This 1972 Ford Gran Torino Sport two-door hardtop is a bit unusual in not being a Sportsroof model. This beauty can be found on Craigslist, or here on the CL archive, in Cottage Grove, Oregon with an asking price of $17,500. Thanks to Michael for sending in this one!
I personally prefer the more sleeper and/or businesslike look of the two-door hardtop over the Sportsroof Gran Torino. The latter looks much too – and this is a horrible word – bloated, for me. I love a sleeper look and even though this car doesn’t have one of the two hot engine options it’ll more than keep up with modern traffic.
To further solidify the businesslike look of this beautiful car it even has a vinyl roof. This car really appears to be in stellar condition, although it appears to have one of the glitches with having a vinyl top, some bubbling underneath. Other than the usual detailing, especially in the engine compartment, this car looks great to me. I would not change one thing on this example other than to break out the toothbrushes and q-tips and to go work on making this one look like new again. And, try to tackle that vinyl top issue.
There are no photos showing the seats other than this one showing some cracking on the leading edge of the driver’s seat. The dash looks perfect in the partial photos that were provided. The seller says that this is a “One owner 116,00 miles. Bought new in Lebanon Ore. Daily driver from 1972 to 1992 kept in garage. 1992 to 2018 stored in heated barn, driven for exercise.”
Here is a photo showing basically this same car configuration and color scheme but with different wheels. This engine is a $99 optional S-Code 400 cubic-inch V8 which unfortunately only had 168 hp in 1972. The faux hood scoop was operational on one of two hotter engines, either a $130 upgraded ($775 in 2018) Q-Code 351 Cobra Jet 4-barrel with 248 hp or an N-Code 429 Cobra Jet with 208 hp. The 351 was the more popular engine upgrade given the rising insurance costs for the 429 and it was more powerful; a no-brainer if there ever was one. Have any of you owned a Gran Torino Sport?
Looks like a ringer from the 2008 Clint Eastwood movie
Not really.
Steve R
Nothing less than the slantback with the Cobra Jet
Wow your rite
Other than the missing Magnum 500 wheels, laser stripe down the side and the Sportsroof, it’s identical….
Get off my lawn.
This seller is dreaming. It has some desirable options, but this isn’t a highly sought after car in this configuration. If would be a different story if the car had the fastback body, 351CJ, 4 speed and Ram Air but without the rust under the top.
Steve R
Asking prices mean zero, zilch, nada. The “market” will determine the price. Always has, always will. The market also takes all of the emotion out of a sale. Every seller thinks they own the Crown Jewel of Motoring. As MIke Tyson said: “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” Those are words to live by.
…and bucket seats!
I know what you’re saying is all true, but if I had a choice between a similarly optioned Sportsroof or a hardtop of the era, I’d go with the hardtop. I just like the looks of it better.
I had a ’72 Gran Torino Sport with the fast back roofline in this same exact color in ’76. Mine had the 351C and C4 in it with P/S, PDB and A/C. A very good highway cruiser.
I’d buy this car for about 7000. The 400cid engine was a strong runner. My dad had a 73 gran torino wgn with a 400. Awesome car
Get in the truck! Or: My co-workers are giving me a pain in the ass….
It’s amazing how a movie can have such a profound effect on people. This has got to be the best collection of one-liners and insults since Full Metal Jacket….
Yes, I like the car too….
Clint Eastwood absolutely NAILED it with that character! Reminded me of how people where when I was growing up in Detroit when it was acceptable to have at least normal testosterone levels. “But he was such a bigot in that movie” Sorry folks, a bigot wouldn’t take a minority kid under his wing to show him the ropes.
Yes, I think it was one of his best performances ever. It’s interesting how some of us talk to our closest friends. My wife used to get so Shocked at the way my friends and I talked to each other. But we knew each other for our entire lives and we knew where the line was….
I thought this platform was about cars, not movies or their characters. This Grand Torino looks quite like…not exactly…the one in the movie. But, since the annoucemwnt of Ford ceasing production of sedans, I think we are viewing dinosaurs.
Personally I think it’s about cars and the memories they bring. Most of my life has revolved around cars and other mechanical conveyances. Consequently I have a lot of memories that include those conveyances. And I like to share such memories with others who have similar backgrounds. I think that’s why so many refer to our hobby as a car culture. And when you take a movie like Gran Torino, there are a lot of us who can refer to people in our backgrounds who are very similar to the characters. It’s all part of life…
Long as he doesn’t put a whale tail spoiler on the back of it
It would be neat if this had the 351CJ and the 4 speed tranny, I wonder if any hard tops like this were built that way? It just struck me that I am only familiar with the 400M that a few people I knew had in their pick ups and that was an absolute dog, of course these would have been choked to death with emission controls, so this here 400 can’t be the same engine, right?
A 400M is a 400M no matter what vehicle it is in, car or truck.
