1973 Ford Gran Torino Sport

Muscle car powered by 1973 Gran Torino Sport V8 range.

1973 Gran Torino Sport SportsRoof; restored body reference with non-factory wheels

Bodies SportsRoof or two-door hardtop

VIN body codes 35 SportsRoof; 38 hardtop

Standard engine 302 two-barrel V8

Performance engine Q-code 351 Cobra Jet

Production 68,943 total

Story

Two bodies, one Sport

Ford kept the 1973 Gran Torino Sport available as both a formal-roof hardtop and the sweeping SportsRoof. Both belong on one model-year page. The standard power team was a 302 two-barrel V8 with a three-speed manual, while the option list ranged through 351 two-barrel, 351 Cobra Jet, 400, and 429 V8 configurations.

The last performance edge

The Q-code 351 Cobra Jet was the performance choice. Ford paired it with either an automatic or a close-ratio four-speed, and the Rallye Equipment Group combined the four-speed, Competition Suspension, rear stabilizer bar, full instruments, and wider tires. The Sport still balanced that hardware with the quiet ride and full-size cabin that defined the Torino.

What made the Sport visible

Gran Torino Sport emblems, black rear trim, dual racing mirrors, trim rings, and raised-white-letter tires separated the model from regular Gran Torinos. An optional laser stripe and Magnum 500 wheels made the shape more dramatic. Unlike 1972, however, the 1973 Sport had no factory hood scoop or Ram Air system.

Reading a real car

Start with VIN body code 35 for a SportsRoof or 38 for a hardtop, then reconcile the data plate, invoice or window sticker, engine and transmission evidence, axle tag, paint and trim codes, and restoration history. A laser stripe, 429 badge, hood treatment, tach, or wheel swap can be added. None proves Sport identity or an original drivetrain by itself.

**Black Gran Torino Sport SportsRoof; exact-model body view with aftermarket wheels**Michael Gil via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Specs

Car type: Muscle car
Body: two-door SportsRoof or two-door hardtop
Engine: 302 2V, 351W/351C 2V, 351 Cobra Jet 4V, 400 2V, or 429 4V V8
Horsepower: 137 to 246 hp SAE net across regular Sport engine paths
Torque: 230 to 320 lb-ft across regular Sport engine paths
Carburetion: Two-barrel on 302, 351W/351C, and 400; four-barrel on 351 Cobra Jet and 429

Equipment

114-inch wheelbase for both Sport bodies
208-inch overall length and 79.3-inch width
52.1-inch SportsRoof or 52.2-inch hardtop height
F70x14 raised-white-letter tires and front disc brakes
independent coil-spring front and four-link coil-spring rear suspension

Linked Parts

Price history

Values

Nominal dollars from original price sheets, auction archives, and approved value references.

Original Price

Base MSRP $3,154

Gran Torino Sport two-door hardtop original MSRP (1973)
Reference MSRP before options and destination; does not establish SportsRoof MSRP.
1973 Ford Gran Torino Sport two-door hardtop values

Market Observations

Price guide value $12,300

Aug 4, 2026 · J.D. Power · Current guide point
Average-retail guide value for a 1973 Gran Torino Sport two-door hardtop · unknown · good Guide snapshot, not a transaction; use with the source's condition assumptions and low/high values.
1973 Ford Gran Torino Sport two-door hardtop values
Auction sale $30,800

Jan 11, 2026 · Mecum Auctions
VIN 3H35Q230251 exact Q-code Sport SportsRoof with comprehensive restoration · modified · excellent Completed sale; headers, Holley Sniper electronic fuel injection, and C6 automatic make it a modified rather than stock benchmark.
1973 Ford Gran Torino Sport sold January 11, 2026
Auction sale $12,750

Oct 17, 2024 · Bring a Trailer
VIN 3A35H333719 one-family-owned exact Sport SportsRoof with 351 V8 and automatic · modified · fair Winning bid before fees. Aluminum radiator, R134a conversion, aftermarket wheels, console, older engine rebuild, paint wear, vinyl-top deterioration, and seat tears are reflected in the typed state and condition.
One-family-owned 1973 Ford Gran Torino Sport SportsRoof sold October 17, 2024

Values move with paperwork, originality, options, condition, venue, and body style. High bids and guide values are labeled separately from completed sales.

Reference records

Options, Colors & Components

Source-backed details for trim, chassis, production, and authenticity.

