How many people drive their maverick/comet daily

I have been building up my maverick with a fuel injected 302/5 speed all winter to make it a daily driver. I'm 90-95% done, so I'll let you know how it does. It's certainly no beauty queen, but it's insured/registered as a regular car, and I expect it to pass the stringent NJ emissions test.
I also have a Police model '82 ford LTD-S with a 351 that I daily drive, but the fuel milage of that is a little sub-par with what I want

 

New Jersey has stringent emission criteria for antique cars? You don't plan to drive it in the horrendous winter New Jersey, snow/salt laden streets---Are am I way-off base w/ this question???

 

It's the second toughest state in the country to California. If you get antique plates and limited insurance, there's no need for emissions, but for someone who want to drive the car daily, I need it passed (shouldn't be hard with a fuel injected 5.0 and cats, they test to the car's years standards)

Good question on the salt...I HATE IT. And neither the LTD nor the Maverick will get driven when salt is on the road unfortunately. I have a winter beater for that

 

Ok -- Thnks for clearing up the DD question. I am not sure whether Illinois has emissions requirements for old cars, licensed for daily use. I don't think so; I am going to check. Glad to hear the project will be on the road soon. Also, glad you have a beater for those salty winter roads. Driving the Mav. on those winter roads wud yield your 40+ yr. old car a rust bucket in short order.

 

Really you need to smog your old car? In California if it 75 or older no smog is needed, if you do have to smog it it has to have all the original smog equipment from that year unless you tell them it has a swap and then it has to pass a special smog station once and get a label put on the car. also must have all the original smog equipment from swap vehicle, some new cars have a pressure sensor in the gas tank and the computer needs to see it.

 

if I read this correctly, you are saying it takes you owning at least 3 cars (you have 4) to live in NJ...

 

I will , once it's back together and running. I don't believe in trailer ing a car that was made to be driven.

 

In NJ it's as long as the engine swap is from the same year or newer, and it has all the emissions equipment in place (doesn't have to be functional because they will never know, nor do they really check under the hood usually). Then it passes the tail pipe sniffer for the model year of the car

I have 2 cars and a work car which doubles as my winter beater.

Yes NJ sucks, I'll be joining the large mass of people moving out of this state when I can.

 

Sounds good. Have fun an enjoy your cars.

 

Totally agree...My License plate reads ' DRIVE IT ' Trailers were made for " Boats " ..
Cometized
(Chip)

 

Sounds like you guys are confusing "never drive it" with "daily driver"... I don't own a trailer, if anything of mine leaves the property I'm driving it... May come back on the hook(like wife's Grand Marquis last summer) but it drove out of here...

 

I have to say in the snow . I will not. But life is to short to restore the car only to show case it.

 

I am of the same philosophy. Well said my friend...

 

Between 1992 and 1999 I put 92,000 miles on mine. It has 164,ooo miles on the odometer now.
Then I put the 4:62 gear in it and just used it for 1/8th mile bracket racing at the local track .... no trailer. 5 mpg and 45 mph cruises ... gets old quick.
Now it has a 3:55 gear, a new interior, and I plan to do some more bracket racing with it, along with some events and cruise nights. But there are still a few more details to get to. I plan to enjoy it, patina and all ... who needs paint?
If I wasn't in a band, and remodeling our kitchen ( I am making new cabinet doors from scratch), the car would be a runner again. It's getting there .... but other priorities happen.

 

I like the sound of that. Do you have a 8" rear or 9" rear?