The original owner of this 1974 Ford Gran Torino Elite drove the car regularly before placing it in storage when it was less than two years old. It remained in hibernation until recently, when the seller revived it, returned it to active duty, and decided it needed a new home. Its overall condition is impressive, which is unsurprising since it has 18,000 genuine miles on the clock. The Gran Torino is listed here on Craigslist in Washington, North Carolina. They set their price at $8,950, and I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder T.J. for spotting this stunning survivor.
Ford introduced the Gran Torino Elite in February 1974, marketing it as a personal luxury car. Although it wore Gran Torino badges, the company utilized the basic body structure from the Mercury Cougar to create a distinct model within the badge’s range. It carried a premium price tag, but sales far exceeded the company’s expectations. This car cost its original owner a cool $5,100 before they drove away from the dealership, the equivalent of around $31,000 today. They used it regularly for about two years before placing it into storage. It recently emerged and doesn’t appear to have suffered from the experience. Its Royal Maroon paint shines magnificently, with no significant issues. The deeper Maroon vinyl top provides a classy complement. However, it shows considerable deterioration and a couple of splits suggesting replacement will be a priority to prevent rust from developing in the roof area. The panels are straight, and this classic exhibits no evidence of rust. The humungous chrome bumpers, mandated by government legislation, shine nicely, with the remaining trim in a similar state. The steel wheels wear their original wire hubcaps and narrow whitewall tires, with the tinted glass looking flawless.
The ace in this car’s hand could be its interior condition. I have previously talked about classics where the original owner ordered them trimmed in White and how that shade can become stained and yellow as time passes. These issues usually stem from use and UV exposure, but since this car has experienced little of either throughout its life, the interior condition is unsurprising. The vinyl upholstered surfaces are excellent, with the dash and carpet equally impressive. The pad is uncracked, which is important due to the outrageous cost of replacements. I would invest $100 in a high-quality dash cover to provide ongoing protection if I bought this car. Although it isn’t as highly equipped as many luxury offerings from the period, the buyer does receive air conditioning, an AM/FM stereo radio/tape player with dual front and rear speakers, and a remote driver’s mirror.
Lifting the hood reveals the optional 351ci V8 that sends 163hp to the rear wheels via a three-speed automatic transmission. Power assistance for the steering and brakes was standard equipment on the Gran Torino Elite, helping to cement its luxury credentials. Most buyers were largely unconcerned by outright performance, which is probably good considering this car takes 18.7 seconds to wander through the ¼ mile. However, point it at a freeway, and it should cruise effortlessly all day. The seller recently located this classic in storage, working through the process of returning it to a roadworthy state. It included fitting a new fuel tank, tires, master cylinder, fuel pump, and muffler. Considering the overall presentation of the rest of this Elite, the engine bay is pretty disappointing. There is more corrosion than I expected, and a few deteriorating items require replacement if this aspect is to make the right impression when the new owner lifts the hood. However, these shortcomings don’t prevent it from running and driving extremely well, while the inclusion of the Dealer Delivery documentation is a bonus.
Ford sold 428,625 Torinos in 1974, with 96,604 buyers electing to go the extra yard to park a Gran Torino Elite in their driveway. That’s an impressive figure, but like similar cars from this era, many disappeared over the following decade as manufacturers began to recover ground lost in the horsepower war, and owners abandoned them in preference for these newer and more powerful models. Survivors rarely come onto the market today, especially ones with an odometer reading in the “teens.” If the mileage is verifiable, there would be few that could match or beat it. The sale price looks highly competitive in the current market, and I won’t be surprised if it heads to a new home soon. Is it a car you might consider parking in your garage?
Overall, this Ford is in very nice condition although like Adam, I find the engine compartment a disappointment. With the detuned 351, it is pretty much a slug as far as performance goes. Of course, the new owner could rectify that with some speed parts to get a little more get up and go out of it. It’s a good-looking car for the most part but the oversized bumpers front and back really don’t do it any favors. The price seems more than fair even if you have to put a few dollars into it.
Speed parts? Who needs that? This is a beautiful to look at, and comfortable road car. Everyone llaments about the Detroit cars of these years, but they really were stylish and comfortable with adequate power. Plus, lets not forget that they made the air easier to breath. I am, and have always been, a fan of breathing.
I’ve driven quite a few cars from the ’70s and looking for a car back then with even moderate performance after ’73 or ’74 was a bit of a challenge. Maybe the folks who grew up with these cars are satisfied with their performance but for guys like me who had true muscle cars, they just won’t do as is. I actually had a ’74 Torino years ago and I was so disappointed in its performance, I got rid of it not long after I acquired it. That’s why I’ll probably never have another car from the ’70s. I don’t have to be first, but I refuse to be last.
