With hood pins, possible Hotrod? 1976 Ford Elite Junkyard Find.
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- Опубліковано 30 кві 2022
- On my way back from the New Braunfels Texas Swap meet, thought I'd get two birds with one stone and stop to check out this 1976 Ford Elite. It was at the BYOT junkyard in Elm Mott Texas. Not much out of the ordinary except for the hood pins which had me a little more curious than normal of what could be under the hood. Well there was an Edelbrock carburetor under an Edelbrock air cleaner at least.
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Whoa Nelley, it's an Elite and it is in defeat.
I was busy yesterday working on my "new to me" November 1981 made Sears Craftsman 706.650530 Waterloo made three drawer lower rolling chest with "bulk trap door storage" topped with a 1983 Snap On KRA59F nine drawer that I got from a coworker who needed to clear it (and some tools including Matco, Craftsman, Klein, S-K and others) out of his mother's garage before the sale of the house. As I noted in another video, the garage located in Queens, NY was a complete time warp with items from the 1960s-1990s. He nicknamed the box "Jose" but didn't know why. I said "that's because it has Jose airbrushed on the back of it and there's bills in here for tools for "Joe" (Jose is "Joe" in Spanish). My coworker couldn't remember if he bought the boxes from Jose, got them in a trade, Jose worked for him and left everything behind, no one knows. But I have Jose's toolbox now and I believe it spent time in Oceanside, CA as there's a sticker for a Snap On dealer from there. It also spent time in Woodside, Woodhaven, and Richmond Hill, NY. Someone made some home made drawer slide clips that didn't work and the drawers were all jammed and crooked. There's a guy on Ebay that sells the right ones and I worked with him to provide an original slide and clip for a style that he didn't have. Now he reproduces them all, and those clips are used on many brands of boxes including Waterloo, Craftsman, MAC, Matco, Kennedy and others. They are exact reproductions and work correctly, I've used them on several projects. The Craftsman now rolls, slides and will lock (keys on order) like it did in 1981 when it was new.
These were part of the "personal luxury" coupe era of Detroit and made to compete with those offered by the other Big 3/Big 4 manufacturers at the time. The Fords of this era were sloppy in terms of fuel control, handling, steering, braking, and overall quality. But they sold in enough numbers to have a following at the time. As noted, Gary Rossington of Lynyrd Skynyrd owned a 1976 Gran Torino Brougham in code 5M Medium Chestnut that he crashed on Labor Day weekend 1976 spurning the song "That Smell" and earning him the moniker of "Prince Charming" by lead singer Ronnie Van Zant. Mr. Van Zant would die in the 1977 plane crash over Gillsburg, MS along with Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines (his sister), road manager Dean Kilpatrick and the pilot and copilot. There are You Tube videos of explorers that have found pieces of the plane and artifacts that have been buried there since 1977.
We got the VIN, we win: 6 for 1976 model year, G for Chicago, IL assembly, 21 for Elite two door hardtop coupe, H for 351 V8 with two barrel and the rest is the production sequence. The Chicago, IL Ford plant is located at 12600 South Torrance Ave (and East 130th Street) and opened on Monday March 3, 1924. Today the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator are produced there.
We got the tag, we can brag: 65H for two door Ford Elite hardtop coupe, 2M for Dark Red exterior paint, NW for 1/2 style Odense White vinyl roof, BD for red bench standard vinyl interior, X for FMX automatic transmission, 2 for 2.75:1 rear end ratio, non-locking, 52 for Dallas, TX sales district.
I actually did luck out on a Dewalt about four months ago, a DCF887 20V cordless impact. They are building a house and I found it thrown in the lawn across the street, with some road rash. I took it to work, and someone had a 20V battery. We tried it and it worked. I then got a used Dewalt charger on Ebay and a new battery on Amazon and I am in business. So yes, you have to keep your eyes open as I know that you do. LOL.
Whoa Nelley, the Elite turned into a heap, 1976 and hit the bricks. 3-5-1 and it's done. FMX is a mess. That's it, time to quit. Plant code "G", it's over for thee. Motorcraft needs a life raft. "Oak tree, you're in my way" and this one won't stay. Going to be flat and that's that. Was always a load of junk, now it's in the dump. Going to get squished and only the Malaise era Ford faithful are evenly remoted pissed.
I totally enjoy every word you write! It makes me laugh!
@@cmintsurfer LOL. Thanks.
