Starsky & Hutch - john's 74 s&h clone build thread

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john's 74 s&h clone build thread

Printed From: The Ford Torino Page
Category: Model Specific Forum
Forum Name: Starsky & Hutch
Forum Description: Technical discussion for original and replica S&H Torinos
URL: https://forum.grantorinosport.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=10024
Printed Date: 18-April-2024 at 7:41PM
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.06 - https://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: john's 74 s&h clone build thread

Posted By: californiajohnny
Subject: john's 74 s&h clone build thread
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 9:39AM

this is what it looked like as purchased mar. 2012 (note the "state of the art" hood release below the left headlight)

-------------
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

Replies:

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 9:41AM

drivers side front surface rust

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 9:45AM

this is about the worst of the rust drivers side rear floor

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 9:47AM

worst part of the trunk

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 9:58AM

all of the suspension bushings were totally wasted. all new energy susp. poly bushings, et slots 15x10 rear 15x8 front, tires 275/60/15 rear 235/50/15 front, 2" coil spacers rear 1/2 coil removed front, and added sport mirrors

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 10:00AM

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 10:05AM

72 gts donor hood

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 10:07AM

section that was removed to be grafted

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 10:10AM

my 74 hood marked to be cut

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 10:12AM

finished graft:

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 10:24AM

engine ready to go back in. fixed leak in pan, heavy duty oil pump shaft, new performance cam & lifters, roller tip rockers, offy intake manifold, new holley 450cfm carb, billet pulleys, and painted Thumbs Up

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 10:32AM

engine back in the car, with urethane motor mounts. and fresh built AOD trans with floor shifter, and cable kickdown.

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 12:44PM

here's a closeup of that"state of the art" hood release when i first got the car (it's a carpenter's T bevel) Confused

some people just shouldn't work on cars!

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 12:47PM

this happened while mounting the front tires Angry

Posted By: GTW
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 12:51PM

Other than security, that's a decent quick fix.

-------------
Griffin
1973 Gran Torino station wagon
1972 Gran Torino 4 Door
1971 Maverick 2 Door

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 12:53PM

these are the front seats that were in the car, i have no clue what they are out of??
all i know is they are OUT OF my car now.

Posted By: GTW
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 12:55PM

Looked to be out of a 90's FoMoCo

-------------
Griffin
1973 Gran Torino station wagon
1972 Gran Torino 4 Door
1971 Maverick 2 Door

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 12:58PM

GTW wrote:

Other than security, that's a decent quick fix.

NOT MY HANDYWORK! it has since been changed. but i thought others may fine humor in that

-------------
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

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 1:02PM

here's how the seats were mounted

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 1:05PM

this is what i have now 90 c4 power 6 way leather vette seats

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 03-November-2013 at 1:12PM

upgraded to sport dash, tilt column 75 t-bird, custom console front part 80s 720 nissan p/u rear part 90 explorer, 69 mustang floor shifter (interior will be black)

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 17-November-2013 at 2:39PM

just replaced master cylinder and proportioning valve switch (still seeping fluid out of new switch) upon closer inspection i discovered that an 1/8" npt pipe plug fits in place of that switch (problem solved) car had new master cylinder,calipers,rotors, drums,brakes front and rear, new rear brake hardware, when i got the car, so i figured i saved a couple of hundred dollars, weeeellll maybe.
i had hoped to have the torino completely disassembled by now, to have the body dipped, then rust repair, body work, paint (the fun stuff) so the torino project has been on standby status as i have been working on a couple of projects for my step brother (they are both fords too Confused

) and i figure we've got a couple of 4 day holiday weekends coming up! so time to get those projects busted out, so i can get serious about the torino Thumbs Up

so be patient and stay tuned, more to come (and with pics of coarse)...

-------------
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

Posted By: Grantorinosport351
Date Posted: 17-November-2013 at 5:15PM

Atleast those projects aren't a........you know........(whispers)..the C word

-------------
~Bryan
72 gts h-code (formal roof)
67falcon
04 f250 ''the great white''

Posted By: unlovedford
Date Posted: 18-November-2013 at 1:50AM

You are making great progress. Glad you swapped the seats, as that looked just marginally safe!

-------------
Joe
1972 Mom's Squire Wagon
1972 Torino Wagon
1976 Torino
1968 Cougar XR7-First batch
1972 Torino 460
1989 BroncoII/Jeeps/Titanimous
Popeye and Brutus (Rams)

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 26-November-2013 at 4:39PM

got my headers today! JBA #1653S

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 26-November-2013 at 4:43PM

time to check the fit. i got them in raw stainless steel 409grade in case i need to make minor mods then have them ceramic coated

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 26-November-2013 at 4:50PM

two minor mods to the passenger side, not to the header, but to the aod bellhousing by the upper starter bolt area. BEFORE MODIFICATION.

