(first posted 6/27/2013) For whatever reason, I’ve seen some vehicles recently that have me contemplating the road not taken (ha ha). Here I shall speak of three icons of the Great Brougham Epoch, that I never much cared for back in their heyday but find inexplicably appealing, in a slightly dirty way, now. “Personal Luxury”, how it rolls off the tongue. What sparked this reverie was a momentary glimpse of a well-maintained 1974 Ford Gran Torino Elite, seen on the I-45 feeder road just south of the Woodlands, TX, in February of this year.
I was on my way to work, with the sun just coming up, when a dazzling flash off a vast expanse of chromium in the opposing left turn lane caught my attention. I got ahead and pulled into the forecourt of a convenience store long enough to snap off a shot, then marveled at what the camera captured. A Torino with pretensions. Not quite Grand, maybe, but certainly Gran. Nice condition, innit? If you want to know more, JPCavanaugh has a fine writeup on the Elite here.
Considerably less pristine is this example of the car the Elite was built to compete against: the ’73-‘77 Chevy Monte Carlo. The pictured car was found on a side street in Port Arthur, TX, and in case you have never been there, an unfortunately large proportion of the town has just that sort of hard-times look to it.
Finally, here is a somewhat careworn representative of the Elite’s direct successor: a 1977-79 Thunderbird, seen exiting the parking lot of the 1940 Air Terminal Museum at Hobby Airport. I had just time enough to get a couple shots as the middle-aged driver left the premises. I didn’t want to get too close; the driver seemed in a bit of a hurry and that dog-catching kink in the rear bumper seemed a clear statement that he didn’t much care what got in his way.
Now, to put things in context a bit, none of these were cars I would have ever considered owning when they were new. I hoovered up everything Car & Driver told me in those days, and what it told me, mostly, was that European style and efficiency was where it was at. Thus, during the period represented by these vehicles, my ride of choice was a ’75 Volkswagen Rabbit.
‘Secretly praising’ a lightweight, front-drive three-box sedan Detroit’s engineers may have been, but they certainly weren’t trying too hard to emulate it. My Wascally Wabbit was about as different a car from the parade-float Elite as one could possibly find in vehicles that shared a two-door configuration. It probably weighed half as much, handled rather than wallowed, and although it admittedly turned into a breakdown-prone money sink before it was three years old, it was never less than a complete hoot to drive. The cabin was more office than boudoir, but that was exactly the point, wasn’t it?
Rabbit
Elite – Girls just wanna have fun, obviously
Nevertheless, as I edge ever closer to doddering decrepitude, I’ve developed slightly more of an appreciation for the over-the-top wildness of the vinyl-encrusted, opera-windowed sex machines exemplified here. So, I ask you: assuming I wanted to get my disco chains on, which of these old beasts (if any) would I want in my driveway? To be perfectly honest, it might be one that’s conspicuous by its absence: a ’77 Mercury Cougar. Specifically, one in dark blue, with a mirror-smooth finish that perfectly reflects the lights lining the wet, glistening nighttime streets. One that looks more or less like this:
found at flickr
I’m so ashamed. Well, not really.
Doesn’t matter anyway; I haven’t seen one of these Cougars in years, in any condition. Of the cars actually spotted, clearly the Elite is in the best shape, by miles. Problem is, I just can’t get over how irredeemably ugly it is: a turret-topped cartoon of a vehicle, a festival of unresolved lines and pointless, baroque filigree, looking like a notional owner who spends way too much time on the buffet line. It does have twice the number of opera windows as the others, though.
Although the Monte Carlo probably had the best chassis and drivetrain when new, the one I photographed is just a bit too far gone, and the stacked-headlight versions just don’t do it for me anyway. And not even a half-vinyl top, for cryin’ out loud. It’s positively naked.
Thus my vote would go to the Thunderbird. While based (like my object-of-lust Cougar) on an updated version of the weak-kneed platform under the Elite, and not all that wildly different thematically, it seems considerably leaner and less busy, even if it really isn’t. I’ll take it. That rear bumper seriously needs fixing, though.
I’m open to argument, however. I know there are similar vehicles from the ’74-77 period, such as Cordobas and Grands Prix, that haven’t been mentioned (I haven’t seen any to photograph recently, that’s why). So, what say you? Elite, Monte or T-Bird (or something else entirely)?
I see chrome surrounds on the taillights which marks it as 77-78 since the 79’s dispensed with that. 79’s also added body color vertical strips in the grille where this one has the thicker chrome bars.
