My grandma had a 1980 Granada in a dark forest green color with a white vynal top. When she passed in 1998 and we got her car it only had 22k miles on it. The car still looked brand new.
Thanks for the memories. My close friend had a white 1977 Granada when I was in 10th grade. He had been held back and so turned 16 a full year before the rest of us. Man we did a lot of boozing and carousing in that car. So much fun. Another had a 1968 Torino GT that you've reviewed elsewhere. 1987 was a great year.
"Can you tell the difference between the Ford Granada ESS and the Mercedes 280SE?" Why, yes I can, because today you never see a Ford Granada, but the old Merc can be easily found virtually anywhere.
I'd love to see one of these at the Barrett-Jackson auction----- "Well folks, here's a fine example from the Malaise period of American automobiles..." >Car backfires, then dumps all its oil on the carpet
Brings back memories. I worked at a Ford dealer from 1975-1979, they sold quite a few Granadas. If I'm remembering correctly, they weren't the most ergonomically thought out vehicle. You would bang your knuckles on the dash rolling up the windows. I also remember we learned the hard way since Ford didn't see fit to notify the dealers, if you picked the car up from the front and rear it would buckle the quarter panel. We picked one up with pneumatic bumper jacks and noticed a vertical crease in the panel that wasn't supposed to be there... Also remember at the time on alot of Ford models the dealer had to align a template to the fenderline and the front of the passenger front door, and bore a hole to install the antenna, the antenna came in the trunk. No rust problems there. I seem to remember you had to remove the padded dash in the Granada to fish the antenna lead to the radio. As I said, memories...
@@djp6191 if you are wondering who Lee Iacocca was, he was originally a Authorized Ford Retailer in Pennsylvania and became a top salesman for Ford correcting factory mistakes on the cars at his dealership so he could honestly stand behind the products he sold and he was invited to work on Fords Design Team and was the Father of the Ford Mustang, Mercury Cougar, and Ford Granada. He and Henry Ford Jr. never saw eye to eye on vehicle concepts and eventually Henry Ford Jr fired him right as he was going to unveil a subcompact front wheel drive unit which he developed through Chrysler Corporation instead which were the Dodge Colt, Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon. Lee Iacocca was the Father of the Chrysler "K-Car" platforms and the Minivan. He would leave Chrysler Corporation when it was briefly acquired by Daimler-Mercedes who transferred Lee Iacocca to Mercedes.
Seeing the Granada, the LTD, and then the Taurus truly shows how radical a car the Taurus was when it debuted. I was a little kid in kindergarten when the Taurus came out so I don't remember much of it but I do recall relatives having them and thinking they were cool (especially the Sable with its distinctive light bar).
I remember my grandpa owned a Granada two door. Very reliable, and ran great. He let it go when he thought the engine blew. I loved to ride in it when I was a kid. Sweet memories.
My dad had a 79 granada. It towed my uncles new cars until 2004 with only oil changes and some fuses. It could still be running today, but at the gas prices maybe not a good idea... A real warrior. Long life to the memories of these gentlemen of steel and rubber
My grandmother had one until the mid 90s. It was gray with the red vinyl interior. I still remember listening the Statler brothers on the radio as we drove to church on Sunday in the 1980s.
Learned to drive in my fathers 1971 Ford Maverick. Later on he gave that to me and he bought a two tone brown and cream colored Ford Granada. This really brings back memories.
Was a great powertrain. With a good torque of 210 KP/FT at only 1600 rpm. I was in England, Ferndown, in 1983 at the age of 17. The neighbours of my host family owned a Ford Granada 4.1 inline six. It was very quiet and luxurious. Your comment is a nice reminder for me. Best wishes for you from Northern Germany!😊
Their styling cues were 1970's Mercedes and Cadillac, they even had ads comparing themselves to that and Cadillac!!! MANY MANY square cars back then!!!!
@@TheSpritz0 yeah but American cars were way behind in styling stakes in the US in the 80s for ordinary non muscle cars. They still looked like they were from the 70s. Even Ford Australia looked way more modern
@@erickort1987Exactly, that's what happenned with such compact to be discontinued. Ford never made adjustments to Pinto's leaking gas tank and claims were many. It was a big mess.
My parents bought a 79 Granada Ghia 2 door . I later bought it off of them but soon sold it . The 250 engine wasn't what a 18 year old guy wanted . It did however ride great and got pretty good fuel mileage . It was also a tank in the snow . We had real bad snow storms in 1979 and my Mom needed a ride home from work . I took their Granada there with No problems , while other cars were suck all over the place . The round headlight early models were the best looking by far .
I test-drove a 1975 Monarch with the 200 six and three-on-the-tree. It had about as much low-end torque as a toddler on a tricycle. I kept my Studebaker Commander.
My first car was a two year old 1978 Granada 2 door with vinyl seats, the 250 c.i. engine, 4 speed manual transmission, no air conditioning, no power windows, and no one ever asked to borrow it twice.
@@lawnmowermanlawnmowerman9930 that's just the downside of being american, it's the way around where I live (europe obviously) where people don't work on american cars. Parts are relatively cheap and to break down those seventees mercedes, you already had to drive like a maniac
Yeah. I don't think they should have tried to sell them by comparing them to a Benz. Nobody bought one because of that vague similarity anyway. They were just nice cars...for a Ford in the 70s.
Except maybe a loaded, top trim level Chrysler New Yorker, Plymouth Volare' and Dodge Aspen of same vintage. They even came pre-rusted from the factory at no additional charge.
@@philipwhite4472 if I remember correctly the North American Ford Granada fuse box was located under the dashboard either behind a plastic panel on the bottom of the dashboard by the driver's left knee when sitting in the car or under the dashboard to the left of the steering column.
From 75 thru 77 the Granada offered an ultra luxury trim on the Granada Ghia. It was called the luxury decor group. It was trimmed like a Grand Monarch Ghia. It came with a velour interior that could be upgraded to leather. It had color keyed wheel covers and extended padded door armrests front and rear which accommodated power window and lock controls. Upscale options included power 4 wheel disc brakes, electronically tuned AM/FM Stereo Radio with 8 track tape player, power glass sunroof, automatic climate control and 6 way power to both front seats. The 351 2V V8 was the top engine options. Many of the above listed option choices were unavailable on medium priced full sized cars at that time.
I have my 1976 Ford Granada Ghia 4 doors sedan color black and gold. I already buy in 2016. I was lucky so excited finally. Did I know 1976 Ford Granada Ghia is one most my favorite vehicle ever I am all the time love my car. One best 1975-1977 Granada Ghia!
I drove a late 70s Granada at a Auto Parts delivery job for about 6 months. It had a 302. Loved driving that car. Reasonably powerful for the time and very comfortable. Also owned a 4 door Maverick 1970 as my second car. It came with snow tires on the back which worked great in the sandy dirt roads of NJ.Totally trashed the poor thing. It deserved better.
