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Paul L.'s 1975 Ford Gran Torino®
"Starsky & Hutch"®Replica
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Paul says a lot has happened to this car since he bought
it back in 2002. He bought it from a guy in Cheyenne, Wyoming, who used it for a quarter mile racing. The curb
weight was originally 5,980 pounds, but was only 3,600 pounds when he bought the car.
Paul has rechromed the front and back bumpers and added new black bumper guards. He had the front and rear window
trim professionally polished. The door sill plates, rocker panel moldings, wheel lip moldings, most of the grill,
the headlight eyebrows, and front and rear lights are all NOS parts. Paul says he has been very lucky over the
past few years on eBay, especially with the US Dollar to GBP exchange rate, but it has still cost an arm and a
leg. But, says, "it was worth it!"
The car was taken back to bare metal and had all the filler taken out, then it was panel beaten and reskimmed with
filler where needed. He had it sprayed in Ford 2B Bright Red and Wimbledon White. The interior (the original had
been replaced in red and white racing gear by the previous owner) was all taken out, and Paul had the seats reupholstered
in leather the same pattern as the TV series, and he says the upholsterers did "a superb job." He changed
the steering wheel and complete dash for originals, and bought new molded carpet and door panels from Dearborn
Classics. He had the slotted mags diamond cut and polished from AKH Wheels. |
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So basically, Paul says, there's not really a lot left
on the car that was there when he bought it, but it looks like it has just come out of the Ford factory. The engine
is a 351 Cleveland with an Edelbrock intake, 600 cfm Holly carburetor, and a set of headers - which he says has
made a huge difference in the car's performance.
If you're wondering why Paul has spent so much time, love, and money on this car, he says the answer is that before
the movie came out in 2004, 1974 to 1976 Torinos where very hard to find on the Internet, so he grabbed this one
with both hands, and he thought, "let's just do it up a little," but it turned into a full restoration
job that lasted 4 years. Ironically, Paul says, when the film came out loads of Torinos came out for sale, but
he says, "I do feel closer to my car now - I know it in and out." |
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| Around Christmas 2007, when Paul Michael Glaser was
playing in Peter Pan in Kent, England, he was kind enough to meet Paul L. outside the back stage door, and signed
a photo of PMG from the TV series. Then Paul L. asked him if he would sign his car, and PMG looked at Paul like
it was a weird thing to ask for, but when we walked around the corner and saw the Torino, he said "O my gosh,
you have my car!" PMG was kind enough to sign Paul's driver's side sun visor. Paul asked for that because
he knew PMG would have to sit in the car, so not only does Paul have his signature, but he can say the original
"Starsky" sat in his car - very sneaky, eh? Paul says, "I can tell you it was a great sight seeing
him in my car." |
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"Starsky
& Hutch" Torino Home
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This Page © 2009 StarskyTorino.com
Originally Created June 30, 2003. All Rights Reserved. Photos are the Property of the Car's Owner.
"Starsky & Hutch"®
is a registered Trademark and Copyright of CPT Holdings, Inc.
"Ford Gran Torino"® is a Trademark of Ford Motor Company.
The presence of strobe lights, wig-wags,
sirens, and/or red revolving lights
in any car that is not an official Police car is illegal in many states.
Check your own State and local regulations!
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