1974 Ford Maverick!

[6.2]

=SPECS=
1974 Ford Maverick
250 CI straight 6, 3 speed auto
White exterior, light blue interior


=PLANS=
Re-dp brake system so it actually stops
Change bumpers
Satin white paint, black hood stripes
Wheels (undecided as to what yet, but they will change)



=PICTURES=

some post-interior cleaning pictures

The carpets are in really really good shape.

the trunk is in better shape than I though as well. It was a mess full of junk and stuff when I opened it up. a bonus is the full set of shop manuals for the 1974 model year. Pretty stoked about those being in there. I have some awesome reading material now.

here it as, as I opened it for the first time after getting it home.

Here it is all cleaned up, carpet out and everything. some minor rust holes on the edge there, but really overall it's not as bad as I was expecting it to be.

and the beautiful manuals

couple engine shots.

Nothing really special to look at engine wise. Runs pretty good, only drivability issue is it wants to stall on if i try to take corners too fast. Guessing it's an issue with the float level in the carb. Going to dig into that if I have time this weekend. Also might start sanding it down this weekend weather permitting.


Ordered up a Pertronix electric ignition to swap in to get rid of the points ignition. cheap easy and a good upgrade.

*removed image due to size*

Getting them big ass bumpers off. going to be doing the small bumper swap.

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[6.2]

well my weekend didn't go as planned, but I did get enough free time to sand down the hood, and repaint it.

few pics of that process.

Sanded down (with a face on the windshield lol)

Hood off the car and into the currently empty shed

First coat of paint laid down. Little streaky, the spray tip wasn't cleaned properly.

after 4 coats. last 2 decently heavy.

Going to give it till next weekend to cure, then wet sand it down with 800, then 1500. Should look half decent and it will be a one panel at a time paint job, as weekends are really my only time to wok on this thing.
Keep in mind this is a cheap single stage oil based paint job. I'm not spending a ton of money on this thing. just getting it somewhat presentable. Maybe further down the road I will spend some money and get a professional job done but for now, this is 100% better than what was on it.


Fun fact, I actually thought about just clear coating the sanded down good. I think the whole car sanded down and cleared would look hilariously awesome.
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[6.2]

Here's the first video in the build series.

*apparently i'm retarded and can't get the youtube embed to work, so click the link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdVsZUs-zUU

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[gw33gp]

Those 74 bumpers are huge. Do you plan to put the earlier ones on it?

 

[6.2]

Those 74 bumpers are huge. Do you plan to put the earlier ones on it?

thats the plan. the big ones are long gone already haha. damn gubment and their safety regulations.

 

[adsm08]

Here's the first video in the build series.

*apparently i'm retarded and can't get the youtube embed to work, so click the link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdVsZUs-zUU

​

It's not you, I can't get the embed to work for that video either. And I know I know how to do it.

 

[pjtoledo]

cool ride. where the heck did you find a rust free 74?????

302 was an option, bolts right in.
factory brakes were pathetic, my 72 "Comet GT" had only 10" drums up front. please upgrade your brakes!

since the weight of a 302 will cause lots of under steer, can you imagine the corner carving a light weight 2.3 turbo would do?? the Duratecs have an aluminum block, fyi.

the 70s were a horrible time for carburetors, they couldn't handle the new emissions requirements then.

good luck with your build


Perry

 

[6.2]

It's not you, I can't get the embed to work for that video either. And I know I know how to do it.

haha good to know. i'm guessing because it has a dash in it maybe.

cool ride. where the heck did you find a rust free 74?????

302 was an option, bolts right in.
factory brakes were pathetic, my 72 "Comet GT" had only 10" drums up front. please upgrade your brakes!

since the weight of a 302 will cause lots of under steer, can you imagine the corner carving a light weight 2.3 turbo would do?? the Duratecs have an aluminum block, fyi.

the 70s were a horrible time for carburetors, they couldn't handle the new emissions requirements then.

good luck with your build


Perry

It's in manitoba! It's not rust free by any means of the term, but it is fairly decent for living it's 42 years in manitoba.

the 302 was an option yep, and I've got a 72 torino with one I might steal, but really the 250 runs awesome, and this is just a cruising car so it will likely stay with the 250.

as for brakes, yeah, they are freakin horrendous and i have discs up front LOL! brake upgrades are happening no doubt.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I've always wanted to stuff a 429/460 into one. The front end is basically the same as the earlier 68/9 Fairlane/Torino. I stuffed a 429 into a '68 Torino while in high-school in the very early '80's.

 

[gw33gp]

I've always wanted to stuff a 429/460 into one. The front end is basically the same as the earlier 68/9 Fairlane/Torino. I stuffed a 429 into a '68 Torino while in high-school in the very early '80's.

I don't know that much about the 74 Maverick but I find it hard to believe the front end is basically the same as the 68/9 Fairlane. I have a 69 Fairlane Cobra and it is considerably larger than the Maverick.

The Maverick front end looks more like the earlier Falcons or Mustangs. I have seen a 460 stuffed into a 64 Falcon but they had to remove the shock towers to do it. I am guessing the same would be true for a Maverick. The 68/9 Fairlane had the option of a 428 CJ from the factory so there is room for a 429/460 in there. It may be a little tighter.

 

[6.2]

I don't know that much about the 74 Maverick but I find it hard to believe the front end is basically the same as the 68/9 Fairlane. I have a 69 Fairlane Cobra and it is considerably larger than the Maverick.

The Maverick front end looks more like the earlier Falcons or Mustangs. I have seen a 460 stuffed into a 64 Falcon but they had to remove the shock towers to do it. I am guessing the same would be true for a Maverick. The 68/9 Fairlane had the option of a 428 CJ from the factory so there is room for a 429/460 in there. It may be a little tighter.

yeah, the maverick is based off the falcon platform. very small car. and unless you do some shock tower modifications, ie. completely get rid of them and run aftermarket front suspension, you wont be fitting large engines in the engine bay.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

They are a neat car, the first one I saw was a bronzy gold one with black stripes in the college parking lot that had been restored.

Nice find

 

[6.2]

Thanks! Picked it up for $800, running, driving, and safety inspected so I could register it. Hell of a find really.

 

[6.2]

Well I got the hood wet sanded, polished, and waxed. Half decently happy with the end results. It's by no means perfect, or as good as I could have gotten it. But now I know for the rest of the car what I need to do differently. AKA More coats! Couldnt sand it down enough to get it glass smooth as the layers were getting pretty thin. so I'll lay more coats for the rest of the car and I should be good to go.

I also blacked out the chrome trim on the hood, the headlight surrounds, and the grille! this will be the look I got for. white with black trim. Kind of a cool look in my eyes.

few pics just because I went cruising around and took some.

some closer-ups of the hood.

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[6.2]

Found some of the parts needed for the small bumper conversion. ordered em up and they are on the way to the border. Mint condition. No dents, straight as an arrow, and no rust at all!

Front

Rear

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