Had a 1978 Granada,great handling excellent fuel economy for a v8. I purchased the car as a project car with 95k miles,drove until the milage reach 177k miles ,7 years later.
One of my aunts owned a Ford Granada at some point! It was a great car! Solid construction! Decent V8 power! I personally would like to have a Lincoln Versailles! That's a great luxury sedan for you!!!!
My dad was a Datsun man, he had a '70 510 wagon & a '72 1600 fastback, when he finally decided to buy American he bought a '75 Granada 4-door loaded Ghia Silver with Black interior with a more rare 351 Windsor 4-V, it had the padded vinyl top with additional layer of padded accents on the rear side post & between the passenger windows. It was marketed towards the base model Mercedes sedan humorously but overall it had a nice ride & was surprisingly fast for a mid-size American car. I enjoyed learning to drive in that Granada & decided for the first several years to own & drive Fords starting with a clean Orange & Black '74 Maverick Grabber & other big Fords of that decade. A good overview of the Grenada my friend, I savor these quite a bit, brings back wonderful memories of so many great cars I've been fortunate enough to have owned over the decades, my newer 2014 Dodge Challenger R/T Blacktop Edition is my 89th vehicle since my first car in 1980.
vinniecorleone62 - 89?! That's quite a record. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. My experience was of UK Granada in the early '70's and their being used by detective John ("You're NICKED!") Regan in the very popular TV series The Sweeney. Invariably, the cops 3litre V6 Granada would be chasing thugs in their 'Jag' 3.8 to destruction round the back streets of the east end of London. The makers of the Sweeney were obviously inspired by the movie Robbery, which itself inspired Peter Yates' car chase in Bullit...
In 1978, Dad bought my mother an almost new 1977 2 door. Medium blue, in n out, 6 cylinder auto. Having traded in a 1970 Coupe DeVille, she absolutely loved the size and overall appeal of the little coupe'. It would be the last near new car they would ever buy. I learned to drive in that car, so it has fond memories. Kind of want one right now, even though I hated that 6 cylinder engine.
My father took me to a local Ford dealer in Ohio to look at the Garnada in 1976, when we got in the door handles on the passenger side came off in my hand. I was a teenager at the time. I looked at the salesman and said there was no way I could have pulled it out. I simply was not that large a kid. My dad said no he wasnt interested after that, the salesman got pissed that he wouldn't buy it. The quality on these cars at the time was terrible.
My dad had one. I remember it had broke down at my friend's house. It sat there for almost a year. Then, we pushed down the street & left it. Never seen it again.
As a teen in the 80's there was a guy in town with a Granada. Black 2 door white vinyl half top. He had the 302 warmed over right. Keystone classic wheels. Sharp clean and pretty fast Ford...
A local Fnord dealer donated a base model stripper Granada to our high school for driver training [remember when schools in CA had drivers' ed & ' training classes? The good old days, before it got privatized & our drivers got so bad!] Front bench seat meant our poor 7'+ basketball coach really loved it when I took over from the Vietnamese refugee kid & readjusted the driver's seat back so I could take my turn! Thanks Mr. Buckner for your driving instruction & patience! :t
My first car was a 1979 Ford Granada 2-door couple. Midnight metallic blue was its color. I had the 302 V8 in mine. I loved that car and totally babied it as a teen in the 1980's. I love the older cars and would love to have one again, but my dream car is the Lincoln Mark V Bill Blass Edition.
First-gen Granada buyers never knew they were buying a car with a chassis that dates back to the 1960 Falcon---Ford got a lot of mileage out of their platforms back then.
+justsomeguytoyou Yup! You are honestly the first person I've ever come across to actually know that. While some people might pour derision on Ford for using that chassis so long, for me it was a serious plus. Why? Because Granada disc brakes, front suspension, and rear axle assembly were excellent upgrades for the '60-65 Falcons and Comets I liked to play with, and for many 'B' models as well. And it's not that uncommon for manufacturers to stick with a platform. The Crown Vics and Grand Marqs were basically built on (slightly modified) 1966 Galaxie frame and chassis. And you don't even want to know just how many cars Ford made out of the Fox platform. GM used the same basic 'A' chassis for many of their mid-size models for decades. And how many decades did Chrysler get out of that torsion bar suspension?
The Australian manufactured version of the 1960 Falcon platform lasted until 2016. Still called the Falcon and all. How's that for mileage? Granted, the axe had several new handles and a few new heads, but there were definite similarities right through. The station wagons had leaf sprung live axle rear suspension right up until the last one rolled off the line and the bore centres of the straight 6 engine never changed. Having said that, though, there was continuous improvement and Ford Australia achieved a LOT with comparatively little. Look up 2016 Ford Falcon...
We have one of these Granadas and yes it was the same chassis underneath but they put a much smoother suspension on these Granadas and they made good highway cruisers comfortable to ride in. Rode much softer than the Falcons and Mustangs and Mavericks. It had such a smooth ride for the size that it was. Though the 1975 Maverick I rode in did ride smoother than the 1973 Maverick I rode in and was closer to the ride of the Granada.
I did not know that but I could have guessed. We had one and one time i was going on the on ramp and the rear end fish tailed . Apart from it trying to kill me I miss the car.
One of the last cars my grandpa owned, was a 1977 Granada two-door hardtop. Had the 200 straight six, and did very well. Had that, and a '77 Malibu Classic Estate wagon. Oh the childhood memories.
I remember my Dad driving our VW bus to the Ford dealer and buying a '78 Granada right off the lot. Blue on blue, vinyl interior, no A/C... actually no options at all except for cruise control. They drove this car until '87 when they sold it to me for $800 so they could buy my Uncle's Fairmont wagon. The vinyl stunk right until the day I traded it, the 302 wheezed along with great effort, even after I stripped all the emissions and put a bigger two barrel carb on it and modded the distributor. The hubcaps drove me insane, I finally used some JB Weld and sealed the reflectors to the hubcap. Everything about that car, mechanically, was barely adequate when new, everything that held fluid leaked like a sieve when it got older. HOWEVER, it was comfortable to drive, the suspension and body were extremely robust and could baja across the desert at sustained high speeds with only a set of Monroe's with springs on them. I'm pretty sure that at some remote Navajo Nation police station there is still a blue '78 Ford on their watchlist. As a first car for this teen, it was a blast... when it ran. Almost 30 years later I kinda wish I still had that stupid piece of junk. A guy I worked for at an auto shop after I had gotten out of the military raced a '75 2-door Ghia on roundy round in Yakima, Wa. for quite a few years. Production class stated you could only run drivetrains offered in the year, make, and model of the car. He had a 351 and a four speed in it and did fairly well, considering he would also dig in the tire pile by the track for tires that still had a modicum of life left in them.
