Advice/ Value on my 1962 Mercury Comet

[Someoneyouknow]

Hey everybody,I know 1962 is a little 'new' for some of you but your expertise would be appreciated. I've read these forums for a while just of interest and was wondering if i could get some advice from y'all.

2 months age i purchased a 1962 Mercury Comet from a guy that just had it sitting by his mobile home. It had four flat tires, and varies amounts of rust all over. He claimed he stuck $1,500 in the engine, but i have my reservations on that. The car didnt run but i talked him down the 4375 and bought it. I wanted to make a rat-rod out of it and drive it for kicks. I got it running by buying a new fuel pump, playing with the wires and cleaning the carb. I stuck new plugs in and now it fires very easly in 3-5 seconds everytime. I bought new tires for it and played with the drums but im buying new brakelines before i do anything else.

About a month later i bought a 'strait' body of another Comet of smiler body, with very minor surface rust and an extra engine/trans/chrome. Heres some picks of both cars...

Running/Driving car

170 Cu In strait 6

Junk fender

other side

Drivers seat, car has 2 bench seats that are red/white leather

back seat

trunk

rust free parts car

Extra chrome

My question is, whats these cars values? I really like the car itself and think it would be a blast to fix up, but dont really have alot of know how on the body work. The red car is titled, the blue is not. The blue car also came with many new parts. (failed project of his own)

The way i got it broke down now:

$600 in buying cars and getting them to run

$600 to switch out the back quarter panels and bondo out the doors

$400 for paint

$500 misc (brake lines $90, small part of the seat is unthreaded, touch up ceiling, ect)

So i would have a drivable comet for $2100.... Maybe not bad? I've wanted an old car for a while, but i dont have the funds to drop 8k+ on one thats redone.

[Guest simplyconnected]

Welcome to the forum, someoneyouknow. You have come to a place where true restorers bend over backwards to help each other.

"I wanted to make a rat-rod out of it and drive it for kicks."

If you do, enjoy the results for what it really is. The moment you deviate from "original," is when your custom job becomes worth more to you than to anyone else.

Personally, I think you should make it into whatever you like; it's your car. What is it worth? To who? Why? Certainly a '62 Comet is never going to be worth as much as a '65 Mustang, although they were built on the same platform. But, value comes in many forms. Your first car might have been a '62 Comet, and wouldn't it be fun to have one again? Or maybe that was the first car your dad could afford for his family car...

If you are doing this for profit, get a more popular model. If you are restoring for self-satisfaction, go for it, and enjoy the ride. - Dave