Time Machine |
Post Reply |
Author | |
aktorino
New Member Joined: 28-January-2013 Location: Alaska Status: Offline Points: 18 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Posted: 06-February-2013 at 10:57PM |
Hello! New to this forum. Great resource! Here's my story:
Back in 1974, one of my favorite TV shows was called "Kolchak, The Night Stalker". Made for TV action/horror show. To my dismay, it was cancelled after it's first season. I was pretty bummed out until I saw this new show about two cool detectives with a hot car! Starsky and Hutch! I loved it! Never missed an episode. I grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. One summer day in 1976, my dad took my sister, my brother and I to a park to play. In doing so, it took us right past the local Ford dealer (Stepp Brothers Friendly Ford). Being a car nut, I always would peer into the showroom to check out the new cars as we drove by. On this particular day, before I could see clearly into the showroom, I saw a red flashing light. I instantly knew it was on top of a red and white striped Torino! All us kids begged our dad to pull in. To our surprise, he did. We literally ran inside and gawked at the car. We asked if we could sit in it. Amazingly, my brother had brought his Vivitar camera and a Polaroid camera. Flash! With one stroke of his finger, he forever burned into my brain that moment while recording it on that piece of film. Naturally, I dreamed of owning such a car, being a car nut that I was. Well, it only took me 37 years to fulfill that dream. I found a California Gran Torino with 70,062 miles on it. I did all the work myself and converted it into my own Starsky Torino. More to the story but here's a couple of pics:First on is from 1976, second one was last week |
|
TV 2M8O
Senior Member Joined: 20-September-2006 Location: Southern Ohio Status: Offline Points: 2053 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Great story, cools pics and I can't wait to see more of your S&H Torino!
|
|
TV 2M8O OUT JOE 1976 Gran Torino S&H season 2-4 Clone Project Blog: http://tv2m8o.blogspot.com/ |
|
legend onirot
Senior Member METAL GOD Joined: 18-January-2009 Location: hattiesburg ms Status: Offline Points: 3038 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
x2... welcome
|
|
---------------------
malcolm 1973 gran torino sport (formal)... "Stacy Lynn" 1972 gran torino (formal)... "Mackenzie" 1973 gran torino sport (sportroof)... "Leela" |
|
Regul8r
Admin Group Moderator Joined: 26-December-2007 Location: Sarasota FL Status: Offline Points: 6624 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Welcome to the forum.
We have seen that top pic here on the forum in the past. Someone in the family already a member? New to the board or been here before but back under a new name maybe? Either way... WELCOME! |
|
Carl Corey (Moderator/Event Coordinator) Contact ANYTIME!
1976 Ford Elite "Lola Mae" 97 Suzuki Intruder 1400 US Army Retired |
|
aktorino
New Member Joined: 28-January-2013 Location: Alaska Status: Offline Points: 18 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
You might have seen the pic on another web site. I had a real hard time figuring out my computer in order to post the pics. Windows 7 cut and paste quit working....You can see me in the drivers seat and my sister in the passenger seat. Once the snow melts, I'm going to bring my Torino down to the dealership ( it's a BMW dealership now) along with my pictures and story and ask if, when ever they move their cars to clean the floors/carpet, if I can scoot my car in there and sit it and my self in the same spot and get my picture taken..... not sure if they're gonna let me but I think it's worth a try...
|
|
Mark S.
Senior Member Joined: 22-April-2012 Location: EHT, NJ Status: Offline Points: 374 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Welcome! Nice car. I remember Night Stalker too...starred Darren McGavin, the actor best known for playing the Dad in the "A Christmas Story" movie.
|
|
Mark
1977 Ltd II "Eltee" 1984 Mustang ragtop 2004 Grand Marquis Ultimate Edition 71 Torino GT 429CJ (sold too many years ago to count...) |
|
aktorino
New Member Joined: 28-January-2013 Location: Alaska Status: Offline Points: 18 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Hello everyone, thank you for welcoming me to this forum. I replaced the original 351M with a 400. I have a 460 in waiting but I'll see how the 400 does first. The car was originally dark brown. Tan interior is getting changed out to black this weekend. Will post some pic's of that. I used a base coat/clear coat paint. Sanded and buffed the paing with 1200, 1500 and 2000 grit sandpaper. Will post additional photos as time allows...
