A few years ago, AutoZone ran a commercial that showed a kid on a bike riding down some dusty road in who-knows-where when he happens upon an old, derelict Ford Torino in the tall grass. In the window is a sign taped up: “If you can fix her, you can keep her”. Over a summer, the kid makes trip after trip to the store to handle bits and pieces of the car until the day he can buy a pine tree air freshener for his budget beater. Our Rough Start find of the day isn’t that bad off, but it could still stand to have a loving home take care of it’s issues and while the price certainly doesn’t beat the whole damn summer, every last cent and maybe the chance to date a nice girl instead fix it and keep it, it’s well within a budget-concious shopper’s radar.

For 1973, the Ford Torino lost the cool, one-year-only deep grille and small bumper treatment up front in lieu of a chromed railroad tie and a much more homely appearance. Luckily, that’s the only downer here…the rest of the car was the same, including the rear small bumper treatment that, let’s be honest, was much, much better than what happened to the car in 1974. Our formal-roof 1973 hasn’t been on the road (legally, anyways) since 1991 and yet, it looks like all you’d need to do is go pay the fees at the local DMV and get new plates. The Torino has had it’s fluids changed, brakes and fuel system looked over, and the radiator checked out. If the seller is to be believed, there’s no reason why you couldn’t twist the key on the 351 under the hood and take it for a spin around the block. The interior is just about what you should expect from a 1973 automobile that’s under two grand in price…it’s mostly there, but there are split seat seams, some cleaning is needed and the headliner makes us want to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas for one reason or another.

Overall, it’s a clean ride that, aside from some small rust issues, is an easy fix. You’ve got a couple of thousand dollars left over after the sale…we’d suggest hunting for some slot mags or Magnum wheels, fix up the interior some and for the love of all that is holy, make the car any other color, please. Except red with a white stripe. Don’t do it.

Craigslist Link: 1973 Ford Gran Torino