Rudy Irizarry’s 1973 Ford Gran Torino - Customer Spotlight

When shopping for a classic, it’s not often that you can find a car with a clear and recorded history. Rudy Irizarry had always wanted to own a vintage Ford and was quickly finding out about that struggle. However, back in 2011 Rudy happened to come across a dusty Ivy Green Metallic 1973 Gran Torino that had been sitting in a garage for over 14 years.

The seller then turned out to be a family member of the original purchaser, a nurse who had bought the car new October 25th, 1972 from Lehman Ford Sales in Lisbon, Ohio. In addition to only having 53,000 original miles and factory single stage paint, the Gran Torino also retained many of its original inspection stamps from the Lorain Ford Plant from which it came. Rudy couldn’t say no to a car with such potential and a known and documented history. Naturally, a deal was struck and he brought his new pride and joy home.

While the miles were low, after hiding dormant in a garage for so many years the car had a few issues to address. With worn seals and cracked rubber, an overhaul of the suspension was in order. Rudy ended up replacing the car’s struts and bushings for a fresh feel on the road. As one might suspect, it was not just the suspension that was in need of attention. The Ford was also treated to new brakes, a new radiator, new hoses under the hood, and a new heater core.

After all the hard work to get the car running like a champ again, Rudy felt there was a need for something more. So, out went the old exhaust and in came a gleaming new set of pipes complete with Flowmaster 70 Series mufflers to bring a deep tone from the 302 beneath the hood while maintaining a low-key level of sound. With no major plans for the Gran Torino’s near future, Rudy looks forward to enjoying the classic car he had always wanted and spending some quality wrench time with his Dad. 

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