Oh, as a final aside: my other first car choice was a '71 Ford Mustang Mach I on the back lot of Gurley Motors in Gallup, NM. It was a 351 car with a four speed... but I didn't buy it because I didn't like the "big" Mustangs and wanted a '67 or '68. The worst part about this memory? It was being offered at $800 also.
RIch Gallegos cool, we had a VW camper all through the 1970's while my grandpa bought a new 1977 2door Granada. I bought a 1990 Chinook w the Ford 460 + still have the Chinook, but my dad sold or abandoned the VW back in 1982.
Less than twelve years separated the launch of the Granada and the Taurus. Man does that show just how big a step in styling Ford took, as the Taurus still looks like something relatively current. By comparison, the Granada looks dated, old. It's also interesting to me that two North American cars were introduced in 1975 with names taken from Spanish cities: the Granada and the Cordoba. Love these videos!
We had a brand new 1976 Granda. It was quiet, comfortable and handled fairly well. It was a nice quiet solid feeling road car. $5,600 plus tax and license. :)
My parents had a ‘78(?) Granada Ghia sedan. It was plum red metallic with copious chrome, a steel roof, wire wheel covers, and a 250 CID straight 6. It was slow but torquey. We towed a small boat with it.
Thanks for the memories/vid - my first car was a 75 4 -door black Granada Ghia, had burgundy velour seats and power everything...it was a gift from my mom - it was 2 years old when I got it, had 18K miles. I loved it though it looked like a mafia car - lol. I drove it my Junior and Senior years in HS and is the car I went off to college with. Again - I greatly enjoyed seeing the car in action again.
my mom owned a very sharp white Mercury Monarch 2dr, w/351 v-8 bucket seats and auto on the console, with aluminum mags, that car was actually quick!!! and roast the tire for blocks!
My first car was a '77 Monarch that I bought from my folks when I got out of school. It was pretty luxurious compared to what my friends were driving, even though it had standard trim. One friend called my car "The Cushmobile" because it was so "cushy". But you'd have to be on drugs to mistake it for a Mercedes. I liked it, it was comfortable to drive, but it kept blowing out the hose on the power steering. I had to get that fixed about twice a year.
Loved the Granada, really honest car which could of used better quality interior materials, still recall the sound of the crackling face wood and plastics. Overall it was really smooth. Pity as the European counterpart Granada Ghia was an ultra modern car for its times and is highly sought after today. Pity ford did not introduce it in the states as a rebadged model
My first car was an 80 Granada. Got it for 100 bucks, and the front fenders were all bashed in and it had the plastic-y vinyl bench seats and column shifter. A few months later I found a 75 Monarch with a dead engine. It had the 302 but as I said it was kaput. The doors and rear quarters were rusted. But the rest was good. It also had reclining bucket seats in a nice velvety cloth, and a floor-mounted shifter. The interior was the same shade of deep red as my Granada. The front clip, fenders, hood, all red tail-lights, seats, and shifter all found their way to the Granada. The car was essentially a 75 Mercury Monarch, with the 1980 250 inline six. It raised a little confusion during registration when I was giving the VIN for a Granada that was basically a Monarch.
My 1st car was a 1977 Granada 4dr with a 302 V8. It was black with a red vinyl top and interior. My friends nicknames her "Granny", but it was still quicker than my friends expected, since most of them were 6 cylinders. I used to throw her sideways on dirt roads and none of my friends couldn't keep up with me on dirt. (Even in 4x4 pickups.)
The 'First Generation' Granada was available in a 2-door 'Sports Coupe' version which featured availability of the 351 Windsor 2V engine, the "Top Loader" T&C 4-speed transmission, 9" rear axle, and four-wheel disc brakes. I had a customer who owned one in that configuration, which we upgraded to a 4V with an Edelbrock intake and 600 cfm Holley carb, and it was a "sleeper"... even with its vinyl roof. 🙂
@@watershed44 Overall, good. The factory T&C shifter was acceptable for average daily use, but replacing it with the Hurst Competition Plus was de regure for any "spirited" driving. Same with the clutch/pressure plate combo. When replacement was needed, upgrade with an aftermarket unit, such as the Schieffer or Weber Long-style three-finger with light counter-weighted levers. Ultimately, I went with the McLeod unit, as they became one of my sponsors. 🙂
@@johnjohnsn7633 Thanks for getting back to me so fast! My Dad was debating on the manual with the 302 in 1976 when he bought his brand new, but my mom couldn't drive stick so he had to go with the auto... I got the 76 Ghia 4dr from my Dad for 250$ in 1984, the engine was the best part of the car, the auto trans was not very good, and the auto choke on the carb never worked well on this car from new...but it did get me where I was going and never really broke down, so it appeared to be reliable in that sense which at the price I paid you can't argue with. I still always dreamed about the European Ford Granada which seemed to be overall a much better handling and performing car with a stick.
The first car I ever owned (82-85) was a 1975 Granada Ghia 4-door. White with teal vinyl. The C-4 transmission failed 3 months into the ownership. It took an E-2s pay of a couple months to get enough cash to fix it. The only other consistent problem was the rear plugs would oil foul every couple thousand miles and I'd just swap and clean them with spares. Eventually, the power steering control valve ball stud was worn out and the only resource was junkyard or unreliable rebuild kits, so I traded it for a new 85 Escort that I kept for ten more years. I miss that car.
My brother’s first car was a ‘78 Granada. A sky blue 2 door model with the 250 C.I. inline 6.I drove it several times and I remember this about it... 1) The steering was numb, and took like 6 turns lock to lock. You could spin the wheel around with one finger. Overly-assisted power steering provided zero feedback from the wheels 2) The engine was horribly underpowered. 0-60: eventually. 1/4 mile: also eventually Top speed: pfft. It’s shaped like a box. Aerodynamics are right out the window here 3) It rusted in every place that a car can rust 4) The ride was very plush... so plush the body roll had you grabbing onto something anytime you turned the wheel 5) It wouldn’t start in the winter unless you used a screwdriver to prop open the carburetor choke, gave it a predetermined number of gas pedal pumps, and said 3 Hail Marys
I owned 2 Granadas, a 76 with a 302, and a 78 with a 250. I never experienced any of these problems with mine except for sloppy steering on the 76. The one you had sounds like a lemon from the get-go, or a victim of extremely poor maintenance.
This is an excellent video! Someone did their homework, got all of the facts correct, and even included an actual television commercial from 1978. A job well done, and a Sterling example of how such videos should be made. BRAVO!!!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
An excellent video. Usually I watch this type of video (I am a bit of a car nut and a big fan of Fords and Mercurys) and count the mistakes, but in this video I didn't hear a single one. Thank you.
