BaT’s strangest barn find ever: 66-mile 1974 Ford Maverick

Is Saturday the loneliest morning of the week for you? Tired of seeing the same old American icons at every car show? Think all the usual collector cars are for self-indulgent wieners with too much bloody money?

Well, if you were to arrive at your local cars-and-coffee in this 1974 Ford Maverick with 66 miles on the odometer, you wouldn’t be a self-indulgent wiener. You’d be a connoisseur. 

OK, so champagne probably won’t fall from the heavens, and this may not be the big score Nicholas Cage had in mind. But there’s little doubt that this mustard gold (ahem, “Medium Yellow”) example of Dearborn’s finest malaise-era engineering would turn some heads.

Aside from some superficial corrosion on the underbody and chassis, likely resulting from its transit from the assembly line to the dealer, this example is virtually immaculate.  Per its listing on Bring a Trailer, this Maverick was driven straight home from the dealer and was parked for 35 years, when it was then sold to its second owner, who likewise stashed it away.

Now, 45 years sitting idle wouldn’t be good for any car, whether it’s as humble as our subject or a multi-million-dollar exotic. Fortunately, the Maverick’s owners have maintained it throughout its reclusive existence.

As the video above shows, the Maverick’s 250-cubic-inch straight-six fires right up. The “Thriftpower Six” was one of Ford’s workhorses in the 1970s, and was found under the hood of many of its compact cars (and even the Mustang). In the 1974 Maverick, it made less than 90 horsepower. That decade was not kind to power ratings. 

It’s just as clean inside, where you’ll find a striped cloth interior, an AM radio, crank windows and air conditioning. The SelectAire option was a rare one, as one user points out in the comments, and it rounds out an altogether perfect package — if you’re into this sort of thing, and somebody must be, because as of this writing the bidding stands at $10,750. The only detail that might make it better would be a set of whitewalls, and it may need them since there’s a chance it’s sitting on 45-year-old tires. 

While you’re ogling this listing, be sure to check out the comments. BaT commenters always impress with their depth of knowledge, and in this case it extends right down to what wheel molding options were offered in 1974. The level of amazement and appreciation for this time machine is high, with several pointing out this will win every “Best Original” show category. The humor’s high, too, with “Where’s the Mardi Report?” and “These cars drive as good as they look!”  Even the seller says, “I think this car baffles all of us, including me.”

If you want a shot at this beauty, you’ll need to act quickly. The auction expires Tuesday, Dec. 24 at 2:30 EST. 

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