1967 Mercury Comet - It Ain't Paint!

`There's a saying that goes, "Everything old is new again." When it comes to our hot rods, nothing could be closer to the truth, as more and more dudes and dudettes look to the past for inspiration in the present. One of the up-and-coming retro trends is the vintage Stock car look. With their slammed suspensions, monster superspeedway gumball tires, and loud race car graphics, there's nothing else like those big-block-powered high-banks screamers from the days before NASCAR went all disco on us and mandated restrictor plates and small-blocks.

So when Car Craft scored a clean '67 Comet 202 sports coupe to use as a project car in association with Timber Wolf smokeless tobacco (read all about it in last month's issue), we knew it was a perfect candidate for the retro Stocker vibe. Right about now some of you might be thinking we have our wires crossed. After all, weren't all those Ford and Mercury Stock cars based on the fullsize Galaxie and Marauder? Yes and no. While FE 427-powered fullsize Stock cars were the Blue Oval rule for the first half of the '60s, the fact is the Mopar Hemis made life real difficult for them. Not only did the 426 Hemi hold a breathing advantage over the wedgehead 427, but the Mopar B-Body race cars were technically midsize cars . . . with less frontal area than the fullsize luxo-barge-based Merc and Ford racers.

That is, until 1967. Finally caving in to pressure from Ford and Mercury race bosses, Nascar allowed the use of the smaller midsize Fairlane and Comet body in all competition events and even released a limited number of street-legal 427-powered Fairlanes and Comets in 1966 and 1967 to homologate the package for race duty-- both on the oval as well as on the dragstrip. So this gives us the green light to have some Stock car fun with the Comet's outward appearance.

But unlike the '60s, when everything was hand-lettered in paint and only the smallest sponsor logos were vinyl stick-ons, today we can turn to companies like JN Designs for vinyl decoration. Not only does this simplify the application process, it also makes removal possible if you wake up one day and want a change. Let's tune in as JN's Jim Naylor, with assistance from Gold Coast Customs' Russ Stevenson, adds retro Stock car vibes to the Comet. If you like what you see, you can call JN Design and Jim will work with you on a graphic treatment for your car.

Jim Naylor (left) and Russ Stevenson worked with photos of vintage Ford Stock cars to come up with an appropriate "phantom" graphics package using Corel Draw and FlexiSign computer design programs. All you do is scan or import a digital photo of the graphics you want and then manipulate them on the computer screen over a side shot of the subject vehicle. Ain't technology grand?
Jim Naylor (left) and Russ Stevenson worked with photos of vintage Ford Stock cars to come
Once the four-color graphics were finalized, they were sent to Jason Irish's computer in the next room for final sizing to suit the car. If you think the end result looks a lot like the decal sheet for a plastic model kit, you get extra points. It's the same idea, just 25 times bigger.
Once the four-color graphics were finalized, they were sent to Jason Irish's computer in t
Essentially a gigantic color copy machine, the Seiko 64S color printer spits out the four-color logos and graphic elements on a continuous sheet of 2mm adhesive-backed 3M vinyl.
Essentially a gigantic color copy machine, the Seiko 64S color printer spits out the four-

Each logo was hand-trimmed from the sheet using a sharp X-Acto knife. Jim says for one-off jobs like the Timber Wolf Comet, it's faster to just cut them by hand. But for most of the high-volume jobs his company does, he can program a plot cutter to trim them out automatically.
Each logo was hand-trimmed from the sheet using a sharp X-Acto knife. Jim says for one-off
As for the simpler one- and two-color graphics, they're generated by a Graphtec FC 2100-120 plotter. This CNC machine uses a swivel-mounted blade and computer guidance to trim letters, words, and numbers from a sheet of adhesive-backed Avery high-performance vinyl. Dozens of color choices are available.
As for the simpler one- and two-color graphics, they're generated by a Graphtec FC 2100-12
After the centers of numbers and letters were carefully picked out and peeled away by hand, the logo was covered with a strip of transfer tape. Then the transfer tape was lifted, pulling the design up and off the backing paper so it could be applied to the body.
After the centers of numbers and letters were carefully picked out and peeled away by hand

Here's one of the engine displacement callouts being positioned on the Comet's hood. Jim used carefully measured grease pencil marks on the body to match pencil lines applied to the transfer tape. This assured proper alignment and symmetry from one side of the car to the other.
Here's one of the engine displacement callouts being positioned on the Comet's hood. Jim u
Once the design was correctly positioned, a soft plastic squeegee was used to stick the letters to the car and work out any trapped air bubbles. Naturally, the paint surfaces were thoroughly cleaned of any wax, dust or dirt beforehand. Wax prevents good vinyl adhesion while trapped dirt causes bumps.
Once the design was correctly positioned, a soft plastic squeegee was used to stick the le
The transfer tape was carefully peeled away from the vinyl in a horizontal motion. Pulling it straight up can dislodge the more delicate portions of letters and numbers.
The transfer tape was carefully peeled away from the vinyl in a horizontal motion. Pulling

When it comes to two-color graphics like this Holman Moody logo, slightly different steps are taken. First, the base element was stuck to the body and air bubbles were squeegeed out.
When it comes to two-color graphics like this Holman Moody logo, slightly different steps
Then the transfer tape was removed. The partially spelled words were not a mistake. Naylor added them to serve as register marks to help ensure perfect alignment of the next layer of vinyl letters
Then the transfer tape was removed. The partially spelled words were not a mistake. Naylor
Guided by the partial letters beneath as well as pencil lines, the top layer was applied in perfect alignment.
Guided by the partial letters beneath as well as pencil lines, the top layer was applied i

Peeling away the transfer tape revealed a sweet two-color Holman Moody logo, and there wasn't a drop of paint in sight.
Peeling away the transfer tape revealed a sweet two-color Holman Moody logo, and there was
Riffing on the car-dealer sponsor logos found on just about every '60s oval track Stocker, the boys cooked up fictitious Southern Auto Sales logos for the quarter-panels.
Riffing on the car-dealer sponsor logos found on just about every '60s oval track Stocker,
It's a good idea to use a 20-ounce squirt bottle of water--with two drops of dishwashing soap--to lubricate larger logos during application. Once the air was worked out, the transfer tape was removed.
It's a good idea to use a 20-ounce squirt bottle of water--with two drops of dishwashing s

For a unique two-tone effect, identically sized red letters were applied over the black base letters. Jim placed the top letters slightly out of register to get the shadowed effect.
For a unique two-tone effect, identically sized red letters were applied over the black ba
Peeling away the transfer tape revealed the vibrant design. But what about the fuel filler door?
Peeling away the transfer tape revealed the vibrant design. But what about the fuel filler
Careful slicing with an X-Acto knife opened the filler door. Then the edges of the letters were tamped down and stuck in place.
Careful slicing with an X-Acto knife opened the filler door. Then the edges of the letters

Large graphics like the roof number should be applied indoors where wind can't blow them out of position during the tricky application process. Again, pencil lines applied to the centerlines of the body and graphic ensured proper placement and professional results.
Large graphics like the roof number should be applied indoors where wind can't blow them o
After all bubbles were squeegeed out, the transfer paper was peeled back. The NASCAR convention is to apply roof numbers from the driver side of the car. This way the numbers are legible to spectators and race officials as the cars scream around the lefthanded turns. Turn left, young man!
After all bubbles were squeegeed out, the transfer paper was peeled back. The NASCAR conve
You could win this car or one of five other classics at the Timber Wolf Speed Shop. Go to twspeedshop.com or read the Timber Wolf ad in this issue for details.
You could win this car or one of five other classics at the Timber Wolf Speed Shop. Go to