I bought a 1978 Granada for $600 in 1999. It had 38,700 original miles on it, lasted me 6 years and was one reliable car. The only issue was rust. I put a bag of cat litter in the trunk and it fell through the trunk on to the gas tank. It was white with a jade green vinyl rope and green cloth interior, with the 250 inline 6 and automatic. Loved that car!
I had a 1976 Granada Sport Coupe with a 302 V8 and it was a very good car, never left me stranded and I put over 134,000 miles on it. I wish I had that car back it was a good looking car and quick too.
I bought one new in 1976. Was the best car I ever owned. A black 2 door w/silver top. 302 V8 and 3speed on the floor. 4 speed wasn't available until 77 but it was an overdrive 4th gear. With aluminum slots and wide tires she looked as natural as any Chevy Nova. After an exhaust system modification and readjusting the timing, it was a very quick car.
My first car I bought at 18. Was a 75 Grenada. 250 6cyl. 3sp O.D. manual Metallic brown and a vinyl half top. The 6 had a bad valve, so I swapped it out. For a 5.8 liter H.O. Windsor with 24in glass packs. Talk about fast!
Another hit for Lee Iaccoca! Excellent video, I lived through the entire period and you are right on the money. Give me a Ghia or ESS with the 302 and all the goodies.
Ohhhh Gawwwd! I bought a 1982 Granada; that was all I could afford @ that time. It was a piece of junk from day one. Seeing this vid brings back the gut-wretching feeling I had every time I was on the road & it would start making a new noise.
Yet, here we are, 47 years later and while we can still see some of those Benz on the road, I'd be surprised if any of the Granada's left the 90's still running...
The European Granada was a gorgeous car that looked ions ahead in styling than its us counterpart. Saying this the Granada US was a good overall car that unfortunately did not win many hearts in the excitement department. Thanks for sharing
My mom had a 1978 Ford Granada, four door, dark green in color with a dark green vinyl roof cover and a 302, It was a good car and handled our family needs. Then she traded it in for a 1984 Grand Marquise
10:35 precisely correct. My brother bought a new 1977 Granada Ghia 4-door black with gray vinyl top and interior, 302 V8 automatic transmission. For a compact car in 1977 it was loaded with options and the factory pinstripes were painted on not stickers. The car was actually very quiet with good sound insulation possibly because it was a luxury Ghia model. My brother could break anything mechanical but that Granada was very reliable regardless of the abuse. The Granada was the last Ford to use the Falcon platform from the 1960s.
I find I must take exception to part of was said. I knew 3 people who purchased new 1978 Granada's, within two years all three of these cars became so difficult to start that all had been traded in (not to mention the rust that had already started forming). It was not dependable, and when it was running it often ran badly. The crude emission controls of the day (the air pump and EGR system was the most guilty) robbed both power and dependability.
When I started my first job as a mechanic at a Ford dealership, the Granada was on its way out; and as you pointed out, it was replaced by the LTD. Looking back, the Granada/Monarch wasn't terribly reliable; not many new cars were. Auto manufactures had a lot to deal with. Fuel economy standards were raised, safety standards, emmissions standards. These things cost money. Manufacturers had to cut costs somewhere; usually interior trim. Alot of cheap plastic pieces that broke. Back then it was normal, manufacturers couldn't get away with that today
I also remember the Mercury Monarch and the Lincoln Versailles. I found both the Ford Granada and the Mercury Monarch to be the best looking of the three.
These are the best videos to watch when slacking off at work.
Hayes Riviere lol true
Right! You know there's never going to be obnoxiously loud music or explosions.
Hayes Riviere currently in a Lincoln Navigator sitting up on a lift cycling the engine when asked lol
My grandma had a 1980 Granada in a dark forest green color with a white vynal top. When she passed in 1998 and we got her car it only had 22k miles on it. The car still looked brand new.
Sometimes the best deals are to get low mileage cars from elderly people.
hope you are still taking care of it like she did.
my parents had a 1980 Ford Granada bought it brand new for $ 8500 & they had that car until 1994 it was a good car
Thanks for the memories. My close friend had a white 1977 Granada when I was in 10th grade. He had been held back and so turned 16 a full year before the rest of us. Man we did a lot of boozing and carousing in that car. So much fun. Another had a 1968 Torino GT that you've reviewed elsewhere. 1987 was a great year.
"Can you tell the difference between the Ford Granada ESS and the Mercedes 280SE?"
Why, yes I can, because today you never see a Ford Granada, but the old Merc can be easily found virtually anywhere.
And because the Granada is so ugly 🤣
@Arthur Humphreys They're not uncommon in California.
@Arthur Humphreys It depends on how one defines "a lot." Cars don't rust so much there, so classic cars aren't rare.
One in pristine condition, with all matching numbers can fetch up to $300!!!
I'd love to see one of these at the Barrett-Jackson auction----- "Well folks, here's a fine example from the Malaise period of American automobiles..." >Car backfires, then dumps all its oil on the carpet
So true
Not too bad in depreciation depending on when you bought it. I had a 76 that I bought for $700 in 1985.
Look up Bob Glidden Fairmont.
Lol
My grandparent's 1977 Granada was one of the first cars I drove as a teenager. Yellow, with a 302 V-8. Lots of memories.
Brings back memories. I worked at a Ford dealer from 1975-1979, they sold quite a few Granadas. If I'm remembering correctly, they weren't the most ergonomically thought out vehicle. You would bang your knuckles on the dash rolling up the windows. I also remember we learned the hard way since Ford didn't see fit to notify the dealers, if you picked the car up from the front and rear it would buckle the quarter panel. We picked one up with pneumatic bumper jacks and noticed a vertical crease in the panel that wasn't supposed to be there... Also remember at the time on alot of Ford models the dealer had to align a template to the fenderline and the front of the passenger front door, and bore a hole to install the antenna, the antenna came in the trunk. No rust problems there. I seem to remember you had to remove the padded dash in the Granada to fish the antenna lead to the radio. As I said, memories...
9:25 that silver black two tone paint looks amazing, transforms the car, wish more cars had that
“Single round headlights ... one on each side” Lol
Ford ... always innovating !!
they should have put them on the same side lol
😂🤣😂🤣✌🏻
@Harry T, actually Ford Motor Company came out with safety innovations before other domestic auto makers.
😸😹🤣😂🏆✅
you can really see Lee Iaccoca's influence of styling in these Fords before he went to Chrysler and gave us the "K" car !
Box on wheels
Who is that
@@djp6191 if you are wondering who Lee Iacocca was, he was originally a Authorized Ford Retailer in Pennsylvania and became a top salesman for Ford correcting factory mistakes on the cars at his dealership so he could honestly stand behind the products he sold and he was invited to work on Fords Design Team and was the Father of the Ford Mustang, Mercury Cougar, and Ford Granada.
