Maverick Pro Stock/Match Racer

[Brudda]

Great job!!! The maverick is my favorite prostock. I wish I had a real maverick. Simple and straightforward basic car with some cool styling. Great job as a lot of us dream of doing what you are doing. This is going to be a great build. I’m watching and learning 

[Codi]

Hey Bruce, agree on the Maverick as a Pro Stock racer, one of my all time favorites too.  Hope you enjoy the rest of the thread.

Today I got some more parts made on the Pinto rack & pinion steering that I'm fabricating for the car.  During the early 70's, Pro Stock racers like Don Carlton (Motown & Mopar Missile fame) were looking for any edge they could find.  They were one of the early race teams to experiment with titanium parts on their cars.  Apollo Welding (eventually known as Trick Titanium) was a pioneer in the field and worked closely with Carlton.  I found a great pic of a Pinto rack & pinion on the Gapp & Roush "Taxi" (the 4 door Maverick).  Since mine is a "phantom build" I'm taking some liberties and doing some things in different materials and trying to use/fabricate parts that might have been feasibly made of titanium.  The first pic is the pic of the G & R car.  I will abbreviate titanium with it's elemental symbol "ti" as I'm lazy when it comes to some things.  Cheers to all following along!!  tim

This 2nd pic shows a hi-lited image of the brackets used to attach the rack to the car frame.  I machined them in ti.  

On the mill is a pic of the teeny tiny diamond shaped "cap" you can see on the gear assembly.....there will be 2 and I fabricated those of mild steel.  They need to be parted off and tiny bolts attached.

The next pic shows the titanium shaft with two tapered aluminum pieces that will be used to replicate the rubber "boots". The rubber washers you see will slip over the alum. pieces........

This was my source for the micro rubber washers, I've found these to be quite useful in many aspects of building.......

To replicate the diamond shape bits on the gear assembly from left to right are the ti diamond body, ti brackets and the mild steel diamond caps.  All to be parted off yet of course.

Last pic is a mock-up of what it's going to look like. The entire "gear box" portion is made of ti except for the caps of course.

[OldNYJim]

I’ve been enjoying this thread since it started.  

Inspiring, masterful work 

[comp1839]

Tim, i love watching your ingenuity and the way you solve problems!!!!!!!  

did you know the boss 429 had o-rings sealing the water passages between the block and the heads?..........? just saying!!!

[chris chabre]

I need my glasses just to see the screen! how are you making those beautiful parts haha

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Cool, very cool Tim! I have the same O-ring kit and they are very useful.  The trick you used on the boots is great and your machined parts are flawless as usual... ?

[Ian McLaren]

The steering rack looks very good, love the O rings.

[Codi]

Thank you Jim, that comment put a big smile on my face after having been away for so long. 

Hey Dave,  always good to hear from you........and yes, I did know that..........caused some headaches too if I remember correctly.  Congrats again on that coverage of your car in "Bangshift"........that was a well covered & attended show.  I would like to make that one next year myself.  

Hello Chris, well, I DID just have eye surgery and the Opti-Visor is a must for me too........but yeah, they're tiny parts!  thanks!!! 

Francis, appreciate it most assuredly.  Can't wait to see the final "beauty shots" on your epic build.  That's been fun to follow!

Ian, thank you too........got a ways to go but I'm now detailing the rack as we speak.  Should have some final pics to share this week of that and then onto the next "bits"...........Cheers everyone!  tim

[Codi]

Rack's complete.......moving onto the next part.   cheers, tim

 

 

[gasser59]

That is so beautiful and I swear, it looks like it will fully function.

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Another beautifully made piece, Tim!   You took a long break from this project, but you've taken the "bull" by the horns since... ?

[Chris Smith]

Amazing update again Tim! I would love to be the fly on the wall when you are creating. Looking forward to seeing your next creation.

[Art Laski]

Hi Tim,

I didn't see how how you're work could get any better, yet here it is. Outstanding stuff!

-Art

[Codi]

Sorry for the delay in replying.