If a person wanted to maximize the performance of that engine while leaving the normal aspiration, what would be an approach?
I agree with FordGuy1972’s comments. The second Elite we get to see over the past few days. This example is impressive with its eye-catching red/white color scheme, especially the white interior which looks superb. It would drive like any other emissions-choked, weighty, less-than-sportily handling personal luxury coupe of its day. But you would sure look good piloting it.
I’ll comment on the raggedy looks underhood. Remember, the car is almost 50 years old. The painted surfaces underhood were, at the factory, not a priority. Thin paint, some parts unpainted. I suspect the mindset at the time was, just make it look good enough to get it out the dealership door. So unless the car’s storage conditions were climate-controlled, things rusted.
The price seems very reasonable.
I’m guessing that the ripped breather ducting could probably allow this car to wander the 1/4 mile in…maybe…17 seconds flat. But who cares?
Judging by some of the most recent rusty finds, this should be selling for a lot more $$.:-)
Seems bargain priced to me.
I forget what the Campbels soup can is for that’s attached to the drivers side engine compartment fender, anyone remember??
Always liked the style of these cars, and the LTD IIs and Cougars of this era.
I’d pay up to 12K for that if the mileage could be verified but u also roll the dice and hope it doesn’t burn a quart of oil every 300 miles from dried up engine seals from sitting for years.
I’ve ran into that issue with old clean low mileage cars I’ve bought over the decades.
That is a vacuum canister. I think they made a larger version as well if the car had vacuum-operated hidden headlights like the LTD, Marquis, Mark IV for example.
The Campbell soup can is a vacuum canister it gives you a reserve of vacuum for those panic moments
Like the vacuum wipers…needed the coffee can to help the wipers under acceleration
this car has 2 or 3 speed electric wipers, depending on if it has intermittent wipers. No ford car had vacuum wipers past the 60’s the vacuum canister is related to the emission system Ford had throughout the mid to late 70’s and the miles of vacuum lines & switches the used during this era
Chuck,
I had a customer with a Rambler with vacuum wipers, who added one of the larger Lincoln vacuum cans to help keep his vacuum wipers operating under load. Problem was he didn’t think it through all the way, hence when he had the wipers on and turned the engine off, the wipers would continue to cycle for a few minutes more unless he shut them off too!
I ended up wiring a 12v switch to the ignition circuit that opened & closed a vacuum line, and with the ignition switch in the run position, it opened the vacuum line.
This is one fine piece of metal but please, please spend at least an hours’ worth of elbow grease doing an engine cleaning. She deserves it!
Yes. It is a vacuum reservoir for the additional items that were vacuum operated. During those years the a/c and heating dampers, cruise control and automatic brake releases, as well as possibly other components we’re vacuum operated. I had a vehicle with what looked like a Donald Duck orange juice can on it.
This has G as the second digit of its VIN, meaning it was built at the Chicago plant.
Nice car, why do dealers insist on putting their Logo riveted on the Trunk lid? OK I know why, but why don’t peoples object? I did when I ordered my 94 Z28, specifying that it not have one, in Capital Letters, Underlined, Exclamation points, still had to run and stop the guy at the last second when it was finally delivered.
It was one of the first 6 speeds this particular Dealership had ordered, salesman asked if he could give it a test drive before I drove off (they’re a Dealer, it was a no-cost option, order one, you can guess my answer)
Last car I’ve bought from a dealer,
Frank
Ever notice that Ferraris don’t come like that? Do the wealthy deserve more respect than us “little people ” do? The last new car I bought I ordered and was quite specific about not wanted a dealer sticker on it. My wife got peeved at me, said I “embarrassed” her. Can you imagine? Has it been so engraved into the society that this is just expected? Get kicked in the rear so long, you just shrug and accept it.
I once told a salesman not to put the ‘dealer free advertising sticker’ on my wife’s new car with the promise I would keep his car tag on the front or he could pay me $100 for advertising for him. Guess which one he chose? LoL
Frank,
In 1973 I ordered a Dodge B-200 LWB cargo van, loaded with options including Factory A/C, V8, most power accessories, but stick shift, and nothing in the back but pop-open windows in the rear doors.
I insisted the dealer not install their logo on the truck, as they had to drill 2 holes in the metal. I had that stipulation added to the sales invoice. On arriving to pick up the truck, I saw the dealer badge had been added, and of course there were now 2 holes in the left rear door.
