Tony Fritz’s 1970 Maverick Is An FE-Powered Passion Project

Some cars are built to capture trophies or set records, others are built to inspire wicked adrenaline rushes, or to simply be cool weekend cruisers. But Tony Fritz’s beautiful “Burn Out Blue” 1970 Ford Maverick was built to be much more than just a machine—it was built to be a mechanical representation of his lifetime spent wrenching, racing, and chasing the perfect pass.

Now 65 and retired, Tony’s life has always revolved around horsepower and the pursuit of high-powered performance. Growing up in Ohio, Tony found his way into the car culture when he was in high school. “I’ve always been a car nut,” he says. “Even before I could drive, I was drawn to muscle cars and racing.”

Inspired by his brothers Joe and Ted Fritz, his brother-in-law Bob Ellis, and a close-knit group of car club friends in the mid-1980s, Tony got deep into drag racing. He spent years piloting everything from street cars to roadsters, door cars to dragsters, dialing in combinations and collecting seat time like most people collect souvenir T-shirts. His interest in constantly trying to improve his cars’ performance led to a job as a service advisor and manager early in his career, too.

“I’ve had several cool street cars over the years, including several ‘67-‘68 Mustangs—one even made the cover of the 1984 yearbook,” shared Tony, who also owned several 1964 Ford Fairlanes, including a cherry 1964 Thunderbolt clone. “I’ve also had a couple ‘66 Fairlanes, including a real nice ‘66 Fairlane 427 clone that I still have.”

Tony’s passion stuck with him throughout his life, as did his wife, Nancy, who also enjoys racing and often helps out at the races. As he edged closer to retirement, though, Tony started ramping up his full-time fun at the track.

In 2015, Tony spotted a pristine 1970 Ford Maverick posted for sale on an FE engine enthusiast forum and knew he had to have it. At the time, the street-driven car was running a revolutionary 1960s-era Ford 427 Hi-Rise single overhead cam engine with dual four-barrel carburetors, and it was also equipped with a heavy-duty C6 automatic transmission. “I thought it was really cool,” Tony recalled of the ride that featured one of Ford’s early high-performance powerplants. “The unique body style was different, and I liked that it wasn’t just another Mustang or Fairlane.”

Tony’s appreciation for the unconventional ultimately shaped the entire build. Rust-free and straight out of Southern California, his newly acquired Maverick was already solid, but Tony had far more serious intentions for its future.

Three years after its purchase, Tony’s Maverick received a new, purpose-built race engine. The naturally aspirated Ford FE big block, built by George Petrohilos, featured machine work including a bore/hone job and billet main cap installation, all done by Kammer & Kammer. Although the powerplant started its life as a factory Ford 427, Tony and his crew punched it out to a new capacity with a large bore of 4.280-inches and stroke length of 4.250-inches to accommodate 490 cubic inches.

After more than a decade building, refining, and racing, Tony runs his meticulous Maverick mostly at specialty Ford events, nostalgia FE gatherings, and local bracket races—both box and no-box. “I love being at the track and talking to other racers. This car is definitely different, and that’s what I like most about it,” he added.

“I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my brothers Joe and Ted, my brother-in-law Bob Ellis, and my good friends Bill Spangler and George Petrohilos,” Tony said gratefully. “They’ve all helped in one way or another over the years, and I couldn’t have built this car without them.”

In a world where late-model Mustangs and LS-swaps are commonplace, Tony’s striking 1970 Ford Maverick is a refreshing throwback, and a rolling reminder of what passion and patience can build. For him, it’s not just a car; it’s a testament to decades of dedication and the culmination of a communal effort. His Maverick isn’t just special because of its show-car-worthy good looks or its impressively quick all-motor, low-9-second elapsed times—it’s special because of the people who helped build it and the stories they share.