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 26-November-2013 at 4:53PM

AFTER MODIFICATION, grind off about 1/8" inch of the tab above the starter bolt, on the side of the tab.

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 26-November-2013 at 4:57PM

2nd mod, the rear corner of the motor mount BEFORE

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 26-November-2013 at 5:01PM

AFTER:
grind the edge corner of the mount by the bolt ( may not need to do this if using stock mounts)

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 26-November-2013 at 5:04PM

passenger side header in (no actual mods to the header itself)

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 26-November-2013 at 5:13PM

driver side header did require a little bit more modification (all in all not bad, as far as headers go) grinding on the top edge of the motor mount by the bolts

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 26-November-2013 at 5:16PM

and a small denting of the header tube by the rear bolt of the motor mount

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 26-November-2013 at 5:18PM

and a small dent by the front bolt as well

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 26-November-2013 at 5:20PM

this is the dents made to the bottom of the header tube which are totally unnoticable when installed

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 26-November-2013 at 5:23PM

drivers side header in Approve

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 26-November-2013 at 5:27PM

great clearance around the steering box area

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 26-November-2013 at 5:28PM

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 26-November-2013 at 5:28PM

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 26-November-2013 at 5:32PM

tomorrow i'll call the ceramic coating place and off the headers go to get coated!! this has not been cheap, but stock ford manifolds are just plain FUGLY.

-------------
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

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 14-December-2013 at 3:29PM

i dropped the headers and NOS hood hinges off at the ceramic coaters should be a week to 10 days (i can't wait!) till they are done. stay tuned... pics to follow then Thumbs Up

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 18-December-2013 at 5:22PM

i decided to box my lower rear control arms; one done...

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 18-December-2013 at 5:24PM

back in and bolted up. one more to go...

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 19-December-2013 at 3:09PM

other side boxed, pressing bushings back in.

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 19-December-2013 at 3:10PM

bushings back in

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 19-December-2013 at 3:18PM

putting the arm back in. both sides done. time: about 1 1/2 hrs total,cost: a few dollars for welding wire and argon gas (metal was stuff that i had- i save all useable pieces of metal, just for projects like this!)

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 21-December-2013 at 2:06PM

got my new stainless mufflers today! i decided i might as well just do all of the new exhaust system now (when i get the headers back) switching from 2" to 2 1/2" it should flow a lot better, and sound totally awesome Wink

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 24-December-2013 at 6:56PM

brief holiday update: i've been working on my stepbrother's f150 - bed is coming along good (custom body work and paint) replaced the drivers door match paint and graphics (simple enough, right?) got paint custom matched at the paint shop, one color matches perfect, the other color, not even close!!! so i got ahold of the guy that originally painted the truck about 15 years ago, he told me that the purple paint was something custom that he mixed, when he worked at a body shop. step brother claims he has some of that actual paint left (we looked a couple of weeks ago, no luck finding it) option #1 find the actual paint, or option #2 repaint the entire bottom of the whole truck!!! step brother is in alaska for xmas, called him, he says go look in his garage again (it's a mess just like mine Wacko

) after about only an hour, i found a quart and a half of that paint Star

now all i have to do is find out what reducer i need for that paint. oh, and during all this, one of the light ballast in the paint booth decided to crap out, trip to home depot 20 miles north (they are out of that one) home depot 25 miles south (they are out as well) Angry

so today i check one of the local hardware stores, i find the one down on the bottom shelf (they didn't think they had one) Star

(who's the man?)!!! my step brother thinks he is going to be helping on the torino, with disassembly and removing the body, etc. well after all of this (on his truck) i think i'll have him doing some block sanding primer, in addition to just helping! (he just don't know it yet LOL

) here's a couple of pics as to the extent of what is involved

-------------
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

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 24-December-2013 at 6:58PM

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 24-December-2013 at 6:59PM

new bed so far...

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 24-December-2013 at 7:00PM

old door...

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 24-December-2013 at 7:01PM

new door so far...

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 26-December-2013 at 6:12PM

i got some woodgrain vinyl (high gloss) today, so i decided to rewoodgrain my dash bezel

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 30-December-2013 at 8:05PM

picked up (3) 2 1/2" 10' exhaust tubing saturday, got my 3" polished stainless exhaust tips today, now all i need is my headers back from the ceramic coaters, then i can start bending and welding up my new exhaust system. so in the mean time i decided to woodgrain the right side dash panel, what a P. I. T. A. that piece is to get off of the car!!! Angry

but the end result came out great!

