It's alot of work to get a big block into a Maverick, so there aren't too many that post here regularly. However, there have been quite a few done over the years, so pics are around, especially in our gallery. There are some REALLY nice ones, and there are some hack jobs... Which do you want to see? Oh, and are you looking for 428s, SOHCs, or 460s? There may even be some old pics of early 70s Boss 429 racers... but they will be built just like the SOHCs from the period.
your going to need a mustang II front suspension, cut out the shock towers from the inner fenders and then after that anything you want will drop right in
Hi Boss, You can do it with a 460 and keep the towers, beleive it or not. Go to www.460ford.com Look up BBFMAVRICK. He has a 72 with a 466. His towers are shaved 2 inches in, and all the way down and end just above the upper control arm mounts. For headers he is using Tubular Automotive 71- 73Mustang 429 headers. each tube is individual. All he did was swap one of the lefts for right and thats it. He also used a aerostar mastercylinder. Go big on the primaries. 460s like to BREATHE.
Nah, not so fast... His towers are shaved, his shocks are relocated, his towers are laid back, his frame is notched around header tubes because his headers are made for a car with wider frame rails, his steering box is relocated, his brake master cylinder is a mini-van part that is relocated and mounted sideways... And to top it off, he didn't build the car, but bought it this way. He started off telling folks that the 460 will just drop right in a Maverick, but later started giving details. His car was originally built for racing a 428 FE, then swapped to a 460. Since it has been a big block car, it hasn't been street driven. Also, it has a full race back half. 4 link and all. He points to this picture as representing how the towers were modded on his car. Notice the relocated towers and shocks... There are some other pics here of stock looking towers with 460s, but they are like this, and far from stock 'drop ins'. You can relocate and shave the towers, like these. OR You can install a 69-70 Mustang front subframe under you car. OR You can do an M2 type swap. OR You can cut 3 sides out of your shock towers, put the engine in, and run your spark plug wires through the exposed coil springs. (Yes, we have had 2 folks do it like that!)
These aren't mine, but here are some... Left to right: *A 460 Mav done using the entire front subframe and shock towers from a 70 Stang. They basically put an entire Mustang onto a Maverick from the firewall forward. The fenders and such are Maverick, of course, but the rest is hybrid with 70 Stang. The Stang having a wider track required the use of more backspace on the front rims to keep the tires inside the fenders. *A 428FE big block. Built old school drag race style, with the towers and shocks relocated outward towards the fenders. *A quickie 460 install. A great deal of the towers had to be hacked out and left open for maxium space. This is of questionable safety and structural integrity. I don't know if it was a must or not, but they also cut out most of the radiator support. That structural unit is now made up of the radiator which is bolted to what is left of the support on either side. Some states specifically list a car with a damaged or structurally altered radiator support as "totalled" or "salvage"! *Mustang2 front suspension with 460. *An old SOHC racer with the towers and shocks relocated to the max.
Is this a pic of Rick Browns car without the engine? Please pardon me if I have unknowingly mislead anybody on his car. I am only going by what he told me. I PERSONALLY have not seen it. I do know it was setup for a FE. What I said is exactly what he told me. Rick is a GOOD guy, and Im sure he had no plans to jerk anyone arround. Regards. Al
No, it's a pic in a thread from a long time ago that he was discussing with the owner of that car the fact that his engine bay and towers were "exactly" as the ones pictured in his car. Which is the picture above. When I read that, I knew that there was more done to his car than he genuinely thought. I don't think he is misleading anyone at all. I believe that he is not a Maverick guy and honestly thinks that either the mods are easy, or doesn't realize exactly how extensive the mods are. That is what I am getting at. He didn't build the car, he isn't a Maverick guy as much as he is a drag racer, the car wasn't meant for the street, and he is a bit oblivious to the differences of his car compared to a stock Maverick. Of course all the guys that show up there and ask him how to get a 460 in their Maverick have bone stock cars. He means well, but IMO he doesn't realize how much work it took... Or you could look at it this way: The guys asking how to put a 460 might not have the same idea of "easy" as Rick does. Not knocking Rick. I have never talked to him, but read his posts and he is well liked. Just my .02 on this particular subject.
I hear ya, If Ricks towers are JUST like that one, maybe they were profesionaly done. The top of the towers look TOO GOOD for some john doe drag racer to hack together. And back then everything was more crude then, even the factory race stuff then. There was a family that had Nicholsons 427 Maverick at Milan Michigan,several years ago.They were locals from Saline. Didnt get a chance to check it out throughly under the hood. Im sure it was done similar probably. It had a BB Chevy in it, which turned me off imediately. Regards. Al
Here are some pics of my 1970 maverick with a 460 bored 30 over. It has a cross member and suspension kit from rod and custom motor sports. They have complete instructions on how to do the install. The firewall has been cut out to make easy access to the trans bolts and had to notch out the frame for my headers.
Here's some pics of an original Holman Moody Boss 429 Maverick I saw earlier this year at Fun Ford Weekend: http://mmb.maverick.to/showpost.php?p=460882&postcount=45
