"You Can't butcher a Grabber Mavi!!!"

Hello every one. I'm Patrick. I’ve been lurking for some time now and since I finally bit into some work on my 73 Grabber Mavi project, I thought I’d say hello. It was by pure chance I came across my car. I wasn’t even looking for a Maverick nor had I ever thought to buy one. It all happened one day I posted a want ad for a 1986 Honda Civic Si that I needed on Craigslist. I got a response from a Gentleman that said he had one sitting with a few bent valves and I was welcome to come check it out. I made the 2 hour trip down south to take a look. To my surprise there was this Yellow Grabber Maverick parked with the Civic out back on his property. After discussing the Honda I asked what he was planning to do with the Maverick. He said he had his 1966 6 cylinder mustang convertible he had since high school and he was planning on taking out the drive train for the swap. I was shocked and said, “You can’t butcher a Grabber Mavi!!! Ok, how much for the Maverick as a package deal with the Honda?” A deal was stuck and the titles and keys changed hands. Now that I had the car I needed a good reason to keep it. I have 6 other project cars and other than my 1934 Ford Model A truck I usually only do BMW’s or Japanese cars. For some reason I remember quite clearly that my grandfather used to have an oxidized red 6 cylinder Maverick (with a black passenger fender) and he occasionally drove me to school back when I was in the second grade. He had always liked the Maverick, Fairmont and similar Merc’s. He always told me I should get one. I think those cars fit him well, they are working mans cars and could be beat on and fixed easily. I decided to give him the car to him as a gift. He hasn’t been able to drive for a few years but between my brother, my two cousins and I, I’m sure there will always be someone to take him out in his “Hotrod.” My grandmother is concerned about me telling her we are going to go cut some doughnuts. “He might not be able to handle that.” She said. We’re going to find out…..In the first official work day, we managed to tear out the carpet and headliner, and start prepping for some major cleaning. We pulled the intake and worked out a plan for the motor and collected the parts needed that were leftover or pulled off a Galaxy project last year. The car had been sitting since 2002 so we got our work cut out. We’re looking to do the floor pans here as soon as we can get them. In the Mean time, the Drive train is being sorted. I’m going to drop in a C4. Most likely swap in some Disc’s and shoot for around 300hp. The Car is Yellow but has Doors that were from an Orange car and was originally split pea green. It will be finished in red. The guy who had it before the fella I got it from, put on traction brackets, subframe connectors and has glasspacks with cut-outs in the exhaust. He hacked up the strut towers to apparently make it easier to pull the spark plugs. The car has a 4barrel intake on it so he might have foul’d the plugs often. Who knows? Anyways that’s my story. Here’s some pic’s of the car:

 

wow..good looking car!

 

Looks like a good come up. Keep the progress pics comin!

 

Welcome aboard! :Handshake
Either someone has changed the front bumper to an early model or your car is a 72 or earlier. The 73 had a larger front bumper that that car presently has. If it is a 73, that's a good thing because a lot of people make that swap. Check the vin number on the dash. If the 1st digit is a 3, then it will be a 73. I'm betting it may be a 2 though for 72. Also, there should be a 93 in the vin if it's a true Grabber. If it is a true 72 Grabber, it has the wrong hood. If it is in fact a 73 Grabber, the hood is okay...just wrong bumper.
Either way, looks like you got a great car. Best of luck with it!!!

 

That is a Comet front bumper.

 

Oh, you're right...didn't even notice that. So, looks like it's just had a bumper swap then.

 

Nice Car! Keep us posted please. Luv those kind of heart felt stories!!

 

to the board. I have a Maverick & Comet parts car. Email me if you are looking for parts. I'm in the Auburn area....

 

And if it is a 1973....the front lower valence has been changed as well.

And if it is a 1973....looks like the front fenders have been changed or at least "notched".

 

wouldnt that be a '70 grabber since it has the blacked out hood but no grabber scoops in it?

 

Been repainted. 73 Grabbers had no scoops

 

Welcome to the board!

 

Nice yellow.

Looks mean.

 

Welcome to the board.