Got my car and drove it for the first time

The fella I purchased my 72 mav from:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford...temZ150380498655QQptZUSQ5fCarsQ5fTrucks#v4-36
Brought it by today. Thanks Allen!

I wasn't home when he delivered it and it was all the hub-bub at my house. Kim calling me and telling me that someone had abandoned an old car at our house. (I sort of have poor communication skills when it comes to old motorcycles and now a an old car). She did kind of like it and did ask if she could drive it to church I told her one day but it's not street legal right now. The kids kept talking about how old it was and that there was a cloud of dust when the door slammed.

I had to put a battery in it to get it started, battery tray is rusted completely out. I have a new tray and positive cable.
Anyhow started up and idled fine.

I asked Kim if she wanted a ride and the kids both ran up to me with there shoes in hand, 10 and 12 begging me to take them instead. We live out in the country so I just took it out on the road in front of my house. They are amazed at the seat belts but are very excited and we take off. It has a horrible bog and will die at takeoff if I accelerate above idle. Once you get past that it accelerates fine. Once I got the accellerator about 1/4 down after the bog and the car leaped forward. They were very excited. They have never been in an vehicle that accelerated better than my 96 Ford F150. Short ride and then we turned around and coasted back into my drive. It died twice and the alt seemes to be bad. The oldest was very disappointed that we did not start restoring it tonight. (it will probably only take a couple of hours) The youngest was asking me if he could paint it. The youngest then gave mom the play by play for every second of this 7 minute ride.
Oh, I hope that I did not just create two more mav monsters

 

Your kids will love that car, mine does...lol (5 and 3)...they call it my "race car"

Looks like a pretty decent car for the money you spent, well worth it IMO

 

Thanks Jeff! I hope so! Well, they are right it is a Race Car.
Race cars are basic, ride rough, and actually make some noise when they take off.

 

So whats your plans for it?

 

1. Buy Grabber hood and door and replace repair rusted components.
2. Redo interior or front seats and headliner.
3. Address some rust areas.
4. Paint with just a simple cheap paint job.
5. Address minor issues and get inspected and tagged.

Hopefully drive it to my 30th reunion next year which they are having a year early . It is really 4 different years at once.

6. Remove motor.
7. Rebuild front end.
8. Add leaf springs.
9. Put in a rebuild long block motor.
10. Have friend rebuild C4.
11. Re-install motor with torker intake, holley 750, headers.
12. Repaint with a nice paint job.
13. Put some nice tires and wheels on.
14. Wonder where all my money went.

I figure at this point I will have invested $6,500 - $8,500. Unbelievable!

 

Ohh Ohh

Dibs on the hood that is on it when you find your replacement

 

That Maverick looks good and a fun project to do with the kids.

 

Nice Buy There!

V8 car, air, Grabber ... you have a lot of the "good stuff" right there. Great starting point. Congrats!

There are folks that have fixed worse Grabber hoods than that. On really bad ones, it is possible to splice a section of standard hood on there. What I am saying is that if this hood is beyond your skills or budget to fix, it is still usable to someone.

One thing that I have done with my Comets is to drill drain holes in the bottom of the hood and trunk trim so that there isn't a constant pool of water there.

 

great story! reminded me of how my brother and I used to hang around my Dad who would buy old cars and work on them, this was back in late 60's so a lot of the cars were old 50 models, they would fire up after not running for years probadly ,missing,smoking,muffler rusted out, my brother and I would be grinning from ear to ear, if it didn't have a front bumper that was a plus !

 

If I find replacement you got it.

 

Definately beyond my body work skills. Which would be none, unless it's bolt on. My brother-in-law is a professional body man so I guess I could ask him. I did think about having him re-skin my door instead of replacing it.

Yes, I think that drain holes and makeing sure they stayed upplugged is key on this. Man I hate rust.

 

Great project car.... If it's only sheet metal rust and not structural,you will be in good shape.. I have driven my 74 grabber for 4 years,and the only rust that bothers me is the cowl sometimes I think I need a rain suit to drive it ............LMAO

Good luck, and never give up.... It's a really nice GRABBER

 

Thanks Fellas!
Yeah, it's funny. You probably thought at the time those were some old relics. Your dad probably was stoked to find a running car. It looks like some of your old man rubbed off on you vic Finding old cars that is.
I do hope it is something we do together. I have 3 boys (one lives away). I struggle to find stuff we all like. The little one is a red-neck (like me) and likes fishing and hunting and I do that with him and one of my nephew. The oldest I have not been able to find much that excites him, he was genuinly excited which suprised me.

 

Thanks Will do. I don't think that it has anything major. I probably annoyed Allen as I was crawling under the thing with a flashlight and finding little rust here and there. I didn't say anything about them but he kept telling me. "You don't have to buy it if it is not what you want. Don't feel obligated to buy".
I was just happy that the car won't break in half when I hit a bump.

 

Congrats! Looks like a great project.