Can't afford a second car so I'm gonna build on!

Glad to get a good shake down run on the Maverick yesterday. Drove it 30 miles round trip to the shop then another 20 or so with my son...he just had to ride in it. Here's what I found out.

1. Steering has some loose components. I knew this already and have the stuff to rebuild it. Some new stuff and some stuff I got from a member here who put an aftermarket frt end under his car.

2. This carb has issues. This is the one I had the "Carter guru" build....it's not right. Starts great initially, hard to start after you drive it like it is leaking down and flooding. I'll probably put the other carb. back on.

3. I need to either have these front drums turned again or get new ones. Even though I had them refaced, they shake pretty bad.

The best thing is it really rides good now that the other rear springs and lowering blocks are gone. Nice and smooth with the new shocks.

Not sure what I'm going to next, probably rip the interior out and re-do it.

 

Since the interior freshen up will be next, I pulled the rear seat back out to send to the trim shop. When they made and installed inserts to mimic the 71 Mustang bucket covers in the frt back in the early 90s, they left they original vinyl on the sides. It didn't old up too well to the sun and heat over the years. I think the rest will be ok but I'm going to have them completely re-do the seat back....or at least the pieces they didn't replace the first time.



Oh look, my dog found more mouse nests.

 

That shop did a pretty good copy of the Mustang pattern.

Thought I would throw this out there, since I just went through it myself ...

If you still are running Mustang buckets, 71-73 Mustang coupe skins are repopped ... available from TMI and go for about $200 a set for the whole car if you shop really hard.

The frames for those buckets are the same as 70-72 Grabber/Comet GTs. The back seat is very close for the seat back, too. If anything, it is about two inches too wide, and could be narrowed. The seat bottom is a different story, though. I modded the seat frame for that pretty radically and made it work. I show all this in my project thread.

The seat bottom could be done by having a shop reconfigure the cover to better fit the seat bottom, too. Also, for all reading, 70-71 Mav rear seat bottom is a different shape than 72-later due to seat belt pockets.

 

I told the trim shop that it's no rush on the seat back, but they called me today and said they'd have to completely recover the seat back (the material is too sun dried on the top) but they were having trouble finding what material 70 Mavericks had. So I had to explain what I had them do 15 years ago....recover the back seat to match my new 71 Mustang standard bucket seat covers in the frt. He said that makes it alot easier. Hopefully should get it back soon.

In the process now of making a seat firewall since I installed a fuel cell. Thinking I'll probably cover the package tray speaker holes also for safety. I can run Pioneer surface mount speakers if I need to....that's what it had before.

 

My hood is rust free but it has a pretty nasty in/out dent on the passenger side (can be seen a few pics up ^^). I was worried about the metal stretching if I beat it with a body hammer so I went the old school direction and bought a spoon hammer...some call them a slap hammer or a dinging hammer.



From what I've been told, there is little stretching and they may even shrink the metal somewhat. I bought one and gently started slapping the metal making sure to keep a flat contact point. It's a slow process but from what I see it did a nice job. The entire area is now 90% flat but it will need a little more finessing.

 

Just back from vacation. I had a message my seat back is ready at the trim shop. We were going to pick up a 62000 mile 74 4dr on the way back but I guess the guy sold it, he never called back and pulled the add off of Craigslist.

Time to start ripping out the interior.

 

Picked up the seat back today. Looks great other than maybe a little too light. They used vinyl they had in stock, special order would've been quite a bit more. Close enough.

 

No updates....too hot to get much done the past month but I did pick up some wheels. Not sure if I'll use them on the Maverick or not. $35 each at a local Essex wholesale outlet but they only had 3.

15X7 4.5 one piece alloy Cragars.

 

Nice wheels.....now to find another. You gonna paint them or polish them?

 

Thanks. The centers of these are black, but I'd paint them gray. These are actually the style wheels I ordered for my 68 Mustang to begin with but received these instead.



These are 2 piece with a chrome steel rim an alloy center.

 

Ouch! Least you can return them if all else fail's.

 

Tell me more of this essex place! Common to have wheels?

 

Are you sure you have Ranger rotors? Both Rangers I've had 91, 04, have had 5-4.5 in bolt pattern.

 

Jack up the stang and try them on it.If they fit they are right,if they dont the other guy measured wrong.

 

Nice thread.

I love these Maverick build threads. I may just have to start me one.