I hope this one grabs you as much as it grabs me. This is a 1974 Ford Maverick Grabber and it’s as hot as Phoenix, Arizona, where it’s located. It’s listed on Hemmings with an asking price of $10,500 or best offer. This thing is spectacular, thanks to Jack for sending in this tip!
This car is almost like a desert animal, blending into its surroundings. No really, the bottom half is blending into the concrete colors and the top half is blending into the tan garage colors! It’s weird.. Ok, enough of that. This is probably the nicest Maverick that I’ve seen, and in 2017 with prices the way they are, $10,000 doesn’t seem like a bad price for a car this nice. Ford offered the Grabber model for the Maverick from 1971 to 1975. I’m not a big fan of aftermarket slotted mag wheels but then they’re factory equipment I like them. It’s weird..
Can you say rust-free? The next owner will be able to when they’re talking incessantly about how nice this car is. Even though there will be a lot of eye-rolling and day-dreaming from the person on the other end of that spiel as they’re going on and on about how perfect this car is, they’ll be 100% correct. The trunk, underside, and entire body on this car is fantastic! But, there’s an asterisk: this car has had “one beautiful repaint”. I knew it was too good to be original. But still, it’s a looker.
The interior is equally nice, but this one is saddled with an automatic transmission. I know, this debate comes up every time, just like when a four-door car is shown. But, sometimes it’s nice to just put’r in D and go. The seats are like new in front but you’ll have some work to do on the rear seats. The carpet is new and this car has cold AC, power steering and brakes, and new tires.
This is Ford’s 302 V8 with a two-barrel carburetor and it has around 140 hp. The 1971 Grabber had 210 hp so the times, they were a’changin’. We all know that it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to draw some more power from this great little engine. How does this one grab you? Given some of the prices that we’ve seen on other Maverick Grabbers for sale, is this one priced within reason? How would you grab a little more power from this 302?
I’d put a 4 bbl setup on it in a hurry. Then upgrade with headers/exhaust. That would wake it up proper.
Is this car still in Phoenix. So am I. Love to see it
New aluminum heads and intake, a FAST fuel injection system, electric fans, water pump, and fuel pump. All that and a lead foot will make that Grabber go mo bettah
The FAST EFI is not as “plug and play” as some might believe. Experience with the original Motorcraft 2100 and 4100 series carburetors is obviously…irreplaceable given this post.
As a side note, What is……”Go Mo Bettah” ??? Seems to reference a house trailer being towed by Ford Maverick ?
Fast EFI are definitely not plug & play, had one on my wife’s 71 stang it now has a quick-fuel carb. Never again
I like the suggestions for squeezing more power from this 302, but then you destroy the originality of the car. The effort may or may not be appreciated by the next buyer. I suppose at this price it’s not going to hurt you though. Nice car!
Thank you, Rustytech, I agree. Not many secretaries, who this car was clearly made for,( no offense to a guy that has one, it is a sharp car) had 4 barrel carburetors,,,none that I knew anyway.
Nice looking color combo!
Is this car still available maverick
An Edelbrock package with cam, heads, intake and 4 bbl. carb under the factory air cleaner and a B&M shift kit for the tranny and a limited slip differential with 3:50 gears for a completely stock looking streetable Chevy eater sleeper.
I’m heading to the Phoenix area tomorrow. Looks tempting but isn’t that a little pricey for a ’74 with the low HP rating?
How does this one Grab you?
https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/cto/6039443698.html
I think I like the rear bumper on the 73 better. Front bumper is still a monster. the older models had better bumper styling. Really nice car if this is your thing!
practically in my back yard. I’d get rid of the shackles and those funny tubes sticking out too far in the rear and the……whoops, starting to sound like those others guys (BAT). Looks like a Minnesota car with the rust holes in the inner fenders, etc.
Nice Jim Clark. Grabs me quite well.
