright silver, while the original dash was given a
two-tone black-on-silver treatment that looks fairly clean as well.
A small diameter steering 3-spoke wheel with a bright green
glittering rim enables you to maintain a firm grip while banging
down the track, and the B&M shifter in the floor manages quick
shifts for the C4 automatic transmission below. You'll hit every
gear every time, and just in case you forget where the gas pedal
is, a bright red footprint pedal leads the way. Tucked under the
dash, a three-gauge auxiliary instrument cluster monitors the
vitals of the power train in concert with the original units, while
atop the dash, a big, highly-visible tachometer keeps track of just
how loud this beast will scream. For added safety and further room
under the hood, the battery was relocated to the trunk, and if
you're wondering what that cooler is doing back there, I can assure
you it's not for a picnic. In fact, it's part of a rudimentary air
conditioning system, although the jury is still out regarding its
efficacy.
Now let's talk power! Obviously, there have been some great
advancements under the big cowl hood, I can't imagine a Gasser can
be called such without a thumper leading the way. Hit the starter
on this bad boy and you'll hear a potent 289 small block Ford V8
roar to life, which has been built up just enough to handle the
racetrack with pride while still having some street manners left
over for the ride home. Despite the tall cowl, there's no huge
blower protruding from the hood, or some gigantically displaced
block underneath it, so the motor is in fact quite tame when
compared to some of these virtually undriveable Gassers you see on
race day. On the engine there's a big Holley 4-barrel atop an
Edelbrock performance intake, and with the help of a full MSD
ignition, an open element air cleaner, and steel-braided fuel
lines, it fires to life with ease provides good horsepower up and
down the throttle. The presentation is quite nice as well, with a
brightly painted valve cover set-up, alternator, and air cleaner
that really help the engine pop out from the satin black engine
bay. Long-tube headers carry the exhaust out in a hurry to the
straight pipes that exit at the profiles, and the incredibly
aggressive note it emits can easily shake the neighbors awake in
the morning. Thanks to an easy life spent in sunny Texas,
everything is solid and clean underneath, with upgraded shocks and
front disc brakes leading the presentation. Finishing the classic
big-and-little look of this Gasser are a set of gold mag wheels
wrapped in 155R14 Firestone blackwalls up front and a set of fat
26x9.50x14 Hoosier slicks in the rear.
This Mercury Comet Gasser is a fitting tribute to an era when
racers lived by a simple mantra:
run-what-you-brung-and-hope-you-brung-enough. Obviously, in this
case, somebody brought plenty. Now you can too. Call today!