Part II: Should I save it? 72 Sprint

So, are you saying you wouldn't mess with repairing the frame rails if you did a quarter/roof swap? Or that there is no way you would spend the time to replace the parts piecemeal? Am I reading this correctly? I do agree that the top/tail would be the easiest way to do it.

 

No, you would have good frame rails on the rear section that you are replacing with. The top and tail would get rid of all the damage.

 

they're chicken. buck buck buck buck buckaw!

i agree. its not like its a high-end top-of-the-line sports chicken. they're pretty common if im not mistaken. just part it out to help keep other chickens on, er, i mean crossing the road. and what you can't part out, send it to the crusher, i mean KFC.

the car or the chicken?

ok, sorry, on a serious note, i think it should be saved. it may not be a "true" sprint after a top and tail, but still, whats so special about that part of a sprint anyways? its not like they had their own special body style or metal type for them. its just the trim code, seats, paint, etc. if you're gonna be that strict to "trueness" that'd be like saying repainting a sprint the same colors makes it no longer a true sprint. if any other maverick body had been substituded for that one before it was given the sprint options, it would still be as much of a sprint as any other sprint that rolled off the assembly line. now, im not sayin that if you sell it don't mention it to the buyer. some people are touchy about that or just don't think its a sprint anymore, but for your own satisfaction and being able to tell yourself you just restored a sprint. well, its a much more convenient way. whats the point in doing the extra work anyways? the metal will be replaced one way or another. might as well knock it all out in one fell swoop. unless you're like my cousin and enjoy hitting things with a hammer till all hours, i suggest you follow the suggestions to top and tail the sucker and have yourself a sprint. there, my rant is over...

...for now, muahahahahahaha.

 

So let's say you find a real nice Maverick with a wrecked front end. After all the repairs.......what would you have then? Either you would have a Maverick Sprint with a back end of another car......or you would have a plain jane Maverick that happens to have a Sprint front end.

Probably no real definite answer to this: But at what point is the car no longer a Sprint? I wonder what the Mustang crowd thinks of this scenario if this was a Shelby or Boss we were talking about? Very interesting diescussion.

 

Hmm...basically a re-body. If you used ONLY a bare shell and swapped EVERYTHING else, would it still be considered a Sprint? I guess the question is: where is the "soul" of the car?

 

Well, I do know there are people (yes, even Shelby people) that will build an entire car around a vin number. I sold a title and vin plate from a totaled out 67 Shelby I purchased several years ago. I was actually selling some misc parts I still had from the car and made mention that I still had the title and vin plate. WOW!!! I didn't realize the interest that would create. I immediately got a $1000 offer for the paperwork and plate which was not even in my name. Needless to say I sent it to a good home.
Seriously though, Craig, does your car have 100% all original sheetmetal on it that came from the factory? Does it have any body filler in it anywhere? Are both doors on your car the same ones that Ford put on it? Does it matter???
How many people do we have on this board that have nice cars that haven't at least changed a door or fender over the years? Does a mint 71 Grabber not become a true Grabber if a donor door was taken from a Sprint? Absolutely not in my opinion. A Maverick qtr panel is a Maverick qtr panel! An interchangeable door is perfectly acceptable when restoring a car. Documentation of a major restoration only increases value to a car when done properly. Replacing a qtr panel (or top and tail) is not going to hurt value of a car nearly as much as trying to straighten one using tons of body filler. Just because a few more parts have been replaced doesn't make it not a Sprint if all original Maverick parts are used! If that Sprint is top and tailed, are people not going to admire it? Are they going to know? Does it really matter?

 

When you no longer have the door tag with the "RB" on it.
When the "Sprints'"build sheet does not match the vin.
Replaceing sheet metal to "restore" a car is virtually a pre-requisite.A top and tail no more diminishes a cars "pedigree" than replacing the worn upholstery with new does.

 

All very interesting. I know I have seen this same discussion in several magazines over the years. Probably boils down to the opinion of the BUYER if and when the car is ever sold.

As far as my orange 1972. I know the doors, roof, quarters, trunk and floor pans are all original. I know the hood is not original, and I can't remember on the fenders. I know the valences are not original.

Now....what would one say if I told them that the Grabber VIN actually came off of one of my parts cars and I "recreated" it with a plain jane 1972 rust free body. Knowing the extent of the restoration I did to the car, and the dead-on correct look to the car....would it matter? Interesting.


BTW....it is a TRUE Grabber.

 

I look at it this way:

Say you have three 2 door 1972 Mavericks. One was a Sprint, one was a V8 Grabber, and one was a plain jane 2 door 6 cylinder Maverick. Now strip them to a bare shell and strip the paint to bare metal. Then remove VIN's. Now what's the difference in those three stripped shells? Not a damn thing. To me, the identification of the car is the VIN itself.

 

there ya go jamie. thats a much better way to put it than what i said above.

 

That isn't what I meant by "re-body".

This IS what I meant by "re-body".

 

I understand Rando...But, RE-vining a car is illegal in lots of places...N.Y included. As Sprints go...The only real ID is the trim code on the door tag or the build sheet.Grabbers are a bit different since they have a different Vin number.If the Vin has 93 in it then its a grabber... period.If the door tag doesnt agree with the vin...its a problem...If the door tag is gone...Whos to say unless they want to pull the front fenders off and check the stamped vin # on the aprons...

 

Just do it and dont tell anybody what you did. If its undetectable, who cars. Ignorance is bliss!!!

 

just fix it and drive the wheels off of it

 

Bingo...