Ford Torino (3rd gen) 1972-1976

The Ford Torino is an automobile that was produced by Ford for the North American market between 1968 and 1976. It was a competitor in the intermediate market segment. The car was named after the city of Turin (Torino, in Italian), considered "the Italian Detroit". The Torino was initially an upscale variation of the intermediate sized Ford Fairlane. After 1968, the Fairlane name was retained for the base models with lower levels of trim than those models which wore the Torino name. During this time, the Torino was considered a subseries to the Fairlane. By 1970 Torino had become the primary name for Ford's intermediate, and the Fairlane was now a subseries of the Torino. In 1971 the Fairlane name was dropped altogether, and all Ford intermediates were called Torino. This name was one of several originally proposed for the Mustang while in development. The Torino was essentially a twin to the Mercury Montego line.

Most Torinos were conventional cars, and generally the most popular models were the 4-door sedans and 2-door hardtops. However, Ford produced some high-performance versions of the Torino by fitting them with large powerful engines, such as the 428 cu in (7.0 L) and 429 cu in (7.0 L) "Cobra-Jet" engines. These cars are classified as muscle cars. Ford also chose the Torino as the base for its NASCAR entrants, and it has a successful racing heritage.

[B]Third generation (1972–1976)[/B]
[B]1972[/B]
For 1972, the Torino was redesigned using many characteristics carried over from the previous generation. The 1972 Torino styling emphasized the "long hood short deck" look and had strong elements of coke bottle styling. The Torino line-up was revamped with three models "Torino," "Gran Torino" and "Gran Torino Sport." The most radical change was a large eggcrate grille in an oval opening on Gran Torinos. Tom McCahill stated, "the gaping grille looks a little like it was patterned after Namu, the killer whale," but also stated that the Torino had "kind of pleasing, no-nonsense styling." Gran Torinos had chrome bezels surrounding the headlamps on each side of the large oval grille. Base Torinos had a full width argent eggcrate grille that surrounded the headlights. Base Torinos also used a unique hood and front bumper differentiating it from the Gran Torino models. The Torino's front fenders were flared around the wheel opening and the rear quarter panel had strong character line extending to the rear bumper. The windshield rake was increased to a faster 60-degree angle, while the A-pillars and roof were thinner. Despite these changes, structural integrity remained the same as 1971 models. A full width rear bumper had inset rectangular tail lights with pointed ends. "DirectAire" ventilation was standard equipment for all Torino models, resulting in vent windows vanishing. The Torino incorporated new safety features for 1972, including new flush mount door handles and side door guard rails.

The new model line-up reduced the number of models from 14 in 1971 to 9 in 1972. The convertible and 4-door hardtops were discontinued but all other body styles remained. The 4-door hardtops and sedans were replaced with 4-door "pillared hardtops." This was Ford's term for 4-door sedans with frameless door glass and a thin "B" pillar. This configuration was also used by station wagons. "Torino" remained the base series, but the mid-level Torino 500 was renamed "Gran Torino". The Torino Brougham was reduced to an option package for the Gran Torino, and Torino GT became "Gran Torino Sport." The Torino and Gran Torino were available as a 2-door hardtop and a 4-door sedan; the Gran Torino Sport was available as a 2-door hardtop and SportsRoof. The station wagon line-up consisted of three models: "Torino," "Gran Torino," and "Gran Torino Squire." The Cobra model was discontinued as the Torino line was refocused toward luxury and de-emphasized performance.

The biggest change for the Torino was the switch to body-on-frame construction from the unit-construction of the 1971 models. The new chassis was a perimeter design that was used to help give the Torino a quieter and more isolated ride. It featured an energy absorbing "S" shaped front end, torque boxes to isolate road shock, fourteen rubber body mounts and five cross members. The front suspension used a short/long control arm design, with a computer selected coil spring mounted on the strut stabilized lower control arm, as in the fullsize Ford. The rear used a four link suspension, which Ford called "Stabul," with a computer selected coil spring mounted on a solid axle. The wheel track increased by at least 2 in (51 mm) over 1971 models.[18] Motor Trend stated the "road isolation and vibrational dampening is superb" in its test of a 1972 Gran Torino Brougham 4-door. Ford offered two suspension options, a heavy-duty and competition suspension. The heavy-duty suspension included a larger front sway bar, and heavy-duty springs and shocks. Competition suspension, only available in two-door models, included the most heavy-duty springs and shocks, heavy duty rear upper control arms and bushings, a larger front sway bar, and a rear sway bar. This was the first year that a rear sway bar was offered in the Torino. Front disc brakes was standard equipment on all Torinos, which no other American intermediate (other than its sister car the Mercury Montego) offered in 1972. Gran Torino Squire station wagons had power brakes as standard equipment, but it remained an option for all other models. Further, it was a mandatory option for all 429 cu in (7.0 L) powered models. The power steering was completely revised to be integral in the steering box, rather than the external booster style used in previous years. All Torinos used 14-inch wheels, while 15-inch wheels were used for exclusively by police and taxi models.

