Which Maverick should I get?

I don't have one yet, but here's what I want to do. I like the lines of the 4/dr and want to set one up for street/ strip. The engine I'm thinking of is the 5.8 EFI from the F- 150 with all of the EFI harness & whatever else I need to convert it. Pre 74 for the Oregon emissions. After the car runs with that engine I'll then do the top from the alum heads up to the carb. When was the 4/ dr offered first? Any tips for my idea?

 

Well...4 doors are cheaper to acquire than 2 doors.Get one that allready has a 302 in it.(they came from the factory with em)check the for sale section here on the forum you may find one.Develop a plan and a budget.I could go on for hours about what to do and where to start.Suffice it to say you need to find a good solid foundation to start with so you dont start behind the 8 ball.Good luck.
Oh... and welcome to the madness.

 

Sounds good

That's about what I had in mind to start with and that'll surely save any fab. headaches. Will the 5.8 then bolt right in?

 

Too each there own ... but I personally wouldn't sink $$$ into a 4-door ... except for upkeep as a daily driver. 71 was the 1st year for the 4-doors ...

I suppose one good thing is that anything you invest into the drivetrain could be swapped to a 2-door in the future.

 

Welcome aboard. :Handshake
I agree with the second post about trying to find a v8 car to start with. Will save a lot of time looking for parts. That is...unless you keep with the plan on the 5.8 engine. That will require serious modifications and lots of money to build. You can build you a nice 302 based engine and save the pain of cutting. That is unless you are prepared to do the mods. Good luck to you whichever way you go.

 

A 351w will fit in but changing plugs will be a real PITA. I'd stick with the 302 and stroke it to 347 if it was me. If you are going with the 351w I'd do a shock tower mod. You can do a search on here for the info on that.

 

I have a 351w EFI roller... it's making me think similar things for my 75.
However, I am pretty sure the stock intake won't clear the hood.
Positively won't clear the tower braces.

I am thinking about a 5.8 GT40 intake, like the Lightning truck, and making tubular tower braces.
With the truck intake, it looks to me like you couldn't even use homemade braces that would work.
It's either GT40 intake, or top the stock lower with a Comp Cams 'box type' upper.
Then you could keep the tower braces stock.

Take it from someone who has put a 351 in a Mav... shave the towers!
You don't have to, but you will wish you had.

 

Thanks for the feedback guy's

First , I personally like the profile of the 4 door . Here's some more on my bigger plan that I haven't put down a budget for.

1) The hood will be fiberglass to address the clearance issues and now I think a tubular front suspension looks like a good idea. The inner fenders might become aluminum.
2) After the 5.8 is running good and I add the alum heads, bigger EFI
( Lightening or better ) intake, etc ,then the next year I'll buy a 408 short block - faster than a 347, right?

But as the second poster said I'll find a car with a 302 in it. Then figure out the easiest ways to accomplish #1 with the idea of the 5.8 going in. This should include the brakes , the sub-frame connectors, and the 9" .Yeah, I realize the project won't be done over a few weekends. With the intentions I have is it really necessary to find a v-8 car? Seems to me a 6 cyl 4 door will be quicker to find, but if I do find a 4 door . . . Eventually the car will run in pro bracket at Woodburn , OR.

 

Have you built a car before? If your going to spend this kind of money and invest that amount of time, you better make sure it's really what you want to do. Lots of people get grand ideas, then after a year or so end up trying to sell what they've started at a loss.

 

Well to see a 4 door Maverick running in pro at Woodburn would be a 1st, been racing there for 10 years and havent seen one as a matter of fact you dont see many of any 4 doors in pro.

 

Hell i would love to see a 4- door on the strip, that would be totally cool.

 

I got two words... (don't know if I can spell them right though )
Tijuana Taxi!

 

4 dr Taxi?

Well. . . . I'm not one to do what everyone else likes but one of my favorite cars at the track is a 56 Chev named "No Taxi". So if no one else has anything else to help then I'll move on to more specific forums.

 

enough said??

 

Enough Said?

Thank you EFIMAV!! That's what's I'm talking about.
Believe it or not, That picture is one my inspirations for the project.

While talking about this idea I'm now thinking of using a 400M stroked to 427 with a FAST EFI system on top. I don't know yet, but since I'm being different why not? In bracket racing we don't have to use a certain combo to fit into a class, right? There's no reason that won't fit with an after market a-arm front clip.

And for all you naysayers , there's something to be said for inspiration from two of NHRA's legends.