Starsky & Hutch - Memorabilia UK Starsky & Hutch Buy Description: Three autograph book pages, clearly signed in ink by Paul Michael Glaser / David Soul and Antonio Fargas. Double mounted for fine display with photographs. CERTIFICATION ; AFTAL Dealer No13 and UACC RD Memorabilia UK COA Size: About About Starsky & Hutch STARSKY AND HUTCH autographs. Popular US TV cop show of 93 (hour long) episodes originally broadcast between 1975-1979. It starred Paul Michael Glaser (David Starsky) / David Soul (Ken Hutchinson) and Antonio Fargas (Huggy Bear) along with their famous red Ford Gran Torino car. The BBC TV programme enjoyed massive success and a huge cult following in the UK during this period. Starsky and Hutch | Cable girl | Television & radio | The Guardian Share on Messenger Close We have known each other a long time now and I feel the time has come to confess the shame that has shadowed my every communion with you. I have never – no, never – seen a single episode of Starsky and Hutch (Zone Thriller).

I don't know what I was doing when it was on, wherever it was on during the late 70s to early 80s, when the rest of my contemporaries were apparently riveted to the tales of David Starsky and Kenneth Hutchinson tooling around crime-ridden California in a red Ford Gran Torino; but now, thanks to the wonders of technology and daily repeats, I can settle down and fill the void left in my pop-cultural education. So far I have learned that they put the sexy one in a giant cardigan, though whether to burnish his attractiveness further or to attenuate it – possibly at the behest of David Soul's agent – I do not have a deep-enough understanding of sartorial codes at the time to deduce. But, though I yet cannot parse the meaning of adult 70s knitwear, it does at least explain the otherwise bewildering impression Mike Yarwood was forever doing on ITV. I always wondered why his Val Doonican was quite such an action man. I have also learned that Huggy Bear is the acceptable face of 1970s racism. Interesting.

And, finally, I have learned that their red car is different from another red car that also dominated the collective consciousness of nearly 40 years ago. The striped tomato is not the modified 1969 Dodge Charger R/T. That was the vehicle of choice for the Dukes of Hazzard. And that was an entirely different programme. Which – a memory detaches itself from the rocky bed of my psyche, swims slowly upwards and finally breasts the murky surface – I recall I was actively forbidden to watch. My pop cultural education, it turns out, is far from complete. Help me, cable channels, you're my only hope. (That's Star Trek, right?) Starsky & Hutch - Microsoft Store Starsky & Hutch Season 2 • 1976 • Action/Adventure • English • Unrated (1) $14.99 Proving equally adept whether posing as mobsters, dancers or street performers, the shrewd Dave Starsky and his sophisticated partner, Ken Hutchinson, are pressed into service on beats that now take them far from the mean streets of their Southern California home of Bay City.

Buy SD $14.99 You may also like TV episodes Proving equally adept whether posing as mobsters, dancers or street performers, the shrewd Dave Starsky and his sophisticated partner, Ken Hutchinson, are pressed into service on beats that now take them far from the mean streets of their Southern California home of Bay City. The glitzy Las Vegas Strip where a serial killer is preying on innocent chorus girls and a classy cruise ship that is the site of a deadly feud between organized crime kingpins are just two of the arenas for these veteran cops who are driven by an intense loyalty to each other. Aided by their savvy informant, Huggy Bear, and the no-nonsense Captain Dobey, and driving a snazzy red Ford Torino, Starsky & Hutch unflinchingly accept demanding undercover assignments that take them from the grittiest parts of town to the lofty halls of power to protect the innocent and see that justice is served. Season 2 Watch now Resume episode Completed Season 2, episode 1, Unrated CC On loan-out to the Las Vegas Police Department's Lt. Cameron, Starsky and Hutch set out to track down a killer with an apparently special hatred for chorus line beauties.

Buy SD $1.99 Watch now Resume episode Completed Season 2, episode 2, Unrated CC On loan-out to the Las Vegas Police Department's Lt. Cameron, Starsky and Hutch set out to track down a killer with an apparently special hatred for chorus line beauties. Buy SD $1.99 Watch now Resume episode Completed Season 2, episode 3, Unrated CC Starsky and Hutch pose as recreation officers aboard a luxury ocean liner filled with swinging singles, tourists, and an alarming collection of crime syndicate chieftains. Buy SD $1.99 Watch now Resume episode Completed Season 2, episode 4, Unrated CC Starsky and Hutch pose as recreation officers aboard a luxury ocean liner filled with swinging singles, tourists, and an alarming collection of crime syndicate chieftains. Buy SD $1.99 Watch now Resume episode Completed Season 2, episode 5, Unrated CC Gillian becomes the cause of conflict between Dave Starsky and Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson when Hutch falls in love with the beautiful girl who has a secret life as a pornographic film star.