I wonder if the early bumpers could be swapped for the 5 mph bumpers? Never did care for the looks of these. Otherwise very nice!
I think those wheels are stock, “An optional aluminum slot-mag was made available throughout the Maverick line starting in 1973; ordering these on Grabber models made them a little less costly.” Headers, 4-barrel needed, but that 302 needs a cam and valve springs if you want it to come to life. A 3.50 gear will make it quick.
Yes, the wheels are stock. Available on 73 Mustang, Montego, Comet and Maverick.
I put a set on my 71 after I swapped to 5-lug.
And yes, the small bumpers can be swapped onto the 74+ cars. 73 had a one-year-only front bumper and the rear was the smaller bumper with longer brackets installed.
Yes, they can be swapped. Here is a picture of our ’75 Comet GT that the bumpers have been changed to the ’71-’72 style.
Ahhhhh, SO much better! You’ve got a great looking car. Love the big and little look. What motor/transmission?
Thanks! It has a 302-4V with a top loader 4 speed.
Nice, Nice, Nice! I’d bet they’ll the $10K they’re wanting on this one. When I was in college a friend had a ’74 Maverick almost this color; but his was white over yellow. It was a nice little car, though.
I bought the twin of this from a neighbor for 275 cash when I was 14. Did a lot of one wheel burnouts when my parents were away.
Of course, one night they caught me so I had to sell the car.
I got $600 for it.
I have never seen another exactly like it until now.
1971 horsepower was listed in SAE gross, and 1974 was in SAE net, so that accounts for at least some of the discrepancy. If you use an educated guess of a 25% loss between the two measurements (there isn’t an exact calculation), it’s more like 160-165 hp vs 140.
address the little issues with the rear seat and headliner and you’ve got a rare and nice car—put the goodyear white letter tires back on this and it will look the way it should too
seemingly rare to be in this nice shape,but that is what is so nice about the southwest-very lind on cars that are cared for and out of the sun
If you meant very kind on cars, that is really not the case Phoenix is only kind to metal. Anything that is not metal (like plastic, rubber, vinyl, paint etc) will disintegrate with exposure to sun/heat.
Got to 100 degrees yesterday… in March.
I left phoenix 2 years ago for the green and cooler temps of Wa. Will never miss that heat and dreary brown!
A great time period piece! Super cool colors, history in mint condition, buybit and summer motor …. despite low performance guaranteed to turn heads.
I was maverick bashing on the last one, but this car really looks good to me!
I wonder if these cars received any suspension/handling upgrades? I’d like to see at least a rear sway bay on there…
Suspension geometry never changed throughout the whole run. Front sway bars got bigger on the later cars (76-77).
There are a few aftermarket front suspension kits: Rod & Custom Mustang II style and AJE strut type.
Addco made a rear sway bar but the rear unibody frame rails are so thin, the mounting points typically tear unless reinforced.
These cars are a great platform to build and can be done any number of ways for much cheaper than other more popular models.
I have always liked the lines and styling of them. The bright and sometimes odd colours of some of the Grabber models always appealed to me.
My 71 Grabber:
Thumbs up on your car! Dig the color combo
I would leave it original. Enjoy driving it to shows etc. Why spend all that money racing it and beating it up. It makes the car worth less for resale.
The rear safety bumper on the ’74-up Mavericks is one of the industry’s worst Incorporated designs of the era.
I agree Scotty, this Grabbed me too when I saw it. I knew it had to make the BF’s Maverick list.
Thank you Sir! Mine is a lowly 6 cyl car but I have elected to keep it as original as possible. I enjoy cruising around and going to shows, etc. Car now has 23,000 miles and still wears its original paint.
I get lots of positive comments and lots of interest in the car at shows.
I did freshen up the engine bay a bit too…
I have a 1974 Comet for sale in the Houston area if you know of anybody looking for one. $2500.00
Had one like this in ’80 ‘cept with a bench seat. With my short legs, my friends didn’t like it too much.