The Elite was introduced in 1974 as something of a junior Thunderbird, giving Ford another asset to compete with in the growing personal luxury market segment. It was the top-of-the-line mid-size Torino and looked a lot like the T-Bird and was almost as big. This first-year edition looks like a well-kept survivor with just two owners and fewer than 32,000 miles. Located in Morgan Hill, California, this Medium Copper Metallic beauty is available here on craigslist for $17,500 OBO. Thanks for another great Blue Oval tip, T.J.!
The Elite was a mid-year addition to the Ford lineup for the 1974 model year. That would be the only time it would be known as the Gran Torino Elite. After that, it was badged simply as the Elite for 1975 and 1976. In its brief three-year life, the Elite would rise to third place in sales in its highly competitive market, moving 366,000 cars when buyers were also looking at the Chevy Monte Carlo, Pontiac Grand Prix, Olds Cutlass Supreme, Buick Regal, and a host of others. This was a huge win for Ford as creating the car required just a minimal investment on their part (derived from the Mercury Cougar XR-7). The Elite ran out of steam when the T-Bird was downsized in 1977.
Mileage on this ’74 Elite is estimated at just 32,000 as the odometer quit working not long ago. The seller, who is the automobile’s second owner, recently dropped $3,500 on updating the car by replacing the vinyl top, swapping out all the fluids, giving the car a complete tune-up, and doing a bit of work on the suspension. That suggests that the car has spent a great deal more time in the garage than out cruising around on the weekends.
Under the hood resides a 351 cubic inch “Cleveland” V8 which we understand was the last year for the motor. It’s flanked by a 3-speed automatic transmission and a host of luxury touches, like factory air conditioning and power accessories. The body, paint, and interior all present quite well, with no indications of any work having been done or needed. While a cash offer is more than acceptable, the seller would consider trading for a “classic car” but doesn’t indicate what might float his/her boat. If you dig these 1970s land yachts, those surviving examples won’t likely be as nice as this one.
I worked with an elderly co-worker who purchased a new Elite identical to this one. When I commented on the fact that it had a complete set of gauges, his comment was “Useless, I never look at them anyway!” GLWTS!! :-)
I had a white wagon version of one of these. It had the fake wood grain trim too. Nice car but..I never knew a car could drink so much gas yet go so slow, especially for a V8.
Ford never made a wagon version of the Elite.. The LTD II.. yes
These things were everywhere in the 70s and 80s and then they just disappeared. A sure hit for Ford during such dark years of malaise.
The Cleveland engines actually lived on from 1975 to 81. During that time they were called the 351M and 400M. Some sources say the M stood for “Modified”, others say it was just a letter designation.
Bob c, I also heard that the M series meant it was made in mexico?? 351m and 400m were real dogs and shared none of the good traits of the 351c. They are often mistaken for the 351 c. I had some with bad valve guides and lower end oiling problems. Clue was excessive end play, and lo oil pressure went hand in hand.
Cheers
GPC
Or “Michigan Casting Center ” is another one. Either way, you’re right about them being dogs. They were never the same as the original Clevelands.
Yes they were dogs. But I did see a few that were modified and actually made good HP. The problem was the 70’s The “M” or Michigan 351 & 400 actually had some of the Cleveland architecture but due to emission requirements the cam and compression were nowhere close to the Cleveland engine and as a result they were dogs. So sad because they could have been a great engine. They also had the larger bell housing for the C6.
No 400M, just a plain ol’ 400.
I’ve always known the M as “modified”
Over the years, I’ve heard the “M” stood for Modified, Michigan, Midland, and now I see Mexico is also a candidate.
I never specified what it meant because I never saw any official Ford documentation specifying what it stood for.
A year or two ago, a fellow Ford guy sent me an official Ford document, a parts list/catalog of some sort, that referred to it as “Modified” so that’s what I’m going with now.
Between The Gran Torino Elite, Gran Torino Brougham, Cougar and Montego MX there was a lot of sameness between these cars….I remember they were everywhere you looked!
The Elite certainly was like a junior T-Bird!. So much so, that Ford actually made it the Thunderbird for 1977 by changing the front and rear ends and roof treatment. It was a huge sale success. One of the better marketing moves Ford has made.
Ford knocked it out of the park with those (and these). Ford really was on a roll in the ‘70s.
One Ford sales success I haven’t seen on here, as of yet.
The car that was a Mercedes….or close…according to Ford commercials.
The Ford Grenada. lol
Friend of mine had a triple black 75 with every conceivable option, spokes and 1.5 inch whitewalls, it was a baby Lincoln, and I believe it had a 460 in it, perfect car
I had that same car also , 460 was the police package I believe . Duel exhaust , posi , 4 barrel carb .
Emblematic of the industry excesses of the ’70s: opera windows, vinyl tops, excess bloat, bus bench bumpers, too wide, too long, too gas hungry, too cluttered, compromised passenger compartments.
’74 was the absolute rock bottom for drivability because of rudimentary and poorly realized pollution equipment.
The problems were so widespread even my Dad, not a car guy, swore he would never buy a ’74 because they ran so badly and suck so much gas.
Plus they had experience with the ’74 Mustang II my parents bought new. 4cyl and the first tank net 10 mpg.
Elite is every bit as grotesque as a ’58 Buick or Lincoln.
But it’s a beautiful example of that excess, that’s for sure.
Wow the hostility ! Grotesque are the same looking cars and their prices of today.
“Where did all those outward dents come from?’” Shucks son I put the alternator in the trunk!
Beautiful car! My HS friend Harry’s sister drove a ’75 Elite, dark blue with a white top I believe. White split bench seat in leather or vinyl, the Instrumentation Group that brought a full set of gauges and in her cars case, the 400 2V V8. No faster than my ’77 Cutlass with a 350 but it did ride great and Harry’s gorgeous sister only made it more attractive. Sometimes it doesn’t have to be a great car to make it a … great car.
Yes. The M was for modified. I owned one of these Elites in black with a 400. Worked on quite if few of them as a Ford dealership tech 1976-2006.
A face only a mother could love. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I was never a beholder…
I think Derek on VGG resurrected a navy blue one of these with a seized engine and drove it home
The 351M was based on the 400 but with a half inch shorter stroke to reduce displacement. Both the 351M and 400 shared basic 335 series architecture with the 351 Cleveland but were re-engineered with smog and fuel economy in mind as well as the durability needed to be used in light duty F-series trucks. In stock form they were very choked down with limited rev range and emphasis on torque. They also used the larger bell housing to mate up with the C6 instead of the C4 and manuals the Windsor and Cleveland variants mainly used. Much like the GM and Chrysler 400s, they were built to tug around huge barges and try to eke out a few more mpg. They make an excellent boat anchor but if you’re looking for performance a Cleveland or Windsor is a better bet.
My dad worked at the local Ford dealer who provided one of these to the local speedway for use as a pace car. Sitting in the backseat was like sitting in a red vinyl upholstered cave. It was kind of fun riding in it for pace laps, with 20 plus 600 horsepower modifieds snarling behind this poor 351…
my older brother had one, all white exterior and burgundy interior. I always thought it was a sharp looking car. Yes, I was only 12 or 13 but I still like the look
I had a 75 my stepmom bought brand new she traded a 69 mustang in on it (yes she has been scolded many a times by many people) am raio no a/c no cruise cloth seats not much if any luxery but it would pull 19-20 mpg @ 60mph was a good ride