The Maverick grabber was my HS car. The steering was loose and the engine had a vacume leak causing alot of oil mess under the hood but the car never failed me.
Ford Maverick
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Originally Posted By: parimento1
What was the point of this car back in the 70s??
What was the point of the Pacer and Gremlin from American Motors?..The Pacer made the perfect fish tank...Those had to be the ugliest cars ever...The Maverick was georgeous compared to them.
What was the point of this car back in the 70s??
What was the point of the Pacer and Gremlin from American Motors?..The Pacer made the perfect fish tank...Those had to be the ugliest cars ever...The Maverick was georgeous compared to them.
Originally Posted By: labman
Ugly, how about the Honda element?
I think a Dumpster has more style than that Goofy thing!! What the [censored] was Honda thinking?? Also the New Nissan Cube,Am I missing something here??
Ugly, how about the Honda element?
I think a Dumpster has more style than that Goofy thing!! What the [censored] was Honda thinking?? Also the New Nissan Cube,Am I missing something here??
Hey, now -- that was my first car!
I had a '75 4-door, the slightly upscale model. No vinyl roof or exterior vinyl trim, but the interior was better finished than the entry-level model, with a little chrome here and there. The engine in mine was the 250 c.i. six-cylinder. My car was a metallic lime green, inside and out. (Well, the fabric facings on the seats weren't metallic.) I always thought it looked much like a 4-door Mustang.
It was reliable, the A/C was good, and wow, how much I learned about maintenance on it! I could change my oil, coolant, filters, inline fuel filter (it screwed into the carburetor!). And I was so glad to have a car, any car, after years of trudging between bus stops and begging rides from friends.
As for the point of it, it was a good first car, good basic transportation, like today's Cobalt or Focus, or a Corolla or Hyundai.
I had a '75 4-door, the slightly upscale model. No vinyl roof or exterior vinyl trim, but the interior was better finished than the entry-level model, with a little chrome here and there. The engine in mine was the 250 c.i. six-cylinder. My car was a metallic lime green, inside and out. (Well, the fabric facings on the seats weren't metallic.) I always thought it looked much like a 4-door Mustang.
It was reliable, the A/C was good, and wow, how much I learned about maintenance on it! I could change my oil, coolant, filters, inline fuel filter (it screwed into the carburetor!). And I was so glad to have a car, any car, after years of trudging between bus stops and begging rides from friends.
As for the point of it, it was a good first car, good basic transportation, like today's Cobalt or Focus, or a Corolla or Hyundai.
My mom had a Maverick as her first car. The only problem she had was every time she turned (I think left) it shuff off. Eventually they figured it out.
We had a dark green 72 fastback with the 302 and automatic when I was learning to drive and maintain cars. Indeed a good learning tool. No AC on ours though (in FL!), no PS, no power brakes, drums all around. Very basic. But it could smoke one narrow rear tire as long as you wanted...
(Yeah, they got extra ugly with the fat bumpers.)
After I had made it kind of tolerable by adding full carpeting, seat covers, cassette deck and speakers, and new bias ply tires, my dad traded it for a brand new 84 Toyota pick-up with a 4 spd manual. I was so mad, but in under 5 minutes I had learned how to drive the stick, and with the ice cold AC I never looked back...
(Yeah, they got extra ugly with the fat bumpers.)
After I had made it kind of tolerable by adding full carpeting, seat covers, cassette deck and speakers, and new bias ply tires, my dad traded it for a brand new 84 Toyota pick-up with a 4 spd manual. I was so mad, but in under 5 minutes I had learned how to drive the stick, and with the ice cold AC I never looked back...
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I had a circa 1970 Maverick, 200 I6, great engine, reliable car. I did have some transmission issues with it. My father bought it used, he ran it a few years and gave it to me. It would shift from first to third skipping second gear completely, made getting onto the highway a real joy. I ran it over 100,000 miles that way, and sold it like that. It was a mustard color, and one ugly car.
To try and sell a car to the hot-rodder and grandma at the same time. The standard six cylinder was an econobox and the grabber could be ordered with a 302-4 speed.
I remember when the Maverick's run was winding down, they advertised that 60% of the scheduled repair was never needed. Whatever that exactly means, I'm not sure, but it sounded good on TV.
I remember when the Maverick's run was winding down, they advertised that 60% of the scheduled repair was never needed. Whatever that exactly means, I'm not sure, but it sounded good on TV.
i had a 2 door 1977 model with the 250-6 engine. it was a dark green color and i really kind of liked it. i don't think it was a great car, but i liked mine. had to have the head rebuilt at about 85,000 miles. the valve guides were worn and it started smoking bad. i put pinto bucket seats in it, air shocks, blacked out the grille, and put 1972 mustang hubcaps on it! i laughed at the integral intake/cylinder head assembly. what a pos that was. the mid 80's were really good days for me, and the maverick was part of it. the girls, partying.... thought it would never end. i'd like to have another one today for the nostalgia factor. traded it in on a new 1988 ranger in the fall of 1987 at bill-bruce ford in norfolk, va. was on active duty in the navy, on shore duty, assigned to navsta, norfolk.
JTK
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Originally Posted By: addyguy
..Only problem it really had was in the rust belt, it rotted out quickly. The drivetrains were indestructible.
No doubt about that! The body was trashed by 3yrs/36Kmi. My dad had a mid 70's 4dr, baby poop brown with the luxurious vinyl/cloth plaid interior that took on that great BO odor. The inline 6's and C4 ATs could sure take a beating though.
Joel
..Only problem it really had was in the rust belt, it rotted out quickly. The drivetrains were indestructible.