He and Henry Ford Jr. never saw eye to eye on vehicle concepts and eventually Henry Ford Jr fired him right as he was going to unveil a subcompact front wheel drive unit which he developed through Chrysler Corporation instead which were the Dodge Colt, Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon.
Lee Iacocca was the Father of the Chrysler "K-Car" platforms and the Minivan.
He would leave Chrysler Corporation when it was briefly acquired by Daimler-Mercedes who transferred Lee Iacocca to Mercedes.
@@roya.cathcartjr.5042 thanks, interesting info
Seeing the Granada, the LTD, and then the Taurus truly shows how radical a car the Taurus was when it debuted. I was a little kid in kindergarten when the Taurus came out so I don't remember much of it but I do recall relatives having them and thinking they were cool (especially the Sable with its distinctive light bar).
love these vids! the Grenada was a very nice car, not too small and not a boat either, drove well and were very quiet inside.
I like these cars too small loaded Ltd
The four door Grenada lives on rolling past the camera at the beginning of the theme song on every episode of Cheers.
There is also a Granada taxi cab at the start of WKRP in Cincinnati in one of the downtown scenes during the theme music.
I remember my grandpa owned a Granada two door. Very reliable, and ran great. He let it go when he thought the engine blew. I loved to ride in it when I was a kid. Sweet memories.
My dad had an 80 granada yellow with white leather seats. We had great family road trips from L. A. All over the southwest.
My dad had a 79 granada. It towed my uncles new cars until 2004 with only oil changes and some fuses. It could still be running today, but at the gas prices maybe not a good idea... A real warrior. Long life to the memories of these gentlemen of steel and rubber
My grandmother had one until the mid 90s. It was gray with the red vinyl interior. I still remember listening the Statler brothers on the radio as we drove to church on Sunday in the 1980s.
Learned to drive in my fathers 1971 Ford Maverick. Later on he gave that to me and he bought a two tone brown and cream colored Ford Granada. This really brings back memories.
Our 1977 had a 302 with c4 Trans ...was a great Engine and a good car , We owned it up till 1995.
Always been a big fan of the Granada. Owned a 1977 and a beautiful 1981. Love the inline six engine, extremely reliable.
Was a great powertrain. With a good torque of 210 KP/FT at only 1600 rpm. I was in England, Ferndown, in 1983 at the age of 17. The neighbours of my host family owned a Ford Granada 4.1 inline six. It was very quiet and luxurious. Your comment is a nice reminder for me. Best wishes for you from Northern Germany!😊
I remember going to the US in the 80s and thinking how incredibly old-fashioned these cars looked, even though they were new!
That’s funny. They were definitely tin Lizzy like.
Their styling cues were 1970's Mercedes and Cadillac, they even had ads comparing themselves to that and Cadillac!!! MANY MANY square cars back then!!!!
@@TheSpritz0 yeah but American cars were way behind in styling stakes in the US in the 80s for ordinary non muscle cars. They still looked like they were from the 70s. Even Ford Australia looked way more modern
In the 1980’s my brother had a baby blue 1st generation Granada with the 302 and a leaking gas tank. He called it “The Grenade”.
lol,just like the ford pintos,one good rear end collision..BOOM!!!!
@@erickort1987Exactly, that's what happenned with such compact to be discontinued. Ford never made adjustments to Pinto's leaking gas tank and claims were many. It was a big mess.
Hey boys can u say kaboom , but I li kn evite anyway
@@elmowilson298
Panther platforms had a similar problem until they were finally discontinued.
My first car was a 1979 Ford Granada, the a/c worked great in it and it had an am radio with the faux wood trim.
Sir, you just made a FREAKING FORD GRANADA OF ALL THINGS my new dream car.
75-77 were beautiful cars
My parents bought a 79 Granada Ghia 2 door . I later bought it off of them but soon sold it . The 250 engine wasn't what a 18 year old guy wanted . It did however ride great and got pretty good fuel mileage . It was also a tank in the snow . We had real bad snow storms in 1979 and my Mom needed a ride home from work . I took their Granada there with No problems , while other cars were suck all over the place . The round headlight early models were the best looking by far .
Im 48 my granddad had this car i got to drive it loved it still do
My first car was a '77 Granada with the 302.
I test-drove a 1975 Monarch with the 200 six and three-on-the-tree.
It had about as much low-end torque as a toddler on a tricycle.
I kept my Studebaker Commander.
The narrator is always very knowledgeable of car history.
For a second I thought the title said 1975 to 1982 Ford "Grandpa"
HAHAHAHA, you were deaf man. Ford Granda 1975 to 1982, rather👌👌✅✅
Grandma lol
My first car was a two year old 1978 Granada 2 door with vinyl seats, the 250 c.i. engine, 4 speed manual transmission, no air conditioning, no power windows, and no one ever asked to borrow it twice.
I could tell the difference from the Mercedes blindfolded feeling print ads in the local newspaper.
I'd rather own the Granada though because it is much cheaper to get repaired,some shops in my area won't work on a Mercedes at all for any price.
@@lawnmowermanlawnmowerman9930 that's just the downside of being american, it's the way around where I live (europe obviously) where people don't work on american cars. Parts are relatively cheap and to break down those seventees mercedes, you already had to drive like a maniac
Probably because you could feel the oil leak through the paper!
Yeah. I don't think they should have tried to sell them by comparing them to a Benz. Nobody bought one because of that vague similarity anyway. They were just nice cars...for a Ford in the 70s.
@@dodgeguyz Good one brother
nothing says "you've almost made it into the lower middle class" like the ford granada.
Where Is the fuse box on 82 ford gunada
Except maybe a loaded, top trim level Chrysler New Yorker, Plymouth Volare' and Dodge Aspen of same vintage.
They even came pre-rusted from the factory at no additional charge.
@@philipwhite4472 if I remember correctly the North American Ford Granada fuse box was located under the dashboard either behind a plastic panel on the bottom of the dashboard by the driver's left knee when sitting in the car or under the dashboard to the left of the steering column.
I love my Ford Granada
From 75 thru 77 the Granada offered an ultra luxury trim on the Granada Ghia. It was called the luxury decor group. It was trimmed like a Grand Monarch Ghia. It came with a velour interior that could be upgraded to leather. It had color keyed wheel covers and extended padded door armrests front and rear which accommodated power window and lock controls. Upscale options included power 4 wheel disc brakes, electronically tuned AM/FM Stereo Radio with 8 track tape player, power glass sunroof, automatic climate control and 6 way power to both front seats. The 351 2V V8 was the top engine options. Many of the above listed option choices were unavailable on medium priced full sized cars at that time.