Would be nice if the owner would step it up on his whitewall cleaning methods though. Marks him as either too old to be able to do it anymore, or too young to know what it takes
Very, VERY late to the party, but give me the T-Bird. My Grandma Ruby bought a ’77 T-Bird brand new. It was black with a red pinstripe, black vinyl roof, white bucket-seat interior with red dash, console and carpet, full wheel covers and factory CB radio. I so wanted it for my first car, but she sold it in about 1991, when I was eleven.
Both it and my Aunt Candy’s “basket handle” T-Birds had the console and buckets. It was not until the last 3-4 years that I realized how rare that was, and that most of them had the bench seat.
I once saw a silver one of these with T-tops, bucket seats, console, and full instrumentation: the tops were out and it was parked on the main drag in front of where my stepmother worked in Geneva, IL. This was over twenty years ago.
This beautiful green would be my color choice hands-down.
I love that FoMoCo emerald green too, but Grammy’s ’77 in that black/white/red color combo was super sharp!
I have both. I have a 74 Montego that’s been in the family since new and I also drive a 79 Thunderbird. I am looking for a 78 or 79 Monte Carlo.
I’m a little late here…but i’d go for the t-bird first. I’m bias as i own a 79, but it’s a nice car. Some of the comments are true, like interior room and understeer etc..but u don’t buy one of these cars for those things…you buy for the fun you have driving them. I like the Grand Prix or Mark V also or even a 79 Eldorado… Nice size and advanced engineering. This my T-Bird, t-top and sport pkg.
lets try this again…oh, and no matter what you buy…go for the best original you can find. Trust me, it’ll be worth it!
I’d take the Torino Elite hands down over anything else on the road at the time. Of course it had a heavy front end so I wouldn’t go with more than the normal 351W engine or less. The C-4 transmission is also preferrable. Mine could round a 90 degree corner without even squealing a tire so if you had the right engine and shocks that were decent and you weren’t trying to make it jump off the ground it usually did just fine and without any rear sway bar. Also the parts were a decent price so unlike most all the other cars you could afford to drive it and work on it. The front bumper bar behind the chrome was immense and weighed over 100 pounds easily when new however many are in decrepit condition becasue the bumper bars were steel and unpainted for some reason making them hard to find in decent shape. But on the bright side at least you had none of the classic axle and engine problems of the Chevys and if you got in a wreck you wouldn’t be flattened like a bug as I’ve seen one too many times with cheap compact cars. That coupled with not so outrageously priced parts and the ability to go over 120 MPH and have a place to sleep at night – it’s a car you can actually appreciate,live in and drive. But as with all old cars you’ll have to replace some suspension rubber bushings by now unless you find someone who actually did some of the hard work.
I read here about how floating and unstable the 74 ford Torino Elite was. I must have had a lemon. I had the suspension looked at, repaired and aligned, front and rear, and all I can say is it was about the most comfortable town car, road car that I’ve owned, with the exception of a 1997 Ford F-150 Ext Cab, long box truck. Now there was a ride! Back to the Torino: It was the car I let my daughter drive to and from school and school events. She had an attraction for the car, and it was “HER CAR”. If she had to drive our 85 Pontiac Grand Prix (my wife’s car) it was with reluctance.
I drove it to Camp LeJeune, NC. Now there was an awesome journey. It drove nicely, handled all of the mountain curves, not like a real sports car, but very adequate. It was the 400 M engine, Auto Trans, A/C, and for 1974 standards, did well on the road with 14 to 19 mpg, never worked on the 5 to 6 Percent grades. Like I said, I must have had a lemon. One thing I never would have had done was to have allowed my 14 year old daughter in something that was unstable to drive. She drove it in the wet, the snow, the slick with perfect harmony. Good tires, front and rear are essential in the handling process. Having the suspension inspected and cared for are also an essential. But we made Lemonade from our Torino Elite lemon.
Thanks for the forum,
Dale
Is this still open for discussion? If so, I’d like to throw in my 5 p, too…
It started back in 1985, when I saw that car resting at a gas station. I just had to have it, although it was way too expensive for the young man I used to be then. And I had to convince my parents, as I still lived at their home at that time. I suppose, I was very convincing (or, maybe, annoying, your guess), so the story ended with me owning the car. Other cars came and went, but this beauty stayed for 26 years, and I sold it to a good new home because it was in need of restoratation work that I could not provide.
Ah, the car… It was a 1976 Pontiac Grand Prix LJ Golden Anniversary Edition with 400 4bbl engine. You can believe me, there were not many around of them in my home country, Switzerland.
