Ford Maverick (North America)
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- This article is about the 1970s compact car. For other uses of the name see Ford Maverick.
| Ford Maverick | |
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| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
| Production | 1970-1977 (U.S.) 1973-1979 (Brazil) |
| Predecessor | Ford Falcon (North American) |
| Successor | Ford Fairmont Ford Tempo Ford Contour |
| Engine(s) | 170 in³ Thriftpower Six 200 in³ Thriftpower Six 250 in³ Thriftpower Six 302 in³ V8 |
| Wheelbase | 103 in (2616 mm) |
| Related | Mercury Comet |
Ford Motor Company used the Maverick name in North America as a sport-styled compact car in the 1970s.
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[edit] History
The first Ford Maverick was a rear wheel drive compact car that was built from April 1969, through 1977 in the USA, Canada, Mexico and from 1973 to 1979 in Brazil. The original model was a 2-door sedan priced at USD$1,995. The Maverick was designed to be inexpensive and easy to build, and easily repaired by shade tree mechanics. The Maverick used a platform which dated back to the original 1960 Falcon.
The Ford Maverick was styled with a long hood, fastback roof, and short deck on a 103" wheelbase. The Maverick had pop-out rear side windows instead of the more common roll-down style; this helped it to be a price-leader. It was released exactly five years after the original long hood, short deck Ford Mustang. According to several Ford insiders, the Maverick was originally slated to be either a full Mustang replacement or the newest restyling of the Mustang. Rumor had it there was actual European design studio input regarding this body style.[citation needed] The 2-door had what some would call “Italian” lines in its design. The Maverick caused perhaps the first rumors regarding the end of the Mustang, rumors which would crop up repeatedly in later years, even coming to fruition during the development of the Ford Probe[citation needed]. The Maverick never replaced the Mustang, but for one brief year, it was far more muscular than the loved pony car. In 1974, the Mustang was not available with a V8. However, the lowly Maverick was available with a V8 in 1974!
Internal and external resistance to a "Mustang replacement" meant that the Maverick would actually be replacing the Ford Falcon. The Falcon's sales had already been decimated by the introduction of the Mustang in 1964, and despite a redesign in 1966, the Falcon was left without a place in the Ford lineup. The Falcon was discontinued early in the 1970 model year after a few thousand units were produced as basically warmed over 1969 models, but the Falcon name was used on stripped down versions of the mid-sized Ford Torino during the second half of the 1970 model run.
The Maverick was a huge sales success. Nearly 579,000 units were produced in its first year.[citation needed] This rivaled the record-setting first year of Mustang sales (nearly 619,000[1]), and easily outpaced the Mustang's sales of less than 200,000 in 1970.[2]
[edit] Trim packages and variants
The Maverick had several different models. Initially, only the standard coupe was available. Early models lacked a true glove box to save on costs, but the glove box was added in 1973. A four-door sedan on a 109" wheelbase was introduced in 1971 and was also well received despite lacking the distinctive fastback of the coupe, as it had significantly more room in the back seat and roll-down rear door windows. A rare station wagon version of the Maverick was introduced in Brazil in 1975, not as a regular option, but at a local dealer who made it from the four-door sedan.
Some of the exterior paint options had unusual names, such as Anti-Establish Mint, Hulla Blue, Original Cinnamon, Freudian Gilt, Thanks Vermillion, Black Jade, Champagne Gold, Gulfstream Aqua, Meadowlark Yellow, Brittany Blue, Lime Gold, Dresden Blue, Raven Black, Wimbledon White, and Candyapple Red.
In the first half of production for the 1970 model, there were only two available engine options, a 170 cid I6 and a 200 cid I6. A 250 cid I6 was added mid-year. Commercials compared it to the smaller Volkswagen Beetle for $1,995,[citation needed] even though the somewhat similarly-styled Ford Pinto would later be Ford's real subcompact entry.
The four-door model was introduced in 1971. Also available was a vinyl roof. Mercury also revived the Mercury Comet as a mechanical clone of the Maverick. A 210-horsepower 302 cid V8 was also introduced for both the Comet and the Maverick. The Comet featured a new grille, taillights borrowed from the Mercury Montego, trim, and hood.
The muscle car-themed Grabber trim package was introduced in mid-1970. The package included special graphics and trim, including a spoiler. It was offered from 1970-1975. In 1971 and 1972, the Grabber came with a special "Dual Dome" hood. A similar package for the Mercury Comet, the Comet GT, was also offered from 1971-1975 and had "muscle car" trim akin to the Maverick Grabber, plus its own distinctive hood scoop.
