If you’re looking for what is possibly the biggest all-Ford meet in the world, look no further than the annual Carlisle Ford Nationals in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. This year’s event also happens to be a significant one, as it pays homage to 40 years of the Starsky & Hutch Ford Gran Torino.
As Hemmings reports, the red and white “striped tomato” Ford Gran Torino used in the television series Starsky & Hutch became a limited production run vehicle after a slew of inquiries from interested buyers. A run of 1,000 units was planned initially, although a total 1,308 examples ended up being built.
Starsky & Hutch Ford Gran Torino models shipped with a 351 Windsor V8 engine as standard (152HP), with the option to step up to either a 400 cubic-inch (180HP) or a 460 cubic-inch (202HP) unit. The range of options included whatever was available on the standard 1976 Gran Torino. Imposters are difficult to spot, although Hemmings says that the District Sales Office number is a sure way to tell; the number should end with the digits “0022” for a US car, or “8000” for a Canadian example. The FAQ on fan website StarskyTorino.com has more.
The 2016 Carlisle Ford Nationals takes place from June 3rd through the 5th.
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