If you’ve been grumbling that your recent collector car purchases lack a sense of adventure, here’s a chance to test your will. In the words of the seller, this 1974 Ford Gran Torino was “abandoned by tenant at rental property.” It has no title. The tires hold no air. It’s been stored in its “redwood barn since 1999.” Despite all this, a California wagon like this will be a unique and useful collectible if you decide to roll the dice on its condition and title status; because as we all know, a pumpkin can turn into a princess once the dust is washed away (it can also become a frog). Priced at $2,500, this one is brought to us by Barn Finds reader numskal, who found it on craigslist in the San Francisco Bay area.
Although the tenant abandoned this Gran Torino, they apparently left a paper trail of maintenance records that indicate that the transmission was rebuilt and a new engine was installed in the early 1990s (the engine has a mere 7,000 miles on it). The engine itself is a 351 Cleveland two barrel (a $46 option over the base 302), which produced 162 horsepower in that dark year of 1974. Sadly, 1974 was the final year of Cleveland production; from then on, only the Windsor and Modified 351s were available. The Cleveland was simply introduced a few years too late to be Ford’s long-standing mid-range muscle car engine, though it did have a long life on the racetracks of America.
The seller doesn’t say if the engine will turn, only that they installed a new battery and was rewarded with two dash lights when the key was turned. Another gamble.
Considering the car’s immobility, the seller has included few good pictures of the exterior but plenty of the interior. It’s actually not too bad; it will take about three weeks with your industrial-strength cleaning supplies to make it a place you’d want to spend some time, but aside from the torn seams on the driver’s seat and some discolored door panels, it could be presentable.
Even the load floor is not embarrassing. A can or two of trim paint could have the plastic panels looking good in no time.
There are a lot of risks involved in this Gran Torino, and I almost feel bad for the seller; sometimes, you just don’t want to deal with somebody else’s stuff, but that’s the rental game. Chances are decent that they just want to unload it, so what would be a fair price for this derelict wagon? Once it’s cleaned up, it’s bound to draw a crowd in a way that only a quirky earth-toned ’70s wagon can.
I had one of these.. Better own a gas station if you want to cruise.
This would be kind of cool with the Cleveland built and some airbrush graphics on the side. Just sayin’
Would obviously require work, but these were great cars ! Don’t have the space or I’d take a flyer…also no title presents another problem.
I think the title could be an issue first of all. How would this work in in CA?
The title can be tricky, but, I got a Ca. title for a ’63 Pontiac, that was well off the DMV records, by sending the VIN plate photo, all of the Pontiac Historical Info of its originality, build plant etc., & was rewarded a duplicate in a matter of weeks for a couple hundred dollars.
If I were going to purchase (or had purchased this), I would contact one of those private registration businesses that is likely staffed with retired DMV employees who know all the secret tricks. I paid $350.00 to one to unravel a twisted trail of ownership and missing paperwork. TA-DA- a week later, I had a title, registration and plates (there are no guarantees of success, but it is probably your best bet). I guess that it comes down to who/what you know and being compensated adequately for your knowledge. 🤔
This wagon has the abandoned owner’s plate on the car, so wouldn’t he or she need to be involved?
When I was about 14 my older brother had one and unknown to him its what I taught myself to drive in. He didn’t know that the car would start without the key in the ignition so he would come home from working at the theater at the Everett mall and goto bed. I would then take off with the car and cruise around somehow I never got caught. Like someone else said get used to gas stations, his gas gauge didn’t work so he would check the gas by stuffing A piece of coax cable from a car radio down the filler neck for a 14 year old kid out on the highway at 2am the car was fast.
License plate “754 KIA”. Killed In Action?
Looks like a candidate for a Family Truckster.
I’d ask for $500 and a gift card to Longhorn .
I bought a brand new 1974 Gran Torino 2-door hard top which turned out to be a GREAT car. Only thing wrong it had no A.C. so I had dealer install one. It came with 302 V8 was good on gas. My mistake I should of kept it a lot longer.
Having a key to a car that was abandoned is a lucky thing.
Who needs a title? Just drive it until you get pulled over and just leave it there lol 😂
Now that I’m done scratching my head on this one, why have a tranny rebuilt & new engine installed just to abandon the vehicle? Sumpin’s amok here. Was the owner a fugitive on the run? Landlord has had for awhile. Why wait till now to sell? As noted by Dave,the plates should leave a trail of crumbs. 351 C 2bl w/161hp is a comedy in itself. Darn feds! 😁
I would paint it like the starski and hutch car
No title, no thank you
The seller could try a storage lien sale and get title that way. Would sure improve saleability.