Whenever I see a classic car that is claimed to have had a starring role in a TV series or movie, I treat such claims with a touch of skepticism. However, I have no such feelings about this 1976 Gord Gran Torino. Most people would instantly recognize it as the automotive star of the 1970s series “Starsky & Hutch,” and they would be right on that front. This is one of the cars that saw service on the “square eye,” and the owner holds documentation to verify this. Barn Finder Boot spotted this one for us, so I have to say a huge thank you for that. The Ford is located in Cheswick, Pennsylvania, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has reached $49,733, but the reserve hasn’t been met. There is a BIN option available, and the owner has set this at $109,300.
Some cars are so entwined with their TV shows that it is surprising that they never received billing in the credits besides that show’s stars. Think of K.I.T.T. from “Knight Rider” and General Lee from “The Dukes of Hazzard,” and you’re probably getting the idea. This 1976 Gran Torino is one that most enthusiasts, especially those that grew up in the 1970s, will have known and loved when “Starsky & Hutch” was at the height of its popularity. Riding on the shirt-tails of the show’s success, Ford produced just over 1,000 special examples of the 1976 Gran Torino that were finished in the same paint scheme as seen on the show. Only around 300 are known to still exist today, and two were used during the show’s production from 1976 until production ceased in May of 1979. This is one of those cars, so it scores itself a double helping of rarity when you consider its lineage. One fascinating quirk in the production of Ford’s special edition cars is that they were all initially painted in Herron White. Workers then masked up the striped areas, and the Red paint was applied as a secondary color. However, the trim tag will still indicate the latter shade as the paint color. This car presents superbly in its correct Code 2B Bright Red paint with the White “Vector” stripe. There are no signs of any defects or flaws in the paint, while the panels are laser straight. The chrome and trim are in excellent order, and the same is true of the glass and the alloy wheels. The owner includes some fascinating original TV accessories with this Ford, and amongst these is the distinctive removable police light that you see on the roof on the passenger side.
For those who have doubts about this car, the owner has you covered there. Included in the sale is a letter from the company that supplied the vehicles for the TV series, and it verifies that this is one of the cars used during production from 1976. It is part of a more extensive collection of memorabilia that the buyer will receive. Also included are diecast models, the police badges and ID that both characters carried during the series, posters, and numerous other items. The one item that brought back fond memories for me was the knitted woolen sweater that Detective Starsky was hardly ever seen without during the show’s production run. I used to own an identical one, and it was amazingly warm. I miss it a lot, but I may have trouble using that as a reason to justify buying this classic!
When Ford produced this Gran Torino, it would have featured the 351ci V8 under the hood. However, this didn’t offer the performance that the show’s producers were seeking, so they performed a transplant. In place of the 351, they slotted a hot 429ci monster that featured aluminum Super Cobra Jet heads, an MSD ignition, Edelbrock Air Gap intake, tubular headers, and a dual exhaust. You can be reasonably sure that this beast would pump out far more than the original motor’s 152hp, and it was all of this added mumbo that allowed the car to hang its tail out so effortlessly during chase scenes. All of this equipment remains intact, and while the owner doesn’t specify how well the vehicle runs and drives, the engine bay presentation would suggest that the car is in sound mechanical health.
The interior of the Ford is in excellent condition, with no signs of any issues or problems with the upholstery, dash, or carpet. The Gran Torino was Detective Starsky’s personal transport during the series, and it was his pride and joy. Therefore, it is no surprise to find the interior in good condition because this is how his character would have maintained it. Before the studio waved its wand over the Ford, it rolled off the production line featuring a tilt wheel, cruise control, and an AM/FM radio/8-track player. All of these features remain intact today.
As well as the collection of memorabilia that the owner includes, all of the original police accessories that the car wore during the series are intact. This consists of the Motorola police radio, scanner, sirens, and the flashing bubble light that I previously mentioned. There are two autographs visible on the glovebox lid, and while I can’t identify one, I can confirm that the second is that of Antonio Fargas. He played the character of “Huggy Bear” in the series. He was a friend to the two main characters and served as their confidential informant and source of valuable intelligence in many of their cases.
For those who have been left wondering, the autographs of both Starsky and Hutch are present on this car. Paul Michael Glaser and David Soul have both applied their signatures to the driver’s side sun visor, and these are easy and crisp to read. That adds a further edge to the authenticity of this Gran Torino.
