Barn-found cars are cool and all, but the hard truth is that we can’t save all of them. While some are indeed worth rescuing and restoring, most derelict classics are simply too expensive to be brought back to life. As a result, most of them end up as rust buckets or get dismantled for parts.
The 1972 Ford Gran Torino you see here is the kind of classic that would have such a sad fate. Parked for 20 years without proper protection from the elements, it deteriorated beyond the point it only needs a mild refresh to get back on the road. Specifically, the sheet metal shows rust holes, the interior is packed with rat nests, and a raccoon damaged the engine bay.
All told, restoring this Gran Torino would cost more than the car’s market value in Concours-ready condition. And that’s a one-way ticket to the scrapyard. But fortunately enough, the owner decided to give it a second chance and called the guys from “WD Detailing.” Our host, already famous in the barn find cleaning business, gave the Gran Torino a fabulous makeover.
They cleaned the exterior to reveal a paint job that still had some life in it and removed all the mouse nests and the mold inside the cabin. The engine bay also got a thorough cleaning, making it much easier for a mechanic to get the V8 running again. Overall, it’s a great tutorial on reviving an abandoned car and proves that dust and grime can sometimes hide a decent-looking rig.
Will this Gran Torino get a full-fledged restoration? Probably not, but it would make for a nice rat rod with a few upgrades under the hood. I would also consider a weathered tribute to the “Starsky & Hutch” Gran Torino. Yes, the movie car was a 1976, but does it really matter when dealing with a classic car that needs a lifeline?
So why is the 1972 Gran Torino less valuable than other golden muscle car era classics? Well, the answer lies in the model year this Ford arrived in showrooms. The golden muscle car era ended in 1971 for most nameplates because that’s when nearly all automakers discontinued or detuned their high-performance V8 engines due to government regulations and the oil crisis.
Sure, the Gran Torino was still plenty powerful in 1972 thanks to a 351-cubic-inch (5.8-liter) V8 good for 248 net horsepower, but the 429-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) had lost the appeal of its glory Cobra Jet days at only 208 horses. Moreover, the somewhat quirky redesign isn’t favored by the Torino crowd, which usually prefers the 1968-to-1971 styling.
Come 2023, and 1972 Gran Torino values aren’t exactly encouraging either. Fair-condition examples usually cost around $5,000, while cars restored to original specifications rarely exceed $15,000. You can see why a rotisserie restoration is out of the question unless the vehicle has some sort of sentimental value to the owner.