Buy SD $1.99 Watch now Resume episode Completed Season 2, episode 6, Starsky and Hutch Starsky and Hutch David SoulPaul Michael GlaserAntonio FargasBernie HamiltonRichard Ward (pilot) Country of origin April 30, 1975 (1975-04-30) – May 15, 1979 (1979-05-15) Status Edit Block Starsky and Hutch (usually written as Starsky & Hutch) is a 1970s American cop thriller television series that consisted of a 90-minute pilot movie (originally aired as a Movie of the Week entry) and 92 episodes of 60 minutes each; created by William Blinn, produced by Spelling-Goldberg Productions, and broadcast between April 30, 1975 and May 15, 1979 on the ABC network; distributed by Columbia Pictures Television in the United States and, originally, Metromedia Producers Corporation in Canada and some other parts of the world. Sony Pictures Television is now the worldwide distributor for the series.

Overview Edit Block One of the Ford Gran Torinos used in the motion picture Starsky & Hutch. The protagonists were two Southern California policemen: the dark-haired Brooklyn transplant David Michael Starsky (Paul Michael Glaser) who was a streetwise detective and U.S. Army veteran with intense, sometimes childlike moods, and the blond Duluth, Minnesota native Kenneth 'Hutch' Hutchinson (David Soul), a more reserved and intellectually inclined character. Under the radio call sign "Zebra Three", they were known for usually tearing around the streets of fictional "Bay City, California". The vehicle of choice was Starsky's two-door Ford Gran Torino, which was red with a large white vector stripe. It was nicknamed the "Striped Tomato" by Hutch in the episode "Snowstorm"; the nickname was subsequently adopted by the fans of the series. However, the term didn't come from the writers - it came from a real-life comment that Glaser made.

In a segment titled Starsky & Hutch: Behind The Badge that was featured on the first season DVD collection, Glaser stated that when he was first shown the Torino by Aaron Spelling, he sarcastically said to Soul, "That thing looks like a striped tomato!" Hutch's automobile was a battered tan 1973 Ford Galaxie 500, which occasionally appeared when the duo needed separate vehicles or for undercover work. Supporting characters Their main underworld contact was the street-wise, jive-talking Huggy Bear (Antonio Fargas), who often dressed in a flashy manner and ran his own bar named first named Huggy Bear's and later The Pits. The duo's boss was the gruff, no-nonsense but fair Captain Harold C. Dobey, played by Bernie Hamilton in the series (gravel-voiced actor Richard Ward in the pilot). Starsky and Hutch was one of the first prime-time dramatic shows to cast black characters in a positive light; with both Captain Dobey, and—despite his walking on the edge of the law—the honest and trustworthy Huggy seen to be positive black role models. Huggy's immense popularity caused Spelling and Goldberg to consider giving Fargas his own series.

The second season episode "Huggy Bear and the Turkey" was the test pilot for a proposed spin off with Huggy and his friend, former Sheriff "Turkey" Turquet (Dale Robinette) becoming private investigators; However, the premise proved unpopular with viewers and it never led to a series. In the episode it was revealed that Huggy's last name is Brown (no clue as to his first name was given). Two character names came from William Blinn's past: "Starsky" was the name of a high school friend, and "Huggy Bear" was a local disc jockey. Seasons 1 and 2 In contrast to police characters on TV up until this time, Starsky and Hutch were open with physical gestures of affection, often declaring that they trusted only each other against the world. In a "blooper tape" made during the show's run that can be found on YouTube, the narrator intones that some Hollywood industry types referred to the characters as "French kissing prime-time homos". Soul verified this statement in a 1999 "cast reunion" interview in the United Kingdom.

During the 1980s some fans, mostly women, started writing and extralegally publishing "slash fiction" stories about the pair and continue to do so in print and on the Internet. Many fans were attracted not just by the characters, but the quality of writing during the first two seasons (despite the fact that the majority of first season stories were actually existing scripts that were merely adapted to fit the series). The second season episode "Long Walk Down a Short Dirt Road", featured country star Lynn Anderson as a singer being stalked by a deranged person and was based upon a real-life incident involving Dolly Parton. The part was written with Parton in mind, but Anderson wound up playing the role. Season 3 In 1977, a rising concern about violence on TV, along with Glaser's own concerns about the level of violence in the series, forced the screenplay writers to cut down on violent action scenes and to employ more romantic and socially themed episodes, and play up the "buddy buddy" aspect of the show's leads even more so. At the same time, the lead actors, Glaser in particular, became jaded with the general theme of Starsky and Hutch.

