Transcribed from my blog: 1973 Ford Maverick... Six Months Later I haven't made much mention around here of my quirky little daily driver. It's a 1973 Ford Maverick four door sedan that I picked up for the princely sum of $700. When I forked over the cash for this car, I was very well aware that there's a certain astigmatism that surrounds cars such as the Pacer, Gremlin, Pinto, and the Maverick. If those stereotypes held up, then my $700 investment would go down the drain in a heart beat. Let's take a look at what has happened so far. First off, let's look at cost. Fuel economy isn't great and I've had to replace a few parts. The one valve 250 cubic inch inline six mated to a C4 three-speed automatic transmission only gets around 14-16 mpg when the tires are inflated to max capacity and I drive like an elderly person. Fuel costs are higher than what a modern day car of Maverick dimensions would be. However, we need to remember that this car is 41 years old, so I'll let the fuel economy slide and just be glad that it's not down in the single digits. As far as parts that have been replaced, the list certainly isn't long. The first thing I did was buy a three foot long section of vacuum hose to reconnect the carb to the distributor's vacuum advance and a set of points. Then, I tackled the charging issue it had, which helped get me such a good deal on the car. The previous owners were not mechanically inclined and had neither the know-how or the desire to fix it. I went to the local Napa and bought a remanufactured alternator (which turned out to be a Ford Motorcraft unit! Score!), a solid state voltage regulator, and had the battery replaced under warranty. I also had a tie rod end crap out on me which I replaced, and then took to the alignment shop. All in all, that ended up being about $200. Now, let's look at what still needs to be done. My blower motor doesn't work, so I have to rely on outside air forcing its way into the ducts and past the heater core to get heat and defrost ability, the front passenger seatbelt buckle doesn't work, and the radio recently developed a short somewhere that makes quality and volume fluctuate while I drive. All in all, not too serious and can probably be dealt with for $50. We've analyzed the fiscal element of Maverick ownership, now let's take a look at what it's like on the road. With minimal power output, vintage suspension design, and zero frills, I shouldn't enjoy this car. But I do. It's an absolute blast. The little inline six is happy at low RPMs, but loves the chance to stretch its legs and rev a bit on the freeway. I think the only thing that could make this better would be Ford's three speed manual transmission. While the outdated suspension design and 185mm wide tires aren't ideal for high G corner carving, I still enjoy the opportunity to drive through the twisties. I'm a firm believer in the fact that it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than vice versa. When the limits of traction come sooner, it's easier to push the car to it's limits while still obeying local laws. Some of you may not see it quite like I do, but that's the beauty of the automotive culture. We're a very diverse bunch! One of the biggest things I've noticed about driving the Maverick is the sheer number of comments it gets. People get excited to see this car when they walk past. Sure, it's not the type of excitement you get from an iconic American classic such as a '69 Charger or a '71 Cuda. It's more of a recollectic excitement. Everyone's parent had a Maverick, or their brother or sister's first car was a Maverick, or they owned one back in the 80s. It's awesome to see people come up to this car and react in that way. Nobody who has owned one has ever had anything bad to say about them yet. Overall, this little car is fun in the same way any other novelty is. It's not a performance car, it's simply good old fashioned fun on four wheels. As gearheads, we understand that enjoyment in this hobby doesn't require a high dollar price tag. Sometimes, it comes in the form of a little buttercream yellow car that wasn't thought to be worth fixing.
