Forum > Your Pintos/Bobcats & Racers
1975 Pinto Window Sticker
dga57:
The Elite was Ford's entry into the mid-size personal luxury coupe line-up, squarely facing off with Chevy's Monte Carlo, Chrysler's Cordoba, etc. By today's standards, there was nothing mid-sized about them, but in comparison to the mid-seventies' Continental Mark IV and Cadillac Eldorado they offered a lot of style in a smaller, less expensive, more maneuverable car. The Elite began as an upscale Torino and ultimately morphed into the the downsized Thunderbird of the late 1970's. It was actually a rather handsome car: long hood, short trunk, prominent grill, and distinctive opera windows.
My personal opinion however, was that it still rode like a Torino.
Dwayne :)
Wittsend:
Thanks. I did a little looking around. As best I saw there was the Gran Torino Elite in 1974 and then the car was just called the Elite in '75 and 76.' It was referred to as a "placeholder car." So, three years of the car and year one it had a split name with Elite as an add on name to Gran Torino.
Interesting how that one slipped by me, we learn something new every day. Then again I was into Datsun 510's post high school (mid 70's) and wouldn't be caught dead in something Barnaby Jones would have been driving. LOL
Henrius:
--- Quote from: dga57 on July 01, 2020, 09:00:24 AM ---That sticker indicates a Runabout with just about every option you could buy except air conditioning and automatic transmission! Definitely NOT your run-of-the-mill Pinto! I bought a 1974 Runabout new that was equipped essentially the same but did not have the Sport Appearance Package or sunroof. If memory serves me correctly, it stickered for just under $3300 (that window sticker is long gone) but I bought it for $2900 straight out, no trade. Hard to imagine buying a brand new car for that paltry sum but I have some old Saturday Evening Posts from 1947 that advertise a new Plymouth Special Deluxe for less than $900. How times have changed! My current car and pickup truck stickered for $63810 and $64980 respectively. That would have seemed unfathomable in 1974!
Dwayne :)
--- End quote ---
What you are missing is the debasement of fiat money over that time. The authentic price of any car is how many man-hours of labor at the average wage did it take to buy the car. (Some economists would argue the number of ounces of gold at market prices it would take to buy the car.) But you have to admit that modern cars are a whole lot more sophisticated in 1974 than in 1947!
dga57:
--- Quote from: Henrius on July 01, 2020, 08:42:22 PM ---But you have to admit that modern cars are a whole lot more sophisticated in 1974 than in 1947!
--- End quote ---
No argument with that! That increased sophistication came with a high price tag and it is even truer when comparing to cars of today. In today's economy however, only those of us who actually have firsthand knowledge find any credibility at all in the idea of a brand new car selling for $900 or even $2900.
Dwayne :)
65ShelbyClone:
Economy cars were in high demand, so it's not surprising to see the price tag start at full retail and go up from there. Same thing happened 10-12 years ago; suddenly Excursions and Hummers were worth less than Civics and Corollas. What's more eyebrow-raising is to see that the Pinto's base price went up by 50% in just four years.
I just have to point out that 6.75 Traction-Lok option though. And what's with the $30 charge for tires? Were those an "upgrade" or not included with a car at the base price? ???
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