One upon a time, well when I was 16, my parents gave me my first car! The only problem was that it had been sitting in the woods, torn apart, for about 7 years. The car was a 1971 Ford Maverick Grabber. Original color was that Metallic Green with the reflective black/yellow stripes down the sides. It also had a vinyl top(at the time it was spray painted flat black since the top had blown off years earlier), black vinyl interior with the factory high back bucket seats, and a three speed manual shifter in the floor. The engine, dismantled and sitting in the trunk. More rust than a sunken ship. I guess my parents thought they were being funny when they gave it to me on my 16th birthday. So I decided I would show them! I spent 4 years working it. Two of those years were in my junior and senior year in high school. I took a vocational auto body class(and only worked in that field 6 months after graduation). I finally finsihed the car in late '93. Here is a picture of it from when we were visiting some friends in Nashville in 1993. It's a poor picture, but the only one I have. We were snowed in for 4 days during that March. The front bumper is missing, and at the time was sent off to be rechromed. And the passenger side fender was primer colored due to some much needed repainting. Where's the door handles???? About six months after completion, I was headed home from work at about 2 a.m. when I rounded a curve in the road at about 65 mph(we lived in the country). In the middle of the road stood a nice sized deer! But what could I do. I hit the deer with the left front fender and under the car he went. Something broke in the steering, and needless to say when all was said and done, the car was totalled. Not a straight panel left! Ended up selling the motor, trans and wheels to some guy who needed it for an old mustang. And sold the interior to someone else, and the body to some guy who was going to make a dirt track car out of it. But last I saw of it, it had made it to the junkyard. So, here it is, ten years later, almost 2003! And I really want to find another '71 Grabber with factory high back buckets and shifter in the floor! Preferably black interior. I am now married with a 4 year old, and a new one on the way. So there hasn't been much in the way of funds lately with the wife not working. I have started a new website that I hope will help accomplish this project. I have seen websites on the net that ask visitors to "send me a dollar". And all they do is sit back and collect money. Some report having recieved anywhere from $50 to $5000 bucks, and with no goal in mind. My website has a goal! To build another Maverick! Check it out if you get time. Any help woud be much appreciated! The website isnt completely finished yet, but will be soon. So far, I have made enough to purchase a complete, used 302 roller motor from a '92 Mustang. If, in the future, this website proves to help, I will build a 331 stroker out of it. And find me a '71 Mav to put it in..... Here is the link...... www.hotrodfund.com Thanx for taking the time to read this, and I hope that I haven't offended anyone in any way..... Katfish webmaster@hotrodfund.com