These and other factors contributed to the fading popularity of the series. Glaser indicated several times that he wanted to get out of his contract and leave the series; he even sued to be released from his contract before the start of the third season. It seemed that he would not be returning for filming, so to fill the gap he would have left, the character of Officer Linda Baylor (played by Roz Kelly) was created, and a number of alternative scripts featuring the character instead of Starsky were written (whether the show's name would have remained the same is unknown). After being given more control over scripts, opportunities to direct, and a per episode pay raise from $5,000 to $35,000, Glaser was persuaded to continue, and Baylor only ever appeared in one episode (alongside both Starsky and Hutch) in the Play Misty for Me-inspired episode "Fatal Charm". Season 4 and syndication Glaser again voiced his desires to leave during the fourth season. This time, Starsky's wayward younger brother Nick (John Herzfeld) was introduced in the episode "Starsky's Brother".

It was intended that if Glaser was to quit, that the reformed Nick would join the force and fill Glaser's place (this time at least being able to keep the shows title as Starsky & Hutch); Glaser decided to finish out the season. Although a fifth season was planned, it was ultimately Glaser's desire to quit and declining ratings which brought an end to the series. The final episode of the run, "Sweet Revenge", which has Starsky fighting for his life after being gunned down, originally had the character dying in early drafts. However, the producers decided to have the character survive, as it was felt it would make reruns sit better in syndication, as well as leaving the option open if they ever decided to revive the series. After its prime-time run, Starsky and Hutch was offered in syndication and has been shown on several local and cable networks, including The National Network and WWME-CA in Chicago. Several episodes from the first two seasons can be viewed for free in Minisode and regular format on Crackle. Much of the show was shot on location in the Los Angeles beach community of San Pedro. The building that was used as the "Metro Division" headquarters is now San Pedro's City Hall.

List of episodes Edit Block On March 15, 1979 in Italy, Starsky and Hutch was aired on Rai Due achieving smash-hit status. In 1987 it was broadcast again, this time in the late afternoon, on Italia 1 and in 2007 on Rai Tre at lunchtime. After some reruns on Italia 1 and AXN, in 2009 the series appeared Mondays on Fox Retro. It is currently aired in the early morning on Rete 4. In France, the show was shown on TF1. The French version replaces the original theme(s) with a French song, singing about "Starsky et Hutch". In the United Kingdom, the series was a hit when it began showing on Saturday nights on BBC One (debuting 23 April 1976, and soon catching up with US broadcasts), with occasional re-runs through to the early 1990s. It was re-run by Five in 2003 in a 10 a.m. slot (later 11 a.m., and eventually moving to a 2:30 p.m.

slot); During its prime-time run, however, the BBC heavily edited or skipped altogether certain episodes; in fact, the first season episode "The Fix" (in which mobsters inject Hutch with heroin in order to extract information from him) was deemed too graphic and was effectively "banned" from all the corporation's runs of the series (despite being shown after the 9 p.m. 'watershed'). Several other controversial episodes did on occasion air, but were heavily edited and / or seldom aired due to their nature. "The Fix" was never shown on British terrestrial television until May 31, 1999, as part of Channel 4's "Starsky & Hutch Night" (which also included the Pilot, a documentary about the series, and the second season episode "Gillian"). On January 10, 2003, Five actually broadcast "The Fix" in their regular 10 a.m. slot; however, the episode was notably edited, and the scene of Hutch being injected with heroin was almost completely absent. The series was also shown on the UK satellite channel Granada Plus, and is now running on Zone Thriller, which was rebranded as CBS Action in November 2009.

The channel has broadcast all episodes, with minor edits in a few cases. The first season is frequently aired on the Middle East Broadcasting Center with Arabic subtitles. In Australia it airs on Digital Channel Go!. In Malaysia it currently reruns on Malaysian Government's Channel, Radio Televisyen Malaysia 2 (TV2), Best of Retro slot, in 2009. In Venezuela, the show was aired on Venevisión. In Algeria, the show was aired in French on ENTV state television during the second half of the 80-s, and was a big success. Cars Edit Block Stunt cars, camera cars, tow cars, dolly cars, and cars used for "beauty" shots varied in model year from 1974 to 1976 Ford Torinos, since the body style of the Gran Torino was unchanged. Originally, Blinn was to have Starsky drive a Chevrolet Camaro convertible because he fondly remembered a green and white one that he owned. However, when production started on the pilot episode, Ford Motor Company's Studio-TV Car Loan Program was the lease supplier for Spelling-Goldberg.