No doubt about that! The body was trashed by 3yrs/36Kmi. My dad had a mid 70's 4dr, baby poop brown with the luxurious vinyl/cloth plaid interior that took on that great BO odor. The inline 6's and C4 ATs could sure take a beating though.
Joel
Ford's straight 6's were really good motors. My mom had 2 Mavericks both with 250's and I had several Ford's with the 200. Very dependable and fairly easy to work on.
Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: parimento1
What was the point of this car back in the 70s??
To convince people that they didn't want a car like that.
My folks had one (well, a Mercury Comet- same thing) for a long time. Zero trouble, beat the snot out of it (was bought used) and the 250/C4 combo just kept chugging slowly but steadily along. It even survived me driving it for a while when I was in college. Got decent gas mileage. Totally uninspiring to drive and a dash full of nothing but idiot lights, but I'd take a restored Maverick or Comet over a modern Civic any day- and the purpose of a Civic is exactly the same: basic small-car transportation in a stylish (for its time, it was believe it or not) package.
Originally Posted By: parimento1
What was the point of this car back in the 70s??
To convince people that they didn't want a car like that.
My folks had one (well, a Mercury Comet- same thing) for a long time. Zero trouble, beat the snot out of it (was bought used) and the 250/C4 combo just kept chugging slowly but steadily along. It even survived me driving it for a while when I was in college. Got decent gas mileage. Totally uninspiring to drive and a dash full of nothing but idiot lights, but I'd take a restored Maverick or Comet over a modern Civic any day- and the purpose of a Civic is exactly the same: basic small-car transportation in a stylish (for its time, it was believe it or not) package.
Back in the 70's it was the poor man's mustang. you would buy one fairly cheaply then you would add some performance stuff, some aftermarket racing stripes and tires from pay check to pay check. I have found memories of the maverick.
Originally Posted By: HM12460
the mid 80's were really good days for me, and the maverick was part of it. the girls, partying.... thought it would never end.
I'll bet it ended the instant the girls saw your Maverick?
the mid 80's were really good days for me, and the maverick was part of it. the girls, partying.... thought it would never end.
I'll bet it ended the instant the girls saw your Maverick?
Originally Posted By: Tosh
Originally Posted By: HM12460
the mid 80's were really good days for me, and the maverick was part of it. the girls, partying.... thought it would never end.
I'll bet it ended the instant the girls saw your Maverick?
Na. Most Michigan girls aren't as materialistic as California girls.
Originally Posted By: HM12460
the mid 80's were really good days for me, and the maverick was part of it. the girls, partying.... thought it would never end.
I'll bet it ended the instant the girls saw your Maverick?
Na. Most Michigan girls aren't as materialistic as California girls.
Another bit of trivia about the Maverick is that it was slated to be dropped from the line-up in 1974, and replaced by the more upscale 1975 Granada and Monarch.
But with the gas crisis in late 1973; demand for basic economy cars like the Maverick went through the roof, and production picked up enough that the car continued to sell, completely unchaged, until late 1977.
But with the gas crisis in late 1973; demand for basic economy cars like the Maverick went through the roof, and production picked up enough that the car continued to sell, completely unchaged, until late 1977.
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I had a circa 1970 Maverick, 200 I6, great engine, reliable car. I did have some transmission issues with it. My father bought it used, he ran it a few years and gave it to me. It would shift from first to third skipping second gear completely, made getting onto the highway a real joy. I ran it over 100,000 miles that way, and sold it like that. It was a mustard color, and one ugly car.
My 71 did the same thing,(I actually thought somebody stuck a two speed in it)and all it turned out to be was the fluid was way over filled.Drained out to proper level,then it worked like a charm.
I had a circa 1970 Maverick, 200 I6, great engine, reliable car. I did have some transmission issues with it. My father bought it used, he ran it a few years and gave it to me. It would shift from first to third skipping second gear completely, made getting onto the highway a real joy. I ran it over 100,000 miles that way, and sold it like that. It was a mustard color, and one ugly car.
My 71 did the same thing,(I actually thought somebody stuck a two speed in it)and all it turned out to be was the fluid was way over filled.Drained out to proper level,then it worked like a charm.
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: parimento1
What was the point of this car back in the 70s??
To convince people that they didn't want a car like that.
My folks had one (well, a Mercury Comet- same thing) for a long time. Zero trouble, beat the snot out of it (was bought used) and the 250/C4 combo just kept chugging slowly but steadily along. It even survived me driving it for a while when I was in college. Got decent gas mileage. Totally uninspiring to drive and a dash full of nothing but idiot lights, but I'd take a restored Maverick or Comet over a modern Civic any day- and the purpose of a Civic is exactly the same: basic small-car transportation in a stylish (for its time, it was believe it or not) package.
Tell that to these kids today,they think an intake,and [censored] can muffler make it an instant hot rod.
If they only knew what real power was they`d probably poop themselves.(looks like I snuk one by the censor`s)
Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: parimento1
What was the point of this car back in the 70s??
To convince people that they didn't want a car like that.
My folks had one (well, a Mercury Comet- same thing) for a long time. Zero trouble, beat the snot out of it (was bought used) and the 250/C4 combo just kept chugging slowly but steadily along. It even survived me driving it for a while when I was in college. Got decent gas mileage. Totally uninspiring to drive and a dash full of nothing but idiot lights, but I'd take a restored Maverick or Comet over a modern Civic any day- and the purpose of a Civic is exactly the same: basic small-car transportation in a stylish (for its time, it was believe it or not) package.
Tell that to these kids today,they think an intake,and [censored] can muffler make it an instant hot rod.
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