What Do You Guys Think?

Pass on the car.. Looks like they don't want it either. I can't see that I would have driven a car with a seat like that. At least put a cover on it. Appears neglected.

 

Drove a 1965 Comet for 2 years in High School and then got a new 1971 Comet when I went off to college.

 

Starting to sound like he needs a Comet

 

Yeah, me neither..

 

Seriously though, these guys are being truthful. I would listen to them.

But, if you're a special kind of stupid like me, you can go into this knowing that this is what you need to do immediately after buying the car to ensure it'll be reliable.

Underhood: Full inspection/tune up under the hood. I would suggest replacing EVERYTHING having to do with the cooling system that even looks remotely old/suspicious. Replace everything having to do with the ignition system and upgrade to some form of electronic ignition. Replace all deteriorated rubber lines/hoses. Swap to a more modern internally regulated alternator, such as the 3G.

Brakes: Right out of the gate, put new wheel cylinders in the rear with new springs/hardware, put discs on the front, all new rubber lines and a new master cylinder. Go ahead and put new ball joints and tie rods on while you're swapping those disc spindles on.

Fuel system: Drop the tank and inspect for rust. If it's nasty, scrap it and get another tank. Don't waste your time trying to clean it/coat it, etc. It'll fail again sooner or later. Just get a tank that's clean to begin with. Inspect the steel fuel line front to back. Replace all the rubber section including the piece near the left front torque box under the car. Put a new fuel pump on it. Pop the carb apart and ensure it's clean inside with no trash floating around inside or white chalky deposits built up.

While you're up under the car, replace the small hose at the vacuum modulator on the trans.

If you do all this, the car should be acceptably reliable assuming the engine and trans are healthy to begin with. Figure all this into the purchase price and the amount of time it's going to take you to get it done. You can do all this yourself, right? If not, walk away from the Maverick, or any vintage car for that matter.

I've been driving mine daily for close to 9 years, but I'm pretty sure I was born with a 9/16" wrench in once hand and a screw driver in the other. Aside from the alternator going out once, the only times it's left me stranded were due to my own negligence on things that I had known needed attention. In 2011 I drove the car from Atlanta up to Detroit and back. In 2012 I drove it down to Florida and zigzagged all over that state. My car is the absolute epitome of a miss matched, shade tree built, beat to hell and put up wet piece of $#!t and I would not hesitate to drive the car anywhere. These can be extremely reliable cars if maintained properly.

 

so would any other car...

 

rust is cancer it will not stop- unless you can weld pass on any rust bucket

 

Guy in Gainsville Ga. contacted me the other night about selling his Maverick, claims it is rust free for $2500. Its a 6 cyl, 4 lug car. looks like it was column shift now 3 speed in floor. The bottom blue one is a 71 I just bought and it is very straight and rust free, has a dented front bumper and dent in hood, 6 cyl 4 lug car and I got it for $1750 just a few months ago. Hope this helps and let me know if you want to contact him, he contacted me from a facebook site where I said I was looking for one before I bought mine.

 

Oh my, .... I want to buy that car .... never mind the fact that I don't have the $$$$$ right now .... nice!

 

The Chevy "bowtie" exhaust tip.....NICE!!

 

Make sure you check all the popular places for rust to hang out and then step back and think to yourself can I fix that or can I afford to have someone else fix these areas. I speak from experience when it comes to rust. I have done things to my overpaid for Maverick that most people would have passed on or sent the car to the grave over! Its hard work and very labor intensive to do torque boxes, rocker panels, floor boards, and areas around the door post, cowls and quarter panels. I forgot about the areas in the engine area. Just a heads up so you know what you could be getting into.