A significant change to Torino chassis for 1972 was the use of separate wheelbases for 2-doors and 4-doors. Starting in 1968, GM had begun to use a shorter wheelbase for its 2-door intermediates, and a longer one for the 4-doors. This allowed for stylists to make fewer compromises when trying to turn a 2-door into a 4-door. Chrysler also followed suit in 1971, although its intermediate coupes and sedans didn't even share body panels. The 1972 Torino used a 114 in (2,896 mm) wheelbase for 2-doors and a 118 in (2,997 mm) wheelbase for 4-doors, station wagons, and the related Ranchero. Like GM intermediates, the Torino 2-door and 4-door shared many body panels. Overall, the size and weight for Torino had increased for 1972, following the longer, lower, wider trend. Gran Torino sedans saw a 5 in (127 mm) length increase, while 2-doors had a 1 in (25 mm) increase in length. Base Torino sedans were only 1 in (25 mm) longer, and 2-doors were 3 in (76 mm) shorter than 1971 models. Weight increased significantly for 4-door and station wagon models, while 2-doors had a small increase in weight.

Interiors were all new and featured an improved instrument panel, that used ABS plastic for much of its construction. The standard instrument cluster featured five equally sized round pods which contained a speedometer, fuel gauge, and temperature gauge, along with various warning lights. The leftmost pod was a vent for the "DirectAire" ventilation system. A clock was optional with the standard instrument package. The "Instrumentation Group", available on all V8 models, featured two large round pods centered on the steering wheel, containing the speedometer (with trip odometer) and a tachometer. A third equal sized pod on the left contained the DirectAire vent. The instrument cluster included an ammeter, fuel gauge, temperature gauge, oil pressure gauge and clock set in a smaller stacked of pods near the centre of the instrument panel. The seats were also new for 1972, the standard front bench seat changed to a high back integrated headrest for the outboard seating positions, but high back bucket seats remained an option on 2-door models. Ford offered "comfort weave" vinyl inserts on the bucket seats for the last time in 1972. An optional 6-way power bench seat, replaced the 4-way seat offered in 1971.

The base engine was the 250 cu in (4.1 L) inline-six in all models except the Gran Torino Squire station wagon and the Gran Torino Sport which used the 302-2V small-block V8. The engine options included the 302-2V, a 351-2V ("Windsor" or "Cleveland"), a 351C-4V "Cobra Jet" (CJ), a 400-2V, and a 429-4V. The 400-2V was a new engine to the Torino line-up, and was part of the 335 series engine family like the 351 Cleveland. The 429-4V was not a high-performance engine like the Cobra Jets of previous years; instead, it was a high torque, low revving engine. Emissions and low-lead fuel requirements had become more strict for 1972. To meet these requirements, compression ratios on all Torino engines were dropped to at least 8.5:1, and all engines ran on regular gasoline. These engines generally produced less power than their predecessors in 1971, although this was exaggerated due to the switch to the new SAE net bhp ratings from the SAE gross figures used in 1971. As a result, the power loss was not as dramatic as the numbers suggest, and the horsepower figures are not directly comparable. All models came equipped with a three-speed manual transmission as a standard equipment. The Cruise-O-Matic was optional, but was a mandatory option for the 351-2V, 400-2V and 429-4V. The 351-4V CJ required either the 4-speed or the Cruise-O-Matic transmissions as mandatory options.

[SIZE=1]Source: Wikipedia[/SIZE]

[B]1973[/B]
The most obvious change for the 1973 model saw was a new front fascia, required to meet new federal regulations. The new regulation mandated that all cars manufactured after September 1, 1972 must be able to take a 5 mph (8.0 km/h) strike to the front without damaging safety related components such as headlamps and the fuel system. For 1973 only, rear bumpers had a 2.5 mph (4.0 km/h) requirement. The Torino's front end featured totally new sheetmetal from the firewall forward, with a blunt, more squared-off fascia replacing the previous year's pointed prow. The new large square 5 mph (8.0 km/h) energy absorbing bumper replaced the almost body-fitting chrome bumper used on the front of the 1972 Torino. The new larger bumpers caused all Torino models to increase in length by at least 1 in (25 mm), and weight also increased by at least 100 lb (45 kg) for all models. Rear bumpers and taillights were unchanged from 1972.

