22nd Mar 2004, 18:27
If you still have this car please e-mail me I might be interested in buying it e-mail address pendulum90@hotmail.com.
7th Oct 2006, 16:07
I bought a 1979 Granada Ghia 6 cylinder 250 in '92. She has been the most dependable car I have ever had. She's got 600,000 miles on her, and still hums like a top. Yes, she's starting to show her age, but still very dependable. My goal is to restore her inside and out, but I cannot find too much information on this car to gain parts or information. I wouldn't take a million dollars for this car, truly one of Ford's rare "jewels" that has gotten little recognition. I call her my "Baby Lincoln". Can anyone out there help me find some good restoration sources? My email in scottgraham007@yahoo.com.
27th Jun 2008, 20:29
There's an organization for owners of the North American Ford Granada/Mercury Monarch/Lincoln Versailles (bet you didn't know there was a Lincoln version of the Granada, did you?).
My first car was a '77 Monarch that I got from my grandfather in '89. Four door silver with red top and the 130HP 301ci V8. Rust eventually killed it, but the thing was a tank.
2nd Oct 2009, 21:17
I bought a U.S built Ford Granada (250 cu in straight six) in 1979. Compared to the European model used extensively with Police Forces there, I thought I had bought a dog. However, while it did not have the handling and performance of the European Ford, it more than made up for it in durability. I kept it for 16 years, and put an incredible 580,000 kms on the original engine and transmission.
The straight six was the quintessential bullet proof plodder, which was used in Ford products in other markets. If the suspension and bodywork had not eventually given out, I believe this thing would be on the road yet. Sure do miss the old girl.
17th Jun 2012, 18:02
It's nice to see a few English people getting a chance to drive a run of the mill American car. The Cutlass / Monte Carlo / Regal (all the same, just sold thru Olds, Pontiac, Buick or Chevy) class car competed against the Granada in those years, and all were durable and long lasting. But if you ever get a chance to drive the GM's, you will be amazed.
The handling on the Granada was pretty good, solid and comforting, but the "feel" of those GM's was truly impressive. Only the big Lexus of the early 90's could outdo the Cutlass / Monte Carlo / Regal / Grand Prix. Amazing cars, great feel to them, and they really do last almost forever.
In California, Nevada and Arizona, rust is unheard of, but back east and in the Midwest, a lot of the cars of these years suffer. You still see both kinds here all the time, because they last, they are cheap to fix, and they are a joy to drive.
11th Jan 2013, 14:41
The Granadas and Monarchs were good cars, but here in the rust belt their lives were cut short. They tended to rust severely, and after 6 or 7 years the chassis would be unusable. Most around here went to the scrap heap, as there was not much market for them as used cars in the 80's. People were going for the smaller, more fuel efficient models.
Ford downsized the Granada circa 1981, and ran with the name for a few more years. It was placed on the Fairmont chassis. The earlier models seem to have been built on the Maverick/Comet chassis, which was similar to Mustang/Cougar, Falcon Fairlane of the 60's.
14th Mar 2004, 22:07
It depends what he means what he means by acceleration, if he means how hard it throws it against his seat from a dead stop then torque is the force allowing this. In fact if he means how hard it will throw him to his seat at nearly any speed, than torque is that force. It is more complex than one or the other, since horsepower is torque x RPM /5252. So if he means how fast he accelerates in the quarter mile, then having the high torque over a greater RPM band, ie. higher horsepower would allow better over all acceleration, but like I said, if he means how hard he hits his seat back when he tromps it, then this is torque.