"RacinBob" (racinbob)
03/16/2020 at 00:10 • Filed to: None
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"RacinBob" (racinbob)
03/16/2020 at 00:10 • Filed to: None | 13
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I found this picture cleaning the basement because of my new found time.
Long story short. It’s 1982 and I own a ‘75 Alfetta Berlina 4 door which isn’t the best winter car for Wisconsin. My Grandfather has my uncle’s ‘72 V8 Maverick in his garage because my u ncle (who is 4 years older than me) has more of an interst in VW bu ses and beatles so I ac qiure it for a pittance . Fast forward and I am doing my first Icekhana and realize said Maverick has the directional stability on ice of a claw hammer because with its big 302 V8 and 2200 pounds its center of gravity is about a 2 feet behind the hood orniment. I think I spun every turn, but boy it was fun!
I remember this like yesterday!
Racinbob!
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RacinBob
> RacinBob
03/16/2020 at 00:45 |
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Notice the fine stock shutlines for the hood!Ps I entered a left sweeping turn, the back end came around, I went full opposite lock at maybe 30 MPH and it wasn’t happening so I smiled for the photographer.....
lone_liberal
> RacinBob
03/16/2020 at 00:49 |
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When I was in the Navy, back in the 80s, I helped a guy replace the head gaskets on a 302 Maverick. It seemed to me to be a prime candidate for some hipo mods given the lightweight + V8 but he just wanted it for basic transportation. He was kind of a boring guy.
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RacinBob
> RacinBob
03/16/2020 at 00:50 |
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End of story, I sold it 5 years later to a blond graduating bassoon player who was standpartners with my future wife. No clue where either ended up.
By the way, the V8 Maverick had the same front drum brakes as the 200 6 cyl Maverick. It also had the same gas tank as the Pinto. Glad I outlived it.
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RacinBob
> lone_liberal
03/16/2020 at 00:58 |
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It was basically a ‘66 V8 Mustang in an updated body., I should know as I had a ‘66 Mustand 200 L 6 and then this ‘72 (Maybe ‘70) Maverick V8. The bad thing about the Maverick is I don’t think they did a thing to accomodate the increased Hp. Same brakes and a zero feel power steering booster.To say it was a handfull was a understatement. I wonder how many of them went backwards off of turns,,,,
Here’s one
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lone_liberal
> RacinBob
03/16/2020 at 01:04 |
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That’s sharp. This is probably my favorite, though not exactly streetable. Even has the legendary 427 SOHC motor.
RallyWrench
> RacinBob
03/16/2020 at 01:14 |
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In a world gone mad, this put a big ol' grin on my face. Thank you.
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RacinBob
> lone_liberal
03/16/2020 at 01:14 |
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The one thing that car didn’t need was more Hp. You probably saved his life!
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RacinBob
> RallyWrench
03/16/2020 at 01:19 |
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One last story. In about ‘85, my dad was traveling down the Mississippi from Minneapolis with his brother on his brother’s sailboat. At that point the Maverick was my spare car so I ar ranged to meet them at T rempealeau lock and dam where I planned to meet him and he would drive off in the Maverick and I would ride down to LaCrosse. Last I saw of Dad and the car was him fishtailing out of the parking lot spraying pea gravel.....
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RallyWrench
> RacinBob
03/16/2020 at 01:25 |
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Man, what a memory! Vivid description, I can totally picture it.
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RacinBob
> RallyWrench
03/16/2020 at 01:26 |
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Hell, I’ve li ved though 2008, 2001, the Russian financial crisis and the Korean one. With enough time in the rear view mirror, we always come back, Think of it, tod ay Warren Buffet is getting rich!
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RacinBob
> RallyWrench
03/16/2020 at 01:29 |
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Hell, at that time, my dad was 7 years youn ger than I am now. What was I thinking?!
TheRealBicycleBuck
> RacinBob
03/16/2020 at 07:28 |
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My great-aunt had a 70-something Maverick. My second-cousin wasn’t that much older than me, so we would occasionally hang out. One particularly memorable evening, his car was down for repairs, so his mom let us take the Maverick. That was the day I learned to never judge a car by its looks. I’d swear my cousin was trying to kill us. He finally calmed down and started driving normally when he nearly hit a curb while peeling out around a corner. I guess the Maverick was showing its Mustang heritage.
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RacinBob
> TheRealBicycleBuck
03/16/2020 at 09:19 |
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If you look at the sales video for that green Maverick, you will see that it had the same gas tank is the trunk floor design as the pinto. So did the mustang. Notice how the rubber fuel hose goes straight into the floor? I bet that was fun in a severe rear impact spewing fuel throughout.
I suppose the reason that this wasn’t a bigger deal was that those cars had a separate trunk while the Pinto hatch and wagon did not. Cars were pretty dangerous back then.....