A Sprint package was offered in 1972. The Sprint had a special red, white, and blue paint job with a matching interior. Similar packages were offered on the Pinto and the Mustang. The one year trim package was said to have been a patriotic theme for the 1972 Olympics. U.S. versions were given a stylized U.S. flag made into a badge decal on the rear quarter panels. The badge was very much in the vein of Olympic symbols, but without being too close, to avoid stepping on copyrights. As an interesting side note, the Sprints sold in Canada were still red, white, and blue, but had a quarter badge styled from the Canadian flag!
A new "Luxury Decor Option"(LDO)trim level was introduced late in the 1972 model year that included reclining bucket seats in a soft vinyl material, plush carpeting, woodgrained instrument panel trim, radial tires with body-color deluxe wheel covers and a vinyl roof. The Maverick LDO option (also offered on the Mercury Comet) was one of the first American compacts to be marketed as a lower-priced (and domestic) alternative to the more expensive European luxury/touring sedans from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and other makes.
Minor changes were made from 1973-1975. In 1973, the 170 CID engine was dropped, making the 200 CID I6 the standard engine. Additionally, improved brakes and a previously optional chrome grille became standard. An AM/FM stereo, aluminum wheels and a new front bumper were added (the latter to comply with new federal regulations). In 1974, the Maverick was unchanged except for rear federal bumpers and larger trunk with a higher deck. Jumping gas prices and increasing demand for smaller cars resulting from the Arab Oil embargo did cause the Maverick to grow in popularity, selling 10,000 more units than the year before. Production of the Maverick and Comet dropped in 1975 with the release of the Ford Granada and Mercury Monarch as true Euro-style luxury compacts. The Maverick received minor trim changes for 1975 that included new grilles and the replacement of Maverick nameplates on the hood and trunklid with FORD nameplates spelled out in block letters.
In 1976 the Grabber was dropped, and a Stallion package was introduced. The Stallion option came with special paint and trim. Like the Sprint package four years earlier, Ford offered the Stallion option on several models, this time including the Pinto and the new Mustang II. The Comet GT was also discontinued. Standard Mavericks received another new grille and gained front disc brakes as standard equipment along with a new foot-operated parking brake that replaced the old under-dash T-handle unit. Production continued to drop.
1977 was the final year for both the Maverick and Comet. Both cars remained unchanged except for a police package on the Maverick which was not sufficiently upgraded for police work and sold less than 400 units. The Maverick was produced in Brazil until 1979. Maverick's place in the North American Ford lineup was essentially taken by the 1978 Fairmont.
The Maverick and Comet saw no significant changes towards the end of their lifespan since they were originally meant to be replaced in 1975 by the Granada and Monarch. However, Ford decided to keep selling both sets of cars until the 1978 model year introduction of the Ford Fairmont and Mercury Zephyr, which were built on an all-new "Fox" platform that would serve as the basic platform for many Ford/Mercury/Lincoln designs through the mid-1980s.
[edit] Legacy
The Maverick inspired other fastback or semi-fastback compacts, most notably the Plymouth Duster which grafted a curvaceous rear to the front of the boxy Plymouth Valiant. The Plymouth Volaré/Dodge Dart, Chevrolet Nova and even the AMC Hornet would also adopt fastback rooflines in the 1970s.
Despite being one of Ford Motor Company's most successful cars, the Maverick/Comet has not reached the popularity of the Mustang, and is still overlooked by most classic car enthusiasts. As they grow in age and rarity, the cars have been making a resurgence in popularity. One example is Internet discussion forums such as the Maverick/Comet Buffet. The Maverick was produced in toy form as the Hot Wheels "Mighty Maverick" and a Mini Lindy model. In general, Maverick models and toys are few and far between, but in 2006, WalMart carried a new die cast line of small Fords including the Maverick. Jo-Han models produced a promotional plastic model for Ford dealers for the wildly popular 1970-1972 model years, providing the only true scale model of the unsung Ford nameplate.
[edit] External links
- http://www.maverickbuffet.com "Maverick/Comet Buffet" Forum
- http://www.maverickcometgroup.com MCG Maverick Comet Group
- http://www.maverickcometclub.org Maverick/Comet Club International
- http://www.fordmaverick.com FordMaverick.com Website
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