I have my 1976 Ford Granada Ghia 4 doors sedan color black and gold. I already buy in 2016. I was lucky so excited finally. Did I know 1976 Ford Granada Ghia is one most my favorite vehicle ever I am all the time love my car. One best 1975-1977 Granada Ghia!
I drove a late 70s Granada at a Auto Parts delivery job for about 6 months. It had a 302. Loved driving that car. Reasonably powerful for the time and very comfortable. Also owned a 4 door Maverick 1970 as my second car. It came with snow tires on the back which worked great in the sandy dirt roads of NJ.Totally trashed the poor thing. It deserved better.
Had a 1978 Granada,great handling excellent fuel economy for a v8. I purchased the car as a project car with 95k miles,drove until the milage reach 177k miles ,7 years later.
One of my aunts owned a Ford Granada at some point! It was a great car! Solid construction! Decent V8 power! I personally would like to have a Lincoln Versailles! That's a great luxury sedan for you!!!!
You should do a video on the Ford Fairmont/Mercury Zephyr cars!
My first car as a senior in high school. I factory ordered the two door ,Brown in color with the 302 v8 and the floor shifter!
My dad was a Datsun man, he had a '70 510 wagon & a '72 1600 fastback, when he finally decided to buy American he bought a '75 Granada 4-door loaded Ghia Silver with Black interior with a more rare 351 Windsor 4-V, it had the padded vinyl top with additional layer of padded accents on the rear side post & between the passenger windows. It was marketed towards the base model Mercedes sedan humorously but overall it had a nice ride & was surprisingly fast for a mid-size American car. I enjoyed learning to drive in that Granada & decided for the first several years to own & drive Fords starting with a clean Orange & Black '74 Maverick Grabber & other big Fords of that decade. A good overview of the Grenada my friend, I savor these quite a bit, brings back wonderful memories of so many great cars I've been fortunate enough to have owned over the decades, my newer 2014 Dodge Challenger R/T Blacktop Edition is my 89th vehicle since my first car in 1980.
vinniecorleone62 - 89?! That's quite a record. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. My experience was of UK Granada in the early '70's and their being used by detective John ("You're NICKED!") Regan in the very popular TV series The Sweeney. Invariably, the cops 3litre V6 Granada would be chasing thugs in their 'Jag' 3.8 to destruction round the back streets of the east end of London. The makers of the Sweeney were obviously inspired by the movie Robbery, which itself inspired Peter Yates' car chase in Bullit...
In 1978, Dad bought my mother an almost new 1977 2 door. Medium blue, in n out, 6 cylinder auto. Having traded in a 1970 Coupe DeVille, she absolutely loved the size and overall appeal of the little coupe'. It would be the last near new car they would ever buy. I learned to drive in that car, so it has fond memories. Kind of want one right now, even though I hated that 6 cylinder engine.
Too bad the Coupes rusted back then. A 1970 Coupe Deville is a lot more car than a Granada!!
Interesting. I would have got a seville, but I bet the price was a lot better on the granada.
My father took me to a local Ford dealer in Ohio to look at the Garnada in 1976, when we got in the door handles on the passenger side came off in my hand. I was a teenager at the time. I looked at the salesman and said there was no way I could have pulled it out. I simply was not that large a kid. My dad said no he wasnt interested after that, the salesman got pissed that he wouldn't buy it. The quality on these cars at the time was terrible.
I loved my ‘77 Granada 2 door
My dad had one. I remember it had broke down at my friend's house. It sat there for almost a year. Then, we pushed down the street & left it. Never seen it again.
LOL
This video kept me entertained throughout, interesting facts and details, one right after another.
Thanks for posting
As a teen in the 80's there was a guy in town with a Granada. Black 2 door white vinyl half top. He had the 302 warmed over right. Keystone classic wheels. Sharp clean and pretty fast Ford...
A local Fnord dealer donated a base model stripper Granada to our high school for driver training [remember when schools in CA had drivers' ed & ' training classes? The good old days, before it got privatized & our drivers got so bad!] Front bench seat meant our poor 7'+ basketball coach really loved it when I took over from the Vietnamese refugee kid & readjusted the driver's seat back so I could take my turn! Thanks Mr. Buckner for your driving instruction & patience! :t
My brother had a 78 red and white vinyl top in 95. I drove it a lot at 15. She was a beast! Took out anything
My first car was a 1979 Ford Granada 2-door couple. Midnight metallic blue was its color. I had the 302 V8 in mine. I loved that car and totally babied it as a teen in the 1980's. I love the older cars and would love to have one again, but my dream car is the Lincoln Mark V Bill Blass Edition.
First-gen Granada buyers never knew they were buying a car with a chassis that dates back to the 1960 Falcon---Ford got a lot of mileage out of their platforms back then.
+justsomeguytoyou Yup! You are honestly the first person I've ever come across to actually know that. While some people might pour derision on Ford for using that chassis so long, for me it was a serious plus. Why? Because Granada disc brakes, front suspension, and rear axle assembly were excellent upgrades for the '60-65 Falcons and Comets I liked to play with, and for many 'B' models as well.
And it's not that uncommon for manufacturers to stick with a platform. The Crown Vics and Grand Marqs were basically built on (slightly modified) 1966 Galaxie frame and chassis. And you don't even want to know just how many cars Ford made out of the Fox platform. GM used the same basic 'A' chassis for many of their mid-size models for decades. And how many decades did Chrysler get out of that torsion bar suspension?
The Australian manufactured version of the 1960 Falcon platform lasted until 2016. Still called the Falcon and all. How's that for mileage? Granted, the axe had several new handles and a few new heads, but there were definite similarities right through. The station wagons had leaf sprung live axle rear suspension right up until the last one rolled off the line and the bore centres of the straight 6 engine never changed.
Having said that, though, there was continuous improvement and Ford Australia achieved a LOT with comparatively little. Look up 2016 Ford Falcon...
We have one of these Granadas and yes it was the same chassis underneath but they put a much smoother suspension on these Granadas and they made good highway cruisers comfortable to ride in. Rode much softer than the Falcons and Mustangs and Mavericks. It had such a smooth ride for the size that it was. Though the 1975 Maverick I rode in did ride smoother than the 1973 Maverick I rode in and was closer to the ride of the Granada.
justsomeguytoyou Interesting
I did not know that but I could have guessed. We had one and one time i was going on the on ramp and the rear end fish tailed . Apart from it trying to kill me I miss the car.
One of the last cars my grandpa owned, was a 1977 Granada two-door hardtop. Had the 200 straight six, and did very well. Had that, and a '77 Malibu Classic Estate wagon. Oh the childhood memories.
I had a 79 6 cylinder auto...upscale interior (buckets) and loved it, my neighbor bought it after me...drove it till an accident ended its run...
