New to the forum. Not new to Mavericks.

Discussion in 'New Members Forum' started by PirateSteve, Feb 12, 2020.

  1. PirateSteve

    PirateSteve Member

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2020
    Messages:
    71
    Likes Received:
    57
    Trophy Points:
    71
    Garage:
    3
    Location:
    Las Animas county Co.
    Vehicle:
    1972 Maverick 2dr, 302 automatic. 1974 Comet 4dr, 250 automatic.
    I received my first Maverick on my 16th when my uncle gave me a ring and said "Come get this pile of junk out of my yard" way back in the mid 90s. Christened "The Red Rocket" at some point in her journey down through the lines of kin, by a cousin I think. My grandmother's red on red 170 I6 auto rusted out (utah car) wreck of a 2 door thusly landed in my hands. Through the fun poking I persivered. Combined her and 2 others, a 71 and a 77, to create a V8 hotrod. Had a used hopped up 302 bolted to a Mercury zephyrs RUG overdrive toploader. All cobbled together with a worn out granada front and rear axle and suspension. she was scary fast. I sold her when 2 car seats wasn't going to work. Sad day :.(

    Now, I'm older, wiser, a little broken even. But I haven't slowed down a whole lot. Blew up my wagon and was searching craigslist when I found Cheryl. Looks almost exactly like my old red rocket, but 40 years younger. And factory V8 power.
    Cheryl is a red on black 72, factory 302 automatic 2 door daily driver. And I love her. She had 98k on the odometer when I bought her. One small patch of rust and a couple dings. Oh, and a bullet hole. I intend to build a grabber clone/what if the marketing department at ford hadn't been afraid of it killing the stang? Boss Grabber? I intend to amass ALOT of parts, so keep watch for a mav/Comet graveyard.

    Other than ditching the front drums, and the aluminum radiator, dual exhaust, and floor shifter she came with, she's stock. I plan to swap on a Holley 4 pot and a performer 289 intake. A set of full length hookers, and a mid range cam. I want to keep her streetable, but more than just look and sound fast. 0-60 in 12 and some change is pathetic, even for a little mav. And maybe I'm just used to the crappy handling of 70s fords. But with all new/tight steering and suspension parts and manual front disc spindles for a 77, this thing handles great. So I'm still undecided on any other suspension mods. That and I live out in dirt road country, I kinda like my ground clearence. But due to my love and familiarity of these models, I'm very likely to build more than one. Looking forward to sharing with y'all.

    I'll try to get some pics posted
    The Dread Pirate Steve.
     
  2. PirateSteve

    PirateSteve Member

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2020
    Messages:
    71
    Likes Received:
    57
    Trophy Points:
    71
    Garage:
    3
    Location:
    Las Animas county Co.
    Vehicle:
    1972 Maverick 2dr, 302 automatic. 1974 Comet 4dr, 250 automatic.
    20181017_151824.jpg
     
    Shorty and BBMS18 like this.
  3. PirateSteve

    PirateSteve Member

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2020
    Messages:
    71
    Likes Received:
    57
    Trophy Points:
    71
    Garage:
    3
    Location:
    Las Animas county Co.
    Vehicle:
    1972 Maverick 2dr, 302 automatic. 1974 Comet 4dr, 250 automatic.
    20180727_150024.jpg 2020-02-05 13.07.03.jpg 2020-02-01 09.39.06.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

  4. BBMS18

    BBMS18 Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2018
    Messages:
    890
    Likes Received:
    527
    Trophy Points:
    236
    Location:
    Grand Rapids, Michigan
    Vehicle:
    75 Comet
    :Welcome: To the forum, nice car(y)
     
  5. Hotrock

    Hotrock Rick, an MCCI Member Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2012
    Messages:
    1,467
    Likes Received:
    713
    Trophy Points:
    313
    Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Munroe Falls, Ohio
    Vehicle:
    1972 Mercury Comet, 1997 Mustang Cobra, 2019 Ford Edge ST
    Welcome to the site from northeast Ohio!!! Where do you live? You might want to post your location.
     
  6. 71gold

    71gold Frank Cooper Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2002
    Messages:
    26,456
    Likes Received:
    2,835
    Trophy Points:
    978
    Garage:
    1
    Location:
    MACON,GA.
    Vehicle:
    '73 Grabber
    :Welcome:...:Handshake:

    I'd say way North (of Ga.)...LOL
     
  7. Krazy Comet

    Krazy Comet Tom

    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2012
    Messages:
    7,561
    Likes Received:
    2,319
    Trophy Points:
    531
    Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Chesapeake VA
    Vehicle:
    1972 Comet GT clone 306 . 1969 Fairlane Cobra 428CJ 1988 T-Bird awaiting 331 ..
    Welcome

    Don't fall victim to internet tripe.

    By time Maverick was introduced, the first nails were already being driven in the Hi Perf coffin. Tightening federal emissions laws & if you could find a company, insurance was high. By '71 most of the Hi-Po hoorahs had already been shouted.

