What a major bummer...

Hey all!!

Guess what? I recently found out my 73 Maverick had part of the shock towers cut out before I owned it and before my brother owned it. Now I'm stuck with a car that needs MAJOR front-end repair. Steering's out of alignment and adjustment. Can't sell it, no one will buy it. No choice but to stick it out and pay someone big bucks to fix it. One question though: Why on earth would someone cut part of the shock towers out???

I'm pissed, because it's the only thing keeping my car off the road. Any suggestions for fixing that's not terribly expensive? I do have a welder and am fairly good at it. I just don't know where to weld though. I can post pics if anyone wants to see this sh*t and can possibly help. Would really appreciate help, am on my last nerve with this car and ready to drive it off a cliff. Thanks.

 

How bout some photos so we see what you are seeing?

 

They shaved the towers to be able to put a larger engine in it. I've done the same to mine for the extra room to change sparkplugs.
Yes, post some pics.

 

I've heard of people putting in braces before.

If you want a new front end.... I have a 73 Comet for sale....

haha


anyways, yeah, you could do the braces thing (I think, anyways, depends on how butchered they are)

Or maybe rig it and then sell it to some poor unsuspecting person... which I dont' reccomend because from personal experience I can tell you that being that poor unsuspecting person that it really blows.

Good luck!

 

Here are some pics I just took.


This one shows the plate of steel I welded in, but you can still see how they cut it out.


This one shows the drivers side one with a plate of steel covering it up, that I did NOT do. It was on both sides when I bought it. Looks to me some idiot cut the shock towers, realized what kind of a mess they made, and sold to my unsuspecting brother, who unsuspectingly sold a bum car to me. Bonus, huh?

 

One more thing... You can see how bent the frame piece is where the a-arm attaches. urrgggg!!!!

 

do a search on shaving the shock towers. that should tell you what to do to fix it. looks like he didn't finish the job right. no big thing. it's done all the time to get more room to change plugs especially if you switch to a 351w. not sure why it would change the steering unless you have other problems. good luck

 

Now you have the perfect excuse to put a Mustang-II front suspension on it...

 

And how much is that, I wonder??

 

those are not bent...that is a factory bend. No problems.

 

Finish the job right and you will have no problems. Do a search on here on shaving shock towers. People do it all the time.

 

Yes, but does it look that shabby? Someone botched mine up bad...

 

Yea, what he said.

 

You sure, cuz on the drivers side they practically straight. Also, the steering is way out of alignment. The top of the tire on the passengers side is pushed in about 2 inches, bad. This shock tower problem is definitely the cause of it.

 

Ok, pretend I know nothing about cars. What do you mean "shaving" the shock towers? Also, what about this brace you guys are talking about. Where do I put it?