I remember my Dad driving our VW bus to the Ford dealer and buying a '78 Granada right off the lot. Blue on blue, vinyl interior, no A/C... actually no options at all except for cruise control. They drove this car until '87 when they sold it to me for $800 so they could buy my Uncle's Fairmont wagon. The vinyl stunk right until the day I traded it, the 302 wheezed along with great effort, even after I stripped all the emissions and put a bigger two barrel carb on it and modded the distributor. The hubcaps drove me insane, I finally used some JB Weld and sealed the reflectors to the hubcap. Everything about that car, mechanically, was barely adequate when new, everything that held fluid leaked like a sieve when it got older.
HOWEVER, it was comfortable to drive, the suspension and body were extremely robust and could baja across the desert at sustained high speeds with only a set of Monroe's with springs on them. I'm pretty sure that at some remote Navajo Nation police station there is still a blue '78 Ford on their watchlist. As a first car for this teen, it was a blast... when it ran. Almost 30 years later I kinda wish I still had that stupid piece of junk.
A guy I worked for at an auto shop after I had gotten out of the military raced a '75 2-door Ghia on roundy round in Yakima, Wa. for quite a few years. Production class stated you could only run drivetrains offered in the year, make, and model of the car. He had a 351 and a four speed in it and did fairly well, considering he would also dig in the tire pile by the track for tires that still had a modicum of life left in them.
Oh, as a final aside: my other first car choice was a '71 Ford Mustang Mach I on the back lot of Gurley Motors in Gallup, NM. It was a 351 car with a four speed... but I didn't buy it because I didn't like the "big" Mustangs and wanted a '67 or '68. The worst part about this memory? It was being offered at $800 also.
Ouch! ;) ...and Loved your story about the Granada....we had a '78 too (my comment I just posted, is among these) ....
RIch Gallegos cool, we had a VW camper all through the 1970's while my grandpa bought a new 1977 2door Granada. I bought a 1990 Chinook w the Ford 460 + still have the Chinook, but my dad sold or abandoned the VW back in 1982.
RIch Gallegos I remember those noisy hubcaps
Less than twelve years separated the launch of the Granada and the Taurus. Man does that show just how big a step in styling Ford took, as the Taurus still looks like something relatively current. By comparison, the Granada looks dated, old. It's also interesting to me that two North American cars were introduced in 1975 with names taken from Spanish cities: the Granada and the Cordoba. Love these videos!
We had a brand new 1976 Granda. It was quiet, comfortable and handled fairly well. It was a nice quiet solid feeling road car. $5,600 plus tax and license. :)
My parents had a ‘78(?) Granada Ghia sedan. It was plum red metallic with copious chrome, a steel roof, wire wheel covers, and a 250 CID straight 6. It was slow but torquey. We towed a small boat with it.
My 1st car. It was 1994. My great grandma gave me her 79 granada. 250 I 6 and 2 door. Light green. I'd never loved anything so much in my life
I freaking love this channel. Keep it up man.
Thanks for the memories/vid - my first car was a 75 4 -door black Granada Ghia, had burgundy velour seats and power everything...it was a gift from my mom - it was 2 years old when I got it, had 18K miles. I loved it though it looked like a mafia car - lol. I drove it my Junior and Senior years in HS and is the car I went off to college with. Again - I greatly enjoyed seeing the car in action again.
Will never forget the Ford Grenada. My drivers training course was in a Grenada.
my mom owned a very sharp white Mercury Monarch 2dr, w/351 v-8 bucket seats and auto on the console, with aluminum mags, that car was actually quick!!! and roast the tire for blocks!
My first car was a '77 Monarch that I bought from my folks when I got out of school. It was pretty luxurious compared to what my friends were driving, even though it had standard trim. One friend called my car "The Cushmobile" because it was so "cushy". But you'd have to be on drugs to mistake it for a Mercedes. I liked it, it was comfortable to drive, but it kept blowing out the hose on the power steering. I had to get that fixed about twice a year.
Loved the Granada, really honest car which could of used better quality interior materials, still recall the sound of the crackling face wood and plastics. Overall it was really smooth. Pity as the European counterpart Granada Ghia was an ultra modern car for its times and is highly sought after today. Pity ford did not introduce it in the states as a rebadged model
My first car was an 80 Granada. Got it for 100 bucks, and the front fenders were all bashed in and it had the plastic-y vinyl bench seats and column shifter. A few months later I found a 75 Monarch with a dead engine. It had the 302 but as I said it was kaput. The doors and rear quarters were rusted. But the rest was good. It also had reclining bucket seats in a nice velvety cloth, and a floor-mounted shifter. The interior was the same shade of deep red as my Granada. The front clip, fenders, hood, all red tail-lights, seats, and shifter all found their way to the Granada. The car was essentially a 75 Mercury Monarch, with the 1980 250 inline six. It raised a little confusion during registration when I was giving the VIN for a Granada that was basically a Monarch.
My 1st car was a 1977 Granada 4dr with a 302 V8. It was black with a red vinyl top and interior. My friends nicknames her "Granny", but it was still quicker than my friends expected, since most of them were 6 cylinders. I used to throw her sideways on dirt roads and none of my friends couldn't keep up with me on dirt. (Even in 4x4 pickups.)
The 'First Generation' Granada was available in a 2-door 'Sports Coupe' version which featured availability of the 351 Windsor 2V engine, the "Top Loader" T&C 4-speed transmission, 9" rear axle, and four-wheel disc brakes.
I had a customer who owned one in that configuration, which we upgraded to a 4V with an Edelbrock intake and 600 cfm Holley carb, and it was a "sleeper"... even with its vinyl roof. 🙂
@john jonhsn
How good was the manual shifting and clutch performance?
@@watershed44 Overall, good. The factory T&C shifter was acceptable for average daily use, but replacing it with the Hurst Competition Plus was de regure for any "spirited" driving.
Same with the clutch/pressure plate combo. When replacement was needed, upgrade with an aftermarket unit, such as the Schieffer or Weber Long-style three-finger with light counter-weighted levers.
Ultimately, I went with the McLeod unit, as they became one of my sponsors. 🙂
@@johnjohnsn7633 Thanks for getting back to me so fast! My Dad was debating on the manual with the 302 in 1976 when he bought his brand new, but my mom couldn't drive stick so he had to go with the auto...
I got the 76 Ghia 4dr from my Dad for 250$ in 1984, the engine was the best part of the car, the auto trans was not very good, and the auto choke on the carb never worked well on this car from new...but it did get me where I was going and never really broke down, so it appeared to be reliable in that sense which at the price I paid you can't argue with. I still always dreamed about the European Ford Granada which seemed to be overall a much better handling and performing car with a stick.
