1976 · Ford · United States
The Chronology's Last Stop
The last Torino year: 193,096 built with no Sport model left, and Ford's 1,000 white-striped red 'Starsky and Hutch' Gran Torino replicas were the only performance-styled edition.
United States · researched through 2026-09-23
Ford Division's 1976 Torino catalogue marks the end of this record's approved chronology for the subject, and the brochure itself gives no production totals; this record's own overview notes that reaching that chronological endpoint does not by itself classify every 1976 Torino as a performance car. No Gran Torino Sport model survived into 1976, leaving the Torino, Gran Torino, Gran Torino Brougham, and their wagon and Squire counterparts as the only body styles in the regular lineup.
Total production for the year came to 193,096 by the Standard Catalog lineage relayed through Wikipedia, a figure the nine Ford-Torino.de body rows for 1976 add to exactly, an arithmetic check rather than a source statement of its own; a separate 146,475 Elites are listed on the same page as their own model, outside that 193,096 figure. The one performance-styled edition of the year was a run of 1,000 white-striped red Gran Torino replicas tied to the "Starsky and Hutch" television series, built at the Chicago plant starting in March 1976; Wikipedia's own citation for that figure is a fan-site article rather than a factory record, so this record carries the 1,000 count with that sourcing caveat attached rather than treating it as an unqualified factory total.1,2
The standard 351 V8 splits into two ratings, a 154-hp Windsor version at 3,400 rpm and 286 lb-ft, and a 152-hp 351M version at 3,800 rpm and 274 lb-ft, without the engine overview stating which body styles or production runs received which variant. A 400 two-barrel option offered 180 hp at 3,800 rpm and 338 lb-ft at 1,800 rpm, and a 460 four-barrel offered 202 hp at 3,800 rpm and 352 lb-ft at 1,600 rpm; no installation counts for either optional engine, or for the standard 351's own two variants, were found in the sources consulted, and no 1976 price list was located either, leaving prices entirely empty in this record. No transmission options survive in the sources consulted either, so beyond the axle-code table's own automatic-transmission letters, this record cannot say whether a manual gearbox remained available for 1976 at all.2
The standard rear axle ratio across all models was 2.75, per Wikipedia's own engines passage for the year, a single specifications entry standing in for what would otherwise be an empty specifications section. The data plate decoder lists nine body codes, from 53B for the plain Torino sedan to 65K for the Gran Torino Brougham hardtop, with no code for a Sport model reflecting its discontinuation, alongside axle codes running from 2.75 up to 3.55 and three automatic transmission codes for the C4, FMX, and C6.1,2
Every interior-trim row in the 1976 data plate decoder lists an "exterior colors" restriction field that came back blank in the source consulted, so this record carries each trim code's color, material, seat style, and body-style scope without asserting which specific exterior colors it could be ordered with. Seventeen exterior body colors were charted for the year, and interior trim ran to more than thirty codes across vinyl, cloth-and-vinyl, and Dura-Weave vinyl materials, the last reserved for the Gran Torino Brougham Squire wagon specifically.2
Fact sheet · 1976 · United States
The numbers
1976 Ford Torino — The last Torino year: 193,096 built with no Sport model left, and Ford's 1,000 white-striped red 'Starsky and Hutch' Gran Torino replicas were the only performance-styled edition.
Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-23.
Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torino line, all series (Standard Catalog of American Cars 1976-1999 via Wikipedia)1 as published | 193,096 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starsky and Hutch Gran Torino replicas (special paint option, Chicago plant, from March 1976)1 Gran Torino · 2-door hardtop · as published Wikipedia's citation is a fan site article; recorded as reported with that caveat. | 1,000 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gran Torino 2-door hardtop2 Gran Torino · 2-door hardtop · as published | 23,939 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Gran Torino 4-door pillared hardtop2 Gran Torino · 4-door pillared hardtop · as published | 40,568 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Torino 2-door hardtop2 Torino · 2-door hardtop · as published | 34,518 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Torino 4-door pillared hardtop2 Torino · 4-door pillared hardtop · as published | 17,394 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Gran Torino Brougham 2-door hardtop2 Gran Torino Brougham · 2-door hardtop · as published | 3,183 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Gran Torino Brougham 4-door hardtop2 Gran Torino Brougham · 4-door hardtop · as published | 4,473 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Torino wagon2 Torino · station wagon · as published | 17,281 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Gran Torino wagon2 Gran Torino · station wagon · as published | 30,596 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Gran Torino Squire wagon2 Gran Torino Squire · station wagon · as published These nine rows add to 193,096, the Wikipedia total; arithmetic, not a source statement. The page also lists 146,475 Elites, a separate model. | 21,144 | built, model-year | Reported |
Production comes from Wikipedia's Standard Catalog citation and Ford-Torino.de's body rows, which agree.
No engine or package installation counts were found; no 1976 price list was found.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| H · 351 V8 2-bbl (Windsor 154 hp; 351M 152 hp)2 351 cu in · 2-barrel | 154 hp @ 3,400, 286 lb-ft @ 1,800 (as listed (Windsor)); 152 hp @ 3,800, 274 lb-ft @ 1,600 (as listed (351M)) | standard | Not yet sourced |
| S · 400 V8 2-bbl2 400 cu in · 2-barrel | 180 hp @ 3,800, 338 lb-ft @ 1,800 (as listed) | optional | Not yet sourced |
| A · 460 V8 4-bbl2 460 cu in · 4-barrel | 202 hp @ 3,800, 352 lb-ft @ 1,600 (as listed) | optional | Not yet sourced |
Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
1C |
Black2 | Not yet sourced |
1G |
Silver Metallic2 | Not yet sourced |
2B |
Bright Red2 | Not yet sourced |
2M |
Dark Red2 | Not yet sourced |
3G |
Dark Blue Metallic2 | Not yet sourced |
3M |
Silver Blue Glow2 | Not yet sourced |
3S |
Light Blue2 | Not yet sourced |
4T |
Green Glow2 | Not yet sourced |
4V |
Dark Yellow Green Metallic2 | Not yet sourced |
47 |
Light Green2 | Not yet sourced |
5Q |
Dark Brown Metallic2 | Not yet sourced |
5T |
Saddle Bronze Metallic2 | Not yet sourced |
5U |
Tan Glow2 | Not yet sourced |
6P |
Cream2 | Not yet sourced |
6U |
Tan2 | Not yet sourced |
6V |
Golden Glow2 | Not yet sourced |
9D |
Polar White2 | Not yet sourced |
Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.
Interiors
| Code | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
AA |
Black Vinyl; Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
AB |
Blue Vinyl; Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
AZ |
Saddle Vinyl; Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
PA |
Black Cloth and Vinyl; Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
PB |
Blue Cloth and Vinyl; Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
PZ |
Saddle Cloth and Vinyl; Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
BA |
Black Cloth and Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
BB |
Blue Cloth and Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
BD |
Red Cloth and Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
BG |
Green Cloth and Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
BZ |
Saddle Cloth and Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
CA |
Black Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
CB |
Blue Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
CD |
Red Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
CG |
Green Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
CZ |
Saddle Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
CN |
White with Red; Gran Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
CQ |
White with Blue Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
CW |
White with Black Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
C5 |
White with Green Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
C9 |
White with Saddle Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
SA |
Black Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bucket; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
SB |
Blue Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bucket; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
SD |
Red Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bucket; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
SG |
Green Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bucket; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
SZ |
Saddle Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bucket; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
SQ |
White with Blue Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bucket; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
