Hello all, I'm new to the thread today! Mavericks are an interesting model of car. I have always liked them, smaller than a Camaro and Nova, bigger than a Mustang, and with the sloped rear glass, the hint of a spoiler on the deck lid, and the power train options that fit easily under the hood and the rock solid 8" rear axle, I don't know why they don't have more of a following. Maybe Maverick/Comet owners just have more vision than most? I just bought a 1974 Maverick 2 door coupe, 35,000 original miles, no rust, very original, 250cid, auto, PS, drum brakes all around. Well, I found it locally and bought it to clean up a bit (it had been sitting since 2007), get it running and sell it off for someone to enjoy. After listing it on Ebay, Craigslist, taking it to a local live auction, I still have it. LOTS of people stop to look at it, but no buyers... So now what to do with it...I love fast cars. I used to build them for a living and now do it for fun and project money. I have always admired Shelby and his Mustangs, and the old racing Falcons that tore up the Carrera Panamerica and were rallied all over the world. I even found out that there were a few Shelby Mavericks that were built down in Mexico! Maybe something like that is the future for this car? Unless you all talk me out of it, my plan is to install a posi unit, lower gears, full manual valve body in the C-4, front disc brakes and rally tires, then off to the rally cross. Early this spring it will get a full spec roll cage, suspension upgrades and many more details to make it a Historic Class stage rally car. I like things that are different and I haven't seen any Mavericks on the Rally America circuit sliding around on forest roads! As the project progresses, there will a good supply of very nice original Maverick parts for sale that I will post on this site if possible. Regards, Andy
from Northeast Pennsylvania I believe you have an excellent plan for the car - not a ton of work to make it happen and I'm sure you will have a great time with it
Well howdy, welcome... What that car doesn't have going for it is color, most consider browns, bronzes etc to be mundane{my Comet was a similar color)... As far as talking you out of modding it not me, if no one steps up to buy it, have some fun...
nobody bothered to buy it so do with what you please. just figure it to be the start we all wish we had I agree with that shade of brown being horrible in fact I remember seeing something of similar color right after I heard a splash in the toilet. I could see a cool repaint and some nice rims dragging the ground as it tears through the corners Im building a drag car out of my comet. theyre no shelby so go for it
Welcome to the forum, looks like a clean car, have fun doing what you want to do with it, as far as junrai's last statement goes.......... "theyre no shelby so go for it" ...........that should start up the debate again!
Thanks all for your comments and overall support of my plans. I guess it still kinda shocks me how a 40 year old American made, rust free 2 door coupe really isn't worth much, even if it's brown. I thought folks would have more vision than that...Maybe it is for the best though, it is gonna be a butt kickin' rally car! In regards to 71gold's comment about getting it running and driving it as-is, well,,,I did that and it was fun for about an hour. Then I want to go faster, brake harder and toss it into corners, and as you all know Mavericks don't do any of that very well in stock condition. Last night I removed the front bumper assembly and am going to tuck in the bumper and build new mounts. Getting rid of the inner bumper bracing, bumper guards and 5 mph brackets will drop about 70-80 lbs off the front of the car! I ordered the posi and gears so those should go in the next couple weeks. I am researching rally tires and once I pull the trigger on those and they are installed, I can begin to get a feel for how this thing is going to respond on dirt. Regards, Andy
Excepting for the hardcore auto enthusiast, about everyone else wants turn key... Have the I don't wanna have to mess with it after buying mentality... Get it painted or even open the hood??? Not much chance...
It would appear that you are correct. Possibly another example of the prevalent "instant gratification" mentality. Or maybe I am over-thinking it...
They may not be a muscle car with stock power, but get the weight down to 2500-2600 pounds and put in a modern 350-400 hp 302 and you are going to smoke most of the modern muscle cars out there.
from Atlantic Canada! Looks like a clean car. There isn't much that hasn't been done to a Maverick on this site. I tend to like the stock looking cars, but the well-executed built cars are certainly very nice. There are lots of them right here on this site. I think there is a strong demand for these cars, but they usually don't fetch the kind of money most people think they should.
