Andy Purcell of Provo, Utah, just happened to be out for a ride, cruising down the local back roads in his '70 Ford Torino, when he came upon a small car of mysterious origin. He had never seen one like it before, and wanted to know what the mysterious vehicle was. With its built-in ducktail, it "looked like a Torino shrunk down" to compact size. Andy says his initial encounter with the car was love at first sight. That moment he knew he had to have a copy of this vehicle, if not the very same one. He went up to the door of the house with the little Ford parked out front and rang the bell. The owner answered the door, and the first question out of Andy's mouth was, "What kind of car is this?" The owner responded it was a '72 Ford Maverick Grabber.
Sometimes in the clamor over Cobra Jet Mustangs and R-code Fairlanes it's easy to forget the Maverick rivaled the Mustang in popularity back in the day and that they were also great little cars. During the course of his conversation, Andy was able to convince the owner to part with the Maverick for $850. The Grabber was a popular appearance upgrade that offered several select colors as well as a distinctive striping package. There were some other nice options on this car as well, including the V-8 engine and power steering. The car was complete from "hubcaps to radio." Thus began a 2 1/2 year restoration that resulted in the Maverick you see here. During that time, four-wheel disc brakes were added as well as air conditioning and a well-rounded sound system. Andy did most of the work himself, but he had help on the big things like bodywork. His buddies in his car club, Main Street Muscle in Payson, Utah, helped with many of the repairs. After perfecting the body, they applied the PPG Dark Blue paint.
Now that Andy has had a chance to get the car out and about, he has discovered he wasn't the only one who didn't know what a Maverick was. His car has been called everything from a Pinto to a Camaro. It just goes to show that many people new in the hobby aren't old enough to remember the introduction of the Maverick. It's good to see enthusiasts like Andy come on board and infuse new interest in the hobby every day. It makes us old folks who can remember when the Maverick was new back in the fall of 1969 feel good.
Things are nicely squared away under the hood on Andy's Maverick. Everything looks like new, including that factory-style air conditioning compressor, which weighs a ton but works reliably. Andy added the A/C himself. Although it doesn't show in this photo, the shock towers have been shaved to accommodate the tall-deck 351W engine. That's a 302 in the car now, but a Windsor engine is in the plans. | 
The inner world of Andy's Maverick is keyed on comfort. The custom-upholstered bucket seats are two-toned black and grey and match the rest of the interior, which includes grey carpeting. The interior also shows a racer's influence, with the Grant steering wheel and B&M automatic transmission shifter. What doesn't show is the full-tilt stereo with CD changer and dual 12-inch subwoofers. | 
Wheel selection is a matter of personal choice, but it's hard to go wrong with the traditional five-spoke design shown in these American Racing Torq Thrust wheels. They certainly have the style and are the right size to fill the little Maverick wheelhouse completely. Andy didn't skimp on tires, and Goodyear rubber always rates at the top when it comes to tire performance. These hoops are Goodyear Eagle GW size P205/55R16 all the way around. |
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