Separate grille designs were still maintained for Torino and Gran Torino models; they mimicked the 1972s in design. The Gran Torino now had a more rectangular grill with the parking lamps horizontally placed in the grille, but the quad headlights were still surrounded with a chrome bezel. Base Torino models had a wider full width grill that surrounded the headlamps; however, the parking lamps were located on the outer edge of the fascia. The leading edge of the hood was squared off to follow the fascia's lines, and all models shared the same hood. The 1973 Torino used the same rear bumper as the 1972 Torino, and incorporated minor changes to meet the 2.5 mph (4.0 km/h) mandate. Rear bumpers now had new brackets that increased the space between the bumper and the sheetmetal, an impact strip and bumper guards.

The model line-up for 1973 increased to 11 from the 9 models in 1972. The model line-up consisted of "Torino", "Gran Torino", "Gran Torino Sport", and "Gran Torino Brougham." The "Gran Torino Brougham" was available as a 2-door hardtop and a 4-door sedan. Other models were offered in the same body styles as 1972. Bench seats for 1973 reverted to low backs with separate head rests to increase rear visibility. The high back bucket seats were still available on the two-door models. The hood release was moved to inside for increased security. All models used larger 11-inch (279 mm) rear drum brakes for 1973 to help cope with the extra weight; 1972 models used 10 in (254 mm) drums. Radial tires were added to the option list which offered longer tread life and better road manners.

The standard engine remained the 250 CID inline-six for all models except the station wagons and Sport, which used the 302-2V. Engine options also remained the same, but all engines now had their compression ratio dropped to 8.0:1. Power for all engines was slightly lower than in 1972. The 351 CJ continued to be the only high-performance engine and only saw a 2 hp (1.5 kW) drop from 1972. Police package Torinos had the same engine options as the civilian models but with the addition of a high-performance 460-4V exclusive to the "Interceptor" package.

For 1973, Gran Torino Sport had its own unique emblem, which it displayed in the grille and on the trunk lock cover. The laser stripe was revised to a slightly different shape, and ran higher along on the body side. The Sport no longer had a hood scoop, and the Ram Air induction option was gone. The Sport was available as a 2-door SportsRoof or a 2-door hardtop but was otherwise unchanged from the 1972 model year. In the Car and Driver magazine road test of a 1973 Gran Torino Sport, the suspension was noted to be a good balance of comfort and handling. Car and Driver wrote that the Torino was as "..quiet as a Jaguar, smooth as a Continental, the Torino's ride is exceptional...even with the competition suspension." Their test of a SportsRoof equipped with the 351 CJ, C-6 automatic, and 3.25:1 gears, resulted in a 0 - 60 mph (97 km/h) time of 7.7 seconds while the quarter mile went by in 16.0 seconds at 88.1 mph (141.8 km/h).[24] The 0 - 60 mph time was 0.9 seconds slower than the 1972 model Car and Driver tested a year before; however, this can partially be attributed to differences in gear ratio, transmission type, and an almost 350 lb (160 kg) increase in weight. The 1973 Sport had a test weight of 4,308 lb (1,954 kg), while the 1972 had a test weight of 3,966 lb (1,799 kg).[24] For comparison, in a Motor Trend test of a 1970 Torino 2-door equipped with a 351-4V, Cruise-O-Matic, and 3.00:1 gears, they recorded a 0 - 60 mph (97 km/h) time of 8.7 seconds, and a quarter mile time of 16.5 seconds at 86 mph (138 km/h).[16] However, the high compression 1970 motor required premium fuel, while the low compression 1973 motor could run on regular.

The Gran Torino Brougham featured the most premium upholsteries in the Torino line-up, including nylon cloth fabrics and "leather like" vinyl. Standard equipment included a front bench seat with a fold down armrest, woodgrained trim on the instrument panel, deluxe steering wheel, electric clock, bright pedal pad trim, and a dual note horn. The Squire wagon was trimmed similarly to the Brougham. Along the same genre, Ford introduced spring special option group called the Luxury Décor Package, in March 1973. This option package was available on 2-door Gran Torino models and included a white, brown, or green halo vinyl roof with colour-keyed body-side molding pinstripe package, colour keyed rear bumper pad and wheel covers, black sidewall radial tires, flight bench seat in tan super soft vinyl with matching door panels, deluxe 2-spoke steering wheel, wood tone instrument panel applique, dual note horn, 25-oz cut-pile carpet, and upgraded insulation. The Luxury Décor Package was only available with three exterior colours, saddle bronze, medium copper metallic or metallic ivy glow.