There’s no such thing as a 400M. There was a 351M, as opposed to a 351C or a 351W. The 400 was simply a “400”, and the ratings differed between cars and trucks, they weren’t exactly the same.
They are called a 400M because they are the same basic engine as a 351M. They share the same mounting points and the same bell housing pattern. You can pull a 351M out and replace it with a 400M with no modifications. An M engine will not bolt up to a transmission for a 289/302/351W/351C.
Part of the confusion here is that Ford has 3 different 351 engines so we add the W, C, or M to show which one we are talking about. There is only 1 Ford 400 so we really do not need to add the M, but that is what it is.
I’ve had two 1978 Ford 4X4s powed by 400Ms. Ant time you bought parts, they were refer to as 400Ms. If you look in a Ford Service Manual they are called out as 400Ms. The M is family of the Engine, Just like FE, Windsor, etc.
We had a 71 Country Squire wagon, my dad bought new. 400 with 2 bbl carb.
Rubber city. Pulled like a freight train.
I remember carrying a 45 gallon drum of coal oil in the back, an hours drive. The rear tire blew out at 50 mph. I was all over the road and avoided everyone else. Lucky day for me. Darn drum must have weighed in at 350 lbs.
Nice, but I’d want more flash for that kind of cash.
Keep in mind,
Through 1971, horsepower was rated as SAE gross/BHP. The standard changed to SAE net in 1972.
Example…1971 Torino with a 302 2v was rated at 210 HP
1972 Torino with a 302 2v was rated at 140 HP
Tougher emissions became the standard every year, 72 Fords reduced compression ratios for emission purposes, but the 302 didn’t lose 70 frickin’ HP !
Would rather compare a 1971 400CID, but it was not produced until ’72.
Check HP figures of any cars sold in the US 1971 vs. 1972.
NICE FIND ! Clint’s was a 1968…
Not a 1968 in the movie. That was a totally different body style.
@John Leyshon. According to the movie credits it WAS a 1972 Gran Torino.
The ‘68 Torino was more like the Galaxie it ultimately replaced. The ‘72 was an new, “clean sheet of paper” design
Neat find. I was pretty observant about cars back then and don’t recall ever seeing a non sportroof Sport of this generation. Too bad it’s not a Q-code 4-speed.
Lol no rust. What’s that under the vinyl top?
Had a 72 Grand Torino Sport in red, black vinyl half-top, laser side stripes. 351C, auto. Perfect sleeper, it would smoke the 12 inch Gillettes. Sold my 66 7Ltr to buy it. Talk about hind-sight! Go ahead…call me “stupid”!
The letter designation indicates the city of manufacturing C=Cleveland OH. W=Windsor ON. I don’t remember where the M was built, but the designation was on both 351 and 400 engines. I had a 77 F250 and the emission sticker listed it as a 400M.
You’re correct, many 400 engines were labeled by the factory as 400M because it’s what they were. Simply a 351M with a half inch longer stroke crankshaft installed. The 400 is a strong runner with basic bolt on goodies. Some M series blocks were produced at the Michigan Casting Center, and some were produced at the Cleveland Foundry.
M stood for modified. It was a 351 modified to be a 400 M.
There was an emissions sticker that read 351M/400 that apparently confused people, and what the M stood for became a question as well. Was it modified? Michigan? Modified sounds good to me but it was in reference to the 351M, not the 400 which was based on the 351 Cleveland 2V. To be honest it is just too confusing to ramble on about but there is some good info out there if any one actually cares.
Well there ya go, the decal on the valve cover said “Engine Family 351M/400” The M stood for modified. You got it right, and there’s not really that much confusing about it, except to those who don’t know squat about Ford motors.
Gotta be pretty sharp to know Ford engines, like the attitude. But you still agree that there was never a 400M as you stated earlier, right?
Last time on this one I swear.
I had a black on black 72 in the eighties.Had the 351 with aC4 it would leave a good black mark, too heavy for anything else. Traded a Remington 1100 for it.Those were the days.
Yup, I’d rather have the car than the gun…
Sure, I have a ’73 Gran Torino Sport Fastback 351 CobraJet. Yes these did come with formal roofline and Sport package like the green one here. Those are two different things. The “Sport” indicated a trim package, not a “sportsroof”. The roof you’re referring to was called Fastback by Ford. Also, Ford didn’t use the term hardtop. What some of you are referring to as a hardtop, was called a “formal roof” by Ford. The idea of a hardtop, the term itself, has to do with not having a B pillar. It’s got nothing to do with the sleekness or lack thereof of the roofline. Ford had formal and Fastback rooflines, which you could get in sport or regular trim, with various engines such as the 351C, 351W, or 351CJ.