Aktorino |
|
TV 2M8O
Senior Member Joined: 20-September-2006 Location: Southern Ohio Status: Offline Points: 2053 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
NICE.... look forward to seeing more!Yeah, it can be a chore uploading pics and getting them to look right. I fight with my posts everytime I update my thread. Keep at it, you finally get it!!! LOL
Edited by TV 2M8O - 07-February-2013 at 11:01PM |
|
TV 2M8O OUT JOE 1976 Gran Torino S&H season 2-4 Clone Project Blog: http://tv2m8o.blogspot.com/ |
|
aktorino
New Member Joined: 28-January-2013 Location: Alaska Status: Offline Points: 18 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Joe,
I really like the rake your car has. What size tire/wheel do you have on the back? Air shocks? Different springs? That is what my car is lacking right now is the right tire size. Something I'm going to fix in the near future. Here's a couple more pics of the torino. Garage is small so some of the pics are not the best angle.... |
|
TV 2M8O
Senior Member Joined: 20-September-2006 Location: Southern Ohio Status: Offline Points: 2053 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Michael, The Torino in my animated gif is the TV Hero#1..... Everything I've read says they just added Hi-Jacker air shocks. Tires from that period were probably LR60-15's on 15 x 8.5 rims. Here is my LE from the day..... Hurst air Shocks (fully inflated) with Goodyear GT RADIAL LR60-15's on ET 15 x 10 slot mags. Here is restored TV HERO#2.... Equipped with wagon rear springs, air shocks (not overly inflated) and 1 1/2" spacer on each spring, 275/60R15 tires on 15 x 8.5 rims. This is the car I'm cloning, so I will go the same route on mine. Hope this helps!
Edited by TV 2M8O - 28-November-2014 at 1:10AM |
|
TV 2M8O OUT JOE 1976 Gran Torino S&H season 2-4 Clone Project Blog: http://tv2m8o.blogspot.com/ |
|
Alaskan Torino
New Member Joined: 28-October-2010 Location: Alaska Status: Offline Points: 15 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Update: My car is complete! With 70,000 original miles, it still drives great! Put a lot of miles on it last 2 years. After scouring the old photos from the family, I found another photo of the Dealer Starsky Torino back in 1976. I took the photo, being an excited kid, it's a little blurry. Fast forward 40 years. I spoke with the former Ford dealership ( currently BMW) and they allowed me to park my Torino it the same spot as the one from 1976! Talk about deja vu!
" border=""> " border=""> |
|
californiajohnny
Moderator Group Joined: 05-October-2013 Location: winlock, wa Status: Offline Points: 14609 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
awesome! post a few more pics of it now
|
|
JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE 74 VETTE CUSTOM 90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED 77 CELICA CUSTOM 75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED 79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED 75 VEGA V6 5 SPD 70 CHEV C10 P/U 68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION |
|
Alaskan Torino
New Member Joined: 28-October-2010 Location: Alaska Status: Offline Points: 15 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Alaskan Torino
New Member Joined: 28-October-2010 Location: Alaska Status: Offline Points: 15 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
More...
|
|
Alaskan Torino
New Member Joined: 28-October-2010 Location: Alaska Status: Offline Points: 15 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
yet again...
|
|
Alaskan Torino
New Member Joined: 28-October-2010 Location: Alaska Status: Offline Points: 15 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
more...
|
|
Alaskan Torino
New Member Joined: 28-October-2010 Location: Alaska Status: Offline Points: 15 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
yet again....
|
|
MrSmog
Senior Member Joined: 21-January-2016 Location: Ky Status: Offline Points: 1407 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
VERY VERY cool
|
|
torino335
Member Joined: 27-December-2016 Location: ca Status: Offline Points: 119 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
very nice ,like the story too.
|
|
californiajohnny
Moderator Group Joined: 05-October-2013 Location: winlock, wa Status: Offline Points: 14609 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
|
JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE 74 VETTE CUSTOM 90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED 77 CELICA CUSTOM 75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED 79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED 75 VEGA V6 5 SPD 70 CHEV C10 P/U 68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION |
|
TV 2M8O
Senior Member Joined: 20-September-2006 Location: Southern Ohio Status: Offline Points: 2053 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
WELL DONE
|
|
TV 2M8O OUT JOE 1976 Gran Torino S&H season 2-4 Clone Project Blog: http://tv2m8o.blogspot.com/ |
|
Post Reply | |
Tweet |
Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |