Increasingly, more Ford buffs are beginning to view these "Performance Years" offshoots in their own regard—sporty-looking, and a good base from which to build some pretty interesting street machines. Mark Griffith is one such enthusiast who sees just such potential in the Maverick. Mark of Liberty, Missouri, has an interesting Mavericks palette to work from. As Mark has owned Mavericks since he was 17, in this particular '73 model has been in the family for nearly 14 years. Mark bought the car for $200, just six months after marrying wife Helen. "It had a beat-up 302 in it that rubbed the steering box," says Mark. "My wife hated to drive it because of the vibrations and exhaust smell. I tinkered with it on and off for several years, adding different wheels, etc." Then, in December 1998, my wife and I decided that we would completely strip the Maverick, including pulling the hood, fenders, and glass, then treat the chassis to a good sandblasting. Next came priming and painting. "After I started working on it, I kept finding things I wanted to do to it. I kept finding things and it ended up taking more money and time." To top it off, shortly after the work began, the Griffiths learned they could soon expect their second child. (Emily) The goal was to have the car done before that blessed event occurred, so Mark attacked the project with a full head of steam. He had a big job ahead of him. He completely stripped the Maverick, including pulling the hood, fenders, and glass, then treated the chassis to good priming and painting. The trick part of this body upgrading was installing the '70s-style fiberglass front clip onto the '73 platform. Plenty of cutting and careful handiwork were required to make it all come together seamlessly. To help put the powertrain into the red zone, the 302 was reworked and spiked with a Comp cam, 1.6:1 rockers, double-roller timing chain and lifters, and an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold added to further aid induction, while Hedman headers and a 2.5-inch stainless steel exhaust system were added to the back end. Finally, a little chrome work, a Mallory breakerless ignition system, and relocating the battery to the trunk rounded out the powertrain buildup. Further down the line, Mark kept the C4 automatic, but enhanced it with a B&M valve body kit, and topped the lot with a B&M Megashifter. This combination sends torque to an 8-inch Ford rear end with a Richmond 3.56:1 posi gearset. To keep all that meaty rolling true, Mark figured the wheels and tires were in order. Up front he installed 14x8-inch Weld 90-series Drag Lites and Goodyear P215/60R14s with 15x8s and P275/60R15s going in back. Both front and rear wheels included a 3.5-inch offset. This combination required a bit of modifying to clear the rear wheel housings, so Mark bent the sheet metal outward and built new lips with fiberglass. Definitively gives the Maverick a subtle "zing." One thing Mark noticed when all was complete was how the front end fiberglass front-end sat a bit too high - a result of lighter fiberglass front end components. The problem was easily cured by lopping off one complete coil off each front spring. Since its primary completion (Mark says the project is never finished), the Maverick has placed well in regional events, including snagging a First Place show competition, and the entire Griffith family  enjoys taking the zesty Maverick to monthly cruise-ins and local competitions. Now there's a change few of the Maverick naysayers would have seen coming. (Mustang & Fords Magazine January 2002)