SW |
White with Black Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bucket; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
S5 |
White with Green Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bucket; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
S9 |
White with Saddle Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bucket; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
SN |
White with Red Vinyl; Gran Torino - Bucket; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
FA |
Black Cloth and Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
FB |
Blue Cloth and Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
FD |
Red Cloth and Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
FG |
Green Cloth and Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
FZ |
Saddle Cloth and Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
GA |
Black Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
GB |
Blue Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
GD |
Red Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
GG |
Green Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
GZ |
Saddle Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
GN |
White with Red Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
GQ |
White with Blue Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
GW |
White with Black Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
G5 |
White with Green Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
GZ |
White with Saddle Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
RB |
Blue Dura-Weave Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham Squire - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
RD |
Red Dura-Weave Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham Squire - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
RG |
Green Dura-Weave Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham Squire - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
RU |
Saddle Dura-Weave Vinyl; Gran Torino Brougham Squire - Bench; exterior colors 2 | Not yet sourced |
Specifications
| Measure | Value | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Standard rear axle ratio1 | 2.75 ratio | all models |
Identification
- Body codes (data plate BODY), 1976
- 53B = 4 door sedan, Torino; 65B = 2 door hardtop, Torino; 71B = 4 door station wagon, Torino; 53D = 4 door sedan, Gran Torino; 65D = 2 door hardtop, Gran Torino; 71D = 4 door station wagon, Gran Torino; 71K = 4 door station wagon, Gran Torino Squire; 53K = 4 door sedan, Gran Torino Brougham; 65K = 2 door hardtop, Gran Torino Brougham2
- Axle codes (data plate AXLE), 1976
- 2=2,75; K=2,75 traction lok; 6=3,00; 0=3,00 traction lok; 9=3,25; R=3,25 traction lok; 4=3,40; M=3,40 traction lok; 7=3,55; P=3,55 traction lok; TRANS:=; W=C4 Automatic; X=FMX Automatic; U=C6 Automatic2
Identification
Read a 1976 Ford VIN
The VIN decoder runs in your browser and never sends the VIN anywhere. How the factory numbered this year's cars:
Same model year
Also in 1976
- AMC AMX No AMX was sold in the United States for 1976. The Javelin ended after 1974, and the badge returned on the 1977 Hornet.
- AMC Gremlin X and Spirit AMX The last year of the V8 Gremlin. The 304 was cancelled at midyear after 826 installations, and the X package moved to Custom models only.
- Buick Riviera The GS name gave way to an S/R package, fitted to 1,619 of 20,082 Rivieras.
- Chevrolet Chevelle and Malibu SS The final Laguna Type S-3 year; the 454 no longer appears on the compiled engine list.
- Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova Last Nova SS year in the source production table. Enthusiast-compiled production: 334,728 cars; Super Sport 7,416.
- Chevrolet El Camino SS Colonnade-era El Camino; Chevrolet's 1976 data pages define the RPO Z15 SS option for the El Camino Classic. Team Chevelle's production totals give 44,890 El Caminos built, 5,163 of them with SS equipment.
- Dodge Dart GTS, Swinger and Demon The final year of the approved Dart chronology; MuscleCarClub reports 13,642 Dart Sports of all engines, and Flory says the Dart Sport 360 was dropped.
- Ford Maverick Grabber The Grabber was dropped and a Stallion paint-and-trim package took its place; no Stallion count was found.
- Ford Ranchero GT The Ranchero GT continued on the 1972-76 Ranchero; 4,942 GTs were built, per reference-site counts in the Standard Catalog lineage.
- Ford Thunderbird Sixth-generation personal-luxury Thunderbird; the record holds the production total and the luxury-group option prices only.
- Mercury Cougar Outside the muscle focus: 83,765 Cougars for 1976 per Wikipedia's table.
- Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds An appearance and handling option in this period; no Hurst/Olds was offered and no production figure was found.
- Plymouth Duster 340 and 360 The Duster's last year offered the 360 only with TorqueFlite and not in California, beside the new Feather Duster economy and Silver Duster decor packages; reference books disagree on production (26,688 or 34,681).
- Plymouth Road Runner The Road Runner became a Volare option package.
- Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am The first black-and-gold Trans Am, the last Trans Am 455, and a Firebird line past 110,000.
- Pontiac Grand Prix Quad headlamps and a 50th-anniversary year for Pontiac; the last Grand Prix 455.
- Pontiac Tempest and LeMans The 455 returns to the LeMans options list, a 260 V8 with a five-speed arrives for the Sport Coupe, and a Rally RTS Handling Package replaces the GT.