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Stored For 30 Years: 1977 Ford V8 Granada

This Mercedes 450.. wait, I mean this Cadillac Seville. No, this is, of course, a 1977 Ford Granada and it was stored in a garage for the last 30 years. This somewhat-sporty-for-1977 Granada is posted on Craigslist in Newington, Connecticut with a reasonable-sounding asking price of $3,000. That’s a whole lot of roller disco coolness for three-grand! If the link disappears, you can find the info here. Thanks to Pat L for this great find!

You can see some pretty faded paint in this view but I don’t really see any rust, other than some surface rust on the bumpers. I expected to see rusted-out rocker panels and bubbling rust under the paint around the wheel wells, but there isn’t any. The seller says that this car has “no rust or rot at all”. Now that is great news. I really like the white body side moldings, it reinforces the fact that you should be wearing white shoes and a white belt while driving this car. Not that you don’t already wear those anyway, I shouldn’t speculate..

Ford had a fairly good-sized hit on its hands with the Granada and sister Mercury Monarch series. These first-generation cars, for the 1975 to 1980 model years, are really the ones that most people think of when they think of a Ford Granada as far as US market cars go. For the 1981 and 1982 model years, Ford used the Fox platform and the design was quite different than the “classic” Granada was. It looked bigger to me but it was in fact three-inches shorter and 300 pounds lighter than the first-generation cars were. 1982 Granada buyers could get a station wagon which was based on the Ford Fairmont wagon.

This is one nice interior! The seats look almost like new and other than the faded carpet and a couple of odd areas that hopefully can be cleaned up, this is one comfortable looking place to spend some time. But, all is not perfect, the “wood” on the top of the door panels is cracked on the driver’s side. But, to offset that, this car has power windows! I can’t imagine that a lot of Ford Granadas left the factory with power windows. Maybe more so on the Monarch and certainly on the Lincoln Versailles. This car also has AC but there is no word on if it’s functioning or not. That console sure looks empty without a floor-mounted shifter of some sort, either manual or automatic.

This is, I believe, Ford’s 302 V8 with between 122 and 134 hp, approximately. There would have been a 351 V8 with a whopping 135 hp available! (crickets) Yes, this was that era, the one that most people like to pick on for turning out some of Detroit’s most forgettable ideas, and vehicles. If this car runs and works as good as it looks, $3,000 seems like a no-brainer to me. It’s not a muscle car or an exotic, but it’s a unique, rust-free, 40-year old, two-door car with a V8, AC, power windows, and a fantastic body and interior. It would be a good way for someone to jump into the collector / classic / old-car hobby for a great price.

Comments

  1. Avatar Nathan Avots-Smith Member

    Ha! Brilliant opening, Scotty!

    Like 0
    • Avatar Barzini

      Indeed it is. It’s a good example of why I love Barn Finds.

      Like 0
      • Avatar Scotty Gilbertson Staff

        Ha – thanks much, Nathan and Barzini!
        And, thanks to Pat L for tracking down another winning car.

        Like 0
    • Avatar Kerry Reine

      I had 1 loved it, would love to get my hands on another 1 in great condition.

      Like 0
  2. Avatar jdjonesdr

    This looks like a pretty good deal!

    Like 1
  3. Avatar PoPPaPork

    Great price, too bad its not closer to me (chicago)… oh wait if it was closer to chicago it would already be rollyn on 24 inch rims thru some back allies with two unknown subjects giving people staredowns…

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    • Avatar Phil

      If it were near you it would be rusted out!

      Like 0
  4. Avatar BRAKTRCR

    As a die hard GM guy, I like this Granola, errr I mean Granada. Looks like a fun daily driver, that will get looks, and conversation at every stop. Nice find

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Superdessucke

    LOL! I remember those ads. The ones where the cop misidentifies one of these turds as a Mercedes on a parking ticket.

    That must have been quite a trip. One day you’re fired for drinking heavily on the job and the next day you’re a Ford spokesperson!

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Joe Haska

    For sure a no brainer, for 3 grand, buy it, keep it clean and maintained, and get rid of it at , 230,000 miles. If you gave it away you would be money ahead!

    Like 0
  7. Avatar grant

    Yuck. Put away 30 years ago for a reason. Put it back…

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Joe Haska

    Yeah! I think the reason was so it would be worth 3k, so put it back for another 30 years, to see if it will still be worth 3K, cause I am betting 77 Ford Granada’s are going to be thru the roof by then! Where does this idea come from that if its old and in good condition, it is worth saving, why not use it and take care of it!