1973 was a successful year for the Torino, with 496,581 units being sold. The sales continued to be strong, even with the stiff competition from GM's new for 1973 "Colonnade" intermediates. Torino was the number one selling intermediate and outsold its main competitor, the Chevrolet Chevelle, by over 168,000 units.

[SIZE=1]Source: Wikipedia[/SIZE]

I find a bit shocking that you came back to UCP!
Welcome back mate :)

heh, yeah...
I stop by every once in a while to see whats up, and decided to contribute once again

Starsky & Hutch!

[B]1974[/B]
The 1974 model year saw more extensive revisions to the Torino line. Government safety regulations now required that the rear bumpers must also meet the 5 mph (8.0 km/h) standard, so all Torinos had the rear bumper and tail lamp panel redesigned. The new rear bumpers were much larger, square shaped, and sat lower on the body. No longer was there a valance panel located below the bumper as on the 1972–73 models. The tail lights were beveled rectangular wrap-around units which eliminated the need for rear side marker lights. The fuel filler was repositioned above the bumper, hidden behind an access door in the center of the taillight panel. The front fascia for Gran Torinos was revised for 1974. The new grille was of similar shape to the 1973, but was slightly larger and divided into 8 equal sized vertical rectangular sections. The grille had a fine mesh pattern with vertical parking lamps in the outer sections (embossed with the grille pattern on the surface of the lens) and the grille emblem was changed The front bumper was revised to be slightly more pointed while the bumper guards moved more towards the center of the bumper compared to 1973 models. The license plate bracket was relocated to the driver's side of the bumper. Base Torino models carried on with the same front fascia as 1973; however, its front bumpers were revised similarly to the Gran Torinos except the license plate remained in the center. Gran Torino Broughams had a red reflector panel between the taillamps to give them a full width look. Broughams and Squires had a stand-up hood ornament inplace of the emblem on the grille.

The Torino model line-up was the same as 1973, with two exceptions. The Gran Torino Sport was no longer available with the "SportsRoof" fastback roofline, and the new "Gran Torino Elite" debuted. Although 2-door Torinos were advertised as hardtops, the rear windows were revised to be fixed unlike the 1972–73 models. Ford announced to its dealers in January 1974 that new Gran Torino Elite, Ford's entry in the mid-sized luxury car market, would be available for sale as of the week of February 18, 1974. The Elite was Ford's response to Chevrolet's popular low-priced luxury coupe the Monte Carlo. The Elite was described by Ford as "A totally new 2-door hardtop...with Thunderbird-inspired styling, solid engineering and personal luxury...plus mid-size economy." The Elite wasn't totally new, as Ford described, but it did have a number of unique features. The Elite used the Mercury Montego and Mercury Cougar body shell with unique front end styling that resembled the Thunderbird. It had a large eggcrate mesh grille surrounded by single headlamps recessed in chrome bezels and vertical wrap-around parking lamps. On the rear there was large wrap-around taillamps with a reflective center panel giving it a full width taillight appearance. Large color-keyed vinyl moldings were placed higher on the body side, similar to the Thunderbird. Standard equipment for the Elite included a 351-2V V8 engine, automatic transmission, and radial tires. It also featured standard luxury items such as a vinyl roof with twin opera windows, split bench seat, "Westminster" cloth upholstery, woodgrain trim, and complete instrumentation.

For 1974, Torino added several new luxury oriented options and features including a leather-wrapped steering wheel, split bench seat, an electric sunroof, rear fender skirts, speed control with steering wheel controls and opera windows for 2-doors. Opera windows were added as standard equipment on Brougham models. The exterior trim was revised, with moldings the rocker panels instead of the lower doors. Brougham and Sport models had an extra chrome molding that ran on the lower fender edge between the front wheelwell and bumper; this gave the appearance of bumper-to-bumper chrome. Squires had no lower body moldings. All 1974 Torinos used the seat belt-interlock system, as mandated by the U.S. government. This short-lived safety system would be removed after the 1974 model year. The competition suspension was no longer offered, and the only suspension option was a revised heavy-duty suspension package. This option was available on all Torinos except the Elite, and included a larger front sway bar and heavy-duty front and rear springs. Heavy-duty shocks and a rear sway bar were included in this package on 2-door and 4-door sedan models only.

