1976 Ford Gran Torino - Starsky and Hutch Clone

1976 Ford Torino Description

1976 Ford Gran TorinoStarsky and Hutch CloneNo-Reserve Auction
Up for auction is a 1976 Ford Gran Torino/Starsky & Hutch clone. This is not one of the 10,000 original Starsky and Hutch special editions built by Ford. I bought this car appr. 10 years ago and worked on it for several years, but now I find that I just do not use it often enough. It has always been garaged while it has been in my possession. This is not really a show car as it has flaws in the body, but makes a very nice daily driver that you are not afraid to take out and drive. And believe me, it is an attention getter. Car has always started for me, even when it sat idle over the winter.
This is what I have done to the car:Engine Compartment and Drive Train: Original engine was replaced with a professionally remanufactured engine I purchased through NAPA. This is essentially a brand new engine with less than 3,000 miles on it (it is not an overhauled engine). Radiator is new. All hoses and belts new. Entire engine compartment cleaned and repainted while engine was out. The engine is a 351 modified which was standard on this model. They called it modified because it is basically a combination of the Windsor and Cleveland engine designs. The transmission is automatic and was rebuilt by a local shop. It has a Ford 9 inch rear end which I am told is basically indestructible. The car had air-conditioning and could still be set-up for it, but it does not have the compressor. New chrome valve covers and oil pan. New oil pump, fuel pump, water pump, and alternator. I think I put on a new power steering pump too, but can not remember for sure. New battery purchased 1 month ago.
Interior Compartment: Front and rear seats were professionally re-upholstered and I think look great. New carpet and headliner. Dash pad was repaired and dyed black. Rear deck was replaced and new speakers installed. The right-hand turn signal does not automatically cancel after the turn. I replaced the mechanism once with another used one and it worked correctly for about 6-months before it too broke on the right-hand side. The fuel gauge shows 1/2 full at most. The fuel sending unit is new, but again this fix also did not last. The car has a non-operational clock in the dash. It did not work when I put it in, but I thought is looked nicer than the blank space in the dash. The steering wheel is not original and I am not pleased with it. The horn never worked in it, so I cobbled together a make-shift one. The horn works, but I never figured out a better remedy. There is no radio in the car. Always meant to get a radio and an 8-track player, but never did. The floorboards were rough on the passenger side and were repaired with sheet metal and fiberglass resin. It actually turned out better than I thought and is very strong.
Trunk Compartment: Cleaned out and totally repainted. New carpeting. Original jack.
Suspension: New front shock absorbers. New air shocks in the rear. New tires (14" in the front and wide 60 series 15" in the rear). New bushings in control arms and sway bar. Front end was rebuilt with new ball joints and linkages. Car has had the front-end aligned. New brakes front and rear. The front brake lines are new and some of the rear is too.
Body and Undercarriage: Entire undercarriage was sanded, repainted and is exceptionally clean. The body is far from perfect. It has small dents and some of the body panels do not line up perfectly. Both bumpers were replaced with better used ones I found. All lights work. The taillight bezels are not perfect, but they turned out pretty nice. The grill is in good condition.
I have all the receipts regarding the new parts I put on the car. I try not to look at them as I do not want to see how much I spent. I know it was a lot. I wanted to see if I could fix up an older car and I accomplished what I set out to do. The car has a clear Illinois title.
The car is over 40 years old and will not be sold with any warranty (either expressed or implied). Pick-up or shipping will be the sole responsibility of the buyer, but I will cooperate in any reasonable way I can. A $500 non-refundable PayPal deposit will be required within 48 hours of sale and will be applied to the sale price of the car upon pick-up. Balance will be due upon pick-up of vehicle and shall be made either by cash or certified check. If certified check is used, I will need to clear it through my bank before ownership is transferred.
I also have quite a few spare parts for this car as I had a parts car in addition to this one. Purchaser can have these spare parts if they wish or if anyone else has a project like this one and are looking for some parts, let me know. If you have any questions or want more pictures, please let me know.