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Dan Farrell

    We had a Granada with a 302 and what they called a variable venturi carburator. They were a disaster! What Our car liked to do best was catch fire. The last time it caught fire at our local convenience store they loaned me a fire extinguisher to put it out. When I got home my wife chewed me and said, “why didn’t you let it burn?” The only reason I didn’t let it burn was that I was pretty sure our insurance wouldn’t cover the convenience store going up in flames as well.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jay

      I had a 1976 Monarch with the 302. The car was beautiful, black with a red vinyl opera roof, red interior with bucket seats and floor shifter. The carburetor was complete junk. It had the habit of stalling when you hit the gas. No one was able to fix it and we almost got killed in it. It also got terrible gas millage.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Steve Evans

      Really??? I owned 2 1977’s, a Ghia and a 4speed Sports coupe, both with the 302 and never had any problems out of the carb. The Ghia finally died at 180,000 miles. I wish I could find the Sports coupe though. It was Red/Red/Red, full console, 1/4 vinyl top, luggage rack on trunk, magnum 500 wheels, AM/FM/8 Track, door speakers, sport leather wrapped steering wheel. Was really a nice looking car and drove like a dream.

      Like 1
  10. Avatar Don H

    Nice car put some 500s on it.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Rock On Member

    When I see a Granada, I always remember the commercial with the Rabbi performing a circumcision to prove how smooth the ride was. Hah, try to get away with running that commercial today!

    Like 0
    • Avatar Scotty Gilbertson Staff

      Ha!
      1:56 minutes into this YouTube video is the original Mercury Marquis commercial with the diamond cutter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDTpdcCj4n4

      Like 0
    • Avatar normadesmond

      Rock On’s remembering the SNL commercial with Gilda Radner.
      Superb satire!

      Like 0
    • Avatar Stu

      I had heard that the car hit a bump off-camera and the Rabbi accidentally performed a sex change on the poor child.

      Like 0
  12. Avatar Gerry in Ohio

    I briefly owned a very low milage (about 6000 miles), one owner 2 door Granada I’d purchased from an estate in the early ’80’s. It had been garaged and was really quite nice. The first time I was out in a good rain storm, about an inch of water quickly appeared beneath my feet. I was doing collision repair work at the time and tracked the leak to the rear window – the opening was so much larger than the glass and gasket that water just poured into the body. I finally found an oversized gasket Ford had come up with to compensate for the miserable body quality control. No wonder it was never driven.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar N Steven Gray

    Hey Rock On… I believe the Rabbi commercial was actually a Sat Nite Live spoof. The real commercial featured a diamond cutter, and I think it was for the full-sized LTD…
    I actually had a 1976 Granada 2-door with a 6-cylinder and automatic. Never had a problem with it!

    Like 0
  14. Avatar glen

    Looks like something Herb Tarlek would have driven!

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Ray Smith

    As a kid in the late 70’s to early 80’s I worked at an auto auction. I was able to drive everything from VW’s to Rolls. Believe it or not, these with the V8 were pretty decent at the time compared to the direct competition. You won’t win any races but get on the freeway, set the cruise and it will gobble up the miles in relative comfort.

    Like 0
  16. Avatar Steve Lockhart

    I did know a guy that had one of these when it was new. Black on Black. Very sharp car

    Like 0
  17. Avatar Troy S.

    That cracks me up ; a whopping 135 horsepower 351,maybe on a good day.Ford used that carburetor on the trucks too, absolute junk. The body design ain’t that bad plus the interior looks pretty cool, could make an interesting custom car.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar chad

    ’79 -’82/6 was also the fox body. I want the LTD wagon – lemmie know then!

    Like 0
  19. Avatar Rick A. Loera Member

    Their was recently a 1977 Ford Granada for sale where i live in Fresno, California. It was like an emerald green with an emerald green leather interior. The seats were two toned. No vinyl top which was pretty unusual for almost any car back then let alone a fully loaded Ford Granada Ghia. This car was in pristine condition. Even my 16 year old was impressed with this car. It would have been a super cool car to have to take out for a weekend drive, or cars and coffee.

    Like 0
  20. Avatar Adam pastuszak

    does anyone know who bought that granada. heard it was sold in newington ct. thats exactly were i live. any info would be greatly appriciated.

    Like 0

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