Mustang Grabbers, as well as their more economical Maverick counterparts, were offered in Ford's new Grabber colors-Blue, Green, and Orange-along with Vermilion and Bright Yellow. The Mustang versions came with reflective C-stripes (similar to the '69 Boss 302s but without the lettering), dual racing mirrors, Boss-like black-out rear panel, and 14-inch steel wheels with Ford corporate caps and trim rings. Buyers liked the Grabber for its sportiness combined with the economy of a small V-8.
Like most '70 Grabbers, Joel's SportsRoof is equipped with the 302 small-block with Autolite 2100 two-barrel carburetion. In 1970, the 302 was rated at 220 hp. But what mattered more was the 296 ft/lbs of torque at 2,600 rpm where most street engines like to live. Joel's Grabber has Ford's C4 Select-Shift automatic transmission dovetailed into conventional 2.79:1 cogs.
Joel tells us that some people give him a hard time about the Boss-style stripes, saying they shouldn't be there, which tells us something about how little is known about these special Grabber Mustangs.
Tracking Grabbers
Lance Morgan has a thing about '70 Mustang Grabbers. He likes them and he owns one. And he's determined to document as many as he can through his '70 Mustang Grabber Registry.
Lance tells us these cars are challenging to identify because they lose their identities when repainted. With a Marti Report, you need look no further than the listing for "Grabber Special Value Package" to accurately identify a Grabber.
John Naughton, Ford Vice President and Ford Division General Manager at the time, introduced the '70 Mustang and Maverick Grabbers in February of 1970 at the Chicago Auto Show. He described the Mustang Grabber: "This Nifty Thrifty carries, among other features, performance-oriented striping, dual racing mirrors, rear air spoiler (Editor's note: He's talking about the built-in fastback rear spoiler, not the pedestal-mount version), and a 302 cubic-inch V-8, Ford's smallest V-8." Naughton also promoted Ford's new Grabber colors for 1970, which were available on all Mustangs that year.
Grabber wasn't just a Mustang or Maverick model that year, but a Ford Division sales promotion. It was all about grabbing a good deal on a new Ford. Full-sized Fords were billed as "Grab a Quiet Break." If you wanted a Torino, "Grab Motor Trend's Car of the Year." And Mustang? "Grab this version of America's number one sporty car."
If you would like to know more about the '70 Grabber Mustang Registry, contact Lance Morgan through his website, www.1970mgr.org.
Equipment
• Reflective C-stripes
• Dual racing mirrors
• Black-out rear panel
• F70x14 WSW tires, corporate hubcaps with trim rings
• 302 2V V-8, automatic transmission
| Production Figures by Color* |
| Grabber Blue |
1,384 |
| Yellow |
1,129 |
| Vermilion |
1,049 |
| Grabber Orange |
818 |
| Grabber Green |
740 |
| Total |
5,120 |
* Provided by Kevin Marti at Marti Autoworks (www.martiauto.com)