    Boss 302 dead after '70, less than 8500 sold for both '69 &'70 models combined. The '71 Stang was bloated to point that Hot Rod said it looked the Homecoming Queen had gained 40 pounds. The '74 Stang didn't even have a V8 option. Ford wanted to sell cars, not make excuses about why they were not selling.
     
  8. Maverick_Ian90

    Maverick_Ian90 Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2018
    Messages:
    494
    Likes Received:
    151
    Trophy Points:
    110
    Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Northeast
    Vehicle:
    1975 Ford Maverick Grabber
    Welcome for the Northeast!
     
  9. PirateSteve

    PirateSteve Member

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2020
    Messages:
    71
    Likes Received:
    57
    Trophy Points:
    71
    Garage:
    3
    Location:
    Las Animas county Co.
    Vehicle:
    1972 Maverick 2dr, 302 automatic. 1974 Comet 4dr, 250 automatic.
    Southcentral Colorado.
     
  10. PirateSteve

    PirateSteve Member

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2020
    Messages:
    71
    Likes Received:
    57
    Trophy Points:
    71
    Garage:
    3
    Location:
    Las Animas county Co.
    Vehicle:
    1972 Maverick 2dr, 302 automatic. 1974 Comet 4dr, 250 automatic.
    Pump the brakes, woah! Really? Wow! Because I'm pretty sure the Maverick did still have a V8 in 74. But hey, learn something every day. I wouldn't doubt it. (I'm going to look after this, would be funny if it did.)

    I think California got the ball rolling on smog laws in late 69. Then fuel economy, then the mustang II effect, then imports, blah blah. There were many factors against American cars in the 70s. I had to work on some of the horrid things. I swear all the top engineers in the USA seemed to be on some really hard core drugs by 76. But now, I look back, and it may have been nonsensical. But at least things were simpler. I didn't need a computer to tell me some thing's wrong.
     
  11. Krazy Comet

    Krazy Comet Tom

    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2012
    Messages:
    7,561
    Likes Received:
    2,319
    Trophy Points:
    531
    Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Chesapeake VA
    Vehicle:
    1972 Comet GT clone 306 . 1969 Fairlane Cobra 428CJ 1988 T-Bird awaiting 331 ..
    Sorry if I came across a little rough...

    Yes except for '70, Maverick had V8 option every year... Mustang crowd yelled foul when '74 did not have V8, was added back for '75. Same 2bbl 302 as Maverick. The '74 Mexican M-II could be had with V8, but wasn't smog certified for states.

    Calif had been tightening emissions since early '60s, by '66 some engines were getting smog pumps. They were first state to require a PCV system, I believe that happened in '61(maybe '62) and required models back to '55 be retrofitted. Fed's didn't really start tightening grip till '68, though starting '63 PCV systems were on most engines.
     
  12. PirateSteve

    PirateSteve Member

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2020
    Messages:
    71
    Likes Received:
    57
    Trophy Points:
    71
    Garage:
    3
    Location:
    Las Animas county Co.
    Vehicle:
    1972 Maverick 2dr, 302 automatic. 1974 Comet 4dr, 250 automatic.
    No foul. I genuinely didn't know a V6 was it for the stag, and yes Mavs still had a 302 2v option. Poor little 74 stang, it's fords 84 vette.

    I never really thought of the PCV as emissions control. More common sense. Did it really take us 60+ years to think "hey that's wasted fuel. Hmm, I should rout it here to burn it" durp? And the tank vent as well. Why not suck off exess fumes?

    I've always been suspect of the smog pumps. If you thin it out at the source, of corse it's going to have a lower emissions reading.
    I believe the EPA was started with good intentions, but not so much today.
     
  13. Krazy Comet

    Krazy Comet Tom

    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2012
    Messages:
    7,561
    Likes Received:
    2,319
    Trophy Points:
    531
    Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Chesapeake VA
    Vehicle:
    1972 Comet GT clone 306 . 1969 Fairlane Cobra 428CJ 1988 T-Bird awaiting 331 ..
    Sort of, PCV started as a smog control. Any improvement(or reduction) in fuel economy was not considered. Blowby is a horrid polluter, a mixture of partially burned fuel, oil vapor etc. Assuming engine is counting on all cylinders, worse than much of the tailpipe emissions. Also was one of easiest to implement. By 60-70K mi, engines of '70s & earlier generally suffered from noticable blowby.

    For most part until the Nov '73 oil embargo, fuel economy was at bottom of totem pole. When gas was 30ยข gal , practically no one cared if MPG was 15 at best(50 mi for a dollar). The oil embargo was what stimulated Mustang II sales, wasn't exactly a hit till gas shortage. That was approx two months after introduction. Of course Ford started advertising it as "right car at the right time".

    Tank vent canisters to collect/burn fuel vapors started approx 1970.
     
  14. mav1970

    mav1970 Bob Hatcher

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2002
    Messages:
    10,633
    Likes Received:
    322
    Trophy Points:
    398
    Location:
    Mountain Top Pa
    Vehicle:
    69.5 Maverick 393 Cleveland Stroker
    :Welcome: from Northeastern Pennsylvania
     

Share This Page