Engine Details

F-code 302 two-barrel V8 302 CID, 137 SAE net hp and 230 lb-ft · standard engine · engine assembly / specification
H-code 351 Windsor two-barrel V8 351 CID, 156 SAE net hp and 234 lb-ft · optional 351 two-barrel path; H also identifies the 351 Cleveland · engine assembly / specification
H-code 351 Cleveland two-barrel V8 351 CID, 159 SAE net hp and 250 lb-ft · optional 351 two-barrel path; verify architecture because H is shared · engine assembly / specification
Q-code 351 Cobra Jet four-barrel V8 351 CID, 246 SAE net hp and 312 lb-ft · optional high-performance engine · engine assembly / specification
S-code 400 two-barrel V8 400 CID, 168 SAE net hp and 310 lb-ft · optional engine · engine assembly / specification
N-code 429 four-barrel V8 429 CID, 198 SAE net hp and 320 lb-ft · optional regular-production engine; police-only 460 is excluded · engine assembly / specification

Transmission

Factory transmission three-speed manual
Factory transmission close-ratio four-speed with Hurst shifter for the 351 Cobra Jet
Factory transmission compatible SelectShift automatic

Options

Factory V8 Choices reference for the 1973 Ford Gran Torino SportClassic Muscle · Reference illustration

Rallye Rallye Equipment Group optional · performance · 351 Cobra Jet, close-ratio four-speed/Hurst shifter, competition suspension with rear stabilizer, G70x14 tires and six-inch rims, tachometer, trip odometer, gauges, and clock in the reviewed Canadian brochure.
Competition Suspension Competition Suspension optional · performance · Heavy-duty handling path; exact content and compatibility require the individual order record.
Laser stripe Laser stripe optional · appearance · Revised high body-side stripe with red, green, blue, or brown families coordinated to paint.
Magnum 500 Magnum 500 wheels optional · appearance · Optional wheel treatment; wheel presence alone cannot establish Sport identity.
High-back bucket seats High-back bucket seats optional · interior · Shown as an option on the Gran Torino Sport hardtop and listed for both Sport body styles; the center console was a separate option.
Sport cloth trim Sport cloth seat trim optional · interior · Available on the Gran Torino Sport hardtop and SportsRoof in the reviewed Canadian brochure.
Console Center console optional · interior · Available with high-back bucket seats; bucket seats alone do not establish that a car was built with the console.
Deluxe seat belts Deluxe seat belts optional · interior · The brochure says the two-door application included automatic seat-back releases.
Vinyl roof Vinyl roof optional · appearance · Shown on the Gran Torino Sport hardtop; roof style, color, and original fit require the data plate and car-specific records.
Two-tone lower bodyside paint Two-tone lower bodyside paint optional · appearance · The brochure expressly identifies the lower-bodyside treatment for Gran Torino Sport.
Metallic Glow paint Metallic Glow paint optional · appearance
Leather-wrapped steering wheel Leather-wrapped two-spoke steering wheel optional · interior · Listed among the options shown on the Gran Torino Sport Rallye spread.
Instrumentation Group Instrumentation Group optional · performance · Included tachometer, trip odometer, engine gauges, and electric clock; similar instruments were included in the Rallye Equipment Group.
SelectAire SelectAire air conditioning optional · comfort
AM/FM stereo AM/FM stereo radio optional · comfort
Power steering Power steering optional · comfort
Power front disc brakes Power-assisted front disc brakes optional · chassis · Manual front discs were standard on Gran Torino Sport; this row records the optional power assist, not a different rear-brake system.
Steel-belted radial tires Steel-belted radial-ply tires optional · chassis · Ford described this tire option as available across the full 1973 Torino line in both white sidewall and black sidewall forms.
Traction-Lok Traction-Lok differential optional · chassis · Available ratios depended on drivetrain configuration; reconcile the data-plate code, axle tag, and invoice.
Heavy-duty load suspension Heavy-duty load suspension optional · chassis · Listed separately from Competition Suspension; exact springs, shocks, and compatibility require the applicable order matrix.
Heavy-duty battery Heavy-duty battery optional · performance
Trailer Towing Packages Trailer towing packages optional · other · The Canadian brochure lists 3,500- and 6,000-pound packages for the Torino line, with package-specific drivetrain, cooling, electrical, tire, and suspension equipment; exact Sport compatibility requires the order matrix.
Electric power door locks Electric power door locks optional · comfort · The brochure describes master-lock operation from both front doors on two-door models.
Electric rear-window defroster Electric rear-window defroster optional · comfort
Visibility Group Visibility Group optional · comfort · Included a remote left mirror, ashtray and glove-compartment lights, luggage-compartment light, parking-brake warning light, and other body-dependent convenience lighting.
Appearance Protection Group Appearance Protection Group optional · appearance · Included door-edge guards, front floor mats, front and rear license frames, and an anti-theft spare-tire lock in the Canadian brochure.
Interval wipers Interval windshield wipers optional · comfort
Tinted glass Tinted glass optional · comfort

