Mike Copeland's 1974 Ford Maverick: A Story of Lost & Found Again!

Mike (the hydrogen truck guy) has this super pristine Ford Maverick in the corner of his shop and we had to get the story behind it before we left. Turns out this car has strong ties to his origins in the industry and through crazy circumstances he was reunited with it over 35 years later!
MAIN CHANNEL @Stapleton42
Channel Merchandise: stapletonautoworks.com
Advertising Inquiries: [e-mail]

[@gr4eme1975]

Awesome, the connections you and Logan are making will change your lives, these people know the fakers from the real OG's keep doing what your doing man because its gonna pay you back BIG TIME

[@stapleton42extra]

Spot on man I am glad you see some of the bigger picture

[@VATION3RD]

I still have the Cragar Super Tricks on my 1972 Nova that I bought from Jegs in 1989 back when I was just 19 years old it took me two weeks to pay for them because I was only making $2.95 a hour driving a forklift 😅 I'll be 53 on the 4th.

[@stapleton42extra]

Wow man thats awesome

[@coreyshort9461]

Happy for Mike, extremely rare to get the opportunity to get your first car back. I still have my first car. A 68 Roadrunner my dad bought me in 1985 when I was 14. Mike needs to buy me a lottery ticket...😉

[@c.johnweir182]

This is just greatness. A Maverick back then is better than the Maverick truck now. Between the two Mavericks now there's a big difference between the two of them now.

[@speedwaystevecronk6680]

Great side story! We all seems like the one or two that got away, nice to see one that made it's way back home.

[@pl5624]

Getting back My first car and with all those memories...that would be my favorite car by far.modern vehicles are comfy and smooth but they weren't the first.

[@SteveLowe65]

"I have a go-fast addiction." There are worse things. 😃 I love your Maverick and would love to hear more stories of your cars, sounds like you have some very bitchin cars!

[@TheCrewChief374]

😂 I definitely like Mike Copeland because I am the same way as him with regards to having a high level of expectation!

[@JohnRoberts71]

Great content thanks for sharing

[@stapleton42extra]

Glad you enjoyed it!!

[@jcnpresser]

I remember the first time at the drag strip in the late 80’s, it was full of mavericks and Vegas-Monzas. Tess Woods has a couple cool Mavericks.

[@BrianMoylan-sq2bt]

Enjoyed that , well done . Thanks regards Brian

[@stapleton42extra]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mikecarter5034]

Wow how cool! 74 Maverick was my first car

[@sum12see]

My sister had a 73 Maverick with a very well inow saying handpainted on the rea spoiler...It says"I have a need for Speed" And her tags said Mavrik..A good friend of mine owns it now..But it will come back to my family in the future..The owner told me already....With a shit ton of new and NOS parts for the rebuild...Got to love the unappreciated Maverick's....

[@Wooley689]

Beautiful.

[@02dburns]

What an Awesome story and video as usual from the Best Team Ever.

[@stapleton42extra]

Thanks a ton!

[@jojoputts3284]

​​​@@stapleton42extraHi Mike would love you to get your hands under the hood of either a 24 hours Le Mans 56 Garage Nascar Camaro cause America finally got their honor and respect back what a Savage Animal that was. And then you've got the New 2025 Ford Mustang GTD All American Supercharged Muscle V8 Absolute Cold-blooded Killer cause Mike just gotta have that Hydrogen Nitros to Burn Fire Baby❤💯🌎🇺🇲☝💪🥊🦅🪖🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@Mavaholic]

Very Cool!!!! I have a 72 Maverick Sprint I bought new while still in high school, and still have it!!

[@loganerwin42]

Love this car! Mavericks are so cool, and the story makes it even cooler.

