The Maverick kit, which was strictly for two-doors, included black paint accents, twin door mirrors, styled steel wheels, raised-white-letter tires, and special badging. Introduced in early ’69, Maverick was much like the original Falcon in size, price, performance, and simplicity; even its basic chassis and powertrain were the same. Underneath was a stronger chassis with a completely new front suspension evolved from NASCAR experience. Maverick’s last gesture to the youth market was the Stallion, a 1976 trim package similar to those offered on the Pinto and Mustang II.
Bolstering Maverick’s appeal for ’71 was a notchback four-door on a 109.9-inch wheelbase (almost the same as the original Falcon’s), a sportier two-door called Grabber, and a newly optional 302 V-8 as an alternative to the 100-bhp 170 six. Three-door wagons arrived for 1972, including a woody-look Squire (some called it “Country Squirt”). Though Pinto served Ford well in a difficult period, it will forever be remembered as what one wag called “the barbecue that seats four.” That refers to the dangerously vulnerable fuel tank and filler-neck design of 1971-76 sedan models implicated in a rash of highly publicized (and fatal) fires following rear-end collisions.
A direct reply to Chevrolet’s Vega, also new that year, it was smaller, less technically daring, less accommodating, and its performance and fuel economy were nothing special compared to that of many imports.
The midsize Torino proved exceptionally popular in the early ’70s, then fell from favor once fuel economy became a pressing consumer concern. As a result, Ford greeted 1980 a critical two to three years behind GM in the fuel efficiency and “space” races — and at a critical sales disadvantage next to its domestic foes and a horde of fast-rising Japanese makes.
What really put Pinto out to pasture after 1980 was not bad publicity but relative lack of change — and the advent of a much better small Ford. To learn about the civilian models of the 1969-1973 Ford Bronco, check out the next page. Hidden-headlamp grilles marked the ’68 LTDs and Galaxie XLs as part of a lower-body restyle for all models. Arriving at midyear in 1965 were the poshest big Fords ever, the $3300 Galaxie 500 LTD hardtop coupe and sedan, claimed to be “quiet as a Rolls-Royce.” The times were indeed a-changin’.
Four series were offered: Custom, Galaxie 500, XL, and japanese k boy names LTD. How did you snag the role of Bruce Wayne in FOX’people s finance albany ga weather upcoming TV series Gotham, bfinance university premiering September 22nd?
Broughams also featured in the 1970 Torino line, which shared new exterior panels “shaped by the wind” with a three-model Fairlane 500 series. Except for engines, the 1972 Torino was all-new — and a big disappointment. The Torino Cobra returned as Ford’s “budget muscle car” with standard 360/375-bhp 429 V-8.Those ballistic Buicks excepted, ’80s midsize muscle cars were pale imitations of the best of their ’60s forebears. Ford kept pace with Chevrolet in the ’60s production race, and actually beat it for model years 1961 and ’66. It was a blistering performer and its new hardtop body with concave backlight was distinctive, but hot-car demand was fast-waning everywhere, and only 7675 were built for the model year.