The Maverick was Ford’s second success story of the 1960s. The Mustang debuted to phenomenal demand in 1964 and – five years later (to the day) – the Maverick was introduced. The Falcon, which spawned both cars, had aged badly by then and needed a successor. From the 1970 model year through 1977, more than 2.1 million Mavericks were sold, including this 1974 Grabber, a sporty trim edition. This car has been sitting for 30 years and will need both time and money to be revived. Located in Elk Grove, California and here on craigslist, this Ford can go home with you for $4,250 OBO. Thumbs up to T.J. for the tip!

In its first year, the Maverick almost duplicated the results of the Mustang – 579,000 cars vs. 619,000. Though not considered a pony car, it had long hood/short deck dimensions as did the Mustang, but it was positioned as an economy car with little frills. Early Mavericks didn’t even have a glove box, just a package tray, and a V8 engine didn’t come along until the second year. In 1970, a stripped Maverick cost little more than a VW Beetle at $1,995 MSRP.

The Maverick Grabber trim package was introduced in mid-1970. In addition to larger tires, the package included special graphics and trim, including a spoiler. It was offered through 1975 and early models came with a special “dual dome” hood. As the story goes, this Ford had been sitting since the 1990s and the seller bought the car from just its second owner. We don’t know why the Ford went dormant and it may be as simple as lost keys as none will come with the car.

This blue Grabber comes with a 302 cubic inch V8 and was the basic eight-cylinder engine offered by Ford in those days. They may no adjustments to it to make the Maverick any faster. The odometer reading is 62,000 and we’re told it has rolled over. So, this Maverick has seen a lot of use in its nearly 20 years on the road. The paint has given up the ghost, but rust isn’t mentioned as an issue. On the other hand, the interior is mostly a goner. The bucket seats look like aftermarket transplants and they’re in rough shape. The headliner is drooping, and the carpeting is probably shot. The problem with restoring a Maverick is not these cars don’t command the kind of money that 1960s Mustangs do.