Posted By: Grantorinosport351
Date Posted: 30-December-2013 at 8:29PM

That looks phenomenal!

-------------
~Bryan
72 gts h-code (formal roof)
67falcon
04 f250 ''the great white''

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 30-December-2013 at 8:32PM

THANKS!

-------------
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

Posted By: Grantorinosport351
Date Posted: 30-December-2013 at 9:25PM

BTW, the truck is lookin great, keep us updated.

-------------
~Bryan
72 gts h-code (formal roof)
67falcon
04 f250 ''the great white''

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 30-December-2013 at 9:37PM

yeah, i got the right purple on it saturday and cleared and cut and buffed sunday night, looks like a million bucks, i'm off work tomorrow, so i plan to match and pinstripe the door, then i can sand and paint the bed, next, then get the truck back to one piece, so he can take it home and i'll have more room in my shop to start disassemble the torino Wink

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 31-December-2013 at 7:50PM

new years (15 minutes to go) sneek in a little work on the torino, woodgrained scanner bezel to match the dash

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 31-December-2013 at 7:52PM

installed (in the console)

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 31-December-2013 at 7:55PM

woodgrain all back in place, much easier to install right side dash piece after removing the dash pad Embarrassed

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 31-December-2013 at 7:58PM

had to glue two of the glove box screw mounts (broke them the other day while trying to get at the right side dash) Censored

!!! (3 minutes until 2014!!)

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 04-January-2014 at 6:45PM

i thought i would go ahead and change out my drivers side (frayed) seat belt, with the one i got from a 79 t-bird. three bolts -- should be easy, besides i'm tired of looking at it laying on the garage floor.

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 04-January-2014 at 6:55PM

after i started to install it, i noticed the t-bird one has a black loop where it attaches to the roof, my torino has chrome loop, i decided to swap the black for my chrome one, about an hour to disassemble and reassemble the belts in order to swap this piece, what a job! Stern Smile

Posted By: Grantorinosport351
Date Posted: 04-January-2014 at 9:37PM

Hey man, it's lookin great, keep it up!

-------------
~Bryan
72 gts h-code (formal roof)
67falcon
04 f250 ''the great white''

Posted By: brickard
Date Posted: 05-January-2014 at 5:22AM

Great thread! Thanks for keeping us updated. I love the project!

-------------
1976 Gran Torino "Charlotte" (S&H Replica)

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 05-January-2014 at 5:14PM

thanks guys!!! i called the ceramic coating place last friday, they said headers are done, hood hinges done just need to coat hinge springs, should be all done by tuesday! i'll drive down on saturday to pick them up (damn that's almost another week of waiting Cry

)

-------------
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

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 05-January-2014 at 5:27PM

today i decided to grind off that tab on the power steering pump to gain a little more belt adjustment, i ground through to a small passage (to oil the front bearing? i'm guessing) then had to build it back up with weld Ermm

, then notch out the billet bracket anyway Angry

which i should have just done in the first place Ermm

Posted By: 75GranMan
Date Posted: 06-January-2014 at 12:24PM

californiajohnny wrote:

back in and bolted up. one more to go...

What's with the wire?

-------------
John 75Gran Torino 4spdTighten it down until it snaps and then back it off a half turn!

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 06-January-2014 at 3:12PM

good eye! you are the first to ask. it's kind of an old school thing, we used to do back in the day- lights down by the shocks or on the back of traction bars Cool

Posted By: Rockatansky
Date Posted: 06-January-2014 at 6:08PM

I had Blue lights same location on my Blue 73 formal, local fuzz pondered giving me trouble over the Blue but didn't...

that was early / mid 1980's ?

-------------
72 GT Ute

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 06-January-2014 at 6:23PM

yes, early 80's, and yes the cops always hassled us, told us to turn them off! those were the days!! every friday and saturday night cruising the strip, hundreds of 60's 70's cars rumbling, take an hour just to go 4 or 5 blocks Thumbs Up

Posted By: 75GranMan
Date Posted: 07-January-2014 at 1:33PM

LOL, I guess I didn't get out to much in the 80's. Got married and put the car away...Bought a pickup. though I do remember seeing the tube lights in the 90's

-------------
John 75Gran Torino 4spdTighten it down until it snaps and then back it off a half turn!