[@eldonhalliburton4766]

How could ya pick just one when they all do something different! Legendary Builds💯

[@Goldstandardmachine138]

Stapleton, thanks for these videos. As a hotrod builder and restorationst for nearly 20 years, of traditional styled customs of pre and postwar cars, along with muscle cars and countless mid 60s chevy pickups. In the back of my mind, for the last few years ive been really thinking about the future of hot rodding and motor sports. What do we do, where do we go? electric is, well, effective but the visceral feeling is non existent, not a fan of it but it does function for some people who buy their cars like a refrigerator, an appliance.. Us, Not so much, we live vicariously through our cars and define us as the people we are ... You Then posted the video with Mike going over the set up in the 55 chevy. After watching it, I couldnt sleep that night, just a million ideas running around in my head and how to apply this technology to "the purests" traditional customs and hotrod guys and keeping them happy. When i saw The hydrogen powered LS 55 truck, lit a light bulb in my brain that you could see from mars. Ive already have had client meetings to apply mikes Hydrogen technology (when his kits come available to market, if they pull it off!!!) to cars like ls swapped 944's, Volvo wagons and a 64 gmc short box. At any rate.... Thanks to you and your crew for taking the time to travel around and interview, produce and post these videos regularly!!! And a major thanks to Mike Copeland and everyone involved with the R&D with this hydrogen tech for us hot rodder's! Cheers Guys. The Beers are on me if We ever run into each other. My home town is Reno NV and Hot August Night is a show you'll never regret attending!

[@davidgough1161]

Very cool car, I am glad you and Logan are researching all of these forgotten cars!

[@dannyhocutt8490]

A wonderful story

[@davescbradiorepair8195]

I love Mavericks and Clevelands. Very nice car to bad we couldn't hear it run.

[@johngeorge1294]

If they race I love them. Thanks for sharing different forms of racing. I've always been partial to Fords but I'll watch anything.

[@wildman318]

Excellent story 😊

[@RowdyCM]

Such a great story! Thanks for doing it. I had a friend that worked at a Ford dealer in NC back about the same time as Mike and he too bought a Maverick. He didn’t build it to the same degree but had a similar passion. Sadly someone ran into it and that was that.

[@eddie8279]

What an awesome story! Great job on the video!! Thanks for sharing with us 😁

[@WhiteKnight5775]

To me Mavericks were the most over looked small Hot Rods. Took almost the same parts as a Mustang. I would love to a find Maverick to play with. Keep up the good work Mitchell and Logan!!!!!!!!!

[@bobuncle8704]

That’s one amazing car.

[@picklefart]

What a cool car with an even cooler story

[@mustangred6077]

Absolutely, amazing story for this car I just happen to still own my first car and still working on it to this day.

[@madcowmark7129]

Didn't see to many Mavericks in Australia growing up. I enjoyed this video, even though I'm no Ford person. Talking about Fords, I ordered my Lake Speed T-Shirt. Most expensive T-shirt I will own after exchange rate and shipping. But I just love the t-shirt. the Lake Speed story and SAW channel. Cheers Mitch and Logan.

[@stapleton42extra]

thank you so much mark!!

[@glennbellman1100]

That Cleveland is a very good motor. I know a guy with a stroked Cleveland 392 in his '65 mustang. It runs 9.90s in the 1/4 mile.

[@timkoryciak5622]

Great video full of amazing stories and memories. Keep it up Mitchell and Logan.

[@louislepage5111]

A guy in my neighborhood had 74 with a done up 302 , 4 speed 370 posi , that car was FAST !! 😊

[@milesj6064]

This was an awesome interview with Mike. He seems like he would have been a great guy to learn stuff from. Thanks for doing this

[@jeffmoleskivintageiceracin5935]

Another great video. But I will say I’m kinda bummed we didn’t get to hear it. Lol.

[@mgxmaddguiness7066]

I learned stick on a 3 on the tree 75 Maverick. Was a fun car.Dad later converted to a hearst floor shift. Smoked Porches 250 straight six.

[@Mojoriser]

Another outstanding video production with a wealth of knowledge.

[@fordenginebuildersv8power184]

Excellent video!

