fomocomav

Do you have a picture of the chassis? I have kits spanning the production, and there have only been 3 chassis available (not counting the drag chassis), the ones in the kit (exhaust molded in and the one shown above) and the one under the promo which has the exhaust and engine molded in. And the promo chassis has never shown up in a kit. The one with the exhaust molded in but no engine bottom is from the original stock release done in 1969-71. As far as I've been able to tell, the option to build a Stock Maverick hasn't been available since it was changed to a Pro Stock version.

I might have bitten off a big chunk when I suggested this. I could actually do THREE comparo articles (stock vs. stock, Pro Stock vs. Pro Stock and original vs newer). I have more than a few of these kits. Since you are the first to answer, FordRodnKustom, which would you like me to do?

They are pretty close. The differences are the body, hood, front bumper, steering wheel (stock in the Comet kit, custom in the Maverick), bucket seats, shifters (Hurst in Comet vs. Mr. Gasket in the Maverick), the roll cage is better in the Maverick, and the carb setup is different between the two. The chassis, basic engine and trans, interior tubs, wheels and tires are the same. They were even closer in the original issues with the stock parts. Doing a sprue by sprue comparison would be difficult for me, as most if not all of the kits I own of both of the Pro Stocks have had things added and removed. If I find an unmolested kit of each, and anyone is interested, I could do a comparison with pictures.

They also made a 1972 Toronado. I have one of each, and the only difference is the front bumper air intakes on the bottom (which you probably knew). I'll post pictures of the lids tomorrow, if you like.

If AMT still has any of the parts, it would be the body and the hood for the Maverick. Testors has re-issued the Comet (which is mostly the same parts) 2x since AMT did this, and I believe Jo-Han under Okey Spaulding also did a Comet release (maybe with Testors doing the production?) IIRC, the Maverick parts were some of the things carried off/"lost" before Mr. Spaulding took over the assets.

Glad to help! The Lively Set Turbine has been improved since this picture. It has the driver name on the roof (which was information I didn't have when I built it). I should have removed the hood ornament, but I'm done with the build. I'm not going to pull a Lucas and keep "improving" it every few years! There are a couple of other hints I can offer on the Maverick/Comet: The engine compartment from the AMT 1969 Torino Cobras/Talladegas can be cut out to add the shock towers, and any Ford 289 motor can be altered by moving the water inlet location on top of the motor to make a 302 (with some work needed on the air cleaner as well). The engine compartment braces from the Cougar can be used for the Maverick, too. And while I'm on the Cougar, you cannot use the XR-7 interior, as the seats are too "fluffy" for a Maverick. And the consolette from the MPC Pinto Wagon Van is pretty close to one that was available in the Maverick early on.

The picture of the 3 built kits shows, even at this angle, how low the headers hang on these Maverick/Comet kits. Since the interior was useless (only the dash and steering wheel are stock), the interior came from a Monogram Poison Pinto.

JJ Deuce, not every issue came with the Goodyear/Firestone tires. The original issue came with Racemaster slicks, and the original issue Stock Comet came with plastic slicks that have a very large Good Year logo on it (almost comical, but I don't know what they looked like in 1971). The fronts in the original were smaller because the first issue was a drag option instead of a Pro Street option. I also have the regular Jo-Han and the Seville Jo-Han issues of the Maverick, and they both have the tires pictured above, as does the Testors issue of the Comet. My AMT issue of the Maverick didn't come with the alternate tires when I got it, just the stock skinnies with narrow white walls. ALL the kits have the same skinnies as far as I can tell. I DID look over the resin MissingLink Grabber hood, and it is not right. If you look at the center section at the front, the angle is wrong where it slopes down to the front. Just my opinion. It is still usable, but having owned 5 Mavericks in my life, I notice this stuff.