Brad (nice to see you still following the build btw) -

Francis, mess with the bull and sometimes you get the horns.........the past half year felt like I got the horns.  Thanks though!

Chris, you should see the mental gymnastics I'm going thru currently.  I want to finish / assemble the engine and the stand as well before jumping back on the chassis but I'm working on drawings for a cool new part that I'm hopeful I can pull off.   I'll know soon.

Art, always nice to see you post and say hi too.   I'm slower than ever but still at it so I'll call that a win.   Cheers to everyone, Tim

 

[Ian McLaren]

5 hours ago, Codi said:

Sorry for the delay in replying.

Brad (nice to see you still following the build btw) -

Francis, mess with the bull and sometimes you get the horns.........the past half year felt like I got the horns.  Thanks though!

Chris, you should see the mental gymnastics I'm going thru currently.  I want to finish / assemble the engine and the stand as well before jumping back on the chassis but I'm working on drawings for a cool new part that I'm hopeful I can pull off.   I'll know soon.

Art, always nice to see you post and say hi too.   I'm slower than ever but still at it so I'll call that a win.   Cheers to everyone, Tim

 

As expected Tim the rack is outstanding, looking forward to the engine and stand assembled, and intreaged about your "cool new part"  Looking forward to your next update.

[Nazz]

That looks great Tim. I love the rack! What a great idea!

 

Jerry

[comp1839]

Truly a fantastic eye for detail !!!!  

 

[Butter 1]

Nice rack!! Your use of o rings for the boots is very cleaver.  Glad you are back at it.

[bobthehobbyguy]

That rack and pinion is pure artwork.

[Davewilly]

Thats some beautiful work there Tim!  There is some parts that go on a model.....but you make EVERY part that is on the real car!  and maybe even some they forgot to do that should have been there! 

[Codi]

Ian, got some pics to share of a new intake manifold I'm attempting to make.......many parts yet to make but I think it'll be better! 

Thanks Jerry & Ron (Butter1) ...........happy to share the tip and I'll say it IS good to be back at it.  

Dave, appreciated.........again, great to see you back on the forum. 

Always appreciate your comments on my builds Bob & Davewilly..........again, I'm just glad to be back at it.   cheers, tim

Regarding my sideways move I'm working on a new intake for the car because I think I can improve it..I'm not convinced my original one will do the carbs justice.  The first pic is a poor photo I found of an Autolite carb set-up for a 351.  I'm trying to replicate a similar design for the Boss 494.  I'm machining the top portion and curved plenums out of mild steel instead of alum.  It's a pain (cutting oil is messy) but when completed I think the contrast in metals will really add to it.  The finish should be similar (not exact) to a magnesium color.  I have to cut what you see into 2 parts.  Then I'll make the half moon curved plenums beneath.  Then the manifold logs that will attach to the heads...............blah blah blah I know.  Anyways, this should give some idea of my progress. 

I'll use .6 stainless steel tube with bolts inserted on top to replicate the attachment points of the top plate to the bottom. They're located on the edges so you'll see half of each tube exposed.   

The blue hi-liter line gives a rough idea of the height of the 2 top plate portions.  Overall they'll be 2.1mm

I know it's a lousy pic but the contrast of the carbs and new manifold is evident. 

The tricky part is tomorrow. My Sherline cut-off blade is not wide enough to slice through the entire piece so I have to cut into the part up to a point and then rotate the piece on the rotary and hopefully get a level, clean cut.  Top plate A will be .8mm and top plate B will be 1.3mm or thereabouts. 

 

[charlie libby]

very nice,you are unbelieveable.i will try harder on this new car but you and francis set the bar out of reach for most of us mear mortals. that pump is stunning.

[dust collectors]

My mind is blown, Amazing work! 

[comp1839]

the "BOSS" will never be the same Tim!!!!!!   

[AmericanMuscleFan]

It's hard to believe that you could make such a complex piece from this blurry photo.  It must be said that this kind of intake manifold is not the kind you can find under the hood of the first car you see... Another fantastic part in the making! ?