Torinos were now even larger and heavier than ever before. All body styles were approximately 5" longer due in part to the safety bumpers. With Torinos gaining weight and inches, the 250 CID I-6 was no longer the base engine. Nevertheless, even though original sales literature does not list the six cylinder engine as being available, Chilton's and Motor's repair manuals list availability and data for 6-cylinder powered Torinos. That said, it appears that a small number of base model Torinos were built with the 250 CID 6-cylinder engine; in fact one of the 6-cylinder Torinos became the main car for the 2004 movie Starsky & Hutch. The 429-4V was replaced with the 460-4V which produced more power and torque and was equipped with dual exhaust. All other engines saw a slight increase in power levels compared to 1973. Other than the few six cylinder exceptions, all Torinos and Gran Torinos came with the 302-2V as the base engine, and the 3-speed manual remained the standard transmission. The larger V8 engine options required the Cruise-O-Matic as a mandatory option, except the 351-CJ. The 351-CJ remained the only performance engine, and it was limited to 2-door models. It produced more power than the 460-4V, and saw a 9 hp (6.7 kW) increase but a loss of 22 ft⋅lbf (30 N⋅m) of torque. It was the only engine available with the 4-speed transmission but the more common Cruise-O-Matic was also available. This was the last model year for the 351 CJ and the four-speed transmission.

With the SportsRoof bodystyle discontinued, the Gran Torino Sport model was difficult to distinguish from other Gran Torino 2-doors. The Gran Torino Sport's main identifiers were its unique emblems, with placement on the grille, the C-pillar, and the fuel filler door. In addition, a "Sport" script was placed by the C-pillar emblem. To further remove it from the sporty theme, Gran Torino Sports even had opera windows (on vinyl-roofed cars) and fender skirts added to its option list. Of note, when opera windows were ordered, the "Sport" script was placed below the "Gran Torino" nameplate on the fender and the C-pillar emblem was deleted. The laser stripe was no longer available, but a lower body multi-coloured non-reflective stripe was an option. Higher profile 78 series radial ply tires replaced the previously used 70 series bias-plys.

The interior of the Gran Torino Sport had more distinction from other models. The instrument package became a standard feature, but bucket seats remained an option. Bucket seats were revised to a low back design with separate head rests. Sport door panels, now vinyl rather than molded plastic, and seats were highlighted with coloured stripes, similar to the 1973 Luxury Décor Package interior. As a cost-cutting measure, the "Magnum 500" wheel was revised with the formerly chrome plated wheel replaced by a polished trim ring and argent painted spokes. Overall, performance was more lackluster for 1974 models. The 1974 Sport had a shipping weight almost 400 lb (180 kg) heavier than a 1972 Sport.

Torino had another successful year in 1974, and continued to be popular. Ford produced 426,086 units, including 96,604 Gran Torino Elites.

[SIZE=1]Source: Wikipedia[/SIZE]

[B]1975[/B]
For the 1975 model year, the Ford Torino received a number of minor improvements, but was for the most part unchanged. The model line-up received only one change, the Gran Torino Elite was dropped. The Elite became an independent model, and marketed simply as the Ford Elite. All Torinos featured solid state ignition systems for 1975, which improved starting performance and fuel economy, while reducing maintenance costs. Radial tires, another fuel saving feature, power steering and power brakes were all new standard features for all Torinos. 1975 Torinos received a new steering wheel design and a "Fuel Sentry" vacuum gauge was added to the option list.

The 1975 model year saw virtually no changes to the exterior styling. The only significant change was that Torino models adopted the Gran Torino grille and front fascia. Torino's weight continued to climb even though the exterior dimensions were unchanged from 1974.

The Federal Clean Air Act caused Ford to install catalytic converters for 1975 to help meet new emission standards. The converter significantly reduced the power output of the engines due to increased exhaust back pressure. In response, Ford revised the base engine on all Torinos to the 351-2V engine. Along with this change, the Cruise-O-Matic transmission became standard; no manual transmissions were available. Power for all engines, except the 460, was significantly reduced compared to 1974, and with the weight increase, fuel economy and performance continued to decrease. The 400-2V and the 460-4V were the only engine options, as the 351-4V was no longer available.