It would be interesting to conduct a poll to determine which TV car people can most easily recognize. The Starsky & Hutch Gran Torino would be high on the list, although I suspect it might get knocked off the #1 position by the General Lee. However, I wouldn’t be willing to put money on that. I suspect that if you threw K.I.T.T. into the equation, you would probably have the top three covered. Would you pick one of those, or do you have another car in mind? With what you know about the authenticity of this vehicle, is it one that you might be willing to make a play for on the eBay listing?
EVERY big block late ‘70’s Torino I drove (& I drove a few!!!) would hang out the tail with impunity!!! They were perfect for educating a youngster on “steering with the rear wheels”…
“Boot”, that’s twice this week you’ve scored a hit with a cool ride.
Adam, thank you for a big trip down memory lane with this one- all you need to complete the collection is Snoop Dogg’s “bad boy blue” Lincoln!
Snoop Dogg is a bad person, look at his history. And Huggy Bear used to traffic in women, not a great example for the kids of the 70s or today.
I thought this forum was about the cars, not the TV actors that drove the cars.
My mistake.
This show taught me situational awareness as a teenager. You never know when that car sitting down there will fire up and attempt to run you down.
Last week, getting gas out in the country, this man behind me was filling a gas can. He started staring at me. For a long time. I noted it. Went inside to get some quick groceries. He was still there when I returned. I noted it. Got in my car and left. He followed me. Humm. Took a different route down a back road. He followed me. Humm. Took another road with only two houses on it. He followed me. Officially strange. Upon returning to the main road, I decided to head into town which was my original destination. He pulled off onto a turnout, then headed the other direction on the main road. Situational awareness.
“ He was a friend to the two main characters and served as their confidential informant and source of valuable intelligence in many of their cases.”
Let’s be honest here, “Huggy Bear” was a snitch; let’s call it for what it was.
Wasn’t Higgy Bear a pimp? Does my memory fail me here? If I am correct, not real politically correct, at least not now. Even in those days, shouldn’t the boys have busted him?
Wikipedia says he owned a nightclub throughout the duration of the show, initially named “Huggy Bear’s”, later clanged to “The Pits”.
Steve R
SteveR, I guess I was wrong. I remember lots of scantily dressed low class women hanging about him that he used to order around, so I assumed they were ladies of ill repute, and he, the proprietor of their wares. I guess we all know what happens when one assumes. I will stand by my assessment of Snoop Dogg, that is on public record for all to be disgusted about.
You are probably thinking of the character ” Rooster” that was on the show “Baretta” with Robert Blake
Seriously? Who really cares?
Perfectly cool cop car, though for me the ideal remains Joe Mannix’ Dart vert – to a great extent because it was breathed upon by George Barris.
Kitt or Gen Lee? Nah, too nerdy for the first, and too cloned for the second. Banacek’s Packard is my close second.
Obviously this is age-driven. Somewhere between Broderick Crawford’s Buicks and Crockett’s plastic fantastic.
I’m still a fan of the Munster Koach and Drag-u-la. Funny that the Addams Family didn’t have a signature car like the Monkeemobile.
Banacek’s AMX woops its called the AMX 400 George Barris creation
The Addams Family was based on characters created by the artist Charles Addams. The Monkees and Munsters were studio creations.
The original Charles Addams characters didn’t have a signature vehicle, so it wouldn’t make sense for the tv characters to.
“Base to ZEBRA 3 ..”
If I were 10 years younger, I’d like to try a hood slide across that thing.
I have a Colt Python just like David Soul used. I will set BIN price of $50k.
😬 Am I going to get the ‘boot’ (sorry Boot!) if I say Columbo’s car, a Peugeot model 403 Grande Luxe Cabriolet (convertible)?
Read PMG hated the “red tomato” – his words. When you watch the show again and watch him bang it into gutters and letting the door full swing and then slamming shut – I can believe it.
You beat me to the draw…..I was going to add this same comment. He actually went out of the way to abuse the cars.
