Frustrating Day & Didn't Make it to the Strip

The past two weeks I've been trying to get the Maverick ready for today, the opening of our strip/Tech/Test&Tune.
Have been thrashing on the Maverick for a few weeks. Oil leak in the back of the intake and when I took the manifold off the jerk that put the motor together used FelPro 1262's and didn't cut the water passages for the 351 heads.................they were leaking into the intake ports on 1/4/5/8. Bought the only set of 1262R's in town. Actually found out that the TFS heads I have were used on a Roush/Yates race car back in the 90's. Called and got some interesting information and made some changes to the plenum side of the Super Victor Jr.....got studs so I could set the manifold down without moving the gasket.............new MSD rotor/cap/wires..............changed oil again..................worked until 10:00pm last night and got up at 5:00am to finish everything and fire the car. Started the car and the front pump on the Holley was leaking.........race gas had just destroyed it over I don't know how many years.................had to wait until 8:00am for the parts store to open. At 9:00am everything is back together and no leaks. The trailer and truck are ready in the street......................the motor sounds a lot healthier than when I first bought it in December, and throttle response is quite good below 3500, let it roll down the driveway..............get to the end, put it in reverse and hit the transbrake button.................nothing happens!!!!!
Drove up the driveway............took the shifter apart...........shut everything down and just tried the transbrake switch and could hear it active.................back down the driveway and hit the button.........NOTHING!!!! took the shifter apart again...........jacked the car up to see if it was acutally getting into reverse..............finally tried to trace the wires for the transbrake button................the guy that had this car must have had stock in convoluted tubing because it is everywhere and I HATE IT!.............anyway as I am taking the convoluted tubing apart some wires come apart and they were just twisted and put together with a WIRENUT!...............It is now 1:00 and tech closes at 2:00....................Put the trailer and truck away, left the Maverick sitting in the driveway and went in the house to have a a tall glass of Jack.
Sorry, I didn't mean to rant, but I had been looking forward to this day for over a 2 months...........................now I am going to tear all this convoluted tubing and redo all the wiring in the interior the right way! So next weekend will totally consumed with the Maverick.
But the light at the end of this is that the motor sounds Really Healthy and that is with the mufflers on.....................can't wait to see what it sounds like with them off..............................
Here is a picture of it sitting in the driveway.....................

 

Good luck! It looks sweet. I feel ya man, i been working on mine to to try and make the first event but its just a never ending battle...

 

Nice clean looking car! The neverending battle...perseverence and a bottle of Jack...or the other way around!

 

Good luck & the Mav looks tough!

 

Hang in there, it's a long season. I was in the same boat last week end. One thing's for sure, your car really looks nice.

 

Agreed!

 

jmgFord,

Thanks, the Mav is in Redding, CA.

 

Tough luck. Next weekend will be the ticket. Great looking car.

 

hang in there ole rodder you will get there im going thru the same thing trying to get my mav ready for test and tune its just one thing after another and the car looks awsome

 

Sorry to hear that. I know how you feel. Went to a T&T 4 weeks ago. Made 6 passes. Car ran good and I had my reaction times figured out. Went to the first race in Tucson the following week and qualified #2 with a good reaction time. Went to the first round. Had the guy off the line by .03, then lost 15 MPH on the run. Went home, pulled the valve covers, changed the plugs, tested the wires, adjusted the valves 2X. Figured the only thing I changed was the fuel pump, but pressure was 7 pounds. Only thing between the regulator and the carb was the gas filter. Pulled that and found it was clogged up. #@#**&*((). Just glad it was not something major. This week was supposed to be the first 2 races at Firebird, But they were cancelled, due to track conditions. Next week is the 2nd race in Tucson.

 

Your car looks like it is going 100 mph standing still. Tough looking car.

 

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that is a gorgeous maverick

 

Nice Ride!!! Pic worth a thousand words an a TALL jack!!! Good luck!

 

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate the your comments...............

John

 

Nice Mav. Very clean and straight especially being a black car...
Good thing it didn't start to rain just as you got the car on the trailer. That happened when I got ready to go w/ a friend after a while of similar problems! TX and it's crazy weather!