Hi ! my name is Marcel, i'm from Brazil and i hope i can help you guys about the mavs made here in Brazil. The Maverick is the only "pony car" here, and all the people love it, there are 3 types of engines in it : -the great 302 V8 - with a poor carburator (the gas allways have a high price here...) some people change the old carburator for a quadrijet, with this the BR Mav gain a high performance caracter. -the old willys 3.0 engine, a 6 cilindres engine, original from the Aero-Willys, its a durable engine, but dont have a good performance... -and the "new" 2.3 engine, a 4 cilindres ohc engine, the same of the mustangs II, have a good performance (faster than de 6 cc) and dont consume too much gas... My maverick is a 4 cc 76, original in all details, with 37.000 miles, i really like the car, is very good to drive in the city and perfect for the open roads. Back view from the BR Mavs made in 77-79 A nice 6 cc 73 Maverick from Brazil (the first year) : A 74 GT V8 : A Mav stock car racing (the mavs allways wins) : A 4cc mav promotional race : An finally, the station wagon : I will find a better picture of the wagon and post here, see you later guys !
HI and welcome. I too would love to get my hands on a station wagon. Know where any are for sale? I'd love to see the back of the wagon. Have any more pictures of yours? I'd like to see the engine and interior too. Also those tail lights on the BR, are they factory? What does BR stand for?
The diferent tail light is a factory original type, made in the mavericks here (1977 to 1979) the "old" tail light are made in the mavs in 1973 to 1976 (like mine) My mav is a fast back 1976, 4 cilindres engine (2.3 OHC) i will scanner some pictures and post here... About the station wagon, only 100 are made, is very rare car here, i remenber only one for sale... a long time ago... The engines used in the wagon is the 2.3 and the old 3.0 willys, but some people put the 302 V8 in the wagon, very cool ! side wiew of the wagon back side another picture and a wagon from de maverick clube from São Paulo : If someone know about a wagon for sale, is a guy named Osmar (president of 468 Maverick Club, in São Paulo) the site is www.maverickclube.hpg.com.br enter on the link "contato" and send a e-mail, good luck !
Grille on red wagon pictured above.... Notice the red wagon has neither a center medallion or lights on the grille. Interesting! This one: <img src="http://www.fordmavericks.hpg.ig.com.br/fp-wagon-2.jpg" border="0" alt="">
I had no idea they offered the 2.3 4 cylinder in the brazil mav!!! I WOULD KILL FOR A PICTURE of the 4 banger mav!!!! what was the lastyear they made the mavs in brazil?
OHH YA Dig those wagons. I'm not a body man but I was thinking maybe a Pinto wagon roof could be grafted on a 4 door Mav(might have to widen the roof a little). That would be too cool. Dennis After looking at your Sprint I believe you could build a wagon. The 2.3 swap could be done, I think the motor mounts are the same a 302 (bolt battern on the block) Maybe a turbo coupe Mav. (quiet and sneeky) That would be the sleeper of all time.
Brazilian Ford made the first mav here in 1973 (with the old 3.0 and the 302) in 1974, a new engine comes to kill the old 3.0, a economic 4 cil. 2.3 ohc who as made here too, and exported to USA and Argentina. In 1975 the old 3.0 are dead, ford change it to a optional engine... and used the new 4 cilindres in the mavericks, in ford jeeps (the old name are willys jeep, but ford buy the company, so they change the name...) and use the 4 cc in the Ford Rural and F-150 too (old Willys pick ups) In !977, the 2.3 are the official engine (this year the gas have a impossible price here, so, only a few people look for the 302...) and, in this year, ford show the new tail lights, and a few more changes in the car (better breaks, new tires, stetic changes, etc) In 1978 the things looks a little better, and some 302 heve been sold again, in 1979, they stop made the mavs here... the gas price again... Theres a rumor, about a "new" maverick to come in 1980, with a powerfull Quadrijet Special Kit (factory changes) colored in black, with special tires, whells and some other changes, but this never happen... but some people put the Quadrijet Imported Kit on yours Mavs. - some cars magazines test it, and believe me, is the car with more acelleration here, 0-60 mph (0 - 100 km/h here) in 6.5 seconds ! we dont have a car faster than that until today ! With this, the Ford Maverick became a legend here, everybody love it, and fear it ! the only muscle car for us... About the 2.3 engine, they exported to USA and Argentina, in USA to be used in Ford Pinto and Mustang II, and in Argentina to be used in Ford Sierra. Today, they made a modern version of the old 2.3, used on the Ford Ranger 2.3 here. Performance of the Mavericks from Brazil : -Maverick 3.0 (old willys engine) : 94 mph, 0-60 mph in 20 seconds -Maverick 2.3 : 100 mph, 0 - 60 mph on 15 seconds -Maverick V8 : 122 mph, 0 - 60 mph in 10 seconds -Maverick Quadrijet : 130 mph, 0 - 60 mph in 6.5 seconds The fastest car here today - Fiat Marea Turbo (i hate fiat) : 142 mph, 0 - 60 mph in 7.8 seconds (this car suck) And to finish, a real hot brazilian V8 Maverick See ya around guys !
If I ever make a wagon it would be a 2 door model. I have measured a bunch of wagon roofs at the local junk yard but really havent found anything that would come close. The tailgate would be the hardest thing to do, but then, you could just make the back end nonfunctional.
I think you would have to make a "hatch" where just the glass would raise up....no tailgate. That way you can leave the rear tailight panel intact on a Maverick. What wagons have you measured Dennis. Maybe some of us could go and measure some wagons and report back what might work. I want to see this HAPPEN.
I really havent kept any records of the type wagons I've measured. I have the basic measurements I'm looking for out in my work truck and stop every once in a while to look at stuff. I'm not going to take on this project anytime soon anyway. I have a 57 Ranchero to do first and I'm in no hurry to even get started on that. But I do have a real nice original, 98% rust free, 71 that keeps calling my name. I keep thinking of doing something really radical with it. I've always liked Rancheros and 2 dr wagons. The Ranchero has already been done so the wagon is tempting.
