(first posted 1/27/2013) The Ford Maverick and Mercury Comet twins of the early 1970s received some serious tongue-lashing (or was it tongue-in-cheek lashing?) here about a year ago for being dull designs cobbled together on the old Falcon/Mustang platform. The Comet–with nothing but a different grille and taillights to distinguish it from the Maverick, and a name rhyming with one of every kid’s least favorite things–received especially strong negative reactions. Debate is one thing, but the sight of one of these cars on the street can brighten one’s day. One such instance was on a cloudy Thursday morning here in Washington, DC.
In today’s automotive landscape of cars–all seemingly painted black, silver, or white, except for taxicabs and a few Ferraris and Lamborghinis–a bright orange anything certainly grabs attention. Although not Grabber Orange, the orange hue of this 1974 Mercury Comet does it for me. I found myself compulsively turning my head toward it, and so did others, including a passing bicyclist, several pedestrians and the drivers of some dull-colored pod cars.
This one appears to be a Comet GT, with the dummy hood scoop, twin racing mirrors, high-back bucket seats and the dual side stripes included with the GT package. It’s difficult to imagine anyone bothering to clone a Comet GT, so this must be genuine.
The passage of almost forty years has been kind to this Comet: It has little visible rust (the driver’s side A-pillar had the only bit of rust I saw), all major body and trim pieces are present and intact, and no major dents in the body are apparent. Only a patched grille, one missing styled wheel, a dented rear bumper, and a stance a bit low in the rear detract from its stock appearance. Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to talk to the owner and learn how the car has survived in this condition – perhaps spending its entire life sitting in the garage of a racy little old lady, a repaint/restoration replicating the original stripes, or some other course of events.
The owner (in the white hat in the last two photos) looked like she would have been far too young to drive when the car was new, so she most likely is not the first owner. She has a car that may be quite average by 1970s standards and not given much respect today; even so, her Comet is a survivor that turns as many heads as any more-coveted collectible while still working for a living–and a true Curbside Classic.
Nice Comet. 🙂 Here some vintage Comet ads from the era I saw on Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2S-cGa1tHQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GghYCAC6md0
Did they really put the kitten inside the gas can in that last one!? Now I’m not a cat person but that’s just wrong.
Animal welfare issues aside, it was fun seeing those – thanks for sharing.
I’m sure it was a prop gas can that was never filled with fuel! LOL
Cats love to crawl into tight spaces.
In the mid-80s, the girl next door had a Comet like this. It was probably supposed to be blue.
Even here in Wisconsin, I used to look at this car in amazement that it didn’t just collapse on itself. it was so rusty you could see what was in her trunk from outside the car (ironically, a bag of salt).
Great to see a “classic”, affordable to the regular guy and girl, being enjoyed. I’d rather see a Comet or similar car than an exotic or high end antique.
Is that a K car taxi in the background of the first picture?
The taxi in the background looks like a Grand Marquis from the grille.
The full size photo (not posted) shows that the taxi was a non-police Crown Vic, with the chrome grille. It is a somewhat unusual sight here, because the vast majority of taxis in DC are ex-police Crown Vics, with a few Town Cars and a Grand Marquises (sp?) thrown in.
Speaking of urban classics and taxis, there is a 1991-92 Olds Custom Cruiser wagon that has been in use as a taxi in downtown DC at least since 2005. A B-Body that has survived for over 20 years, including possibly a decade of taxi use — does it sound like a worthwhile Curbside Classic candidate?
Yes.
I liked the original Maverick package; and when the Comet came out, I thought the differing front and rear treatments an improvement. The grill was less stark; the parking-light placement was an improvement; and I liked the blended-in taillights; that they were borrowed from the Montego gave it a family link.
Not that the car offered much for an enthusiast; I liked the style. And I later liked the concept for the bulletproof simplicity of its tried-and-true Falcon running gear
But few cars were hit harder by the government’s mandate of 5-mph battering rams than this one; and few companies had worser ideas than Iacocca’s Ford – whose answer seemed to be, mount a railroad tie on rubber pucks and plate it chrome. And heat up the rear springs to drop the height to the right level.
