Gas Monkey Garage is an automotive customizing shop in Dallas, Texas and is featured in the "reality" TV show, "Fast "N Loud", Monday nights at 9 on the Discovery Channel. The program features Richard Rawlings, whom we understand is the owner of Gas Monkey Garage, his "Gas Monkeys" and their weekly forages around the country looking for unusual automobiles of seemingly any vintage. While I haven't seen this 1978 Ford Granada on the program, it came up on my Facebook wall through the news feed of some car wonk page that I like, it intrigued me instantly. One of the things I like about "Fast 'N Loud" is that Rawlings and I (or the producers of the show) have have very similar tastes in automobiles. Rarely do they feature a car that I don't find interesting.
Now, let's get something out of the way first. I (usually) despise Ford Granadas (the American version, most of the German versions were quite cool) in any guise; coupe, sedan, wagon, V-8 or six although I could warm to a V-8 Granada two-door with the 351. I, again, generally, loathe these shoe boxes because of their soulless styling that looks like it was done by a high school kid slothing through a mechanical drawing class. They also share way too much mechanically with the 1960 Ford Falcon that also was the underpinning of the (strangely cool) Ford Maverick coupe. Not to mention of course, the first generation Ford Mustang.
Still, this car is somehow cool in ways that only us car wonks could possibly appreciate it. I think it's why it's featured for sale by Gas Monkey Garage. It goes way beyond it's freakishly mint condition too since after all, this is a 1978 Ford Granada; a car so generally awful that even it being a two door variant fails to incite any passion. So, what is it then that makes this car alluring?
This car is special because it has a factory V-8 engine. While it's only the 138 horsepower 302, a 177 horse 351 Windsor was available on this car albeit just in 2 barrel guise, this slow poke of a V-8 does take the car from being god awful to being almost acceptable. But wait, there's more to help seal the deal of appeal.
It's also, be still my beating heart, a four speed car. Wow. You don't see many of these around.
Points off for it being a four speed car with a god forsaken bench seat but beggars can't be choosers. At least the interior color scheme isn't plaid or hounds tooth or worse. Love the padded glove compartment door.
Years ago you could custom order your car in any number of different configurations. A manual transmission on a V-8 powered two door in high line trim (Ghia) was not out of the ordinary and they clogged dealer lots because Ford needed to sell some of them to help their CAFE numbers. The multitude of different ways cars could be put together back then was said to be one of the major reasons why quality was as poor as it was. General Motors and Chrysler offered manuals on some of their mid size, V-8 powered, rear wheel drive models too back then.
Rawlings is offering this car for sale on ebay at no reserve. At last check, it was at $7,700; a remarkable number for a car that is nothing if not remarkable. Comparable six cylinder Granada coupes in similar condition are selling for well south of $3,000. There's also the cache of the car being "celebrity owned".
This car being is nothing exceptional save for its unexceptional V-8 and clunky 4 speed. Classic example of the sum of its parts greater than any individual part. Here's the link if you're interested. Happy bidding and good luck. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Other-Granada-/221693968549
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