Paint

**Restored Gran Torino Sport and 429 badge detail; badge presence alone does not prove originality**sv1ambo via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

2B Bright Red factory · solid
3B Light Blue factory · solid
3D Medium Blue Metallic factory · metallic
3K Blue Glow factory · metallic
4B Bright Green Gold Metallic factory · metallic
4C Ivy Glow factory · metallic
4P Medium Green Metallic factory · metallic
4Q Dark Green Metallic factory · metallic
4S Light Green factory · solid
5A Light Pewter Metallic factory · metallic
5H Medium Brown Metallic factory · metallic
5L Tan factory · solid
5M Medium Copper Metallic factory · metallic
6E Medium Bright Yellow factory · solid
6F Gold Glow factory · metallic
9A White factory · solid

Appearance

Sport grille and deck-lid emblems standard · other
Laser stripe optional · stripe
Dual racing mirrors standard · other
Trim rings and hubcaps standard · wheel

Interior

**Restored Sport dashboard; visible hood tach is owner-installed**sv1ambo via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Pleated vinyl seats standard · seat
Sport cloth and vinyl seats optional · seat
High-back bucket seats optional · seat
Rallye instrument group optional · gauge

Chassis

Independent coil-spring front suspension Suspension · standard
Four-link coil-spring rear suspension Suspension · standard
Competition Suspension Suspension · optional
Heavy-duty load suspension Suspension · optional
Front-disc and rear-drum brakes Brakes · standard
Conventional rear axle Rear axle · 2.75, 3.00, 3.25, or 3.50 by configuration · factory
Traction-Lok differential Rear axle · 2.75, 3.00, 3.25, 3.50, or 3.91 by configuration · limited-slip · optional

Production

**351 Cobra Jet SportsRoof survivor, rear three-quarter view**Mr.choppers via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 / GFDL

Manual and Automatic Paths reference for the 1973 Ford Gran Torino SportClassic Muscle · Reference illustration

Gran Torino Sport two-door hardtop by body · 17,090 · reported
Gran Torino Sport SportsRoof by body · 51,853 · reported

Authenticity

Axle and Traction-Lok reference for the 1973 Ford Gran Torino SportClassic Muscle · Reference illustration

**Unrestored 1973 Gran Torino SportsRoof body context**dave_7 via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Gran Torino Sport body identity VIN body serial code 35 for SportsRoof or 38 for hardtop, reconciled with data-plate body code 63R or 65R and vehicle records · VIN, certification label/data plate, title history, factory invoice, window sticker or serial-specific Marti report, and body stampings · fraud detection
Original engine family F, H, Q, S, or N VIN engine character supported by architecture, castings, dates, induction, emissions labels, installation details, and records · VIN, engine casting/date codes, carburetion, emissions label, invoice, window sticker or serial-specific Marti report, and service history · numbers matching
Transmission and rear axle Transmission code and axle code/tag compatible with the documented engine and package · Certification label/data plate, transmission tag/casting, axle tag, invoice, window sticker or serial-specific Marti report, and service records · numbers matching
Paint, stripe, and interior 1973 paint, laser-stripe family, roof, and trim codes supported by hidden finishes and original records · Certification label/data plate, hidden paint, stripe layers, upholstery construction, invoice, window sticker or serial-specific Marti report · trim correctness
1973 hood and induction No factory Sport hood scoop or Ram Air system · Hood structure, induction hardware, invoice, window sticker or serial-specific Marti report, period photographs, and restoration history · fraud detection

Still Researching

engine The model-year record is documented; an individual car still requires vehicle-specific evidence before originality claims are made.
transmission The model-year record is documented; an individual car still requires vehicle-specific evidence before originality claims are made.
rear axle The model-year record is documented; an individual car still requires vehicle-specific evidence before originality claims are made.
brakes The model-year record is documented; an individual car still requires vehicle-specific evidence before originality claims are made.
suspension The model-year record is documented; an individual car still requires vehicle-specific evidence before originality claims are made.
option packages The Canadian factory brochure and May 25, 1973 U.S. dealer price guide document featured Sport options, prices, Rallye contents, prerequisites, and exclusions, but no reviewed source supplies the complete Canadian price list, final running revisions, every engine/transmission/body compatibility combination, or individual-car assignments.
production Both body totals are documented, but no reviewed engine, transmission, axle, paint, seating, or option split was located.
paint colors The model-year record is documented; an individual car still requires vehicle-specific evidence before originality claims are made.
trim and appearance The model-year record is documented; an individual car still requires vehicle-specific evidence before originality claims are made.
interior The model-year record is documented; an individual car still requires vehicle-specific evidence before originality claims are made.
authenticity markers The model-year record is documented; an individual car still requires vehicle-specific evidence before originality claims are made.