Blue My Mind, 1972 Ford Maverick

[HotRod47]

Today I read through your thread for the first time. I am a Mustang man, but can sure appreciate your creative talent in making this Maverick unique and mean. That rendering sure looks great, and I dont know anyone that wouldnt be proud to own the car. Great work so far, I cant wait to see more!

Thank you very much for the kind words! Stay tuned, there is plenty more to come. I pretty much do my updates on Sunday after I have had a weekend full of progress.

[HotRod47]

I am trying to get some of the sub assemblies done so when it's time I can just start in with it, rather than having to wait for things to be assembled.

I have had the rear end housing in primer for quite some time. I thought it was a good time to get some color on it and the center section. I already have the disc brake brackets on the axles. So once this has cured I can assemble the entire rear end and make it a roller.










After spending several more hours getting the inside of the NOS quarters completely stripped it was time to get some epoxy on them. My plan had been to just put a couple coats of black DP90LF on them and be done. But, I decided now was the time to spray them body color since I had such easy access. So, two coats of the DP, followed by three coats of the PPG Envirobase waterborne base coat and then two coats of DC4000 clear. They look good. While in the booth I also sprayed the trunk drop offs. This all comes from my days in the collision industry where I learned to paint a part first, then install. Like a radiator support, paint it complete first, then weld it on. It is always easier to go back and touch something up than it is to paint the entire thing already welded to the car.

[GrabberGT]

Nice color. Is that darker than the door you painted earlier is is it just the lighting?

[67cougnut]

just read through this whole thread, I'm excited to see the next stage. I read a few pages back about a header problem with "P" heads. checkout sanderson headers. they make a header for this car with "P" heads. a buddy of mine around the corner just did a 71 comet and used "P" heads and sanderson had the headers on the self.

[HotRod47]

Nice color. Is that darker than the door you painted earlier is is it just the lighting?

Wow, good eye!! I did end up changing my mind on the color. I decided I wanted something with a little more of a "pop"!

just read through this whole thread, I'm excited to see the next stage. I read a few pages back about a header problem with "P" heads. checkout sanderson headers. they make a header for this car with "P" heads. a buddy of mine around the corner just did a 71 comet and used "P" heads and sanderson had the headers on the self.

I have headers now. I went with the Stainless set that Ford Motorsports makes for the P heads. Really nicely made, great fit. I wish they were a little less expensive though? Thanks though!

[blade]

Great build so far, I think the final product is going to be sweet. There was a maverick grabber that bounced around in my family for a long time, wish I would have picked it up because I think it went for scrap.

[the dan]

awesome build, Glenn where in Ct are you located?

[HotRod47]

awesome build, Glenn where in Ct are you located?

I am in Suffield, across the river from Enfield. However, I work for a PPG jobber and am all over CT during the day.

Love your project, really nice fab work!

[HotRod47]

As this work week came to a close I had planned on spending the better part of the weekend in the garage working on the car. Then came Fridays school shooting here in Connecticut. As a parent of school age girls I was deeply affected by this. I had no will to go into the garage to work on the car. I instead spent the day watching the news listening to the coverage of the event.

This morning I made my way into the garage to get some work done. It was actually therapy getting out there to stop thinking about the last 48 hours and what had happened. I was able to tune it all out for a while and worked on the car. So once again, the title of this thread has proven to be true, Therapy Sessions. For some it means going to see and speak with a therapist, for me it clears my head to go and work on the car

Anyway, I started by emptying out the trunk. In a way it pains me to cut up this perfect floor. Not an ounce of rust anywhere here. But, I did buy a new gas tank from Tanks Inc. http://www.tanksinc.com, they don't make a replacement for the Maverick, but they do make a fuel injection ready drop in tank for an early Mustang. In order to install it though I would have to cut the floors.

This is what I started with:


Here is the gas tank form Tanks Inc. As I said it is fuel injection ready and is set up for a drop in fuel pump and fuel sender.



Here you can see where I have rough cut the floor and have set the tank in the hole. I am getting it leveled in here and centered.




I started by making poster board templates of the panels I will need to have bent up in 18g steel. Here I have the front and rear panels made.




Here I have the sides made as well. It is all starting to come together. My plan this week with a sheet metal break bend the pieces for me. I am hoping to get them back by the weekend so I can get them installed and all welded together over the upcoming holiday break.





I also took the time to check the fit of the new reproduction drop offs. They fit great. I am going to wait to weld them in so I can make sure they fit up with the new quarters just right.

Thats it for this update......

Glenn

[streetrod77]

I'm so sadden about the shooting x2. A couple of hours before that shooting, we had an police officer get killed here locally. She was a mother of 4 small kids. She and a partner was serving a drug warrant. I worked with this lady everyday for about 1 1/2 hears. I have not worked on my car all weekend. Thanks for posting. Maybe I will try starting back on my project too.

[HotRod47]

I'm so sadden about the shooting x2. A couple of hours before that shooting, we had an police officer get killed here locally. She was a mother of 4 small kids. She and a partner was serving a drug warrant. I worked with this lady everyday for about 1 1/2 hears. I have not worked on my car all weekend. Thanks for posting. Maybe I will try starting back on my project too.

Sorry to hear about your loss as well. On Sunday working on the car was cathartic.

[RMMiller]

Bet there's more than one member on the Maverick Forum that would love to have that trunk pan! I have been considering doing the same when the time comes.

[streetrod77]

My gas tank was so rusty I just put a fuel cell in the trunk.

[HotRod47]

My gas tank was so rusty I just put a fuel cell in the trunk.

I didn't want to lose the usefulness of the trunk. I like to travel to shows and want to have room for cleaning supplies, chairs and an overnight bag.

[HotRod47]

I am starting to finish up the trunk floor/ gas tank project. After making the templates I had a local fab shop bend up the panels in 20g steel. Last night I spent some time fitting them in the trunk. I then tack welded them together.




Once I had everything tacked I dropped in the tank to check for final fit.






Today I welded them together solid, ground the welds and then sprayed two coats of DP epoxy, after drying I then sprayed two coats of another PPG Commercial coatings product. That is the same product I used on the entire bottom of the car. Tomorrow I will weld the panel in the car and then touch up where the welds are.


Stay tuned for more pictures of all that.

Glenn

[HotRod47]

I had shipped my window regulators to Nu-Relcs to be made as a power window regulator. This is not something they offer in their catalog yet, but they were willing to make them up for me. Now they will create a part number and begin to sell them. Last evening the big brown truck arrived with a nice box full of parts for the Maverick.

As you can see in the pictures Nu-Relics has done an amazing job of recreating our regulators for power windows. They look incredible.

The box as I opened it....




Some of the included paperwork




I spent the money and had them ship me new power window switches. It also came with an all new wiring harness.



Like I said before, are there cheaper options for the do it yourself? Sure. But for the money this is the way to go. All new parts, new wiring, wiring diagrams etc. Money well spent in my eyes.

[HotRod47]

I have now finally made the decision on the color combo for my car.

I do plan on putting stripes on it, but want something a little more subtle. While not completely ghost like, I like this better then silver or black against the main body color.

I hope you all like it! But if not, well thats ok, I do.

[Evoix]

Paint looks so nice I'd be scared to drive it anywhere...
But it does look sweet.

[HotRod47]

Paint looks so nice I'd be scared to drive it anywhere...
But it does look sweet.

Thanks!
I hope/ expect that when I start painting the car it will come out as good. This here is just a small 18"x 24" test panel.

[RMMiller]

The power window kit will be a nice piece, glad there is going to be a bolt in when I'm ready! Paint looks great, I like it.