I refused to take delivery of the truck. Told them to order me another one. [NO] They said they would remove the badge and fill the holes. [another NO]
I told them they would have to order a complete rear door assembly, paint it to match, and I would accept that, along with a 10% reduction in price. [Another NO]
I knew the truck would be a very hard vehicle to sell due to the various options it had. They also knew this was the case, and if I filed a complaint with the state’s office of consumer affairs they would have to refund my hefty deposit, plus pay a fine.
The dealership finally accepted my offer of a new door and a 10% discount. I also insisted I view the old door to confirm it had indeed been replaced. About a year later I noticed the Dodge dealership was now using license plate frames with their name on them.
That was the car my mom got when we moved to Gresham Oregon, I think the interior was all red but hey it was like 50 years ago soo… Like I stated in the other post I hated washing that thing, especially the spoke hubcaps.
Beautiful car. And, I love those white seats. Plus, it’s not too overpriced.
Its not bad looking, and it wasn’t bad looking when it was two years old. But why put it away and store it? Great to have a place to do that but all things considered . . .
Another beautiful Elite!
Help,,,,I get “Error 404” a lot, can’t log in, what gives staff? In my crabbiest Andee Roonee voice, and an about face on my normal pleasant demeanor, you know,,we’re paying for this,,
Howard, the loss of your voice here would be a tragedy of great proportion. I say that in all seriousness. Keep fighting the good fight buddy.
Thanks pal, I know I ruffle some feathers, mostly people that want profit from this madness, and I doubt it’s BFs, but think of me as the last man standing on these issues, an advocate, of sorts. Can’t blame the buyers, with no exposure to these kinds of things, they simply may not know of any wrong doing, this is reality to them. I realize it’s a lost cause, but thanks, and hopefully that solar flare passed, and I can log in again. I swear, not being logged in, aka, non-member, is truly aggravating.
Nope, can’t log in, anyone else?
What good memories from this Elite. Back in ’76, my older cool cousin had a red one like this, white interior, the same 1974 year model, but I’m pretty sure the vinyl top on his was white. I was 11 and find it hard to believe to this day that my mom used to allow me to go ride around with him in it. I remember the one 8-Track he had was Kiss Alive, and we listened to it over and over. The car got totaled when an 18-wheeler got too close and the back tires took out the whole driver’s side. Nobody was injured, but the car looked awful. His next car was a 1976 Corvette, and amazingly, I liked the Elite better, probably because it was the first car I got to ride in on a regular basis that wasn’t owned by my parents!
Beautiful and disappointing at the same time. Come to think of it, I’ve dated a few women like that. :)
I remember seeing those bumpers in 1973 when they were in the pre-shipping lots after being made. They absolutely made me cringe. The carmakers already had the cars so far along in design and engineering and had to add the bumpers any way they could. But they’re a part of history now…
If this was a contemporary 1974 review, I would say how the 4300 pound curb weight car with approximately 165 horses fails the power to weight ratio test. I would point out that the Ford power steering is over assisted and has no feedback. I would write how the 1973 Monte Carlo redesign was advertised for its handling improvements and would be worth a test drive as an Elite personal luxury competitor. Certainly I would note that the long hood short deck design in this class looks stunning but makes maneuvers in tight spaces in the parking lot wars a tedious task. Fast forward to 2022 and my tune would change. Judged as a survivor one would be hard pressed to find a 1974 car that looks so well preserved and claims such low mileage despite cosmetic defects duly noted. The ride of the personal luxury coupes was awesome but the back seats were cozy. As an antique car show entry, they would stick out like a beacon with their style and equipment on a 49 year old model. The Elite would glide effortlessly on car cruises if one ditched the 2 lane roads for the interstate between checkpoints. I hope this red beauty goes to a good home that will keep it original.
And it’s already sold
I’m not surprised that it’s gone. Nice car for the $$.
Buy it. De-smog it. Drive it.
The engine compartment says 118,000 miles. It’s nasty, with lots of wear, and tear showing.
John L,
I’ve been restoring and appraising vintage vehicles for decades, and am a court certified appraiser and transportation expert.
I agree with you this is NOT a 18,000 mile vehicle. It’s either a garage-kept vehicle that was pampered and kept clean by it’s owner, or it’s possible the car’s speedometer was replaced at a later date and the mileage shown started again at 00000.0
A 1973 car with a genuine 18k miles on it, would have an engine compartment as nice as the exterior and interior of the car. There is simply too much grease, oil, and dirt build-up on various parts in the engine compartment.
