1975 Ford Maverick

[Mercracer]

I would highly recommend that you weld in some sub-frame connectors. Mavericks bodies were not very stiff from the factory and they twist easily.

[mitymerc]

I would highly recommend that you weld in some sub-frame connectors. Mavericks bodies were not very stiff from the factory and they twist easily.

X47! Good point, I have bent the roof by launching stockish fox cars w/good tires. There was a guy a the track that ran a pretty stout Capri w/no subs, when he started to spray it he carcked his windshield.

[packman]

Just happened to click on this and thought of this thread.

[Brown_Muscle]

I'll look into subframe connectors in the future...hopefully won't be pushing the car hard enough to need them as a daily driver but we shall see.

Been doing lots of various things to the car. Removed the windshield, took care of the rust and painted the area around it. Going to reseal it when it gets warm enough. Notched the front fenders to accept the skinny bumper and valence I have to go on there.

Lots more rewiring on the interior, got the turn signal indicators working and rewiring the power locks and windows to install into a fuse box.

I'll attach a picture of an example of how bad the wiring is, this was how he re-wired the trunk lights, there is a module there that makes the bulbs sequential. One capacitor is blown out so I ordered 4 new ones just to have extra, then I'll seal up the control module somehow

On the suspension sides of things....the one lower ball joint is the worst I've ever seen, new moog lower control arms are $35 with the ball joint and new bushing installed! Also putting in new end links and i'll replaces the upper ball joints when I put in some stiffer lowering springs and shocks. I adjusted the wheel bearings in them meantime, the one was pretty darn loose.

Painted the valve covers and intake, replaced the throttle plate as the previous numbskull had blocked the idle hole off with a piece of metal hammered in there, bending the plate. Engine runs once again, planning on tuning the computer sometime in the near future!

Think that's it for now...

[sly]

wow... all those cheater taps... looks MUCH better.

[gadget73]

was all that seriously installed in a cardboard box? Thats funny stuff right there. At least they could have gone with a plastic Sealtite container

[mitymerc]

The paint job looks great...now you need one of David's cool intake plates!

[Bobcat]

That wiring is the best I've ever seen, I admire the different colored wires for every splice, plus all the vampire taps n' such. Really a work of art.
I hope you used all of this as a bartering point when you bought this hooptie

Beautiful work, as always.

[Brown_Muscle]

Thanks guys, I have a good idea for an intake plaque I'm working out

So funny story about that tissue box....

Bringing the car home, it was raining and the interior carpet was a bit wet from a leak that is now fixed. However the temperature was PERFECT for fogging up the windshield, between the tint and the fogging I basically couldnt see, so I had a rag and a box of tissues that I constantly kept wiping the windshield and side windows. The windshield wipers are about 20 years old...so they wouldnt wipe the rain off properly. THEN one of them FELL OFF onto the wiper arm. Did I mention the rear tires are basically bald? So as a result it was one of the most dangerous 45 minute drives I've ever had....but hey it makes a great story....

AND that is why there is a cardboard box of tissues back there. All those wires were just hanging loose like that, a bit more tucked, but not by much.

[Brown_Muscle]

POS update time

I took the trans out to fix the rear main seal, (which needed a repair sleeve, was well grooved). ended up replacing the tailshaft bushing, front and rear seals, shift for inserts, and front bearing retainer (the previous owner had cut it for some reason, making it 1/2" too short, and the bearing preload was a little loose)

Replacing the oil pan gasket as well while i'm in there, there was a healthy amount of sludge in the bottom of the pan...

John and I took a look at the chip that had been programmed for the car...as suspected they did a half assed job, but was enough to allow it to run, once it's back together we will begin really tuning it, I'm actually looking forward to that..

Question: I've been looking for a part# on the block to determine what year it is, is there any way to tell? The rear main seal i pulled out had a 91 part # on it, but it could have been replaced.

[Brown_Muscle]

Ran Into a small snag when I was putting the transmission back in. PO ghetto-rigged the cross member to make it work with the T5, basically hanging off two bolts... Had to cut and weld new tabs, and enlarge then mount holes to make it work the way it should.

Good news is drivetrain is all back together! New rear main seal, oil pan gasket, and all new seals in the trans. I can't wait to get this thing on the street.
I've already begun tearing the cooling system apart, but that shouldn't take me long to complete.

Oh, and I decided to keep the Drag-lites, but switch tire sizes around a bit.

[johnunit]

That's a lot of un-rigging you've had to do. At least you'll know the car like the back of your hand when you get it where you want to be.

[gadget73]

What did the crossmember look like before, just the front two ears present ? What purpose would hacking the rear ones off serve if you were able to put them back on and it fits?

[Brown_Muscle]

John- Absolutely, perhaps more than I would have liked to, but in the long run it's for the best

Thain- The attached pictures are the only ones I have that kind of shows what they did.... They welded in a pipe between the ears, and put extremely long bolts through the frame support and then through the cross member hanging off the back. It was a terrible idea that kind of worked, however you could see the bolted were tweaked, and had the trans mount not been falling apart, may have done some major damage. To make it work I had to extend the ears by welding on new metal, not by a lot, just enough to make it a pain

[gadget73]

oh, I see. the T5 needed the mount behind where the stock one did so they cantilevered it out on a bolt. Yeah thats a bullshit fix. I'm guessing you moved the ears forward so it would actually sit across the spot on the body intended for the mount then?