well i am 16 and just got my learners permit and my grandfather bought me a 72 maverick and it has the 302 V8 with only 52,800 miles. I am very exited. The bad news is that the emissions standards went up in 72 so it only has 135 horsepower.I know i good bit about cars but i haven't actually worked on one or have had any experience. I have 300 dollars and I was wondering what would be the best upgrade for that engine. I was thinking about getting a new intake manifold from edlebrock but I just wanted yalls opinion. Also where can i get a dual exhaust kit? sorry for all the questions thanks
Howdy and to the board. You cant get a kit. Just go to a local exhaust shop. Most have pipe benders and can make up up a set of duals.
Howdy an Welcome! Great Grandfather you got there! Don't worry about the horsepower yet, they changed the way hp was rated an that's why you see "lower" numbers. Get use to your Maverick an stick around here,, you'll find yourself an what you really want out of your car Good Luck
Welcome Also! Don't get in a big hurry and buy something that really isn't what you need. The guys are right, just enjoy you Mav. and learn about it they are great cars & easy to work on. Any ??'s just ask if you need answers these guys have them! Good Luck! Your Grampa is a Wise Man!!
The cost on your exhaust will depend on your local muffler shop and exactly what you want on the car. You should be able to get a dual system for anywhere from $200-$350. Yes, your brakes will have to be converted. It's not too hard to find a complete disc brake setup from a later year Maverick or a Ford Granada or Mercury Monarch if you check the salvage yards. There are a few people on this board that can probably help you out with the brake setup...just advertise in the parts wanted section. Good luck with your car.
welcome to the board. that 302 should be pretty peppy as it is in the lightweight maverick. i'd get it tuned up and all the safety equipment working right first. brakes, shocks, lights, etc. wait on the duals until you decide what you really want. if you get the duals made up and then want a set of headers later on you'll spend more money changing it to fit them. good luck. where are you from?
wow i am so glad i found this place ..........i am from Louisiana (baton rouge) yeah i think the car has all the basics because it only has 52800 miles oh and what do you mean by "the light weight maverick"
just that it is very light in comparison to most other cars. eventually you'll see that the 302 is a very potent little engine. kits are available these days to stroke it to 331 or 347 cubic inches. and the power is only limited to your budget. plus i believe the 72 is a little lighter than the later mavericks. it has the small bumpers, unlike the 73 and up where they started to go to the larger bumpers. every year they seemed to get a little heavier.
ok well i dont know that much about engines but are you talking about boring it out and make the cylinders bigger ? i hope i can learn a lot from you guys
Welcome Welcome to the board! Your grandpa sounds like a great guy with wonderful taste. There's a lot of great advice here. Take your time and enjoy your car. I know you have a big adreneline rush going right now with it being your first car. Take a breather and learn a bit more about them before diving in and changing things. Back in the 70s, my first car was a 65 Mustang, and as a 16 year old, I did that car more harm than good. Study other guys cars here and see what you like about them. A front disc brake upgrade is the best advice. Driving around with 4 wheel drum brakes is tough for an experienced driver. Newer cars stop so much quicker than a drum brake car can. Rear-ending someone is going to change your plans for that car in an instant. Performance mods to the engine will only make this a worse problem. My car got downright scary at times with just a 4 barrel carb on the 302. Within a month of installing the "big motor", I had finally changed the car to disc brakes. Should have done it years earlier. With you not having a lot of driving experience, it is the best thing you can do right now. It will help bridge the gap of handling improvements that has happened in the last 30 years. These cars take a bit more skill to drive. It will make you a lot more confident in traffic. Welcome, and enjoy that car.
