I never thought I’d call a Ford Granada “stunning,” but this one sure is, if only for its truly beautiful condition. It’s located in Grants Pass, Oregon (why are so many low mileage cars in the Pacific Northwest?) and is up for sale here on eBay where the no reserve bidding is still below $1,500 as I write.
In case you don’t remember, Ford tried to market the Granada as a cut-rate Mercedes SL/SLC. I never really understood that comparison, as it was pretty obvious the two cars could have been created on different planets. That doesn’t make the Granada a bad car, though, and it wasn’t.
You can see how nice the car is by looking at the underside. It honestly looks like a 2 year old used car. Everything is stock in this one; it even comes with the Ford demonstration 8-track tape! What, you want more 8-tracks? It comes with those, too! It’ s pretty easy to see this car hasn’t been taken out on salty winter roads often.
Considering most of what the big three were putting out at the time, the styling of the Granada isn’t too bad. I even like the opera window treatment on this coupe. The 5 mph bumpers are still pretty darn big and ugly, though. As with everything else I can see, the wheel covers are original as well, and I think the narrow whitewalls are the way to go.
Under the hood, it looks just like you’d expect. The seller claims that everything works exactly as it should, including the air conditioning. I can believe it looking at that 302 V8 engine. Some detailing would make it look even better!
Just look at this interior. You could be looking at a 1976 Ford Granada brochure! I wonder why this one didn’t come with buckets (they were available)? While I realize this might not be everyone’s cup of tea, I like this car. It’s not low enough mileage or rare enough that you’d be afraid to drive it, but it certainly doesn’t need much of anything before you could be proud to take it to a car event anywhere. Would you like to take it home, and if so, at what price?
Breaking news: a 1976 Mercury Monarch with only 7,602 miles is featured in Hemmings today for $15,000. The Monarch was the Mercury “twin” of the Ford Granada, and this one is gorgeous. Sure makes this Granada look inexpensive, though!
Someone nearby needs to snap this one up. My parents had a new ’75 Granada Ghia 4 door with a 302 and I remember it well. Not a hot rod, but a sweet driving, flat cornering little car.
The Granada is nice looking as a new-for-1975 design, but unless you get a clean one cheap, there are a lot more desirable blue ovals out there. $15k for the Hemmings one is nuts. It’s a malaise era Ford. Why would you want that over a Falcon or a Torino?
My mom had a 78 Granada – square headlight version. Dark Red with white vinyl landau top, wire wheel covers.. First car I learned to drive in. 302 was pretty good. Rectangular 85 mph speedo that would continue on past the 85 mark (at like 4 oclock positiion) and go at least straight down. At that point if you had ashes in the ash tray and the windows down, it would create a vortex in the middle of the car that would suck the ashes out of the ashtray and make them into a furious cloud inside the car.
And if you went over a hill fast enough to leave the ground, the driver’s side window might jump the track and fall all the way into the door. I learned a LOT of things in that car…
It may be malaise era, but as Rando noted, big engine in small car still can equal a lot of fun!
Hey when was the last time you saw one on the road? Not in like forever for me but my girlfriend had a black one with red interior that she drove for like ten yrs. so it was very dependable. That one could be a real sleeper.
My neighbor had one, it was silver
Everything on one side inside and out said Granada the other side said Mercury Monarch inside and out. I don’t know how.
Ah, this brings back memories. I’ve only seen my Dad’s in family photo albums, but it still always makes me think of him when I see cars like this.
A lot of these were stripped for parts. For example, the rear axle in the V8 versions was usually an “indestructible” 9 inch Ford and overall length was perfect for many street rod/hot rod cars and is a straight bolt-in for 55-57 Chev’s. The Lincoln Versailles version even came with rear disc brakes!
I had a 77 nearly identical to this one, mine was a 250/6 with a 3 speed/OD manual on the floor, and had no options (manual steering, brakes, windows, no AC, etc). But visually, it was the same color, same bench seat, brings back memories. Front disc brakes were problematic, but otherwise it was a mostly trouble free car for it’s era.
I like it. Someone is going to get a smoking deal!
I had a maroon ’78 2 door with bucket seats, full console with a 4 speed stick coming up through it. Even with a 6 banger, it was a very comfortable cruiser. According to the DPS, it would cruise easily at 110mph. Loved that car!!
I had a ’77 two door with a straight 6 and it squeaked, rattled and leaked water inside. The brakes were horrible and steering was sloppy. The seats split and the dashboard cracked. Detroit’s dark days. Very poorly built with little to no quality control.
I believe in the opening credits on the TV show ” CHEERS ” they had a Granada parked on the street in front of the bar.
No, but a black(or brown) 1975-77 Ford Granada sedan did drive by in the opening credits to Cheers.
Good memory.
My dad had a silver one with a maroon vinyl top and interior, 302 / auto it was a very dependable car but Ford had to repaint it as they had problems at the factory with the silver paint falling off after a years use.
yawn
I like it… Great find.. Not a popular car in it’s day, but this one is clean enough to make a great driver… The ride on these was very smooth…almost sluggish, but nice..
Great find for a sedan…
Having had both a 76 Granada just like this one but blue with bucket seats and it’s evil twin the 77 Lincoln Versailles (at the same time no less, last year) the Granada with the 302 isn’t a terrible ride. We juiced it up a bit with some different headers, dual exhaust and a 4 barrel carb & intake and it wasn’t bad at all. I think I got an equal amount of thumbs up and people saying they were going to puke when they looked at it, but the long hood and rear wheel drive made it fun. This one, for the price, is a no brainer if that’s what you’re looking for.
I had a similarly equipped ’76 Monarch that I liked as a daily driver, and later had a ’77 (I believe) Grenade as a company car. The latter was fitted with 250 six banger that seriously lacked torque for some hillsides. If this one wasn’t on the Left Coast, I would consider making a bid.
I just remember stringy haired, plain chicks looking even more so in that ginormous door glass.
The Bay Area group Negativland held a tenth birthday party and show for one of the band member’s Mercury Monarch.
I love the brochure in the ad pics `The Mercedes for the Rest of Us`
Somebody in the ad department had a great imagination. And probably never owned a Mercedes.