It may have been used on the TV show as the dealer claims, but, I’d want to verify the paperwork. The claims on their website about the engine are wrong, the parts they say were installed by the studio in 1976 were not available until decades after the show finished airing. The wheels also look like Weld Rod Lites, rather than dish/slot mags which were used on the original car. The parts selection is what you would expect from a late-90’s or early-2000’s build. Those modifications would be no big deal for one if it was one of the 1000 replicas produced by Ford, but it’s not, if you are asking $109,000+ and claiming the work was done by the studio at the time of production, that calls into question everything about the car.
Steve R
There was a company called Zebra 3 in San Diego that made quite a few replicas that were EXACT replicas… right down to the Motorola radio, scanner, bubble light etc. The cast autographed them too… buyer beware.
My thoughts also, I come from the corvette perspective where even paper work can and is faked with out a proving back ground I would be very supcisouns of the claims of any car as such.
Most ’70s bumpercars left me cold just as Aaron Spellings dumb caricature cop shows left me switching channels. Stakeouts in a clown car made no sense, and the stunt work was usually just undercranked cameras or wet streets. Neat that it still exists, otherwise no thanks.
Awesome! But would take the Ferrari 308 GTS quattrovalvole Thomas Magnum drove any day..Or Crockett’s Testarossa.
Wait: even if this car WERE used in the filming of the TV series, is there anyone out that that cares enough at this point to throw down 109-large?
I mean, hell, for probably 25,000 you could buy a decent clone and get the same reaction if that’s your thing. I never liked the show, personally.
This is funny, “I never liked the show, personally.” I agree 100%. I was maybe 15 when it was on TV (ABC, if I recall correctly) and I agree with Curt Lemay, Huggy was a pimp (and a snitch). Mid-70‘s, beginning of the worst era ever for American iron.
1970s and 80s TV cops and detectives almost always had a signature car. Columbo’s 1959 Peugeot 403, Kojak’s 1974 Buick Century, Mannix’s 1968 Dart GTS, the Hawaii Five-0 1968 Mercury Marquis, Kolchak’s 1965 Mustang convertible, Jim Rockford’s Firebird Espirit, Magnum P.I.’s Ferrari 308, and so on. You just don’t see that anymore, though Eric Kripke paid homage to it more recently in Supernatural.
Don’t forget Kookie’s hot rod from 77 Sunset Strip!!
Some other shows were The Fall Guy’s square body GMC and MacGyver’s Jeep CJ-7.
Charlie’s Angels
Farrah Fawcett
Mustang II Cobra
She made that thing look GOOD.
Ford should’ve kicked her in a big bonus for that one!
Steve R nailed it, the engine dress up is not from the 70’s at all, twenty years down the road at least! Its a neat car and the warm 429 should get this pig a rollin’ down the road, but..
Its a show car all the way.
Rockfords Pontiac Firebird is too boring, Columbo and his old beat up Peugeot….Nooo, One Adam 12 had some nice police cars, they destroyed too many Dodge Chargers making the Dukes of Hazzard, forget it.
I’m waiting for Nelly Bell
You’re too late….
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5338180
I’m waiting for Nelly Bell.
Robert Urich, R.I.P. , drove couple fords I recall…one was an early T-bird and an early Mustang fastback..
Let’s add the black Chevy or GMC van from the A-Team into the mix.
Does anybody really want a Torino like this?
You can buy real cars for that kind of money.
I had never heard that the TV Torinos had 429s dropped into them, nor did they sound as such when I watched the show as a young motorhead.
Is this true?
I read an article that stated that Glaser and Soul hated the car and its poor handling characteristics. If I was going to spend $109K, I’d invest in something much more desirable than this! :-)
I heard that too, Glaser HATED the car, and tried his best to kill them. I read, he insisted on bucket seats, one problem with this car, because on hard corners, Soul would annoyingly slide across the bench seat. It was a very popular show, and for a spell, anyone with a red Torino, had to have that stripe. Tacky as it got. If Pawn Stars has taught me anything, you can have a ton of verification, and none could be true. It was a pretty lousy show and for 6 figures, I’d just as soon go with the Beverly Hillbillies truck or Al Bundy’s Dart.
If I was a S & H fan and had unlimited resources you would soon see this car in my garage. I was not though. Now if this was Jim Rockford’s Firebird that would be a different story. (BTW I saw an episode of Jay Leno’s garage, and he has one of JR’s Firebirds).
I saw Mannix’ Car once and it was pretty underwhelming. Cant we all agree that Clark Kent’s Nash Healey roadster is the No1 tv car?