This is a good find. And had it been a year or two older, it would have been a breathtaking car. But those elephantine bumpers…that saggy, drooping rear…reminds me of all that was wrong with the auto scene in the mid-1970s.
Agreed. If a car’s styling could be ruined by bumpers alone, this would be it. it’s too bad because the ’72 models are quite sharp.
JPT, you have summed up my feelings about this car almost completely.
Me too! I love these, even looked at buying a couple…..but it has to a 71-72, maybe a 73.
Why there wasn’t a Comet Cyclone with a 302/351 4V/4 speed is beyond me! God knows the Ford parts bin was full of reasonably cheap add-ons. I guess it was part of it’s “do it yourself” nature?
If the muscle car era continued, there would have been Maverick performance packages to compete with Duster 340’s and Nova SS.
Agreed fully on all points. Although the battering ram bumpers may be part of the car’s merits in its current environment: with constant bumps from careless parallel parkers a fact of city life, huge projecting steel bumpers do their job significantly better than either the small styled steel bumpers from before 1973, or the painted plastic bumpers that are universal today. On cars in a big city, 70s/80s steel bumpers often look like-new, while modern plastic bumpers are often chewed up in only a few years. I was thinking about including a paragraph on this issue in the writeup, but decided that it was too much of a digression.
These were durable little cars, even if they were as dull as dishwater. I’ve been looking for one to write up as my grandmother had a Grabber Blue ’71 with absolutely no options. She hit a tree with it and, after a very amateur front-yard repair, she drove it another two years. That’s just the tip of the iceberg for that car, also.
These don’t really excite me, but like Robert says, it’s good to see them out doing what they are meant to do.
My parents were two old folks (in their 70’s – doesn’t seem so old now) driving around in a Maverick grabber with racing stripes. Mom gave it to my nephew when Dad passed. He lost reverse somehow and sold the car. Transmission was hard to replace from some reason.
I remember it as a very durable car that Dad drove faster than he had the reflexes for. Mom was smart to get rid of it and I’m glad I got the 68 C-10 instead.
Looking at the side profile of this car reminds me that until the big bumpers came along, this car had almost perfect proportions. The original Maverick was a very attractive little car, and was one that translate quite well as a 4 door as well, a rarity when we think about it.
Like JPT, I preferred the details on the Comet once it came out. These were all over in my high school and college years. The killer for me was always the inside. Really, Ford – you couldn’t find a way to include a glovebox? Unfortunately, in a 3 way race between these, Novas and Mopar A bodies, the Maverick/Comet seemed to always come in third.
I have said before that this is one of my favorite kinds of Curbside Classics – cars that none of us would have walked 10 feet to look at in 1980, but being driven and enjoyed today. I wonder if the owner knows that she is getting 90% of the driving experience of a 65 Mustang (right down to the freezing locks and squeeky suspension bushings.) I was never a fan of the orange color back in the day, but I really like it on this car.
+2
The four-door pre-bumper MavCom…was one of the most attractive family-type cars made in that era. The four-door had better proportions to my eye; and the smaller front door made it desirable in day-to-day living, no matter the planned use.
It was cramped in the back; but not significantly worse than in any other compact car of the era. (I know; there was one in the family).
That has to go down as one of the worst aesthetic tragedies of the Bumper Era – the destruction of the Maverick and other Ford Coke-bottle small cars.
I own a 71 4Dr Maverick I bought in July 88 from the local chevy dealership for what was at the time a outrageous $1200. I have never paid more for a used car before or since. However, it was clean and rust free and the AC worked. Tu-tone Grabber Blue/White. Black cloth interior with the original covering on the rear seat. 200/auto. And it’s still that way. I drove it until 90, parked it in my Grandma’s garage until 2001, then brought it back home. It will be back on the road this summer. When I buy something, it’s a lifelong purchase. Except for the parts cars ive bought over the years. I have owned 18 Mavericks and Comets since 83. I currently have 7. Including my first car Which is a 71 2dr. Bought 11/18/83 for $625.
