Everything Starsky And Hutch Fans Should Know About The 1976 Ford Grand Torino
"Starsky & Hutch" became a pop culture phenomenon during the latter half of 1970's American television. The show aired from 1975 to 1979 on ABC and was a prototypical cop/buddy show that followed the streetwise, rough-and-tumble Det. Sgt. Dave Starsky (played by Paul Michael Glaser) and the more forthright and "enlightened" Det. Sgt. Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson (played by David Soul) as they busted crime in the fictional southern California town of Bay City.
Helping Starsky and Hutch battle bad guys were colorful informant Huggy Bear (played by Antonio Fargas) and, of course, the bright red Ford Gran Torino with a white vector stripe down each side (hilariously nicknamed the "Striped Tomato"), a "character" who became as famous as any of its human co-stars. The Torino was a classic American muscle car in its own right.
According to several sources, real-life New York City undercover police officers Lou Telano and John Sepe inspired Starsky and Hutch. Sadly, David Soul passed away on Thursday, January 4, 2024, after what the family said was "a valiant battle for life" without disclosing details surrounding his death.
But the Torino wasn't the show's first option for the crime-fighting duo. William Blinn, the show's creator, wanted to use a green and white Chevrolet Camaro because he'd previously owned one and wanted to honor it on the show. Another interesting tidbit is that before becoming the upgraded version of the standard Ford Fairlane in '68, the Torino name had made it onto Ford's shortlist for what would eventually be called the Mustang.
This striped tomato was a beauty
After failing to secure the Camaro, the Gran Torino was ordered by Spelling-Goldberg Productions from Ford's Studio-TV car Loan Program and given its now-famous paint job to make it pop. Air shocks were slapped on the back so the nose was lower, a chrome tip was placed on the exhaust pipe, and "U.S." five-slot aluminum alloy wheels with much bigger tires on the rear were installed.
Several cars were created for the show (some sources claim at least ten, but that remains unverified), and only three are believed to still exist. Thankfully, we know where the original "Starsky & Hutch" car is today.
Those original cars were powered by different engines based on the model year used at the time. Some had a 400-cubic-inch, while others had a 351 Windsor V8. Another rumor said a few even had a unique 460-cubic-inch V8 under the hood.
In 1976, Ford factory-built 1,305 Gran Torino Starsky & Hutch Special Editions, some of which were used on set. Those cars were equipped with a 409-ci high-performance crate V-8 engine mated to an automatic transmission. Despite that, you hear a sound that mimics what a standard stick shift would make in the show.
The SEs were first painted in Ford's Wimbledon White, with the stripe masked off. Then, it would get painted with Ford's Bright Red paint. Additional features on the Special Edition included an upgraded radiator, Edelbrock fuel injection, exhaust, cross-drilled disc brakes, aftermarket suspension, and cabin instruments.
It's well known that Paul Michael Glaser hated the car and his role as Starsky and would have quit if the show hadn't been canceled after the '79 season.