I preferred Lois Lane’s Nash myself….
https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/blogs/insane-lois-lane-nash-nets-25000
Honestly, I liked Hutch’s 1973 Ford Galaxie 500 a lot more than the Gran Torino. I can relate to a beater, since I have owned and driven quite a few. Best thing about a beater. You can put a dent into it and tell your friends that you wanted to customize the car.
So if it’s real, why the lame wheels? The S&H Torino had slots and blackwall tires. Not too hard to get to make it right. And why compare the paint job to the Ford special edition cars…they came later. Sounds bogus, even with all the “evidence”.
I’m a fan of Columbo’s Peugeot but, I never did like normal lol
I liked the Coyote from Hardcastle and McCormick
Loved the show and the car. This car though is sketchy. To throw around TV automobiles how about a certain Big rig with same colors. I think I seen more tribute flat noses on the highways than the torinos. Bj and the Bear ;-)
I think just about everyone put ET slotted mags on their day-two car back then. Starksy did for sure. I’d have to swap out the rims for those.
A Starsky and Hutch inspired Torino is also featured in a vastly superior TV show running today called “The Good Doctor ” .Chick that drives it ain’t too shabby either.It seems the majority here are not fans of the car,but I am , sort of.I would (and probably will ) do a fastback Torino ,even a different year, in this paint scheme .As for the story ,and price ; see all the previous comments Still a cool feature.
I knew that I saw one on a recent show my wife watches.
Okay, this TV series car ranks way up there for me, Starsky and Hutch Torino, the next car if not tops would be the “Supernatural” 1967 Chevy Impala with a 502 4bbl.
I second that Impala!
429-2V as in 2 barrel (Venturi) really? A go fast setup and only a 2 barrel…
Don’t forget Frank Cannon’s Mark IV and it’s magically reappearing hub caps. Talk about an understeering pig! Every chase had his front hub caps flying off but they’d be back on when it was over!
Yep’, Frank Cannon’s Mk IV. Was waiting for someone to mention that one.
My roommate in college had a brand new one of these back in 1976. It had the 460 engine with a C6 tranny and a 9″ 2.75 to 1 out back. The car was amazingly slow, a real slug! I helped him swap out the chunk for a 3.50 to one, put a shift kit in the C6, and we installed an Offenhauser dual port 360 with a Holley on top. Still not a hot-rod but it could at least get out of it’s own way by then. I recall one night when Steve Martin was performing at the University Center. He had actually taken the crowd outside cracking jokes when we happened to cruise by. He stopped what he was doing, pointed at us and yelled, “hey, somebody dumped red paint all over your car!!”, I yelled back that it must have been the same guy that tied balloons to his ears! It was great fun!!
Hawk’s 635 from Spenser. Time capsule of cool.
$109k? Good one!!
Anyone ever see Batman? ;)
Maybe this is from the later movie. The original did not have those ugly wheels, tach hanging off the column, exhaust extentions, or a 429 2 bbl. All wrong. All they did with the originals was put a lower gear in the back. And some had the 351, some had 400’s and 460’s. This one is all wrong
Everyday, fewer and fewer people remember Starsky & Hutch. The old car guys are getting out of the collecting business, and the younger crowd are more fascinated with cars that were in more recent films. Good luck getting six figures for this car, regardless of its provenance and excellent condition.
Nobody has mentioned the Fall Guys GMC truck. I wonder how many they went through.
This car came with a 351 engine originally. Note that it has a six digit DSO number, indicating a special order. That would signify it as very likely to be one that was used in the filming, and definitely not a replica from the place in San Diego. Final way of checking would be to find original replicas made by Ford to see if they also have six digit DSO numbers, as opposed to two digit numbers. As Steve R pointed out, many of the parts on the top end of the engine did not exist until a couple of decades after the show ended.
I’m a 70s guy, so this car was around when I was 15 going on 20, The Bandit Trans Am rules too, and don’t laugh, Frank Cannons Lincoln MKIV I loved too, didn’t like the first seasons MK III
I am hesitant to believe this is 1 of the 2 tv “hero” cars, because this episode clip below shows TWO! “striped tomato” torinos(1 an imposter with 2 S & H imposters in it!) in a car chase & both cars have CHROME mirrors! …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxF1DEcniYA
Perhaps the chrome mirrors were swapped out for Ford racing sport ones later in the series like on the above car for sale? I would think not.