Man seeing this makes me miss mine! She's long gone😢
I rescued a 78 Cougar recently. It's still on the trailer. Waiting on the title. I'll take a walk around it video this summer.
@@cmintsurfer Super cool man!!
One of the signature Fords of the 1970s with baroque styling from Gene Bordinat's design team. But I love the big chrome bumpers, sculpted body lines, and opera windows!
Love these, 74-76 Elite's Sad, I remember these new, Thanks!
As a young man I was mesmerized by these big classy luxurious land yachts that floated down the highway not feeling any bumps.
The long hood, landau roof, slanted dual opera windows, wire wheel covers, cushy twin comfort lounge leather seats, floor shifter console 4 speaker 8 track or cassette stereo were a plus.
When I was in high school big 2-Door American cars like this were popular... slightly lowered with chrome wheels. GM midsize models were the most popular.
All though the ltd 2 sport with the stripes was a nice rendition of this body style .
My fathers one and only brand new car was a 1976 Ford Elite in red like this with a black interior with the console and bucket seats. He ordered it and waited for it to show up. He had those exact rims too! I miss that car! He got rid of it in 92 and I was too young to drive at the time. I would have restored that car and kept it in the family forever! Damn it! I want those 4 hubcaps. I’m serious!!
The guy that sold it to him was probably wearing a plaid jacket, with slicked back hair and smoking a cigar. "Let me tell ya somethin'. I got a deal for you. Now listen here Mac, you gotta act fast, this deal won't last".
They were great cars....
Bought one for like $150 bux years back for no good reason. Pulled the automatic off 351W and installed in Dad's F150 300 L6 F150 in place of manual. Worked great !
Neat old ford
I love it Benny, its classic👍
Looks a little like a Ford Gran Torino Mr classic ride society. Put a white Nike stripe down the sides and voila, instant starsky and hutch car. What do you think?
Just about the same exact thing with a facelift. De smog that motor it should be pretty decent!
Gary Rossington of Lynyrd Skynyrd had one of these brand new.
After a night of booze and pills, he slammed it head on into a oak tree. One of the inspirations for the song "That smell".
Close. His was a Gran Torino Brougham in code 5M Chestnut Metallic, but yes, you are correct. The lines of the song, "Whiskey bottles, brand new cars, oak tree you're in my way" was inspired by his Labor Day car crash on Mandarin Road in Jacksonville, FL. The tree is still there and Gene Odom often brings fans/visitors back to the site. Mr. Rossington knocked out his teeth in the incident as he fell asleep with his foot on the accelerator pedal crashing into numerous things including a pole, a VW and a house. That same weekend Allen Collins got into a crash (I believe with a Jeep), but wasn't injured that badly. Billy Powell (on a different date/time) once hit a policeman's wife head on with his Pontiac Trans Am with the police finding a "grassy substance" inside the Pontiac. Most of the members of the "Jacksonville 5+" had their licenses suspended or revoked for various issues.
In two cases, it was fatal or near fatal. In early 1986, Allen Collins flipped over his new Ford Thunderbird with his girlfriend Debra Jean Watts inside, killing her and crippling Mr. Collins. He would die of pneumonia in 1990. Bob Burns, who was the 1st/2nd drummer (Rickey Medlocke drummed for a time for the band) was killed in 2015 after a car crash.
I'm a big fan of the band and have been for years.
This was basically a Gran Gran Torino the elite was built to compete with the Chevrolet Monte Carlo it then became the new Thunderbird in 1977
Correct, and sales of the 1977 Thunderbird were much higher than the Elite. The Elite could be ordered with polished aluminum wheels and leather upholstery. It looked incredible like that in White paint and a white vinyl top.
I’ve owned 2 they are worth it own wish they had more love
I like the quarter window(s).
The front bumper has bumper guards and the rear bumper doesn’t. Interesting. I grew up in this time I do remember these cars. The motor you want is the 460. I seen one in 1978 smoke a 72 Chevelle I was the passenger in the Chevelle. I watch the tail lights of the Ford disappeared into the night. That old man walked away from us. My buddy car had a 350.
Ran one of those in a street stock enduro race years ago.
Came in 9th place out of 100 cars.
I probably would have taken the carb, it would sell at a swap meet. The turn signal lens yes, the grille on it looks really nice too but it's something that you'd buy, put on a shelf, and run one of those eBay good until cancelled listings for and maybe six months from now somebody buys it for $100 $150 like that
The rear tail panel might be something to take. Although these have a limited audience, so you might be sitting on it for a while.
