Blue My Mind, 1972 Ford Maverick

[Michaels 69]

I got it right from Snap On probably 20 years ago. I heard they don't carry them anymore but I know there are other companies out there making a mid rise lift.

Thanks Glenn

[Bossed]

Ok, so it has been a very eventful week for me and my project!!

On Monday morning I loaded it up into a friends trailer and brought it to the booth. It took me 7 hours to fully mask it off. Lots of work for a car that the engine compartment and underside are already painted. Even in a down draft booth I wanted to keep the overspray at a minimum.

Here is it about to go in the trailer.....





And now in the booth on jack stands all masked up. A small fortune was spent on masking tape and plastic sheeting. Thank you 3M for the generous donation of products!!





With sealer played down......




In basecoat.....

As a reminder I am using PPG Envirobase HP waterbase system. Again, huge thanks to PPG for the donation of products.



And clear.......






One of the very few selfies I will ever take!!

Car looks beautiful !!! I hear you on the masking, what a tedious JOB !! I'm slow, it takes me forever

[wfo guy]

Car looks great. I hope assembly goes without incident. I'm anxious to see the finished product. I have a soft spot for 2 door Mavericks for some reason. The mods you have done have really improved the car.

[HotRod47]

So I finally finished a 1940 Ford side job I was doing and now I can get back to the Maverick. In between working on the 40, I did get some stuff done though. Today I spent some time on it as well.

Heading back to the booth next week for the stripes and to reclear the entire car to burry the stripes.

I used to work for a local paint supply jobber store and they sold this sound deadener, so I bought a bunch of it and used it on the inside of the Mav. It works quite well. I did the entire trunk floor, interior floor and firewall as well as the roof.



I then installed the bracket I made to mount the wiring harness I will be using.....





Steering column mount and brace I had sand blasted and powder coated a couple years ago....




Finally got to install the Ididit tilt steering column in the car for the last time. As you can see I also got the Lokar shifter mounted as well.







Close up of the lower brace/mount I made using the factory pattern and bolt holes for mounting. Also shows the upper mount I made to mount the column to the brace.





A view from the engine compartment of the column sticking through the firewall, also shows the Wilwood m/c.

[HotRod47]

Got the mirrors and the quarter glass frames painted last week.






Mounted the Juliano's billet steering wheel. When they made it for me I had them Hydrodip it in the wood grain. Been sitting in a box for 5 years waiting, finally got to mount it to the column!!





Installed the polished stainless Borgeson universals and shaft.



Because the stripes will be going onto the dash I had to reinstall it today to make sure when I hit the booth next week everything lines up......









Also mounted the heater hoses that pass through the cowl. On the other side they will run in the wheel well and go into another bulkhead. Then from that bulkhead another short whip will connect them to the engine.




Today started the wet sanding to get it all smoothed out and flat to go back in the booth for stripes and flow coat of clear......



The flushed side lights are installed. The lens will be masked for color, then unmasked and cleared right over to burry them in the clear.

[wfo guy]

I've been wondering where you were.

[HotRod47]

Partially sanded down and outside waiting for the flatbed trip to the shop.






Fresh 3M Dirt Trap on the floor and new filters in the floor.......






And after another 10 hours of final sanding and prep the car is back in the booth and on jack stands. On Monday after the holiday I will spend the day masking and getting it ready for stripe layout. Then on to final clear!!!

Gonna be a big week. Stay tuned................

[wfo guy]

Having no insects and almost no dirt would be wonderful. Good luck with the gun.

[HotRod47]

I spent Monday in the booth masking away. 8 rolls of 2" green 3M tape and an untold amount of paper and sheeting and 8.5 hours this is the result........



​​

[HotRod47]

This morning I arrived at the booth at 6:45am and starting laying color. I had a couple small spots I touched up and needed to spot them in, then did one full even coat on everything. After that it was time to lay out the stripes. All this took until around 4pm. At that point I called it quits and went home to spend some time with the family. Back at it again first thing to start laying the clear down when I am fresh and rested.






reinstalled the valance to use as a guide in lining up the stripes.....