The new 351M (Modified) joined the line-up to replace the 351 Cleveland. Although, when a Torino was equipped with a 351-2V engine it could result in the car being delivered either the 351M or the 351W, as they were used interchangeably. The 351M and 351W had no appreciable power output difference. Due to the lack of emissions certification, the 351M was not available in California. The 351M used the 400's tall deck block and shared its connecting rods and intake manifold, resulting in more parts shared between 351M and 400 compared to the 351C and 400. This saved Ford on the engine production costs.

The Gran Torino Sport remained but was virtually unchanged from the 1974 model. The Sport was almost indistinguishable from a conventional Gran Torino, and customers responded with a lack of interest. 1975 was the least popular and last year for this model; only 5,126 units were produced.

Sales for Torinos dropped off significantly from the 1974 model year. With the Elite now a separate model, Torino lost a large portion of its sales. Ford produced only 195,110 Torino's for 1975. Even with the addition of the 123,372 Elites produced for 1975, total output was 318,482 which was still significantly lower than 1974. Sales decreases were likely due to the increased demand for smaller economical cars, while Ford's more sensibly sized Granada likely also stole sales from Torino. The Ford Granada was classed as a compact by Ford, but had exterior dimensions close to that of a late 1960s Ford Torino.

[SIZE=1]Source: Wikipedia[/SIZE]

[B]1976[/B]
The 1976 model year saw no major changes to the Torino. The Gran Torino Sport was discontinued, and so the Torino consisted of 9 separate models; 2- and 4-door versions of the Torino, Gran Torino, and Gran Torino Brougham, along with three station wagon models. New options for the 1976 model year included a power trunk release and an automatic parking brake release. Gran Torino 2-doors could be ordered with the center console when optional bucket seats were specified; previously the console was only available on Sport models. In addition, opera windows and landau roofs were now available options for all 2-door models. There were no styling changes made to Torino for 1976.

Engine options remained the unchanged for 1976, however fuel economy was improved on all engines with revisions to the engine spark advance and the EGR valve operation. The 351-2V engines and the 400-2V had a power and torque increase, and the 460-4V had a power decrease. In an attempt to help improve fuel economy, the standard rear axle ratio for all models was now 2.75:1.

1975–1976 Gran Torinos were used in the popular Spelling-Goldberg Productions TV series Starsky and Hutch. The producers needed a flashy specialty car for the main characters to drive. Since Ford was the lease supplier for on-screen cars through their Studio-TV Car Loan Program, eventually it was decided by the producers that a bright red 1975 Gran Torino two-door would be the vehicle of choice for the pilot episode. To make the Torino less mundane, a large white vector stripe was added. Aluminum 5-slot mag wheels and larger rear tires replaced the stock wheels and tires, and air shocks were added to give the car an aggressive rake. The television show became quite popular with the public, and much of that popularity was centered on the star Torino. Ford couldn't help but take notice to the public's interest in the "Starsky and Hutch" Torino, and decided to introduce a replica version of the TV car. Ford built 1,000 replicas of the "Starsky and Hutch" car in the spring of 1976. Production of the replicas began in March 1976, and all were produced in Ford's Chicago manufacturing plant. This limited production package was essentially a special paint option, but required the deluxe bumper group and dual color-keyed sport mirrors as mandatory options. The TV car's slotted mag wheels were not offered by Ford, and the only sporty wheel option was the Magnum 500 wheel. They were not a mandatory option though, and these cars came equipped with wheel covers as standard equipment. When producing the replicas, Ford painted the entire car white, then masked off the stripe and painted the rest of the car the shade of bright red (code 2B) used on the 1972–75 models (and subsequently the TV cars). This color had been discontinued for all other Torino models for 1976 in favor of a different shade of red. The factory replicas were close to the TV show car, but had minor differences in the stripe, and did not have the aggressive rake of the TV car. Many replica owners installed slotted mag wheels, and air shocks after purchase to give the car a more authentic look. The "Starsky and Hutch" replica was available with all Torino engines. Seat colors were limited to black or white and were available with all seating trims and options. One of the factory replicas was leased to Spelling-Goldberg as a backup for the original Torinos that were created for the show.

Production total for the Torino in 1976 was 193,096 units, slightly lower than 1975. This would be the final year for the Ford Torino.

The Torino chassis continued to live on under the Ford LTD II, Ford Thunderbird, Ford Ranchero and Mercury Cougar through the 1977 to 1979 model years.

[SIZE=1]Source: Wikipedia[/SIZE]

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