Duane Gryb was only 15 years old when he got his first car, a 1973 Ford Maverick that would stick around with Duane for life’s milestones until one of his milestones (son Aaron) became the car’s third owner.
Duane passed his driver’s test in the ’73 Maverick, a tradition that continued in the Gryb family when Aaron also passed his driver’s test in the same car.
The Maverick has undergone a few changes with the father and son team via upgrades to its exterior, interior and powertrain over the years.
Jim Sutherland
However, the car still sports the same custom wheels from 40 years ago, according to Duane, but added the Maverick “has been on the continuous improvement plan”, in his words.
For example, the Maverick’s original 302 small block blew up and was replaced by another 302 donated by a 1968 Mercury Cougar. Duane told MyStarCollector the 302 was a Mexican block, a Ford engine manufactured in Mexico and reputed to be a stronger platform for performance upgrades.
Aaron added aluminum heads and a friskier cam to the replacement 302 because of its suitability for higher horsepower. The powertrain changes included a 5-speed manual transmission to give the Maverick higher MPH speeds with lower RPMs on the road.
The changes did not include an upgrade to either power steering or brakes so the ’73 Maverick still has its original manual components and requires a little extra work to stop or steer, according to Duane and Aaron. The result is a car that retains its old school feel on the road.
Perhaps the most significant improvement is the exterior of the car because the Maverick looks like it just left the Ford dealership 52 years ago. The father and son team spent four years working on the body and the car is done to a very high level, considering neither of them are licensed autobody tradesmen.
In fact, both Duane and Aaron are professional engineers, but their chosen career is based upon precision, so they were willing to use their spare time to ensure the Maverick met their standards.
The paint process alone required hundreds of hours of wet sanding to achieve the perfect blend of base coat and clear coat on the Maverick, a tedious task that indicates how committed Duane and Aaron were to a high-end paint job.
The Maverick’s engine compartment is a subtle blend of chrome bling that enhances the transplanted 302 small block’s appearance under the hood.
MyStarCollectorCar readers may notice the front seats in the Maverick. They were donated by a 1988 Camaro IROC and are a big improvement over the car’s original front seats, according to the Gryb father and son team.
1973 was a pivotal year for domestic cars because they were required to add bumpers that could withstand a 5 MPH crash without damage, a compulsory safety feature that did not flatter the vehicles, including the Maverick. 1973 Mavericks only had them on the front end, so Duane and Aaron replaced it with a 1972 Maverick front bumper to give their car a sleeker look.
The net result is a 1973 Maverick with a better powertrain and cleaner style that fits right into the family legacy category in the Gryb family.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
- CLICK HERE to Sign Up for the Newsletter
- CLICK HERE to Like us on Facebook
- CLICK HERE to Follow us on Twitter
- CLICK HERE to Follow us on Pinterest
