One owner 1971 Maverick Grabber

Last weekend I bought a 71 Maverick Grabber from the original owner in Topeka, KS. She was a very nice woman who has decided not to drive anymore. I looked at this car last year when they were thinking of selling, but she wasn't ready yet. She recently decided it was time and they called me. It was a good trip and after removing all the KU stuff she wanted to keep , the car loaded quickly.

She ordered it new in 1971 and has driven it locally most of it's life. Her husband had a larger car they took on trips. She parked it in the garage at home and worked just a few miles from the house, where she parked inside a parking garage - so it's seen little sun. The odometer says 52XXX and I believe it is accurate. It has a dash plaque with her name on it and I have the original documentation (owners manual and such), but do not have the original sales sheet. They are looking for that along with other documentation and will send it to me when they find it. If I get that folder, I hope to verify the miles.

She had a minor wreck that bent up the hood and front of the fenders at some point in time (why the fenders don't say Grabber). They replaced the hood and grill with standard Maverick parts, but they saved the Grabber lights (they are in the trunk). I've got a perfect Grabber hood and grill that will go back on it and have already ordered "Grabber" decals for the fenders. I have a new set of JCW springs to fix that rear end sag too. It's a 200 with a 3 speed floor shift and A/C. Yes, it's body code 62D. I know I'm going to hear "put in a 302", but this car is so clean and original that it's going to stay original.
What do you guys think?

I've posted pictures at www.oklahomamavericks.com

 

Nice car! That should clean up nicely!

 

love it! keep it just like it is!

BTW, when u get a chance could you get some more pictures of the shifter and it's relavence to the bench seat. im always curious about floor shift bench seat cars

 

Wow, that looks alot my Mav. Very nice...but not so sure about that red interior.

 

wow thats nice! What a car!

 

very nice!

 

PUT A 302 IN IT!!! JK, nice car!

 

I think those are the hugest (I know, not a word) mud flaps that I have ever seen....and they probably helped preserve it.

Great find! Post more interior pics.

 

very nice

is that bench seat original?

 

Thanks!
I will post more pictures as I start working on it. I'll include pictures of the shifter too. The mudflaps will have to go - they rubbed the trailer as I was pulling it up the ramps, but I agree - they probably help preserve it. The bench seat is original as is the rest of the interior.

In the trunk, besides the Grabber lights and original spare and jack, was a bag of kitty litter, a scoop for the kitty litter, and two excellent condition D78 studded snow tires mounted on wheels. I have no idea how old they are.

 

Could this car possibly be a 1970 instead of a 71? Just looking at the lack of a Grabber hood and your mention of her name being on the dash.

Great looking car but it might take you a day or two to get all of the stickers off of it.

 

Very cool car. Tough decision on what to do with it. I have a plain Jane 71 that I bought from the "original old lady" many years ago. At first I was going to keep it stock but have since added floor shift, scoop, buckets, spoiler, and sport mirrors. Oh yea, its probably getting my cyclops tail light too. So much for stock. As nice as yours is, I guess I would probably keep it stock for as long as possible.

 

Congrats ... nice Grabber!

 

It's not a '70. The Grabber hood was replaced with a flat hood along with the grill when she bumped something (a long time ago - she didn't really remember how it happened). Plus the stripe they painted doesn't match the '70 pattern anyway. The car was purchased on 7/28/71. I'll have to look at the build date.

Yes, there are lots of stickers - some on every glass I think!

My Sprint is an all stock 200 too. Maybe I should start a six cylinder club. I'll try to keep stock as long as I can.

Dan, I thought of you when I first looked at this car. Wonder why?

 

Just wondering about the side trim above the stripe, when was that added on? Nice car BTW great find!