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Knowing nothing about stock brakes on the Mav, I'd still be willing to bet rear discs can be pushed pretty far down the priority list. If you were referring to seeing whether you need *front* discs, I'm going to say, YES, you do. In the 19 years I've had my Chevelle, the swap to front disc brakes (and improved suspension) is still the best (most worthwhile) upgrade I've ever done.

I'm also with the other guys that a proper torque converter can make a huge difference, but I'd add posi first -- lots of one-wheel-peels will get old real quick.

-Dave

You know, that's why God gave us phases -- so we don't have do everything at the same time.

The car is only 2900 pounds and the V8 Mavericks have large drums. Its not easy to fit a booster in there and no-power disks don't sound too cool to me either. Lots to consider ... My '66 Mustang 289 had no-power drums and it was OK. Gotta DRIVE it to prioritize some of this stuff.

Thanks for the comments.

I wouldn't worry too much about the rear disks. I'm going 105mph in the quarter with at least 3500lbs on stock 70's vintage disk / drums and the car stops with no problems.
Limited slip is an easy swap in an 8". Did it in my Pinto. I would bet you could find a good 8" unit for around $400 with some searching. You probably don't need much more than a 3.42 or 3.55.

Even with a stock cam, Ford's are famous for lethargic take offs. Definitely need around a 2000 stall, regardless of cam. The Caddy has a 3000 stall and an open differential, and TONS of torque. When the wheel starts to spin, you just don't give it all the gas, but it really makes the car feel snappier when just driving around too. It gets you into the torque ASAP.

--BP

2900 pounds is light. It should have enough power to spin the tires, but I would still investigate if there is a "cheap" converter with a little higher stall. That would be first on my list- er after getting it running that is.

I'd rather redo the rear end gear or the brakes than the torque converter. Torque converter is just so inconvenient to reach, so if I had to pick one that would be first.

I have no experience with hi stall converters so am willing to be educated. One thing that concerns me is I expect its very inefficient to drive around town with the engine running at 2000+ RPM (stall speed) when the gearing would have it below 1500 with a stock converter. Isn't that how it would work? Or am I missing something?

My '59 Plymouth with the Chrysler Hemi with Torqueflight and stock converter would spin the right rear as long as you wanted. My Willys Sedan Delivery with the Olds and Hydramatic with stock converter would spin the oversize tire(s) all through 1st and half way thru second. Maybe those motors had more low end torque than the 302 HO?? Both did have substantially more displacement. My 289/C4 Mustang 2 barrel would bog but that was only rated at 170 HP if I remember correctly. Don't remember what gears it had. You guys have me wondering.

Edit: '66 Mustang 289 2V was rated at 200 FLYWHEEL HP.

On the gearing, from what I read on the Maverick Forum, I think 3.55 would be perfect with an overdirive T5 or AOD. A little low for straight drive on the Interstates. Probably go 3.2X with the C4.

Changing the whole punkin would be easy if I coulf find a mini-spool with the right gears installed. Think lots of guys end up with a whine when they try to swap ring and pinion themselves.

A stall converter is not like a light switch. It will start moving the car before the number. With a 3.anything gear you probably won't spend a lot of time under 16-1800 anyway. You need to find someone with a high stall and drive the car around and see, because it is hard to explain. My SS stalls well over 2000 RPM and it has a 2.93 "rear" gear - and this is stock. It has a lockup converter but I don't think it kicks in til high gear. Below 2000 it'll feel "slushy" under light power but it will move the car along.

I've done several ring and pinion installs. All on GM 10 bolts. So far no whining. Getting the pinion depth right and the backlash right does take some time. You also need to get the side preload right on the carrier bearings. It's been a long time but with a good manual or article it is doable. I think it is a lot easier than getting rings to seal up right or engine bearing clearances.

I THOUGHT I posted this reply before but its not here.

That helps. I learned the meaning of "stall" when I was taking flying lessions. Slow flight was mushy; stall was falling.

I'll be on the lookout for a chance to drive a car with a 2000 stall converter.

I said I'd shut up, but I lied.
A mini spool + street driving + a little rain = trouble.
I've heard horror stories of terrible things happening to 'street cars', employing a mini spool, spool, or any device that positively locks the rear axle. Bottom line, it's loss of control. You know the physics of turning. Radius. One big, one small (Inner\outer rear wheel). Something has to give. Traction. Fish tail. Normally, this is the desired effect of excessive acceleration, overpowering the coefficient of traction. But, uncontrolled, i.e, unintentionally having the back of the car insist on passing the front of the car, this is bad.

I feel your frustration on prioritizing modifications, and weighing the labor, and $$$ of each. And on top of that, there is that ever present need to experience 'pay back' - driving the car. After all, this is what it's all about.

I can see that could be a issue when conditions or driving makes traction marginal. Wasn't a problem for my posi Impala. When time and budget allow, the thrill of squirrelly is probably in my future. Thanks for the warning.

Torque converter: high stall = good

Airplane: low stall = good

Restroom: high stall = good

A spool is essentually a straight axle, very bad for the street.
A posi will ratch around corners and only locks up when it needs both wheels to turn.
Anyway put the Maverick together so we can see the first start and then first drive videos.
We can be an impatient bunch, but a picture now and then of the progress will keep us satisfied.

Fred32v wrote: We can be an impatient bunch, but a picture now and then of the progress will keep us satisfied.

2x

Fred32v wrote:A spool is essentually a straight axle, very bad for the street.
A posi will ratch around corners and only locks up when it needs both wheels to turn.
Anyway put the Maverick together so we can see the first start and then first drive videos.
We can be an impatient bunch, but a picture now and then of the progress will keep us satisfied.

Maybe I'm using the wrong term. I thought a mini-spool was a LIMITED slip. Anyway, when I get one, it WILL be limited slip and not a locked rear axle. Its primarily a driver.

Us old guys think alike -- get it on the road and see what it needs. But, I am thinking about a torque converter ...

Limited slip and anything with the word spool in it are very different. Spools will pretty much lock your axles together, which is great for going straight, but bad for everything else. Limited slip will have clutches that slip around turns, but still have friction that will help drive the wheels together under more equal loads.
My Caddy has a 3000 stall when loaded, but under normal driving, doesn't go much above 2200. Drive-ability hasn't really suffered. Compared to a stock type 1500 stall will be quite a difference though.

-BP

Maverick... when my brothers and I were going to school and unable to afford positraction rear ends, we made a "poor man's posi" by putting air shocks on the car and running an individual line to each shock, so they could be blown up individually. Loading up the right rear to 100 psi and the left rear at 20 psi made the car, even without the posi carrier, come out spinning both wheels. It took some figuring out, but when we went to the track, we could launch heavy cubic inches with minimal wheel spin. We also would put an extended pinion snubber in, so when the car lifted the front end, the snubber would hit the carrier, forcing it down into the track. This not only helped with wheel spin, it also stopped wheel hop. Our cars were well into the 14's with these tricks, and they were cheap. We did ruin a couple of 7.5" GM carriers though, they just weren't up to the abuse we dealt to them.( Lucky for you, the 8.0 Ford is way more stout.)Just food for thought, as if you need more. ( These Tiresmoke guys will have you broke before the Maverick ever hits the road!! ) GM