I love to see documented dealer installed options on old cars. Just for instance my Dad swears that in our area that there were Maverick's that were sold with dual exhaust and 4bbl carbs. Dad not being a very car savy guy (he got married at 18 hehehe) always thought that they were ordered from the factory with duals and 4bbl. we all know that they weren't and they were probably dealer installed options. I would love to see someone with one of these cars and the paperwork from the dealer to back it up. The Bearcat and the Dragon Fly were to others that I thought were pretty awesome. The Dragonfly would be hard to duplicate so paperwork wouldn't be as important as long as all the parts were there including the sill plate with the conversion companies name and all. But I think it is important to be weary when it comes down to a car that could be in the realm of being the only one of it's kind left around. If the person is just driving and enjoying the car and not trying to sell it I guess it is up to them to display it for what they believe it to be and there's no real reason to contradict them. On the other hand when something like that comes across the "for Sale lot" then I guess that would be the time to start asking hard serious questions.
one last thing I wanted to say to all the airshock naysayers... Isn't amazing that the Gabriel Highjacker Airshocks were a dealer installed option on the Comet Stabbers. Maybe that is why there are almost none left. The Shocks went through the trunk and the cars went out of control and got totalled. hehehehehe Just Jokes
Stabber71 and I have been emailing each other and I can assure the car isnt coming up for sale! He is thinking of not using the black slots because they are 14's and I cant even get him to sell me those. I guess that car is going to be in that family for a long time....But I love seeing all the interest in the Stabber and sure wish I had one.
I have to say I agree with DaMadman on some of his points. Memories can be even be wrong. I've had supposed "original owners" say they "ordered" their Maverick or Comet from the factory with duals, 4-barrel, 4-speed, etc, etc. Yeah, right... Certainly, when it comes to dealer installed options, especially in those days, each car could be a little different since the dealer was under no obligation to put every piece of any package on each car. They were free to change the package at any time, and free to change a package to a customer's request. But I also I think the older we get, the more we remember things as we want them to be, not necessarily as they really were. 71stabber's car may be legit based on ongoing changes to the Stabber package, but it could have been someone's very early attempt to replicate that package, or an adaption based on their own tastes. To 71stabber it will always be a Stabber, but if it would ever come up for sale and be represented as a Stabber, only some paperwork or period pictures showing it in it's full Stabber guise would suffice to me before I'd be willing to pay more than whatever it would be worth as a regular GT (albeit a rare one in its own right just due to the color). Each buyer will have a different definition as to what acceptable proof of its legitimacy would be, though. To some buyers, the owner's word might be enough. I hope its a real Stabber, and if so, I agree it should be restored to "stock," as-purchased condition, but that's me. As is so often said on here, each owner is entitled to do with their car as they please. That even applies to extremely rare ones, and even if the modifications will devalue it. That all being said, hopefully 71stabber will be able to come up with some dealer documentation or early pictures of the car just so we can all learn more about what a Stabber was, how it was invoiced, and how a Stabber might be documented in the future.
Hello, I never thought my car would generate so much buzz. Let me say I appreciate the compliments. I have obsessed over this car for so long that the feedback it is getting has made my year. I plan on speaking to my cousin (original owner) later this evening about it so I can offer more details. I would ask why are we having this discussion? We all appearently have a passion for Mavericks and Comets. I have what I know is a Comet Stabber. A well done dealer appearance package that is a rarity. It is intresting to discuss differences of what these cars may or may have not been equipped with........ but documentation ? It was a dealer package not a Boss 302, not a Shelby. I love Mustangs. Half of my family retired from Ford in some capacity but Mavericks are what Mustangs should have been in 70-71. Long hood, short deck, narrow, light and easily modified. Mustangs of that era are for the wine and cheese crowd who obsess over documentation and VIN codes. People who worry about changing a radiator hose becase it may not have the correct stamping. I am not one of those.I don't have the money to be. I am guy that knows what he has. I know my cousin thought the Stabber decals were a bit much at the time. I saw the article which people cite to bring my car's legitmacy into question. What you see in the picture is what it rolled off the lot with in 1971 from Pugmire. Pugmire owner Austin Pugmire confirms this. It is a Stabber.
I could not agree with you more 71stabber. As an original owner of a Stallion I can tell you that no where on my title does it refer to the car as a Stallion. Your car is a survivor stabber, congrats! You certainly have a keeper with family ties that in my opinion, qualify it as the real deal. Dan
I agree and I beleive it to be a Stabber myself, but I also agree to pay the price of a rare car if he were selling which he isnt that I would want to see some sort of Documentation myself. As I told 71Stabber in an email there are more cloned SS Chevys, GTO's, Mopar's etc than there are originals and someday I would like to clone a Stabber but it will be that A Clone!
What if you clone a clone? How would one know exactly what is needed without it have been written in a "document" somewhere? Just asking... I think the car is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen myself. I would like to see more of the car, the documentation part is for them wine and chees guys as mentioned. I at times do enjoy wine and cheese LOL! I can see where them guys come from too. If I were to have something like that I would surely have the paperwork that was available. If it doesn't contain the info, it doesn't contain it. At this point IF a car like this is up for sale, you get what you SEE. I see top #3 Comet GT on this board, this is my own opinion. (gotta see more pics to move up )
I spoke with my cousin and he has all the orginal documentation. I must go to Canton Ga which is quite a drive from where I live. (he does'nt trust the mail nor do I in this case) The car was purchased 04-23-71. the RETAIL BUYERS ORDER reads Stabber package includes wood grain steering wheel,chin spoiler, Gabriel air shocks, driving lights, guage package, sidepipe covers aftermarket exhaust, special wheels. package cost 797.00. Window sticker 2937.20. He told me that he did not see the Stabber package in a color he wanted. He asked his salesman (last name Watts) if he could get the package added to a regular Comet GT. The answer was yes so he picked a black one with silver stripes. He did not like the Stabber decals so agreed to a plain decklid decal instead. He said none of the already optioned Stabbers (2 on lot) had hood pins or deck spoilers. The factory exaust was replaced. Read the article carefullly. I can personally vouch for the spring spacers up front. Ya'll have made me think a lot more about keeping her original. Anyone wanna buy a killer 351 with headers that will fit without cutting?
This is what I was trying to say too. My comments weren't so much as questioning 71stabber's car as they were a word of warning for potential buyers of some other Comet that some seller may claim is a Stabber. Someone could easily read the posts on this thread, see everyone's enthusiasm about the Stabber, then try to pass off a regular Comet or Comet GT with a few add-ons as a real Stabber. I certainly don't see myself in the wine & cheese crowd since I love Mavericks and choose to put WAY too much money into cars that are almost never worth what I put into them, but there's no denying that Mavericks and Comets have increased in value as of late, and some of the rarer models are going pretty high on eBay. If a genuine Stabber popped up on the market, not that many people would know how rare they are, i.e. Shelby Mustangs, but for those that do, you can bet they'd want it and be willing to pay for it too. 71stabber's car and family history is just a great opportunity to find out what documentation might exist to verify a real Stabber in the future.
To illustrate my point of how many people might be interested in a Stabber, I just noticed that this thread has been viewed over 2900 times already....
71Stabber you have my vote! Keep her original!!!! You will have a much more valuable, desirable and unique car especially when you get the documentation....