They looked at lease stock and chose two 1975 351 Windsor V8-powered (VIN code "H") "Bright Red" (paint code 2B) 2-door Gran Torinos. Both cars had a 'role' in the pilot movie, one being "Starsky's" car, and the other being a similar car which is mistaken for Starsky's car by the film's villains. They each had body-side moldings along with a black interior with vinyl bench seats. Interestingly, one of the 'pilot' cars had the 'luxury' remote-control chrome mirrors installed, while the other 'pilot' car had the cheaper, entry-level manual chrome mirrors installed; in editing the film, Starsky and Hutch are shown to be driving around in each of the two cars at different times during the film. The cars were also custom painted (on top of the factory red paint color) with the distinctive white "vector" stripe designed by Spelling-Goldberg's transportation coordinator George Grenier. The rear ends were lifted by air shocks, and had "U.S." brand 5-slot mag wheels added with larger rear tires.

While the tires were mounted so that only the blackwall side would show, thus hiding any unauthorized brand-name display, in one first season episode ("Kill Huggy Bear"), a close-up shot of the villain cutting the rear brake lines shows the letters on the inside-facing side of the tires to say 'Firestone'. It is reported that the original 2.75:1 ratio rear axle gearing (standard on non-police Torinos from 1975 onward) was replaced with numerically higher ratio gears for better acceleration during stunt driving scenes; in the 1999 interview, Glaser said that "We finally had to get a new rear end put in it so that at zero to sixty it had some pop." At least one of the second-season cars was known to have a Dymo label prominently attached to the dashboard which read "DO NOT EXCEED 50 MPH"; this was probably due to the fact that the revised gearing would cause the engine revolutions per minute (RPM) to go to a higher level, possibly leading to engine damage.

In the 1999 UK and "Behind The Badge" interviews, Glaser said that during the early stages of production of the pilot, Spelling took him outside to 'introduce' him to the Torino in all its red & white-striped, mag-wheeled glory. Glaser took an immediate and long-lasting dislike to the car, which has not changed to this day. According to Glaser in several early interviews, there were three main reasons why he instantly hated the car: First, in his opinion, it was big, ugly and childish-looking. Secondly, the idea that two 'undercover' cops would drive around in a car with such an outlandish appearance seemed ludicrous, and lastly, he doesn't like Ford products (although in a picture that was printed in an issue of the National Enquirer, Glaser is shown on the side of a California freeway with a flat-tired Ford Explorer) . At the first viewing of the car with David Soul (Hutch), Glaser remarked that the car looked like a 'striped tomato'. That nickname stuck, and very soon the show's writers had worked it into the show as Hutch's derogatory name for Starsky's beloved Torino.

Glaser remarked to Soul that he hated the car and that he was "going to destroy that car...burn it down every chance I get!", and repeated the story in the 1999 "reunion" interview. Several scenes of Glaser driving the car show him smashing the front wheels into curbs as he slides the car around corners and such, but that may also be attributable to the fact that he is primarily an actor, not a trained stunt-driver. Over the years, with the Starsky & Hutch Torino gaining in popularity and becoming a much-loved icon of the show and of the seventies in general, Glaser has not so much grown to appreciate the car as he has learned to simply accept its popularity as a necessary component of the fans' appreciation of the show. In fact, during filming of the 2004 Starsky & Hutch movie, Glaser had several opportunities to sit in the newest iteration of 'his' car, and even drive them, but he refused.

He just wasn't interested; however, in 2004, during the last day of filming a movie in Canada, the crew wanted a group picture of Glaser with a Starsky and Hutch Torino, so he agreed to sit in the driver's seat of a Limited Edition replica with the crew surrounding the car . New 'high performance' engine sounds were dubbed over scenes during the show because California law forbade mechanically modifying the engines of new cars. When the pilot was successful, Spelling-Goldberg ordered two new 1975 red Gran Torinos for the first season. These cars were powered by 400 Modified V8s (VIN code "S") because extra power was going to be needed for additional stunt driving scenes. These new cars for the first-season were factory ordered in the bright red color (Ford paint code: 2B), which was a regular production color for 1975 Torinos. Unlike the pilot-movie cars, the first-season Torinos had no body-side moldings, but did have body-colored "sport" mirrors, and 'brocade' cloth split-bench seats.

