Nice drive for 40 years old!!

Took the Mav to work today. Durango needs flex lines etc. and it was actually Sunny today. Picked up the Durango parts and was enjoying my ride home in the Mav the back way, and I got to thinkin.
First time I drove this car it had blown front shocks, nylon tires, bald MT rear tires,4 wheel drum, 2 sloppy outer tie rods, wrong rear ujoint, column shift(sloppy) and I'm sure I'm missing some more I found at later dates. LOL. I was literally white knuckle with sore hands after the 20 min. ride. Mainly the nylon tires trying desperately to put me in the ditch with every dip and bump in the road. It was horrible to drive.

So I'm driving along with 2 fingers on the wheel at 50 sort of thing saying to myself Damn its come a long way from that day a few years ago. Cant believe the difference. Its such a joy to drive now. I could go on and on but I'm sure most of you guys know what I'm getting at. Its a good feelin to have a 40 year old car just drive that nice. I drive new cars everyday at work and newer vehicles only a few years old. So I have lots of experience to compare it to and I'll tell ya the old girl drives real nice for what it is.
This may seem like a pontless post to some but I figured I'd share my thoughts from driving home tonight.

 

Far from pointless. Really cool, thanks!

 

I know what you mean Darren...My Sprint is the same way...Its a pleasure to drive for a 39 yr old machine. Same here though, LOTS of new parts to get it there.

 

You express what I felt on the first drive after the front end rebuild and front disk conversion. Great fun!!!!

 

I drive mine almost every day. Over 8000 miles in less than a year and a half. With the stereo that I put in it, and speekers, why by a mew car for 30k. This one works just fine.

 

i don't know how a..."20 min. drive"...feels but I know how it felt when Effie and i went on an...11 day, 3300 mile trip...(Gathering and Roundup)...

......

 

Plus, it's cool to drive something you've built.

 

Not pointless at all. I work with a friend who has a 68 Cougar, all original worn parts, we took the Mav to lunch one day and he wanted to see how well it "handled". I think he left claw marks in my pass side door panel when we hit the on ramp. He said: "if we were in the Cougar, we would have gone through that guardrail!" I, like you drive new to newer cars every day for a living, so I know exactly what you mean. Mine, she ain't real pretty right now, but I should be putting the finishing touches on the front suspension this week, and even before the upgrades, she sure does drive nice for 40.

 

I can't wait until that day

 

I get a little scared over 90...

 

I remember when I got my car and it's first ride home! You've said it all! All the new "tech" parts on the car have made it a joy to drive! The only thing I really miss is R-12 refrigerant,which worked much better than the 134-A that's in it now. Of course,mine still has all the original components of the air conditioning system! One day I'll get the new improved compressor and condensor and it should cool better.

 

I can't say much about driving the Maverick on the street.............since it hasn't been a street car since the late 70's, but the car handles really solid at 130+mph in the quarter with all stock front suspension...............and it only has 33k miles on the odometer..................and I get compliments where ever I go.

 

over here, it's even nicer to drive a car that old in daily commuting traffic.
not only the feeling of beautiful simplicity, but also the fact you can still see how much attention was paid to the car's details compared to the meaningless plastic of nowadays cars.
and the thumbs up i get are also a nice detail...

 

90 is about my limit with the 4:11's. lol. Its a beauty at 50 though.

 

I run about 75-80 everyday, the flow of Atlanta traffic...