Michael
I would choose the Elite now, back then probably the Cougar my wife and I bought one of the new 84s, loved it. I know that the Elite was just dolled up Torino but I liked the body shape and the front and rear views. Never driven one though. A black Elite was featured in the TV show “Khan” which featured an Asian private eye. I would probably wwnt a GP now they were better optioned with a much nicer standard interior while Chevy spent all the money on the MCs sheet metal. Maybe a 77-78 Regal reall classy.
funny how there always seems to be a trash can in the background when there is a car that is kind of past its prime :). That Monte would have been a nice ride when it was new
For me the 1977 Cutlass Supreme would have been the choice with the Grand Prix close behind. A good friend had the 77 Thunderbird and it was a fine car, just not my style. He loved it and kept it a long time. I know it is not part of this discussion but a 77 Caprice with the F-41 suspension would have been just perfect.
I’m shocked by how little mention the Cordoba received on this post considering it’s popularity. Hell, we all still make “Rich Corinthian Leather” jokes to this day.
Of the three Broughams I’d choose the steel roof Monte Carlo as the sleekest option but given my predilections what I’d really want is the coupe version of the Rabbit since the 77 Scirocco is the last year of the original front end and the second year of fuel injection. of course if I had the money there’s a good chance I’d have sprung for a BMW since the E24 Sharknose came out in 76.
Out of these three I would definitely choose the Thunderbird. The Elite just has too much applique work going on – chrome here, vinyl there, chrome and vinyl on the sides – and the underlying shape does nothing for me. Those funky swoopy curlicues on the Monte’s sides are just awful, and stacked quads ruin anything. That said, if we’d found a GP instead of the Monte, I might well choose that.
Interesting timing on this being posted. This morning I was talking to the local appliance repair guy who was working across the street. I’ve known him for years. He actually owns and sometimes drives a ’74 Elite. It is more of a street machine vibe than you would expect. He built it in the late ’80’s and sold it when he started his business. A couple of years ago he hunted it down on the east coast and bought it back. He had to find a new hood for it as the last owner had a tunnel ram sticking out of it. He said that hood was very hard to find. Then I come inside and get on the computer and find this.
I read a lot above about how the Torino wallows and is very vague steering. I once owned the “truck” version, AKA Ranchero and didn’t find that to really be the case with mine, a ’73. Maybe that was because it lacked power steering. It also had air shocks ( you know, with the rear end slightly up in the air) which may have stiffened the suspension. Of course, I didn’t try to do any road racing with it either. I sure miss that truck.
So, my choice would be “none of the above”. However, a Ranchero, yes.
Omni-Horizon.
If I must pick one of these, then it’ll grudgingly be the Monte Carlo, but I’d much prefer a Caprice or other B-body with four doors and thoughtfully-selected equipment and specifications.
I had a 78 T-Bird; it was my first new car. It was a base model – no a/c, white with red bench seat interior, roll-up windows and AM radio. The nice thing about these was that you could configure them in so many ways. There were seemingly endless interior & exterior upgrades, so that almost no two cars were the same. The downside – interior space was laughable especially the back seat, and it sucked gas. The 302 V8 was a dog, and I was lucky when I got 360 km per tank (Canadian car). But I loved it just the same, and will always have fond memories of it.
None of these cars are my type, but as I worked for Hertz as a transporter in ’77 and ’78 I’ve driven the Thunderbird (several times) and although not the Monte Carlo, I did drive a ’77 Gran Prix which is at least related. Never drove an Elite, think they came out around the time the car I was driving at the time (’74 Datsun 710) but only were offered a few years. Also drove the Mercury Cougar (including a Cougar Wagon, probably in ’78).
My parents owned a ’73 Ranch Wagon back then, so I was used to the Fords (plus Hertz rented mostly Fords back then at least at our location). These were a bit smaller than the Ranch Wagon, but nowdays would be considered large. More than once took a Thunderbird from Dorval airport (maybe did the other way too, or could have been an LTDII)…I was a young guy driving a current model year car with no passengers so I was used to being stopped at the border and having them check the trunk (probably should have checked it myself before leaving to make sure it was empty as it should be).
If I was to get something like these, I’d prefer a Dodge Magnum, which our location had (only one).
A few years later, but similar to the author I owned an A1 VW (a Scirocco rather than a Rabbit) and since then have not strayed from VW having owned 3 in a row including my current (’00) Golf, so you can probably figure out the type of car I prefer…the other VW I owned was an ’86 GTi..