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19641965MercuryCometHowStuffWorks

19641965MercuryCometNewModel
Backfrom1963inthe19641965MercuryComet,whenitwasamidyearaddition,wasthe260cid"Cyclone"V8.Itwas
virtuallyunchangedwithatwobarrelcarburetorand164bhprating.Besidethethreespeedmanual(fullysynchronizedfor
usewithV8s),itcouldbeteamedupwiththeoptionalthreespeedMultiDriveMercOMaticorafourspeedstickshift.
BeyondthatwasanewV8option,the"CycloneSuper."Usingaslightlylargerborethanthe260,itdisplaced289cubic
inches.WithafourbarrelAutolitecarburetoranda9.0:1compressionratio,itdeveloped210bhpat4400rpmand300
poundfeetoftorqueat2800revs.

2007PublicationsInternational,Ltd

The210horsepower289wasthekeyingredientinanothernewComet
modelfortheperformancemindedcustomers.
AlsohelpingtoprovidereliablepowerwasMercury'sfirstuseofafactorysuppliedtransistorignition,amajoradvanceforthe
day.TheCycloneSuperwasavailablewiththesametransmissionsasthe260.Then,too,asolidlifterversionofthe289
goodfor271bhp,anenginefirstofferedformid1963FairlanesandMeteors,wasavailableonspecialorderbutonlywith
themanualgearboxes.
Thereareafewmysteriestothe1964Comet,particularlyamongthe"Kcode"cars.ThosewhoknowFoMoCoperformance
fromtheeraknowthattheletter"K"inthefifthspotofthe11charactervehicleidentificationnumber(VIN)wasavery
desirablething,indi
catingthatthecarcamewiththe271bhpV8.Forreasonsthatthiswriterhasneverseenexplained,
somecarsbuiltwiththe260V8havethesoughtafterKintheVIN.
The210horsepower289wasthekeyingredientinanothernewCometmodel,thisoneforperformancemindedcustomers:
theCyclone.IntroducedonJanu
ary17,1964,thistwodoorhardtopwasdescribedasa"twofistedsportingmachinewithbite
andbrawnineveryline."
Lookinglikeitwasmadeforbusiness,Cyclonewasfairlydevoidofexternalornamentation.Checkeredflagseriesbadges
satlowonthefrontfendersandthesameblocklettersthatspelledout"Comet"onallothersmallMercswerefoundonthe
rearquarterpanels.Brightwheellipmoldingswereconnectedbyanarrowspearthatranalongtherockerpanels.Cyclones
appearedtohaveopenchromereversewheels,aperiodhotcartouch,butthesewereactuallychromedwheelcoversover
7.00314steelwheels.
Theexteriorofthecarmayhavebeendevoidofflash,butnottheenginecompartment.Chromewasusedtodressupthe
valvecovers,oilfillercap,aircleanercover,andeventhedipstickhandle.(WhenorderedforotherComets,the289came
sanschrome.)

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30/12/2014

19641965MercuryCometHowStuffWorks

2007PublicationsInternational,Ltd

TheMercuryCometwasasmuchofafactoryhotrodasacompact
buyercouldhopefor.
Interiorshadstandardbucketseatsandaconsole.Seatsanddoorpanelsfeaturedaverticalpleatpatternuniquetothe
Cyclone.A6000rpmtachometersatatopthedashanddriversgrippedathreespokesportsstylesteeringwheel.Black
"cameracase"materialreplacedwoodgrainingonthedash
board.
TheCyclonewasasmuchofafactoryhotrodasacompactbuyercouldhopeforanditmatchedthespiritthoughnotthe
ultimateperformance

ofhotnewintermediateslikethePontiacTem
pestGTOandOldsF85442.
WhenMotorTrendtestedafourspeedCyclonewithanoptional3.50:1rearaxle,itsqueezedouta9.7second060mph
dashanda16.2secondquartermilerun.WiththeCycloneSuperengine,autotrans,and3.25:1gearing,aCalientehard
top
testedbyCarLifeneededallof11.8secondstohit60,butthequartercameupin16.5.
Readabouthowthe19641965MercuryCometreceivedpromotiononthenextpage.
Formoreinformationoncars,see:
ClassicCars
MuscleCars
SportsCars
ConsumerGuideNewCarSearch
ConsumerGuideUsedCarSearch

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