Quite an eyecatcher for DC, says the Virginian. I had no idea these cars had such a design stigma. I like it, especially in that color.
The last one I saw was yellow-ish with blue vinyl seats and rust, rust, rust.
These cars rock, been a Maverick/Comet fan since the ’70’s…
I had a friend in high school who inherited one of these from his aunt. Not a GT, but from the factory in orange (which I think Mercury called “tangerine”) and with a matching interior (this one appears to have a black interior).
My high-school friend & I loved to joke about the naughty-sounding name of the Comet GT’s relative, the Maverick Grabber.
Another one I’d forgotten about,keep them coming in.A better looker than it’s poor relation but I’d still go for a Dart/Demon/Duster of the same year
These cars weren’t exciting–they were basic transportation. But they were solid and rattle-free.
My next door neighbor had 1970 Mav. During a transit strike I had to bum a ride with him to New York City. I was surprised to find the car downshifting to get up some of the hills on the Merritt Parkway, not exactly mountains. I suggested he get a tune up, which he did. The car was completely transformed and then handled the hills with ease. He then said that he was happy that he had ordered the car with a V8. I told him that it had a six. He said, no, a car that performed this well had to have a V8. All this for $1995.
I pretty much agree with what everybody else is saying here… the Maverick/Comet coupe was a “close, but no cigar” vehicle. The basic shape is excellent, viewed in side profile this is a great looking car – as long as you delete the bumpers and pretend it’s buttocks isn’t sagging. They were mostly all used up before my time, but when there were still a few kicking around I remember thinking of them distinctly as cheap and flimsy vehicles. Google-ing pictures of them just now was kinda surprising – the interior and dashboard layout looks much nicer than I remember. Much nicer and less plasticky than a similar vintage Nova too. For a car that could be pretty sporty looking, it seems like Ford never really had much interest in selling them as anything but mid-range econoboxes. AFAIK the best motor you could get, even in the early pre-emissions years, was a lo-po 302 and if you wanted a manual transmission you were stuck with a 3-speed. What the heck?
Here’s where I disagree with the general consensus: personally, I wasn’t really into the sedan versions at all, thought they looked much better as coupes. I also think the Maverick grille was far more attractive and clean. I consider the Mercury as being part of the strange and brief “coffin-nose” trend that made it’s rounds in the mid-1970’s. It’s like an AMC Matador sedan, just not nearly as extreme.
The Comet in these pictures is awesome and I’m glad to see someone enjoying it. I can’t even remember the last time I saw one on the road, probably over ten years ago.
What were they thinking over at Ford back then? The only difference between most Fords and Mercurys was that the more expensive Mercurys got uglier grilles and taillights.
The front end of the bumper-car Comet is right up there with the 75 Matador wagon in my book. The taillights of the Bobcat, well those are just priceless.
I had the cousin to this car a Maverick coupe. Not even a Grabber, just a plain 1974 coupe. It came with the gutless 250 6 and autobox. Back when I was working in the Ford dealer, a friend who worked at another Ford dealer found a NOS 289 (replacement truck engine) in their inventory, sold it to me super cheap (<$300 in 1980 dollars).
One weekend we stuffed it into my Mav. It woke the car up, to say the least. But even though I had new sheetmetal welded into critical parts of the car, the cancer was too far along, it just took up where we hadn't replaced metal. I traded the car for my 1983 Trans Am, which is a whole other story.
I knew dozens of people who had these cars; they seemed to be the unofficial car of the kind of folks who enjoyed recreational herbal substances from south of the US border. Cheap to buy, cheap to run, but when something broke, they were pretty much done. Novas (and clones) and Dusters (and clone) were a better buy, IMO.
Looking at this car now with almost 40 years of hindsight, I could rock a 302 powered Comet coupe like this. It would be an affordable little ride for Sundays with the wife and doggies. And if it got a scratch or something in a parking lot, the world would not end.
Nice find.
That’s pretty funny… one of my first thoughts upon viewing this car was “that makes me want to smoke a joint in a Community College parking lot” !!
“I knew dozens of people who had these cars; they seemed to be the unofficial car of the kind of folks who enjoyed recreational herbal substances from south of the US border.”
