Ford Mavericks…who knew that they would be auction-car fodder? They used to be freaking everywhere, in blues, yellows, greens, and 1970s brown just for good measure. Nowadays they are viewed as a kind of replacement Mustang (not entirely wrong for that thought, either) that isn’t going to cost you an arm and a leg to get into. The underpinning is Ford Falcon based, so it’s a very familiar setup to anyone used to playing with early Mustangs, and the body design is clean and straightforward. Mavericks and their twin, the Mercury Comet, look really decent in two-door form, especially if you can score an older, smaller-bumper car. 

1970 is about as early as you’re getting for a Ford Maverick, but this example is as early as you’ll truly get. Check out where the ignition key is: right in the dash, not on the column. That’s a 1969 production car! Otherwise, you’re looking at a day two Maverick…aftermarket grille, random turbine mags, silver-and-black paint. And underhood…well, you shouldn’t be shocked to see a 200ci inline-six. Not every Maverick was a Grabber.

This car is up for grabs at Mecum’s Los Angeles auction later this month, and this might be one of the lowest low-key cars in the catalog. If it was us, that grille would be ditched for a factory unit, we’d hunt down center caps for the turbines, and frankly we’d consider leaving the 200 six alone for the time being. Yes, a 347 stroker would make this sucker rock, no doubt. But a day two Maverick isn’t easy to come by, either.

Mecum Auctions Los Angeles 2018: Lot F257 – 1970 Ford Maverick