Lime Green, Lean, and a Little Loud: My ’71 Maverick 🚗

Everyone remembers their first car, but not everyone can say theirs was born the same year they were. Mine? A 1971 Ford Maverick—white on the outside, lime green on the inside. Yep, my car and I were basically cosmic twins.

I bought it in the late ’80s from an older woman who had purchased it new and babied it ever since. When I slid behind that wheel, it still looked showroom fresh, like it had been waiting all those years just for me.

A Car With Personality

Now, let’s talk about that interior. Lime. Green. Interior. Not avocado (though it was the ’70s), not a subtle mint. Full-on lime, like someone upholstered the seats in citrus zest. Sitting inside was part disco, part Jell-O salad, and a whole lot of fabulous. I couldn’t have blended in if I’d tried—and honestly, why would I want to?

More Than Just Wheels

That Maverick was more than just a ride. It was independence on four tires, my ticket to late-night drives, blasting music with the windows down, and the thrill of being in charge of my own little bubble of freedom. Every squeaky hinge and vinyl seat creak carried me into new chapters of young adulthood.

Life Lessons From a ’71 Maverick

Looking back, my first car taught me more than just parallel parking:

• Embrace what makes you stand out. Lime green interiors, quirky ideas, or your own bold style—quirky beats boring every time.

• Take care of what takes care of you. That car was pristine because its first owner loved it, and that love carried through.

• Sometimes fate is funny. I didn’t pick a car my age—it picked me.

That Maverick wasn’t just my first car. It was my rolling reminder that life is better when you embrace the weird, the bold, and the lime-green fabulous.