Some classics tick so many right boxes that it becomes impossible to pinpoint their greatest attribute. Take this 1976 Ford Elite as a perfect example. It is a spotless survivor that has been with its current owner since Day One. It is loaded with desirable options and has a genuine 71,000 miles on its odometer. Parting with a car that has been an integral part of your life for over five decades must be tough, but it is a decision the seller has made. They have listed the Elite here on Craigslist in Glenview, Illinois. You could drive it away for $14,000, and I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder T.J. for using a finely tuned radar to spot this beauty.
The Elite badge appeared as an options package on the Ford Gran Torino in 1974. The company granted the Elite standalone model status in 1975 but retired it permanently at the end of 1976. Our feature car is from the final production year, with its original owner ordering it in subtle Polar White. The car has remained in their care since Day One and has never undergone repairs or restoration. The paint retains an impressive shine, which the seller claims is the same as the day they drove it off the lot. It features a matching Landau-style vinyl top, and the car’s overall presentation means it wouldn’t look out of place gracing a showroom floor. The panels are as straight as an arrow, and the Elite has avoided any rust issues or problems. I don’t believe the Elite carries the larger bumpers required under recent laws as effectively as other cars from the era, but it is far from being considered ugly. The trim is spotless, the glass is crystal clear, and the wire hubcaps and narrow whitewalls are classy touches.
I have often lamented the fact that modern manufacturers typically aren’t as adventurous with interior trim shades as was once the case. Many seem afraid to venture outside various shades of Gray, and you can count cars featuring dazzling Red trim on the fingers of one hand. This Elite features that shade in vinyl, and its condition appears perfect. There are no signs of wear or physical damage, and the spotless carpet is remarkable. The dash is immaculate, and the faux woodgrain hasn’t suffered fading or lifting. There is a small hole in the headliner, which appears to be the only flaw worth mentioning. The seller has mounted a modern CD player under the dash, which is the only addition or modification. Those preferring the finer things in life will welcome the ice-cold air conditioning, power windows, tilt wheel, AM/FM radio, and remote driver’s mirror.
Buyers could order a 1976 Elite with the company’s 351M or 400ci V8 under the hood. This owner selected the smaller motor, although the decision won’t severely impact outright performance. It sends 154hp and 286 ft/lbs of torque to the rear wheels via a three-speed automatic transmission. Including power assistance for the steering and front disc brakes cements the car’s luxury leanings. Outright performance wasn’t the aim of the exercise when Ford unveiled the Elite. However, those seeking a vehicle that could effortlessly cover enormous distances while sitting at 70mph found the Elite ideal. Potential buyers seeking a low-mile survivor may find this Ford irresistible. It has a genuine 71,000 miles on the clock, and while there is no mention of verifying evidence, the car’s ownership history may mean documentation exists. It runs and drives perfectly as a turnkey proposition for the new owner.
Ford’s Elite can easily slip off the radar for those seeking a 1970s classic. The company’s decision to produce it as a standalone model in the mid-1970s can be easily forgotten due to the industry upheaval at that time. This 1976 model needs nothing and would suit someone seeking a first classic purchase they can enjoy immediately. The seller’s price is well above what even typically optimistic NADA quotes for a #1 example, but it is comparable with other similar examples in the current market. I think it will find a buyer, and it will be fascinating to discover if one of our loyal readers gives it a new home.
Beautiful car!!! I wish I could buy it!!!
The Elite was a dry run for the planned downsized Thunderbird, out in 1977.
The body was the same, with hidden headlights added, as well as a new rear treatment. And of course, the basket-handle roofline. But it was essentially the Montego, which was of course the Mercury Torino. Side treatment was different, with less sculpted lines. The Elite had that and the Thunderbird kept the lines.
Elite, Torino and Montego were all gone by 1977, replaced by the LTD II and Cougar (recycled as a midsized platform with four-door sedans and wagons).
And it all came to be because, back in 1975, the Gran Torino Elite started out-selling the Thunderbird – leading Ford market planners to realize that the T-Bird needed to take a new direction.
No. That’s boggin’. Not for me!
Que the bumper jokes!!
This one actually looks like it has only 71k miles and the odometer looks unmolested too..as for the owner keeping the car 5 decades..was he a teenager when he bought it?? Regardless, the car is beautiful and gives off perfect 70s vibes.
The car is 48 years old. If the owner bought it at age 30, he would be only 78 now. Not so un realistic. I was on a road trip with a buddy, and our Goucha Road Atlas got us thoroughly lost. Ended up at a T in a farm road, and across the intersection was a house that easily had 30 Elites in the yard. We got out of there.
From the side, it looks like a scaled up Mustang II.
Come to think of it, you’re right!
Wow!, a really nice one. As we called them, the inner city Torino. These had a hard life. I am not used to seeing one without the chrome wheels that the wire baskets screwed into and were gone a year later. Many went from there to the Enduro or derby and then the press. It’s optioned nice, it was cared for, which 99.9% were not. It even has those famous red centered factory wire wheel covers. Those came in 13″,14″, and 15s” like here and were actually good selling items long ago at the yard. I hope it gets a good home as it is a very nice copy and a few need to survive.
