David Hill has a long history with Mavericks; his first car was a '72 version that he ordered new when he was only 17 years old. He worked two jobs to pay for the compact. After owning it for only three years, however, someone pulled out in front of him and destroyed his beloved Ford.
Ever since, he has wanted to replace the lost Maverick, and in 2003 the opportunity arose to acquire another one. An old friend with one too many projects on his hands offered to give David a Maverick if only he would come and get it. David braced himself for the worst and went to pick up his new project.
Although everything on the car needed to be replaced, it was basically complete. David says that one of the most difficult aspects of the restoration process was to disassemble the car without damaging the parts. However, after a lot of work, and help from his daughter, the body was reduced to a bare shell.
People working on other Fords know that Mustang enthusiasts have it easy when it comes to parts availability. When NOS parts aren't available, there are often good-quality reproduction replacements to be had. For a Maverick, the situation is much different. Even though the cars were popular, they didn't survive through the decades in great numbers as compared to the Mustang. Parts for the Maverick can be difficult to find, and often eBay was David's only answer for many items. Sometimes he was able to bid conservatively, but at other times he had to pay big money for some small but rare part that was absolutely required. He says he bought new or used parts for his Maverick project from 24 different states.
David wanted to replicate his original Maverick as closely as possible, and after extensive bodywork, Louis Parker of Napa Collision Center in Millen, Georgia, shot the car the desired shade of '72 Maverick blue. Contrasting dark-blue Grabber stripes completed the transformation. David says his car attracts a lot of attention whether it's running or not, and we believe him. He also says the Maverick is a whole lot of fun, and he feels definitely different from the rest in a world full of Camaros and Mustangs.
What's a Grabber?
The Grabber was a popular trim package available on the Mustang, the Pinto, and the Maverick. On the Maverick, the Grabber Package was available from 1970 to 1975 and included a rear spoiler, dual sport mirrors, black-out paint treatment, and the famous stripes. The good-looking dual-nostril hood was an exclusive Grabber item available in 1971 and 1972 only.
The Details
'72 Maverick Grabber
Owner: David Hill, Hephzibah, GA
Engine
Ford 347ci V-8
4.030-inch bore
Scat 3.4-inch stroker crankshaft
Scat H-beam connecting rods
Probe forged-aluminum pistons
9.6:1 compression ratio
Edelbrock Performer RPM aluminum cylinder heads
Crane flat-tappet camshaft, 0.502/0.520-inch lift at the valve, 224/236 degrees advertised duration, 110-degree lobe separation
Edelbrock Air Gap aluminum intake manifold
Holley 750-cfm four-barrel carburetor
MSD 6AL ignition
Transmission
Tremec five-speed manual Modified by Augusta Transmission Clinic
Hurst shifter
Rearend
Currie 9-inch
True-Track differential
Richmond 3.70 gears
31-spline axles
Exhaust
Hooker Super Comp headers
1 5/8-inch primaries, 3-inch collectors
Flowmaster 50-Series 2 1/2-inch mufflers
Suspension
Front: Grab-A-Trak rebuild kit, 1-inch-diameter antisway bar, Koni shocks
Rear: Four-leaf springs, 3/4-inch-diameter antisway bar, Koni shocks
Brakes
Front: Granada disc
Rear: Wilwood disc
Wheels
Front: Cragar Street Lite Chrome Steel, 15x6
Rear: Cragar Street Lite Chrome Steel, 15x8
Tires
Front: BFGoodrich Radial T/A, P215/70R15
Rear: BFGoodrich Radial T/A, P275/60R15
Interior
Originally blue, now converted to black; Pro Car bucket seats; new carpeting; Grant steering wheel; column-mounted Auto Meter tachometer; Pioneer stereo with CD changer; Pioneer 6x9 speakers in package tray
Exterior
Repainted teal-blue metallic to match owner's first car, authentic Grabber striping, all exterior trim replaced, bumpers rechromed
The Maverick looks like a...
The Maverick looks like a weekend drag racer with all that rubber out back and the pizza-cutters up front. The trim little car weighs only 2,800 pounds, and with a healthy 347 underhood has run the quarter-mile in 12.52 at 108 mph. The dark Grabber stripes are a nice complement to the the medium-blue paint.
Once again, short-deck magic allows big power to be installed into a tiny engine bay. With the V-8 opened up to 347 ci, this car needs every bit of that rear rubber to plant the power to the ground.
David did a nice job of converting the interior to black. With the carpet kit and new upholstery, all that was needed to complete it were new door panels and a dashpad.
The car's super-sanitary theme...
The car's super-sanitary theme is carried over into the cargo area. A trunk-mounted battery helps with traction and is enclosed for safety.