That’s one pretty 73 T Mel. Tell me about the hood – is that a factory CJ hood for 73? I had a 73 fastback 351C FMX that I bought from my Platoon Sergeant in 1980. It had 96k miles then but spent it’s entire life in Texas. 3 months after buying it, it spun a timing chain and cost me big for the repairs. After adding 4 barrel heads and intake from a Mustang, it really livened up. Until my brother floated the valves and sent the #4 piston into the sunshine. I rear-ended a truck in Depew, NY on leave, towed it 225 miles and plugged a new front clip on it. Little did I know that my wonderful brother had modified the brakes and disabled the rears (for racing of course). Hard braking caused that car to nosedive under the truck bumper and roll the grill and radiator over the distributor. Never touched the front bumper on the GTS. Ah the memories. Let it go to a friend in 84 for the same $800 that I paid for it. Wish I had it still! Chuck in Kansas
Enjoyed reading your story Chuck. No the hood Shaker is not factory, but everything else is.
As an owner of a ’72 GTS, I agree, you could get the formal roof or fastback on a Gran Torino Sport, but I’m not sure you could get the fastback on a non sport…at least I can’t recall ever seeing one.
First time I’ve ever seen a Sport that didn’t have bucket seats, seems pretty strange. Except for the racing mirrors and tachometer, this is really just a standard Gran Torino, more like a Brougham than a Sport. Beautiful cars though, probably my favorite year of Torino.
The term “Sportsroof” came about with the ‘69 Mustang, and as I’ve always heard in 30 years in the hobby, was also used on the full-size cars. Hardtop has become a generic term (like Kleenex), and has come to identify a fixed-roof car sans B-pillars.
..nother early 70’s dog .. way way way over priced! Better if it was an AMC Matador
I have to say, I cannot remember a single time any of my hotrod buddies from the 60’s and 70’s ever said.. “I gotta get me one of those”…
I do however, remember a friends grandmother driving one…..
Yea, I will pass on this one
this 400 motor is the largest displacement ‘square motor” I can find oem. I think it would do better w/3X2v than a 4v carb and a modern cam…
To Ken Tilley: Yes the movie title was Gran Torino but if you look at the car more closely in the movie it definitely says Gran Torino Sport on the car side panel near the doors. This car model was the very first brand new car that I owned in either 72 or 73….can’t quite remember.
…and filmed in Detroit!
Interesting car and to a previous comment adding more carb/carbs will do nothing to a stock motor like this, this came with a 2 bbl for a reason, it cant use any more fuel/air.
The car looks in decent shape, and I agree “No rust” maybe those are just bubbles of sunshine under the vinyl? Any guesses on what its going to go for? Certainly NOT my cup of tea but is interesting
@Lee Waddington. The “M” did not denote engine family. Lol. The 351C, 351M, and 400, all belong to the Cleveland family. Lord have mercy lol.
I own a 1972 Gran Torino Sport Fastback. I’ve owned about 15 of the 72-73 Gran Torinos over the years.
The Sport was a replacement for the previous year “Torino GT” model. All fastback Gran Torinos were Sports, but not all Sports were Fastback styles. All Sports were 2 door cars however. The door panels and a few other trim pieces were really all that was different.
The ONLY performance engine available in 72-73 was the “Q” code 351 4V. The 429 was a torque monster (for the time), but only 205 hp. It was not considered a performance engine, but available for those that wanted to tow. The “Q” code was the only engine eligible for the 4 speed transmission.
Several items thought to be “Sport” options were also available on any 2 door Gran Torino. Items like bucket seats, floor shift, console, and Rallye gauges. The Competition suspension was available on any 2 door body style.
The 400 engine. The 400 is of the 335 series of engines known as Cleveland. It has a taller deck and used 385 series trans bolt pattern and engine mounts. As mentioned previously, there were two 351 engines offered from 1970-74. The Windsor continued, but the Cleveland was harder to hit fuel mileage and emission standards. In 1975, Ford eliminated the 351C (as it’s known) and replaced it with a 351M. That designation was given to distinguish it from the other two engines. A 351M is a tall deck 400 block with a 3.5 stroke crank (and longer rods). The M does stand for “Modified” and applies only to the 351 engine. Slang took that over and folks refer to 400’s as M’s as well.
As long as we’re talking about 351’s….there were 4 engines built by Ford Motor Company that had a 4.00″ bore and a 3.50″ stroke. They all equaled 351.86 cubic inches. The 1958-1967 FE series was known as the 352. The 1969-92 351W , 1970-74 351C, and the 1975-82 351M.
I hope I have cleared up some confusion about this small part of Ford V-8 engine lore.
Thanks Clint for the wealth of info! Chuck
One interesting engine I remember reading about many years ago in an old magazine was some very hopped up Ford engine nicknamed the 366 “Boss Hoss”, based on the 351 Cleveland. Just a custom built race mill that made gobs of horsepower, but I have also read about a 366 cubic inch engine Ford was experimenting with for NASCAR based on the Cleveland before ending all their racing programs.
@Troy s. Are you not confusing the Ford engine ” Boss Hoss ” with the Chev 350 V8 fitted to the “Hoss Boss” motorcycle?