Just my personal opinion: not many cars built after 1965 can, or should, be made into gassers. For the most part, it just doesn’t look right. You hear “gasser”, and you see Willys coupes, tri-five Chevrolets, C1 Corvettes, Chevy IIs and Falcons, all with a straight axle, all with that slightly nose-high stance. Does that look work on a ’71 Road Runner? Nope. What about a ’68 Chevelle? Not in my eyes. But a Ford Maverick? I’m not saying it’s my go-to choice…honestly, I’d prefer a little more Tijuana Taxi with my Mavericks, but remember, Mavericks are underpinned the same as Falcons, same as early Mustangs. That’s why a machine like George Montgomery’s “Malco Gasser” Mustang looks right. So, nevermind that this Grabber is from the class of 1971…we will stick with the idea of a gasser build idea here. Especially since it’s already got the straight axle underneath the car.
The build is already interesting before you were to put your mitts onto it. A 355 stroker mill (please be Ford…) is cranking out the power and is running a slushbox, even though sharp eyes do spot a third pedal ready to go. We’d have to find a TopLoader and get it in there, stat. 5.13 gears certainly aren’t highway friendly, but imagine ripping through the gears with that kind of dig…deep in third gear would be utterly amazing! The blacked-out chrome look is interesting, as is the seriously furry interior, but visually, we are picturing the outside painted up in Grabber Red with the black stripes, rolling on a set of Cragars, the interior as restored as possible. We see a dealership-sponsored drag car waiting to be finished here, one with a high RPM range that belts out Blue Oval goodness throughout the land. All from the lowly Maverick. Who knew?
Looks like a small block Chevy under the hood. How about changing that out… but staying cross-branded with a 392 Hemi and Hilborn injection? The whole motor there looks a bit too contemporary.
The 700c.i. Ford big block sitting in my shop would be just about perfect and I can use that P.O.S. chivvy motor as an anchor for my bass boat. The 392 hemi I have would also work nicely. Whatever goes in need to be a clutch transmission….hell with the automatic.
This thing is just all wrong! From the sbc to the chain steering wheel, the furry interior and all the cheap ebay junk it has everywhere.It seems they couldn\’t make up there mind between a low rider and a Gasser.
The steering wheel would die an appropriate death in a clapped out forge. The SBC would find a home down range at a .50 cal shoot. A high-compression, high winding SBF needs to feed a manual gear box. Straight-axle and an automatic is as pointless as drinking decaf.
Maybe make the sparkplug wires a little longer and a little longer fan spacer with no fan on it
Ditch that nasty carpet and the funky steering wheel for something more factory appearing. Put a Mustang II front suspension under the front, and take your pick on engines. Stroked Boss 351 with a tunnel ram, 427 tunnel port with dual fours (which would necessitate a stick just so you can hear it come off the line at 8500), a 560-570 inch Cobra Jet derivative that makes about 750 ft/lbs at 4500 for hangin’ the hoops way out past the 60, or a 10k rpm Boss 302 in front of a Lenco. You choose. Put it under a Boss 429 scoop.
A Shotgun motor and a blower with Hilborn Shotgun injection would fill the engine bay nicely. As for the interior drown it in sewage with the dwork who put the Shitrolet small block in it!
He i was thinking I was being harsh in my opinion that this thing is terrible. Awful interior check, small block Chevy check,needless straight axle check.
crush it