About 20 years ago I found [and bought] a 1969 Ford Fairlane convertible that looked as nice as this car, and the speedometer showed just under 20,000 miles. Yes the car was almost immaculate outside and inside, as the single owner kept it in the heated and de-humidified garage, never drove it in bad weather, and kept it under a dust cover, even in the garage. The owner was honest about the car and said it was indeed a 120,000 mile car.
Bill, you and seem to think alike. If this was truly an 18,000 mile car, the engine compartment would be almost pristine. The engine compartment says this is higher mileage car. I am a auto insurance adjuster, and after a few vehicles, you notice things that the average person does not see. I get the impression, the “writers” for Barn Finds, very seller biased. Just one man’s opinion.
John L,
I don’t think the writers here on Barn finds have the same backgrounds as we do.
I would be Leary on milage without some documentation.
Definetly some underlying rust issues,
driver side cowl panel in upper corner
by weatherstripping appears all the way through.
I bought a ’76 Elite because I thought it was a beautiful smaller Thunderbird. That’s where the similarity ended. I had it in the Dealership twice in the first month to replace under dash bracing which broke every time I crossed a railroad track. I gave up replacing them the third time they popped. Also every time I brushed my suits across the tan seats the seats turned black and faded and had to be cleaned. Finally, I had enough when I went on a trip over hilly curvy road and couldn’t keep the car in the two lanes. Worse handling car I’ve ever driven. Too softly sprung and no sway bars. I had the car six months and lost a ton on it when I sold it.
Nice looking Torino. I remember these were everywhere, they must have sold a ton of them. Even Clint Eastwood had one ! lol
And with those awesome bumpers, which you could actually bump things with (unlike all the plastic crap for the last couple decades) and not cause massive expensive damage to your car.
We could have used these in hedgerows of Normandy. if only !
You could probably “total” an entire parking lot of modern “cars” with this 1 car’s bumpers.& keep going. lol
Looks like they can take MORE than a 5mph hit!
This are a nice addition to use them as cooling space for beer
bottles. aircooled lol
Used to be one around town with air shocks and Keystone Classics on it. Looked good back then.
Is this car sold?
The underpinnings are identical to any Torino, T-bird, Cougar etc. from 1970 on up to 1979. I had a 78 Diamond Jubilee T-Bird and fitted it with a 340HP 351 Cleveland. I ordered headers for a 71 Torino and they bolted straight in. This car will also have a Ford 9″ rear end. Likely not posi but easy to swap a set in. I put a set of 3:73 gears in it and it took off but rolled 4100 RPM at 60 MPH. Ouch. The car is very heavy and cannot be made into a decent hot rod. But as is with a few engine tweaks and removal of the smog gear, it could be a classy cruiser.
3.73 gears that turned 4100 RPM at 60 mph? Sounds like a huge fish story.
On this speed the engine should rev ~2000-2400 rpm
Torino? BwaHaHaHa! Good luck starting it!
God awful looking front bumpers!
Great daily driver.Put on dual exhaust , kn open element air filter and tune it up, charge the a/c and drive the wheels off it . No check engine lights or other bs just a solid ole car priced fairly.
I’m curious how big of a job it would be to modify those bumpers and tuck them up? I know some custom work that an average “non-car” person wouldn’t even know happened can be thousands of dollars in labor…
uncork the exhaust to duals and advance the timing and take a few of those time retarting vacuum sensor off that engine will run fine and a little bit more power
The dealership where my dad worked had a couple of these that they provided to the local Speedway as pace cars during the mid-70s. My dad’s co-worker, the other service writer, drove the pace car and formerly raced at the speedway. He said something along the lines of not having to worry about going too fast for the cars behind him as anything faster than the pace car speed would be hairy and Left at the thought that someone would ever turn one into a street stock. Big, comfortable in a 1970s way, American car. Very nice example, not surprised it sold.
The condition in the engine bay tells me it was last driven
in the winter and since it never received a wash. The bottom
and suspension then may look similar. Additional costs
to preserve its condition. Original tires? And brakes too?
Stay safe with replacements whoever buys it.
Pretty landyacht and i like it but, i dont want it.
I was the one that posted the car for sale. Loved reading all the comments. Funny all the opinions- enjoyed them all! I sold it to a guy in Rocky Mount, NC who immediately relisted it and sold it, and it may have transferred another time or two since I sold it – each time for more and more money (last listing I saw was around $15,000). Anyways. If the current owner would like another piece of the car’s history that the original owner’s family passed on – reach out to me.