Why do we like these cars?

Kinda like some guys do to their wifes!

 

You speaking from experience, Tom?...

 

No cars made in the 60's and 70's were meant to be disposable cars. The cars now-a-day's definately ARE meant to be disposable!! they are made only to last until the warranty is up! Why do you think manufacturers put a certain amount of time on warranties? They know exactly how long, even if very well maintained, the car will last.

The biggest thing i love about my car is the simplicity. I have, and am not ahsamed of my roll up windows!! Furthermore, how little power anything I have in the car! no power trunk pop, no remote to open my doors, no power seats, I cant stand those things! So I guess in a way, my mav keeps me somewhat in shape!!!! I have to crank the windows, Unlock the doors/trunk myself, etc.

 

I like power door locks, trunk release, and intermittent wipers, but those things can be added to a Maverick. All the other gadgets are totally unneccessary, and just more things to break down....

 

The Mav/Comet itself is a one of a kind experience to all who own or have owned one. Even anyone who knew someone that had one.
Back in 1971 I was 4... Our landlord brought home her new car (the flat black primer one in my sig) and as I was playing with my Hot Wheels Mighty Maverick I said to my Mother and her I want a car like that when I grow up. Low and behold some 28 years later I bought that same car from her. (she was 92 when I finally got it) Every bill of sale for every single part or even every oil-change came along with it. Talk about well documented...
I was right away on the hunt for more and when I found the green car in my sig I was truly hooked. It does not matter where I go, people notice... Sometimes the attention is a bit much but it was a daliy driver and you just don't see that in the midwest. Not for too long anyway... She got me through the brutal winter snow of 1998 we had here 30" of snow over the course of a day or so. I never even got stuck!!! Needless to say the 28 years prior to then were hard, very hard on her and she pretty much fell apart in the few following years. But all of the save-able pieces were salvaged and donated to the other Maverick so, she does live on... In parts...
Cars are a passion, and these cars are and have been a passion for me as far back as I can remember...That's why I like (love) these cars...
Jay.....

 

When I was 16 my sister had a Comet GT it even was the same color as mine, when I saw this car something inside broke and I had to get it .

What I most like about the car is the way it can be customized to your own liking. You can do things with these cars nobody would dear do to a Dodge Challenger.

Secondly there are not many of them around here, but we have a lot of mustangs. In fact mine is the only two door Comet that still runs in the country.

Thirdly it makes people smile.

 

Dave,I feel the same way,except I wanted a '66-67 Fairlane instead of a Mustang.I STILL can't afford a good '66-67 Fairlane now either!

 

Very good point...

 

When I was about 15, my grandmother wrecked her 67 Nova. I loved that car, even though it was a 4 door, nice size, good ride. While she was looking for a replacement for the totaled Nova, the insurance co got her a rental, a 1972 Grabber that had been traded in at the local FORD dealer[ back then, insurance only rented used cars]. It was just like Dan Hines car except it was a 250 I6 automatic, with the floor shift .Red, black stripes, black bucket seats, aluminum slots. I begged her to buy it, but she wouldn't have it because of the bucket seats, she wanted a bench. She ended up buying a 98 OLDS. She always had GM stuff. My aunt [her daughter] bought a new 76 Maverick 4 door, 302 auto, dark blue white vinyl top, blue inside. I liked the color but the 4 door never set right with me like the 2 doors did. Fast forward to 2004. I had a good engine and tranny in a wore out T Bird I wanted to do something with. I was looking for a 67 Mustang or a 60-62 Falcon Ranchero or a 67 Fairlane or Ranchero to put it in. No luck, all I found were overpriced rust buckets. My son was over at a guys house that runs a small junkyard and he saw the Comet I bought to start with. He didn't even know what it was when he came home to tell me about it! "Some kind of FORD with a 'C' name" he said. When I saw it, even with a Maverick Grabber hood on it, I was taken back to the Grabber that my grandmother rented those many years ago. I knew right then I had to have it! Later on, when Clint Deal decided to sell the Maverick I have now, I decided it would make a better car than the Comet since it was basicly rust free except for the floorboards. I may never have the same car that grandmother rented years ago, and mine may never be just like that one either, but it will be what I make of it, good or bad, and it sort of bridges the gap of the many years since then. It will be my idea of a hot rod, built for my enjoyment, without the problems of electronics and gizmos on late model stuff, something simple like it was when was new. Easy to work on, fun to drive, different from the bellybutton stuff you see now. A true Maverick. That's what I am, and my car is too.

 

Going purely by the lineup of cars and size in the scheme of things:
Pinto-Escort-(don't know what they call 'em now, maybe Focus?)
Falcon-Maverick-Tempo-Contour-(don't know about now, maybe Freestyle?)
Fairlane-Torino-Granada-Taurus-500?
Galaxie-LTD-Crown Vic-?

The first disposable car: Falcon... It was even considered as such at the time. The Maverick was next, and it's history of being there one decade, then gone the next, just shows it was true.

 

I wouldn't say "disposable",.....but cheap (money-wise) and economical, simple, basic.

Nothing wrong with that....and they took the time and effort into making it good looking too.

 

I like that they are a dependable road-worthy car that is fun to drive, easy on the pocketbook and if it ever should break down on the road it can be fixed without a computer and technician. You can update many of the components if you want to personalize the car or you can drive it just like it came from the factory. The best thing is the people who own them. Nobody gets upset if you do modify one to fit your own style. Maverick owners just want to see you keep it on the road and running good. It seems that someone is always there to help when you need it.
Paul

 

I don't use the word 'disposable' in a bad way... It wasn't my idea.
The Falcon came out in 60 and was designed to be very simple and disposable.
I was told by folks around at the time, that they were even marketed as such.
So the whole disposable thing is not my idea.

If you think about it, you have cars that relate to say a Nikon or Pentax camera, and you have the Fuji film carboard box... One is complex with bells and whistles, the other is 'use it then lose it' simple. Think about how few options the Maverick started with compared to Mercury, Lincoln, and even other Fords of the time.
Power windows, locks, tilt, auto headlights, cruise control, power seats, etc and so-on... were becoming common at the time. The first Mavs didn't even have a glove box!

 

I don't care what anyone says; disposable cars do not last 30+ years. I'd like someone to explain what a "disposable" car is.

The Yugo was a disposable car, and they are pretty much non-existant now. They were in the junkyards after only 4 years (not wrecked either). The Vega had an aluminum engine block with no iron cylinder sleeves, so they were smoking badly after only 50,000 miles. To me, that is disposable...