DELLA-MOBILE
Scott and Anna Codon
1974 Ford Maverick 302
June 2003--Finally got her home. She was my wife's great grandmother's 1974 Maverick, purchased originally from LaPorte Ford in LaPorte, TX, on 9/21/1973. Her name was Della (the great grandmother) and it only shows respect to carry on the name with this car. The family has called it the "Della-mobile" for years. She passed away about a year prior to my obtaining the car, during which time it sat outside under a hay loft at the ranch. Prior to that, it was garage kept for many years, I would guess 10 or 12, due to Della driving "through" a garage (she hit the gas rather than the brake and gave up driving after that). The garage incident is what caused most of the damage: passenger door and front fender bunged up, driver side headlight area lightly damaged, and many minor bumps and bruises from garage-kept objects falling around her. Mostly, cosmetic damage. Engine has around 55,000 original miles. Original hubcaps, tires look new but have sat around for a few years. The carb is quite gummed up and will only run (barely) after carb rebuild. Gotta keep it running so I can get it in and out of the garage to continue periodic maintenance on my daily drivers.
Hood came off first thing, since I hate working under them. It is in good shape, better than the rest of the car. I will keep it off until I finish with stage 1 of motor work, just for ease of my back and head and movement around motor compartment.
Initial Investment = 600
TTL = 79.80
Total Invested = 679.80
Currently...
Original owner, Della Simmons
Index:
Check out some of my videos on YouTube. User name TheScooper77515
Items for sale, Maverick parts, and other things
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
June...intake manifold, carb, tune-up |
January...speedo, bondo, headjob |
March...fake cowl hood, cut shackles, timing, desired engine upgrades |
January...fuel pressure gauge, burnt plug boots |
July...initial brake work |
February...shifter |
April...Cam Swap, Accel wires and coil, hood pins |
February...spit and sputter at full throttle |
August...valve covers |
March...gauges, steering wheel, steering pump |
May...rock guard, 3.80 gears, grill ornament, bucket seats |
March...new rear springs/shackles/bushing, line lock, Pertronix ignition, Holley "blue" electric fuel pump |
September..."dead" cylinders |
April...air shocks |
June...Battery in trunk |
April...temporary scoop on donor hood, Monte Carlo bars, kill switch, new alternator, begin door restore |
October...rear brake job, shop manual |
May...first race, small bumpers |
July... New 351 front coil springs, electric cooling fan (pics) |
May...door and fender installed, lean leveled, vintage license plates, Anna's burnout, new rear tires |
November...fuel pump, tach, pipes (pic&sound), FIRE! |
June...bumpers, spoiler installed |
August... 2nd new fan, lowered and cut coil springs, new starter wiring |
June...Correct radiator hoses, matched driver fender, new welder |
December...tank and brakes |
July...remove vinyl & redo top |
September... New GT40P heads, cut shock towers, Headers |
July...New auto darkening welding hood, pounding out fenders, practice welding on donor door, HOT!!! |
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August... rear-end off for cosmetic upgrades |
October...shock towers welded, heads and headers on |
August...Filled trim holes on door and fenders, reassembly of "new" door, begin body work for epoxy primer |
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September... rear-end back on ( |
November...plugs, running GREAT |
September...stripped and epoxy primered front fenders, first car show (2nd Place winner!) |
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October...front grill conversion, turn signals (pics) |
December...header gaskets |
October...Griffin Aluminum Radiator, header spacer, driver-side spark plug replacement guide |
November..."new" rims
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November...power-to-manual steering system |
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December...top radiator mount |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
January...lower radiator hose, front seats, floor | January...assembling new engine | Transmission is leaking, needs rebuilt, and finances are down along with the economy, so no work has been done since June, and very little driving, to extend the life of the tranny. | February...Ed's rims, billet grille, new front lights. |
February...new carpet, thermostatic radiator fan relay | February/March...installing new engine, new steel distributor gear, rebuilt 600 DP carb, running again! Tuning holley dp carb, continued shimmy in drivetrain, driveshaft balanced | August..."new" transmission | March...Serpentine belt setup, finishing trunk with nitrous and battery box, puke tank. |
March...not much | April/May...fix whine in differential, new seats, big distributor cap | October..."new" transmission installed, working out a minor miss. New Holley 750 Street HP, minor miss gone. 3rd Grace Church Car Show. MSD 6A, A/F gauge install, re-aligned driveshaft for quieter ride. | April...Serpentine setup completed, new 3G alternator, new wiring. |
April...installed ET Street slicks, Crane 1.7 roller rockers, Caltracs, -AN braided stainless fuel line | June...installed new harmonic dampener, acquired new oil pan | November...New tachometer, prepping for first dyno test. First dyno run. | May...Doing nothing until our house sells and I can relocate the car for further work. Running well, so driving it a bit on weekends, etc. |
May...installed subframe connectors | December...Fixed most of vibration with u-joint, new Wilwood master cylinder, visit from fan2488 and facelessnumber, Billet Aluminum grill, Sniper NOS kit | ||
June...install carpet, "new" bumpers, flowmaster Super 44 exhaust system | |||
July...bobcat taillights | |||
September...interior back in, electric fuel pump quieter |
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October...black bumpers and trim, 1st annual Grace Church Car Show |
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November...failed cam lifter, new 5.0 roller conversion |
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December ...GT40 heads, port and polish, engine almost done |
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2012 |
2013 |
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February...Welcome
back. Let's get back to work. Grabber hood. Resuming body work.
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February...Rod
and Custom power rack and pinion Mustang II suspension
April...Continue R&C installation. |
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Created with FrontPage 2002 by Scott M. Codon ©
e-mail to scooper@shilohtreatmentcenter.com
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