Also bolted the dash back in to line up the hood/cowl stripes.......














Carried the stripe onto the cowl under the hood.....

[Godbolt]

Superb!

[rhurley]

So today was an incredible day for me. After all these years of working away on the car I was able to, with the help of my wife, hang all the sheet metal parts. After that I bolted the taillights, fuel filler, grille and headlight bezels on. I did all this to make sure everything still fit as I had planned. It is amazing that no matter how many times you assemble and test fit it all when in primer, the second you take it apart for paint, boom, it does'y fit right anymore.

I am happy to report that other than a couple extremely minor tweaks everything still looks great!

The first, and my most cherished picture is my daughters reaction to seeing it outside when she got home from horseback riding today. I already had it outside, the kid was bouncing in her seat as they came up the driveway. It was priceless. Good thing I have a year and a half before she gets her drivers license. I get to use it for a little while before turning it over to her.



After that, I was able to get some pictures of it when the sun was shining........







I put the dash back in as well as I will need it to line up the stripes when I put the car back in the booth for the hood stripes. Also, this is the console I will be using, but recovering in black.





Don't know if the plate is a better description of the car or her!!








After seeing the car outside I have decided to black out the front of the radiator support. Too much blue showing through for me. Also, the headlight bezels will get painted black.

Looks Amazing!! Super close color to what i painted my 66 mustang a few weeks ago!!!

[HotRod47]

So today was another long day at the shop. Got the shell, doors and hood all cleared. After a bake I was able to get the wheels and tires back on and get it out of the booth to clear the fenders and trunk lid. Those are baking as I type this.

If you believe the weather men, we might be having a storm coming. So I am not sure how much will happen tomorrow. I will get the truck and trailer Friday and bring the car home.

[HotRod47]

And here are the fenders and trunk lid...........

[HotRod47]

I went in to the shop today to get a couple things done and then head home to spend time with my family. This is supposed to be a vacation week. But instead I have 50 hours and Just shy of $1000 in materials in this final booth session.

Today I masked up the trunk area, covered the car with plastic sheeting and painted the trunk hinges. I really wish Ford made these a "serviceable" item. But since they are not removable this is what I was relegated to do.










Then after unmasking everything but the interior, I reinstalled the hood and fenders. Nothing is lined up very critically, just enough to load it up into the trailer tomorrow and get it home. Then all the parts will come back off for final assembly of the drivetrain and upholstery.


I Really LOVE the subtlety of the two colors together for the stripes. At some angles they completely disappear, then Bam!, they are there as two different as any colors could be.

[wfo guy]

I think it's great! You've taken the economy car to a new level. I wasn't referring to how much you have spent. LOL

[Tincup]

Awesome job...

[ALLstrokedOUT]

I love the project overall, but I have to say that is absolutely amazing bodywork you've done to that car!

[HotRod47]

I think it's great! You've taken the economy car to a new level. I wasn't referring to how much you have spent. LOL

Awesome job...

I love the project overall, but I have to say that is absolutely amazing bodywork you've done to that car!

Thanks guys!!

- - - Updated - - -

Today I went and got the car. I pushed it outside into daylight and was able to stand back, it was thrilling to say the least. Loaded it up in the trailer for the trip home. Once unloaded I took a few more pics before pushing it back into my backyard garage.

Later this weekend I will disassemble the fenders, hood and doors and start the sand and buff stage. Then on to installing the engine and trans. After that, final assembly of everything else.

[HotRod47]

The sanding and buffing process has begun. I pulled the fenders and hood off, then covered the window openings with plastic sheeting along with the engine compartment.


Started with 800 and went all the way up to 3000, then started buffing. So far very happy with the results. Roof, quarters and rear tail pan along with the rear valance are now done. I need to hit a couple small spots and then do the cowl.