whats up guys? new here! I guess i will start by telling you a about the quest i have been on. Im trying to build the badest 10.5 mufflered maverick that i can. ive been bracket racing the car for about ten years with a 310ci small block. the car would run 6.80s on the eight on a good day. I also own a altered that runs 5.70s on the motor. I always wished i could have a small block maverick that would run the same with 10.5 tires and mufflers. we have a index class that has started at some of our local tracks it is a 6.00 flat index.So i decided to build a maverick for this. the rules state the car can be back halfed ,shock towers can be trimmed but must remain in car, stock firewall, no larger than 10.5 tires,they had a weight limit but i think they threw it out? so here is where the bilfold started getting thin! I installed a comp engineering four link back half,built a custom 9 inch housing using jerry bickel brackets and back brace,33 spline moser axls and full spool,5.14 gears,10.5 mickey thompsons mounted on bogart force 5 15x12s,installed a full 4130 chromoly cage with funnycar cage,5 inch outlaw cowl hood, alluminum interior (as thin as i could get). So then i started on the engine combo that i hope will push the car into the 5.70 range with no nitrous. I decided on a 351w clevor combo. i purchased a 427 ci stroker kit,13to1 comp,a nice set of early style yates c302b alluminum heads that had been ported, hogan sheetmetal 2 four tunnelram,enderle toilet style alcohol fuel injection, ptc 8 inch torque converter,c4 trans with brake. The problem i am having is fitting the engine between the shock towers to install headers,I purchased a set of nascar stainless 3 step headers i was going to hack on but theres no room due to the raised ports on the heads and the angle of the exhaust ports. i trimmed the shock towers way down moved the upper a arm down 1 inch like they did on the shelby mustangs but still not enough clearence.I moved the engine up as high as i could with my motor plate but still no help.I had an old fox body mustang that i took the complete struts and disc brakes off of and going to try to convert this to the maverick. they make a coilover kit for these.Im waiting on a set of qa1 tubular a arms to come in.by doing this i got rid of the top a arm on the maverick allowing about 2 inchs of more clearence to be trimmed. Im going to try to build a k member to mount to the bottom of the frame to use the tubular a arms. I have reinforced the frame an the shock towers with 10 guage.and going to use rack and pinion steering.I quess my question is, has anyone ever tryed to convert foxbody style front suspension to a maverick, sorry for all the rambling, any help on this is appriciated, thanks
Im trying to stay with modern IFS, but man that straight axl would sure throw those tech quys for a loop, rules don't mention straight axls so i guess they could'nt say no
RRS is making a bolt in strut front end for these cars that leaves enough room on the sides of the motor to throw a cat through. Website doesn't mention Mavericks, but several of us have met Jeff Ford (US Sales Rep) and gotten info from him. Worth sending for information anyway. http://www.rrs-online.com/html/products.htm Jeff, You still checking in here from time to time?
'Not until next year. On the shock tower mod subject: Not only can you make the normal mod, there's the option to move the entire shock tower outward. There is a picture here (somewhere) of a 427 Maverick with what appears to be NON-modded shock towers. We found out that he pushed the entire shock-towers outboard (cut a strip of material out of the hump itself where it meets the vertical section of the engine bay - if that makes sense). Food for thought maybe? Best of luck to you. That project sounds like it's going to be a blast going down the track!
Im looking at doing the same thing, it looks like with some minor mods the fox k-member will fit, and so will the tubular control arms. You could eliminate the shock towers all together, as long as you have a roll cage that ties in the front to mount the strut mounts to. keep me informed on your progress
from Northeast Pennsylvania Post some pictures when you get a chance - would like to see your progress - you got me interested in how you finally make out
Welcome I think it's worth mentioning that this thread is 5 year old. You could start a new thread on your build...we like lots of pics
Duh I got caught up in another 5 year old thread again Would still like to know how he made out, if he's still around
I have just did this. You better be sitting down for the response. To run a 351 which i did punched to a 393 i notched the shock towers and had to run shorty headers. I then built a 418 with dart pro-1 heads and i couldn't even get the motor in the car. It was to wide because of the heads. I had to cut out the shock towers and put in a mustang 11 front end and went to tubler upper and lower control arms and rack and pinion steering. You can get a kit to do this for i believe it was around $2500.00. I went and found a donor car and got my cross memeber and bought the rest and saved $1000.00. I still have a issue with headers only on the left side for i went to a powerglide and the left header will not clear. We are having a set made for the left then it will be done. I have seen this done alot but my intial reaction was owe crap all i saw was $ signs. Good luck if you need pics let me know i will send you some of the build to give you some ideals.