Me I would love to have one of those cars Paint It Black and red tint on the windows maker look like one mean machine on the highway awesome video keep up your videos and stay safe.
beautiful car, wish this could be saved!
Gotta do a video of that New Edge Mustang next to that Elite…..
Not really street machine material, but someone would definitely want the drivetrain.
Kool
Is that the starsky & hutch
cop car? Just needs the white lightning⚡stripe! 🚨🚘
NO....Starsky & Hutch drove a Gran Torino.
I have one of these! I's red in and out! It has a plush interior though with the ''pillow '' 60/40 pleather seats Most people think it's a Gran Torino and ask where the Starsky and Hutch stripes are when they see it, I'm thinking about painting them on it! Most wouldn't know the difference !
I might get one as well one of these days
@@ClassicRideSociety The only reason I have mine is it was on Facebook marketplace and the red interior caught my eye! Plus the address was in the ad and it was 5 miles from my house!
Probably a 351 M or 400 or otherwise known as a gas guzzler 😆
"H" Code is a 351 V-8
Correction, I believe it's a Modified as others have said. Modified and Clevelands have eight valve cover bolts, the Windsor has six. After viewing it again, I think I see eight valve cover bolts.
@@googleusergp I can't tell I know there is a difference where the thermostat is , l think a Windsor goes in the intake but l am not a Ford person.
@@garymckee448 The orientation of the fuel pump bolts are different as well.
Thats a 351M 2V with a Edel 600 cfm 1406 4V carb.
Hood pin's and chrome aircleaner makes about 10 more horsepower 😆😆😆
Agreed 😆 👍
Body not bad
If cars could talk
Man the not the coolest ford land boat I have ever seen. But what ever some people do and some don't.
That era of malaise...even the "Medium" sized cars were pudgy 🐖 s.
The 1979 gas crisis took care of that (to a degree) and put some US cars on a diet.
@@googleusergp I have a '76 Valiant, and that is as big as I'll go in the era. Mopar & GM A-bodies
@@olikat8 The GM "A" bodies of that time although "medium sized" cars were quite large, even by those years. They were pretty roomy and large. But back then, everything was. LOL. They could (if taken care of) pass everything but a gas station.
@@googleusergp sorry, I was thinking Nova, Ventura-
@@olikat8 They were a decent size too. The Big Four back then had a dizzying array of options for the consumer, in some cases way too many and that's why they "thinned the herd" a bit as the 1980s came. The 1979 gas crisis really woke things up for a while, but then in the 1980s fuel prices receded again and we didn't learn our lesson. That, combined with poor overall quality and lackluster dealer experiences soured many traditional Big Four customers.
My former coworker (who sadly passed away right after he retired) had a 1976 Monte Carlo and a 1982 Accord when he lived in Chicago. The windshield leaked on the 1976 Monte Carlo and the GM dealer told him to pound sand. The Honda had an oil pressure issue and Honda promptly called him within three days and the problem was fixed at no charge. I had the same experience with Honda when I wrote a letter on behalf of my aunt. Honda responded in three days and within a week the problem was fixed, at no charge to her, and the car was WAY out of warranty. I'm not a Honda fan, but they did the right thing.
That type of experience was repeated many times to many folks and that along with the foreign makes spending less time in the shop meant that some people went to foreign makes and never went back. Both of my uncles (again, both passed away) fought in WWII and the Korean war and were pretty dyed in the wool veterans and patriots. My uncle Andy had Hondas exclusively since 1985 and nothing else. He had a 1976 Volare and by 1986 it was rotted again and he sold it. It had the "fender recall" and the dealer did a terrible job matching the paint. Never bought another US car again (although the last Honda he had was assembled in Canada). My other uncle Carmine (his brother-in-law) had American cars until a Chrysler LHS soured him. He then bought a Hyundai and he too loved the car. They were the last two people that you would think that would buy a "foreign" car.
My 2012 Sonic only has 47% US/Canada content which I think is pretty bad for a US make.
351M, One of Ford's worst Engines!
Everything Ford produced back then was sloppy. They were among the worst of the Big 3/Big 4 back then. They all had their problems, but Fords were sloppy and clunky back then.
That is the ugliest front-end on them body style .
only thang Worse than A Ford is An Asian brand! japanese or korean... Like eating a Booger and hoping that no one seen you doing it!
Nothing wrong with certain Japanese makes. They gave the US auto makers a run for their money and a HUGE wake up call.