Photo: maxmotive/eBay
I'll be honest here, I wasn't even born when "Starsky & Hutch" debuted in April 1975. However, I have a thing for 1970s TV shows (M*A*S*H included) and many years back I used to play the "Starsky & Hutch" video game like mad. And the Torino is my second favorite Ford model after the Fairlane. So yeah, I get a little excited when a 1976 Ford Gran Torino that was featured in this TV series pops up for sale.
Getting a hold of an authentic "Starsky & Hutch" movie car is a difficult task, mainly because there's a lot of contradictory and foggy information about them. While some sources say that Spelling-Goldberg Productions used seven cars for filming, others, like this sale ad, claim that only two were featured.
The fact that Ford built at least 1,000 replicas for the public doesn't help either, as many of them were modded into fake movie cars. Still, it seems that this specific Gran Torino is the real deal, with the seller claiming it has documentation verifying its use in the TV series.
The car looks flawless inside and out, starting with the iconic Bright Red and Herron White livery. There are no dents or signs of rust and the chrome trim shines like it did when the car left the factory. It also comes with the removable red police light.
Despite a four-year-long career as a movie car, the Gran Torino boasts an almost flawless interior. You'll notice some signs of use on the upholstery, but no tears and cracks on the dashboard, door panels, or the seats. And it still includes the factory cruise control, AM/FM radio, and tilt steering wheel.
The same goes for the police accessories that the car received during the series, including a Motorola radio, a scanner, and sirens. The driver's side sun visor has been signed by both Paul Michael Glaser (Starsky) and David Soul (Hutch), while the glovebox contains autographs from other actors cast in the movie.
The engine hood hides yet another spectacular detail. While these cars were originally set to leave the assembly line with 5.8-liter Cleveland V8 engines, the producers persuaded Ford to fit them with 7.0-liter engines, which had been discontinued in 1973. These V8s were equipped with the aluminum Super Cobra Jet heads, an Edelbrock Air Gap intake and other performance upgrades.
There's no word on output and torque, but it's safe to assume that the 429s were significantly more potent than the underpowered V8s that Ford offered in 1976. The engine bay looks flawless too, which probably means that the Gran Torino runs excellent.
If you still have doubts about the authenticity of this car, the owner includes a letter from the company that supplied the Gran Torino for the TV series with the sale. The car also comes with an impressive collection of "Starsky & Hutch" memorabilia, including the police badges and IDs of the main characters, posters, and diecast models.
Auctioned off by "maxmotive" on eBay, the Gran Torino has reached $50,200 with almost four days to go. Reserve hasn't been met and given that the "buy it now" price is at $109,300, it's safe to assume that the seller wants a lot more than $50K. While it's not the most expensive movie car out there, it's no bargain either.
The fact that Ford built at least 1,000 replicas for the public doesn't help either, as many of them were modded into fake movie cars. Still, it seems that this specific Gran Torino is the real deal, with the seller claiming it has documentation verifying its use in the TV series.
The car looks flawless inside and out, starting with the iconic Bright Red and Herron White livery. There are no dents or signs of rust and the chrome trim shines like it did when the car left the factory. It also comes with the removable red police light.
Despite a four-year-long career as a movie car, the Gran Torino boasts an almost flawless interior. You'll notice some signs of use on the upholstery, but no tears and cracks on the dashboard, door panels, or the seats. And it still includes the factory cruise control, AM/FM radio, and tilt steering wheel.
The same goes for the police accessories that the car received during the series, including a Motorola radio, a scanner, and sirens. The driver's side sun visor has been signed by both Paul Michael Glaser (Starsky) and David Soul (Hutch), while the glovebox contains autographs from other actors cast in the movie.
The engine hood hides yet another spectacular detail. While these cars were originally set to leave the assembly line with 5.8-liter Cleveland V8 engines, the producers persuaded Ford to fit them with 7.0-liter engines, which had been discontinued in 1973. These V8s were equipped with the aluminum Super Cobra Jet heads, an Edelbrock Air Gap intake and other performance upgrades.
There's no word on output and torque, but it's safe to assume that the 429s were significantly more potent than the underpowered V8s that Ford offered in 1976. The engine bay looks flawless too, which probably means that the Gran Torino runs excellent.
If you still have doubts about the authenticity of this car, the owner includes a letter from the company that supplied the Gran Torino for the TV series with the sale. The car also comes with an impressive collection of "Starsky & Hutch" memorabilia, including the police badges and IDs of the main characters, posters, and diecast models.
Auctioned off by "maxmotive" on eBay, the Gran Torino has reached $50,200 with almost four days to go. Reserve hasn't been met and given that the "buy it now" price is at $109,300, it's safe to assume that the seller wants a lot more than $50K. While it's not the most expensive movie car out there, it's no bargain either.
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