While never as muscular as its exterior graphics might suggest, the Ford Maverick Grabber was at least an attractive dress-up kit of an otherwise ordinary car. This 1971 model here on eBay has remained with one owner for much of its life, and the preserved condition reflects that. Of course, it will need a little spit and polish to be perfect, and it hasn’t run in two years – but those are minor details, right?
The seller claims that this car ran as of two years ago, which begs the question as to why he didn’t wander on down to the garage and twist the key once or twice. Why do sellers do this? It’s not that much different from saying that the A/C worked on the last hot day of the previous decade! If it doesn’t run, it doesn’t run – or, if it just needs a battery, stop being cheap and fire it up with some fresh juice. The seller also says there is no rust in the trunk floor or the floor pan but it makes me wonder if there are other areas that are suspect.
Of course, the mention that it needs carb work could be the reason for the somewhat carefully worded description. This Grabber is equipped with the big Thriftpower 4.1L six-cylinder, so perhaps it’s worth putting this one on an engine stand and swapping in a meatier 302 V8. Given the car is so original, it’s worth holding onto the matching numbers unit but these cars aren’t so valuable that you should feel bad going after more power.
The Grabber rounded out its muscle car looks with the integrated rear spoiler and dog-dish hubcaps. This car, despite the haziness around its mechanical health, remains a solid example that hasn’t been messed with. Although I am skeptical of the seller’s claim of having less than 20,000 original miles, the Grabber seems to have found favor with bidders considering it’s already over $5,500 and on its way to possibly meeting the $8K reserve. Is this a true survivor or just a largely original used car?
Source: barnfinds.com