Posted By: pdw72
Date Posted: 07-January-2014 at 2:34PM

I had 2 red lighted antennas On the back of my torino, sure wish I had pics of it. It was Red with a White stripe similar to the S&H stripe but it stopped at the body line behind the front wheel.

-------------
Paul Welch
'72 Ranchero 500/'94 4.6L swap project

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 10-January-2014 at 6:34PM

i got the bro's f150 bed all painted today Approve

wet sand and buff tomorrow night. i'll go get my headers and hood hinges tomorrow morning Clap

for the torino! (probably won't be able to sleep tonight) can't wait!

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 10-January-2014 at 6:38PM

another shot, frenched antenna, frenched caddy tail lights, custom roll pan, with a hidden hitch.

Posted By: Grantorinosport351
Date Posted: 10-January-2014 at 6:43PM

Looks good man

-------------
~Bryan
72 gts h-code (formal roof)
67falcon
04 f250 ''the great white''

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 11-January-2014 at 3:34PM

got my headers and hood hinges back today Clap

got home, no electricity, power was out Censored

no lights in the shop, no air compressor, no hoist, no lights in the house, that means no t.v. no internet Censored

got power back several hours later! Clap

started wet sanding the bro's f150 bed, burnt through in a couple of small spots Censored

have to touch it up. but how 'bout them headers and hood hinges---

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 11-January-2014 at 3:36PM

a close up of the finish, BLING!!!

Posted By: Grantorinosport351
Date Posted: 11-January-2014 at 3:41PM

Looks sweet! Bout how much did that run?
P.s. I paid 75 bucks!!!!for chrome headers just like those.

-------------
~Bryan
72 gts h-code (formal roof)
67falcon
04 f250 ''the great white''

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 11-January-2014 at 3:47PM

for the ceramic coating... $504.00 (the hinge springs are also coated too)
the headers cost---$628.00
the hinges were N.O.S. bought off ebay---$150.00
Cool

Posted By: GRAN1976TORINO
Date Posted: 11-January-2014 at 3:48PM

Smokin!

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 11-January-2014 at 11:20PM

when i went to pick up my headers i stopped by u-pull-it wrecking yard to look for a good console cup holder during which it the clouds opened up, and it down poured,got soaked while attempting to get six screws out Unhappy

the one that i had was melted--someone in their infinite wisdom thought the plastic cup holder would make a good ashtray Ermm

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 11-January-2014 at 11:21PM

replacement one installed, much better Thumbs Up

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 12-January-2014 at 10:37PM

i'm finishing the last of the buffing on the f150

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 12-January-2014 at 10:41PM

got the bed back on the truck Clap

getting closer to getting this project done so i can get started on the torino Big smile

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 12-January-2014 at 10:42PM

tail lights wired up!

Posted By: Grantorinosport351
Date Posted: 12-January-2014 at 10:43PM

Looks great!

-------------
~Bryan
72 gts h-code (formal roof)
67falcon
04 f250 ''the great white''

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 12-January-2014 at 10:46PM

what the heck, i'll work on the torino for a few minutes, bye bye ugly manifolds!

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 12-January-2014 at 10:50PM

headers in for good now!! and tons lighter than those ugly stock manifolds too

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 13-January-2014 at 6:04PM

i joe'd my old exhaust off LOL

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 13-January-2014 at 6:06PM

i started bending up new 2 1/2" exhaust pipe

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 13-January-2014 at 6:10PM

drivers side head pipe done, still need to weld new stainless muffler onto it and bend tail pipe.

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 13-January-2014 at 6:21PM

update: drivers side exhaust all done! i got my kenworth back tonight from caterpiller, completely rebuilt engine, so i have to get up at oh dark 30, back to work, can't wait to see how she pulls the hills with 105 thousand lbs. on with a fresh motor!!! i'll work on my exhaust for the other side maybe when i get home tomorrow.

-------------
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

Posted By: kychevyguy
Date Posted: 14-January-2014 at 1:35AM

Enjoying this thread as it's looking great, and you have a nice shop too.

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 14-January-2014 at 1:55PM

thanks!!

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 14-January-2014 at 6:43PM

got the passengers side bent and welded new exhaust done

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 14-January-2014 at 6:44PM

2 1/2 " exhaust with 3" stainless tips Wink

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 14-January-2014 at 6:47PM

welding last tip, ran out of argon/co2 Censored

, but i managed to get it tacked in place so i can hear what it sounds like!

Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 14-January-2014 at 6:52PM

OMG!!! she sounds SWEEEET!!! (kind of like a cross between glass packs and flowmasters) engine appears to be a lot more responsive, i can't wait to take 'er out on the road for a road test!!!! Thumbs Up