Perhaps the ugly green paint that Mavericks and Comets very often wore was a subliminal (or conscious) positive influence on their buying decisions!
This Comet seems to be a daily driver. I’ve seen it several times driving down 1st, NE in the afternoon. I hope not to see it for a while as the streets are caked in salt now. Also that Olds taxi picked me up once. Definitely a CC, but I haven’t seen it recently. A few years ago, there was also a Volare doing regular taxi duty. I haven’t seen that one in quite a while, though.
We seem to run into the same cars in DC. I also have seen the Comet at other times, although never before this close up; it is so visible that one cannot avoid spotting it in traffic. Alas, I have also noticed that the once frequently seen Olds Custom Cruiser appears to have disappeared from its usual habitat around K Street, although there is at least one Roadmaster wagon taking its place.
The Volare taxi I have never seen. Call me odd, but when I need a taxi I will pass on up numerous Crown Vics waiting for something better or more interesting to appear, so I have had rides in everything from the Olds wagon to a 1980s Town Car (by far the best to be a passenger in), a Chrysler Fifth Avenue and an ancient Dodge Diplomat ex-police car, but the Volare is still hard to imagine.
This first time this Comet passed by the window, three of us in the room for a meeting just stopped and watched it go by, not believing a “Maverick” (we were watching from several stories up and assumed that’s what it was at the time) was still on the road. The driver’s commute must take her across K and then down 1st toward Union Station as that’s where I’ve seen the Comet several times. I used to see the Volare taxi frequently in the Federal Triangle area. I haven’t seen it since my office moved from that area, but it was an off-white to beige color and looked to be in excellent condition for its age and vocation.
As with others, back in the day I thought the 2-door Comet and Maverick were nicely styled and fairly sporty-looking. Especially before the heavy bumpers. Not sure if I can recall ever seeing an orange Comet like this, which I still like the looks of. Can say that more than once in the past year or two I’ve seen a brown 4-door Comet (or perhaps Maverick) from a distance, which like this was in quite good shape for it’s age.
My grandmother owned a ’72 Comet Sedan. It was brown all over and the options were whitewall tires, automatic transmission, and an AM radio. The six cylinder engine shook so hard at idle that the carburetor had to be tightened to the intake regularly! We had this car at our house while she lived with us and we all hated it!
The 2door maverick/comet roofline has always been my favorite. I like the ’69 mustang fastbacks too, but it was a little too much of a good thing. And the subtle (almost not there) spoiler on the trunk lid was simply beautiful. The 4-doors had none of it–they’re the ones that should be panned as falcon makeovers.
Too late for the cc effect? I have seen this one before. If you are in the Houston area it’s on 1488 just north of the woodlands. It’s been there for a while so expect sticker shock. Hope the picture loads.
I can’t figure out which has to go first, that awful stripe or the body side moldings. The wheelcovers definitely have to stay! I’m guessing it’s a LDO Maverick?
The decals say it’s a comet. Pretty sure the stripe is one of the glued on type. I was in a hurry and didn’t go over to it.
The orange Comet reminds me of the 1975 Ford Maverick I got from my dearly beloved “Auntie,” truly a racy little old lady who loved potent cars. The car I am speaking of here came from a climate that was kind to old cars and it was in very good shape when I got it. It is now fully restored and in number one condition and a regular at local car shows. A wonderful car and fun, fun, fun to drive. These cars are very special to me and the memories associated with them make them priceless to me. More of them should be restored in my opinion.
I see this red Maverick around here fairly often, as well as other ones I’ve seen at shows and whatnot.
Around 1998 bought a ’72 Comet for $500 from a family friend. 302 auto PS 2 door, base car, drum brakes, thin bench seat and rubber floor covering. Only had it for about a year, struggled to get 15 MPG. It was in pretty good condition, no rust, straight body. Was OK for the price.
This is one I never saw and I was past that building/ block several times a week back when this was first posted.
Spotted a blue one at the service station on River Rd/ Arlington Rd itrsctn , in Bethesda about August of last year. (2021)