Neither Torino back in the day had raised white letter tires or such SHINY mag wheels either. It’s odd, for promotional purposes of all things, that Ford did not supply the more sportier console floor shift cars with bucket seats. There were a few other torinos used for stunts – probably damaged beyond repair?
Always amazed me how fast Starsky could get out of his Torino milliseconds after he stopped it, almost looking like it was still moving when he got out! lol
& believe it or not, a “striped tomato” torino made an appearance on the very 1st episode of the Dukes of Hazzard!!, tho not with Starsky or Hutch in it. Would have been interesting if they were …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0hUT6_nNJ0
http://www.imcdb.org/v015919.html
I think CBS was “trying to tell ABC something”. lol
I love the discussion on TV cars, so many out there the memories are great. Unless I missed it, a couple I’d like to have would be the Cuda off Nash Bridges or the one referenced off NCIS that Mark Harmon character was supposed to have. The one I’d absolutely love to have would be the Bentley that the character John Steed drove on the Avengers, that was pure Sexy IMO.
I’d rather have Bruce Willis’ BMW 635CSI from “Moonlighting” 😀.
Maybe the above car for sale was the Torino on the 1st episode of the Dukes of H instead? THAT one had racing mirrors.
Note on S & H, the headrests were never adjusted upwards(common back in the day), making them useless if the Torino was hit in the back. Oddly, the headrests on the Dukes Charger WERE adjusted upwards.
The car is fake. The ones they used in 1976 has chrome mirrors and the bumper filler panel was silver, not red. The engine was a 460. It wasn’t modified in any way as that was against CA emission laws. To get extra power they swapped out the rear end for 4:11’s.
Don’t forget all the 50’s cars that Highway Patrol’s Broderick Crawford drove……Buick Centurys, Mercurys, Chevrolets, Dodges and more. It’s fun to watch them handle on curves, with fenders high up in the air on one side, and scraping the ground on the other. And the occasional engine not always starting on the first try.
Curt, I have been watching that show recently on You Tube.
If anybody is interested the channel that has most if not all of them is
Foxeema Classic TV 2
What I like about the show is they don’t use any sound effects. The sound you hear is what the cars are really doing good or bad.
Also if there was a plane flying over or a tractor in the background, you heard it.
Realism
Also in the comments of each video you have people telling you where it was filmed and if the structures are still there today.
It is very interesting some 60 years later.
Miguel, Thanks for the tip. I haven’t seen an episode in years and years, so it will be interesting to watch.
I can say with certainty that I seen at least 3 different Torino’s in the show series maybe more. Slot mags, some cars with black pin stripes around the white vector stripe, some white to red. Chrome mirrors and red. Some with posi some single wheel. Split bench seat.
There may be a little embellishment going on also as the movie S H with Stiller and Wilson may have used an original car that was refurbished later for the movie.
I find it odd in a funny way, as I realize theres nearly eighty comments on this movie star Ford Torino that many don’t like yet the real deal Baldwin/Motion phase III Camaro featured yesterday, a real life thrill ride of substance gets….a handful of comments and again not warmly recieved. At least Im getting that impression. I give up, man.
Did Mercury make a rebadged version of this Ford in the 70s? There is a car that has this body style parked in a driveway for at least ten years. The reason why I think of Mercury is that this car is baby blue with a white vinyl top and hub caps; thus, it has the more upscaled look. lol. The car appears to be all original. I can only see it from the back. What I noticed is it looks like the back lights are part of the back bumper like the 4th and 5th generation El Camino.
Situational Awareness on make and model and license #.
I seen pintos
http://i.pinimg.com/originals/f0/d0/d6/f0d0d6468d1101721e554390e116b7a8.jpg
& even LTD IIs
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-46mt3TqGS9o/T_phR0D1OZI/AAAAAAAAAdA/0mFmJpBRMZY/s1600/sh+torino+d.jpg
with the Starsky Torino “influence”.
I have also seen everything under the sun painted like the General Lee.
It is sick how nobody has an original idea.
Let’s not even talk about the Ecto-1 copies.
man ‘ war
Mercury sold a car under the name of Montego that looked like this car.
Was this car used in the 2004 S&H movie ?