The first car I ever owned (82-85) was a 1975 Granada Ghia 4-door. White with teal vinyl. The C-4 transmission failed 3 months into the ownership. It took an E-2s pay of a couple months to get enough cash to fix it. The only other consistent problem was the rear plugs would oil foul every couple thousand miles and I'd just swap and clean them with spares. Eventually, the power steering control valve ball stud was worn out and the only resource was junkyard or unreliable rebuild kits, so I traded it for a new 85 Escort that I kept for ten more years. I miss that car.
My brother’s first car was a ‘78 Granada. A sky blue 2 door model with the 250 C.I. inline 6.I drove it several times and I remember this about it...
1) The steering was numb, and took like 6 turns lock to lock. You could spin the wheel around with one finger. Overly-assisted power steering provided zero feedback from the wheels
2) The engine was horribly underpowered.
0-60: eventually.
1/4 mile: also eventually
Top speed: pfft. It’s shaped like a box. Aerodynamics are right out the window here
3) It rusted in every place that a car can rust
4) The ride was very plush... so plush the body roll had you grabbing onto something anytime you turned the wheel
5) It wouldn’t start in the winter unless you used a screwdriver to prop open the carburetor choke, gave it a predetermined number of gas pedal pumps, and said 3 Hail Marys
You nailed it right there!
I owned 2 Granadas, a 76 with a 302, and a 78 with a 250. I never experienced any of these problems with mine except for sloppy steering on the 76. The one you had sounds like a lemon from the get-go, or a victim of extremely poor maintenance.
Sounds like my '83 tbird that's y when I retire I want a '69 tbird or torino fastback
4) was what I remembered about my uncle's Granada. He could've kept Dramamine in the glove compartment.
This is an excellent video! Someone did their homework, got all of the facts correct, and even included an actual television commercial from 1978. A job well done, and a Sterling example of how such videos should be made. BRAVO!!!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Brings back memories. My family had the 2 door 1977 Granada when I was a little boy.
Thank you for sharing! This certainly brings back memories of my childhood!
Wow what a flood of memories. My first car was a 76, 2 door w/ a 302 engine.
An excellent video. Usually I watch this type of video (I am a bit of a car nut and a big fan of Fords and Mercurys) and count the mistakes, but in this video I didn't hear a single one. Thank you.
I bought a 1978 Granada for $600 in 1999. It had 38,700 original miles on it, lasted me 6 years and was one reliable car. The only issue was rust. I put a bag of cat litter in the trunk and it fell through the trunk on to the gas tank. It was white with a jade green vinyl rope and green cloth interior, with the 250 inline 6 and automatic. Loved that car!
I had a 1976 Granada Sport Coupe with a 302 V8 and it was a very good car, never left me stranded and I put over 134,000 miles on it. I wish I had that car back it was a good looking car and quick too.
Had two a 76and a79 both had v-8 s great cars never any problems sold both for more than I paid for them
I bought one new in 1976. Was the best car I ever owned. A black 2 door w/silver top. 302 V8 and 3speed on the floor. 4 speed wasn't available until 77 but it was an overdrive 4th gear. With aluminum slots and wide tires she looked as natural as any Chevy Nova. After an exhaust system modification and readjusting the timing, it was a very quick car.
My first car I bought at 18. Was a 75 Grenada. 250 6cyl. 3sp O.D. manual
Metallic brown and a vinyl half top. The 6 had a bad valve, so I swapped it out. For a 5.8 liter H.O. Windsor with 24in glass packs. Talk about fast!
My high school had Ford Granada's for drivers education back in 1976 they were fun to drive
the videos are always great! The voice over reminds me of Dragnet... "just the facts ma'am". always great infotainment.
Another hit for Lee Iaccoca! Excellent video, I lived through the entire period and you are right on the money. Give me a Ghia or ESS with the 302 and all the goodies.
I had the granada with the 302 and one with the 250 6 cylinder loved both of them..
Ohhhh Gawwwd! I bought a 1982 Granada; that was all I could afford @ that time.
It was a piece of junk from day one.
Seeing this vid brings back the gut-wretching feeling I had every time I was on the road & it would start making a new noise.
The difference between Ford and Mercury is Mercury used lock washers.
I remember when we got a Mercury Monarch when i was a kid back in 76.
My first car was a 1978 mercury monarch.
Yet, here we are, 47 years later and while we can still see some of those Benz on the road, I'd be surprised if any of the Granada's left the 90's still running...
The European Granada was a gorgeous car that looked ions ahead in styling than its us counterpart. Saying this the Granada US was a good overall car that unfortunately did not win many hearts in the excitement department. Thanks for sharing
My mom had a 1978 Ford Granada, four door, dark green in color with a dark green vinyl roof cover and a 302, It was a good car and handled our family needs. Then she traded it in for a 1984 Grand Marquise
I owned a 77 Mercury Monarch and a 79 Ford Granada. Both were Great Cars!
10:35 precisely correct. My brother bought a new 1977 Granada Ghia 4-door black with gray vinyl top and interior, 302 V8 automatic transmission. For a compact car in 1977 it was loaded with options and the factory pinstripes were painted on not stickers. The car was actually very quiet with good sound insulation possibly because it was a luxury Ghia model. My brother could break anything mechanical but that Granada was very reliable regardless of the abuse. The Granada was the last Ford to use the Falcon platform from the 1960s.
I had a '75 4-door with the 302/C4.
A buddy had the '78 ESS with the straight 6 and a 4-speed manual.
I had a '78 Ghia 4 door white with red cloth interior. I absolutely loved this car! I wish I could buy another just like it.
I find I must take exception to part of was said. I knew 3 people who purchased new 1978 Granada's, within two years all three of these cars became so difficult to start that all had been traded in (not to mention the rust that had already started forming). It was not dependable, and when it was running it often ran badly. The crude emission controls of the day (the air pump and EGR system was the most guilty) robbed both power and dependability.
I have a 1987 Lincoln Continental bustleback it is burgundy, and it is just beautiful it turns heads wherever I go !!!
My sister's 72 Mustang had the 250 six with the three speed manual and was surprisingly peppy , one of Fords unsung motors I always thought.
My parents had a first generation Granada and it truly was a nice car. Comfortable, roomy and with a nice ride. Always liked the Maverick.
When I started my first job as a mechanic at a Ford dealership, the Granada was on its way out; and as you pointed out, it was replaced by the LTD.
Looking back, the Granada/Monarch wasn't terribly reliable; not many new cars were. Auto manufactures had a lot to deal with. Fuel economy standards were raised, safety standards, emmissions standards. These things cost money. Manufacturers had to cut costs somewhere; usually interior trim. Alot of cheap plastic pieces that broke.
Back then it was normal, manufacturers couldn't get away with that today
Drove one as a teenager in 1988...a 1976 Granada. Fun car really.
I also remember the Mercury Monarch and the Lincoln Versailles. I found both the Ford Granada and the Mercury Monarch to be the best looking of the three.