[@dannyhocutt8490]

An awesome car like my mother naught in 1972

[@claysmith782]

I love watching you guys explain everything about your vehicles. I also enjoy your H2 vehicles and I believe that H2 vehicles will be more popular than EV. God 🙌

[@danieltremel4066]

Another great story! loved it

[@lalundstedt]

Enjoy the drag race videos. Keep them coming.

[@telecasteroil]

This Car, I’m in love ❤…..great video !

[@maxfastest]

Amazing story !

[@richardharvey8939]

Don’t like Fords but respect car guys, dedication, and y’all’s hard work.

[@rogerwatson5995]

Your a Craftsman of true Excellence i Grew up in your Era and Miss it Majorly As i tryed majorly to find my 68 GT Mustang was a Medium blue i put a Boss 302 in it and left it with a friend it got stolen and Distroyed as im 68 now and have been heart broke for years now at least 20 now But Glad you could find yours forsure Not all of us can be that lucky

[@arneminderman3770]

Great!! Thanks!

[@ronjacobs5667]

Great story. Glad you covered this. I believe this car was on the cover of Hot Rod Magazine a few years back. Had no idea he was the same guy after watching the hydrogen car video. Very Cool! Plus I'm a Maverick/Comet guy.

[@Mikesacco1B]

Love this cat😊

[@brookwoodmotoco5537]

Can’t unnoticed that the guy didn’t like to blink much.

[@aproudamerican2692]

I would love to find my first race car. A fully restored 71 Maroon and black Camaro RS. I sold it in 1987 in California. There's just something about your first love.

[@carolnelson9269]

Car guy. No doubt about it.👍

[@keithbailey540]

Beautiful ride and great stories!

[@lostwill86]

Whats meant for you won't pass you by

[@ryurc3033]

When I was a kid(probably 1995) my dad had a renter that was daily driving a 4 speed 340 duster, so I was paying attention. One day parked behind his house was a 73 maverick with a 6 cylinder, and goofy white walls, he asked why would you want that goofy old car? But I could just see the potential. Very few Mavericks out there. So of course that meant Mike Copeland has one that is built to perfection. (I would have liked to see slot mags on it, polished to perfection.

[@CraigGrant-sh3in]

Obviously garage kept. I'm in upstate NY and Michigan has the same road conditions. Those fenders rotted out in about a week .

[@WalterD.Richter]

I love this. I would to run my diesel tractor on hydrogen. Do you think you guys would tackle that. Maybe not really in your wheelhouse.

[@slotripper]

I could work for Mike, no problem,....he knows how it's done!!! If you don't have your heart in it ,leave it alone.

[@WalterD.Richter]

My mom bought a maverick. My brother and I managed to roll it over in 2 weeks after she bought it. She could’ve killed us. She bought the exact same car again with the insurance. Me my brother a cousin a friend and my uncle drove that car from Savannah to San Jose in 56 hours. We only stopped 5 hours to rest and eat. We rotated the driving, but by the time we arrived not a one of was fit to drive

[@davidzboray3468]

Is that a Mr. Gasket Bang 4 speed shifter

[@LesMorrisracing]

Hi Mitch and Logan, I purchased a 1973 Mustang Mach 1 from the junk yard. The car had no motor or transmission. A friend of mine had a Lincoln that some one left. it had a 460 engine and C-6 transmission. I put that with a few mods I made in it. it went 12.60's. Anyways I contacted the owner, Dumb mistake and he said that the car was totaled and went to the junk yard and that his brother was driving it. He wanted the car back. I'll never do that again, He said he would come after me. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kKnLYZqBgdJ_j5o

[@davewilliams1097]

Nice Maverick......I guess all it takes is money...

[@dannyoutlaw8001]

Sweetheart Ford don't and never will make a cowl hood..... but everyone makes cowl hoods for anything now

[@Mikesacco1B]

I call bullshit

[@detroitpatriot7417]

Detroit patriot in the house and the Detroit dragway at Sibley at dix. Whawho blast from the past just east of Telegraph