Took a little drive today....

Well....I drove my orange Maverick for the first time since 1998...and this was the first time going forward!! (It previously only had reverse when I bought it. Drove it 3 blocks backwards from my parents house to here)

It was only around the block with open headers...but rewarding all the same.

Have some leaks to fix. Brake proportioning valve is leaking. I had it rebuilt 7 years ago and never used it. Got it off the shelf 2 weeks ago and installed it. Leaked right away. Took it off and sent it back in to get rebuilt. Re-installed over the weekend....still leaks. Decided to get the car "driveable"....which I did today, then pull it off and send it back in. I think I bled the brakes wrong. Anyways....it will be another 2 weeks before I get the brakes all back together again.

Front end needs an alignment, and the gear shifter needs adjustment....but at least it moves.

No pictures yet....still got lots of work to do.

 

Congrats!

 

wow,......that has to be a great feeling! congrats

 

congratulations. at least it's running. you can work on the rest of the stuff.

 

Ain't it great when it moves again for the first time?? (is that possible) :?: Glad to know it's moving!! That's a beautiful car! And I can remember when you had it painted.....I think it's the same car.....I know you'll get it lined out! And what's the deal with needing brakes? Aren't those optional?? I mean are they ABSOLUTELY necessary? Think of the weight you'd save without them! Personally I think they're WAY overrated......but hey- that may just be me! Congrats!! Take care! Preston

 

I'm sure that's it's a great feeling Craig, you've put a lot of love in that car. Cograts.

 

Wow Craig!
Congratulations.

 

Good deal Craig .

 

good job.. i drove mine today for the first time in a long time as well and with new gears

it was a blast as well

 

I'm jealous, but I'm looking forward to driving mine for the first time with the new motor soon.

BTW, why keep rebuilding that prop-valve when it clearly isn't working (they don't seem to know what they're doing)? I got mine 10 years ago from the junkyard (actually a dist. block) and it has never leaked.

 

I have to rebuild it because:

1. I paid to have it rebuilt
2. Finding another power disc brake prop valve for a Maverick is very hard
3. It leaks...so I really don't have a choice.

They test all valves they rebuild up to 400 psi for an hour and make sure it has no leaks.

I am pretty sure I am bleeding th brakes wrong. They say only pump ONCE and then loosen the bleeder screw. They say don't pump 15 times...then release the bleeder (lik I was probably doing). They seem to think something (like a seal) inside the valve has "spun" or been moved causing the leak.

 

I think I also had Frank's electrical Gremlin up here as well. I cranked and cranked and it would not fire. It was getting air....getting fuel....no spark. I then decided to wire the coil up directly to a switched electrical point....and it fired right up.

Frank's electrically challenged friend Craig

 

Awesome!! But we need some pictures of your car outside in the fresh air.

 

Great ... any pictures? Do you have the stripes on yet? I assume you are overly calm about the prop valve leaking because you are using silicon brake fluid. My braking system had some leaks until I tightened the heck out of the connections .. but standard brake fluid isn't very nice to a freshly painted engine compartment.

 

Excellent news, Craig!

Good luck with the brakes. FWIW, I tried the "gravity" bleed (leaving the bleeders off for 24 hours) a couple of times and it didn't work - for me anyway.

I did the "pump 4-5 times and bleed" method. Seems to be holding okay.