FordRodnKustom,This is not something that will be easy to make stock. I have a few of those kits, and they present a challenge. You need seats, front and back, a 302 or I6 200, exhaust, wheels, tires, a rear spoiler and a stock steering wheel. Juha Airio did an article in a modelling magazine about converting a Pro-Street Comet into a Comet GT. It is very helpful. I don't know if I can name the name, but it was in November 1996, and I think the magazine is defunct. Anyway, you can use an AMT 1969 Cougar for many of the parts. One thing that is not addressed, though, is that the Maverick/Comet had the small gas tank like on the Jo-Han kit, not the big one on the Cougar chassis. This is actually important, because the small, round muffler goes right next to it. The seats aren't bad at all, and those are what I would go with. The hubcaps can be had from Modelhaus or any source that has generic dog dish hubcaps. The wheels need to be 4 lug nuts if you are doing a 6 cylinder, or 5 if you are using a V8 (if you are using rims or exposed steel wheels). The grille is almost perfect for a 1971 Grabber. To be 100% correct, it needs Maverick script next to the drivers side sport lamp. Your body appears to be missing the fender scripts (which WAS there on the original issue). To fix this, you can go to Keith Marks. He has Maverick decals for you, including the Grabber stuff. The spoiler is on the MissingLink Maverick body, but nowhere else, and to make it more difficult, the spoiler extends to the side end-caps.

Junkman, Thanks for the trivia! I love to learn all this stuff about cars!

tubbs, the tail lights are not blocked off, but they are not included. You get a chrome piece that has no detail for each bank. They could best be described as taillight shaped plugs. The body has the scripts and side marker lights shaved off, and the rear panel is smooth where a grid pattern should be between the taillights. The wheel openings are stock. The hood is flat where the Spoiler has the opening/duct. There is a hole in the driver's side quarter panel for the gas filler tube. The body could be used for stock. Stock rear bumper is here, but the front is beyond changing to stock unless you are a good sculpter. Nothing else stock is included except the window glass. Hope that helps.

You've got to be careful when you purchase a Maverick kit. The AMT release of the Jo-Han kit does NOT have the Maverick scripts on the fenders, and neither do the later Jo-Han releases. If you don't get the release with the stock version, you cannot build a stock Maverick. There is no back seat, no front seat, no stock steering wheel, no exhaust and no stock wheels and tires. The Comet Pro/Street DOES have a stock steering wheel. I have the 1971 Comet stock release as well. Other than the scripts, hood, tail lights and panel and front bumper and grille, there aren't any other differentiating parts. The glass even says MAV on it. So what can you do to build a stock Maverick? Car Modeler did a conversion story by Juha Airio for building a Comet GT that has lots of helpful info on helping with your Maverick body. For a hood, there is a stock resin one from Modelhaus and a stock Grabber one from Missing Link resin. Also, They have a trans-kit available that has a Grabber spoiler molded in. It is very nicely done. They unfortunately use a '67 Mustang chassis for it, which is not correct. A Maverick/Comet man will call you on it, but I don't know if anyone else will. Anyway, maybe they can pop the other parts you need, as they include everything but the glass in your list of needed parts?

Monty, it was 20 years later. We got about a half inch. But it was melted and dry so we could watch the fireworks from frat mall, so it was no big deal. A few years later, I woke up to 6" of snow on June 6th. Moved my car out from my neighbors decrepit tree with less than 30 minutes to spare! It was some heavy white stuff! Living out here, I carry warm clothes wherever I go. It isn't worth chancing it.

Thanks everyone, for that warm welcome! Monty, it was -59° with windchill the other night, and I was painting outside because Tamiya sprays stink even with a fan. Those paints handle the cold fine, although the same can't be said for Krylon. (and I don't mind the cold. I don't like heat!) And I have spent many days in Vedawoo. Not a place to miss. Pete J., there have been some big changes to the University landscape. Have you been through lately? Still a great town. And the only month I haven't seen snow in this city is August. I don't know if you were still in town when you experienced the snow on July 4, but I have had that happen once, too! Quite a change from where I grew up (Cleveland).

I've had this forum come up in Google searches quite a bit, and thought I should check things out. I build mainly 1/25 cars from the 50s-70s, but also some military every once in awhile. Sometimes, 1/35 is the only place to find an automotive subject! I've been building on and off for 25 years, but I am still learning. I see lots of people here I can learn from!