Beautiful car. Had a 77 LTD with the same driveline. Got 25 mpg on the highway best 500 dollar car I ever owned.
Like I’ve said before, I’m at that age where a nice looking comfortable cruiser like this would be welcome in my garage. However, the space is already taken up with my longtime hotrod. I’m actually getting rid of stuff, not adding to my collection. Would be a sweet ride though. Best wishes to new owner, and as always… treat her nice.
I had a 74 with a 400 in 70s brown. So plush. Got cigarrette burns and t-boned in college. Later I put the chrome baskets on it, and removed the vinyl top. Oops, wasn’t finished underneath. Cheap repaint, glass packs, boy I ruined that car!!
In 1971 the government in its attempt to protect you from yourself instituted 5 mph Bumpers on cars starting with the 1973 model years So this thing will have the big bumper requirement in 1982 when they were figuring out crumple zones they lowered the impact standard to 2.5mph where it remains today however this car doesn’t have the crumple zone requirement so after 5mph impact it will smash pretty quick. Nice car high price.
These also came with 351 Windsors,that’s what my mom had in her elite, same interior but red exterior
I remember when these were new and thinking what a god awful mess. Now I’m not so sure. The interior is real nice, except is that an ashtray in the back of the driver’s seat? Like the colors, still don’t like the bumpers. I can hear the drums beating, ramming speed.
Nice car, I’ve had several. The Elite could also be ordered with the 460. And on this one, it also has the optional remote passenger mirror as well.
We had a 1976 with the 460.
Nice car but my gawd…those bumpers!
LOL….best looking, sharp, Ford Elite I have seen yet…Polar White stands out…very sharp.
When these came out I thought they were over styled. The Cordoba too. Compared to the clean lines of the GM crew. They sold well enough to justify the evo to the re-sized Thunderbird. That car was the cat’s pajamas.
I agree, the styling was overwrought, I used to call it “Disco Baroque”, LOL! Its Torino siblings looked much better, IMHO.
A new entry by Ford in the personal luxury coupe class, it competed with the Chevy Monte Carlo and Chrysler Cordoba, with the “rich Corinthian leather!”. The problem was, it stole sales from the T-Bird and Lincoln Mark series coupes, which completed in the same market segment. The good news is it shared its body-on-frame architecture with the Torino, so upgrades to the chassis and driveline are possible, although I’d leave this one nearly bone stock, except for bolt-on upgrades that can easily be removed, for those so inclined, such as electronic ignition, EFI, headers and a dual exhaust setup. The 351M is an odd duck in the Ford engine family, but some upgrades are possible that won’t break the bank.
Id rock that would somebody please pass me my plaid sport coat or my leisure suit let’s pop some music in there and head to the disco
Pop in the 8-track tape & let’s roll!
These things sold really well. Working at an electronics shop 77 through 80 I put CB’s in a ton of these. Many interiors were this color and there was a really nice blue shade too. I was in my late teens, looking back it was a great job. My ’70 Chevelle has all the best electronics in it. Boss was cool, I did a good job for him, he paid me and let me buy everything at his cost.
Me too I had one in 1995 just like this one it was a good car
Imagine that beast with a fire breathing Yates or Roush powerplant under the hood. Great looking car from the most tragic period of car building.
Or a crate motor from Ford Performance! The small block motors can be had as large as 429 directly from Ford, and Ford has big-block examples, based on the 385 block, all the way out to 572 cubic inches! The 572 is good for 655 hp, normally aspirated, more if you bolt on a blower, and they all run on ordinary pump gasoline, not racing gasoline, with a full factory warranty! Here’s a link:
https://performanceparts.ford.com/download/PDFS/2020FPPcatalog.pdf
I was at an estate sale last week and an exact copy of this was for sale. It had a fair amount of rust, didn’t run or drive, and they were offering it up for $4500. While I was checking it out an old dude came up and slammed the hood and proudly proclaimed that he has just purchased the car. One of my earliest memories was that my grandpa had a black one of these, and living in Detroit you were almost required to buy American back then.
I can still smell the cherry scent sprayed by the car wash guys..
The local Ford dealership where my dad worked had an agreement with the speedway next door to provide the pace car, and these were used in 75 (black) and 76 (white), both with red interiors. He would occasionally bring the pace car home and we’d ride around town in it, and my buds and I felt like we were momentarily cool. Super smooth ride. This one is beautiful for what it is, just wish I could figure out an attractive reversible way to give it a bumper tuck. All the money but where will you find another as nice?
It needs more than a bumper tuck, IMHO. While the back looks fine, I never cared for the front of these, but then again, many of the styling cues Ford used were common among all of the Big Three during the Malaise Era ’70’s. The ersatz Mercedes Grille, with a hood ornament and all of those folds in the bumper and front sheet metal leave me cold, in some ways, it bears a striking similarity to my Mom’s ’61 Buick Special, with those protruding “cheek pouches” on either side of the headlights, like a hamster eating sunflower seeds, LOL!
I like these over the Torino, I had a 75 light blue dk blue interior. It was a very good dependable comfortable car. Mine had the 351w. Another car I wish I kept. This one is really nice but 14k way too much $$$