With the acquisition of the new cars, the producers took the opportunity to 'improve' the design of the white stripe painted on the cars. The original 'pilot-movie' cars had the bottom horizontal edge of the stripe about an inch or so above the mid-body character line that ran along the bodysides of the car, which was apparently done so that the section of the stripe that passes above the front wheel opening would not be 'cut-off' by the wheel opening, but for the first-season cars, the bottom horizontal edge of the stripe was lowered and now directly on the bodyside crease, which gave overall a more cohesive look to the design of the stripe. The section of stripe that runs across the front wheel opening was gradually curved up and around the opening. The stripe was also thicker on the roof section and whereas the front pointed section ended well behind the amber marker light on the pilot cars, the newer design had the point ending far ahead of it, on the front facia piece. These new cars also featured the complete 'bumper protection group' option, which included horizontal black 'rub-strips' on both bumpers that were not included on the 'pilot' cars.

For the start of the second season, these were replaced by two 1976 Gran Torinos that had vinyl split-bench seats like the pilot episode cars. The new cars were ordered under Ford's fleet program, which is what was required to get them painted in the previous year's 'Bright Red'(2B), as Ford used a different shade of red for new standard-order Torinos by this point. These newer cars can be identified by their silver 'sight shields' (bumper filler panels) which Ford used on specially painted fleet-ordered cars. They also had the luxury chrome mirrors like one of the pilot cars. Even though the body-colored 'sport' mirrors were still a Torino option in 1976, they could not be installed on a fleet-ordered specialty-painted car, as Ford had no provision for producing those mirrors in anything other than the regular production colors listed for that year; since the 2B bright red was a special fleet-ordered color for the '76 model year, the cars came equipped with the chrome mirrors. The body-side moldings were installed on these cars and the stripe was, unlike the pilot cars, integrated with the moldings.

They were powered by 460 Lima V8s (VIN code "A") , and Spelling-Goldberg kept these Torinos until production ceased. While these were the biggest, most powerful engines available from Ford at the time, they were still underpowered at 202 net horsepower. A third car, owned by 20th Century Fox and 351 Windsor powered, was used as the first backup to the Ford lease cars. Over time, an unforeseen problem was discovered with the Torinos when they were used during stunt driving scenes. In sharp right-hand turns, Soul would sometimes slide accidentally across the vinyl bench into Glaser. Although a potential safety hazard at the time, the problem was solved by replacing the front bench of the number two Torino with bucket seats at Glaser and Soul's request; Glaser said in 1999, "It took us a year to get them to put bucket seats in it so David wouldn't slide all over the place whenever I took a corner." The aggressive stunt driving required of the show resulted in many accidents and fender-benders for the Torinos.

The time demands of a weekly production mandated quick body and paint repairs so the cars could get 'back to work' as soon as possible, and many of the quick and often sloppy repairs are quite evident to eagle-eyed viewers of the show. The front fenders seemed to have taken a lot of abuse, and the 'Gran Torino' nameplates on the front fenders are missing in several episodes, as are the chrome wheelhouse moldings. Towards the end of the four seasons of production, the Torinos were each noticeably worse-for-wear, and close watchers of the later episodes will spot many dents and other damage on the cars as they appear in various episodes. In particular, the driver's side 1/4 panel and tail-light area was seen to be smashed up in a couple of different 4th season episodes, and at least one of the cars was shown to have a dented and twisted front bumper along with some visible damage to the grill behind the bumper. The very last appearance of the Torino on the series seems to show that the driver's door and window will not even close correctly, possibly due to the rigors and effects of the 'spirited' stunt driving the car suffered over the years.

Due to the success of S&H, in 1976 (the Torino's final year) Ford released a limited edition (only 1001 units total, plus three 'pilot production' cars) Starsky and Hutch replica Gran Torino. Manufactured at the Chicago plant, one of these code "PS 122" units was leased by Spelling-Goldberg from the middle of season two until the series' end as a second backup for the main cars and was known simply as "Unit 129". It was originally equipped with a 351 Modified (also VIN code "H") ; however, during filming, one of the stuntmen damaged the engine beyond repair, and it was replaced overnight with a 429 Lima V8. During the last season of Starsky and Hutch, The Dukes of Hazzard premiered on CBS, and one of the factory replicas was used in the first episode, "One Armed Bandits", seen to be driven by regular character Cooter Davenport (Ben Jones). This was the only appearance of the Torino in the series, and many fans have speculated over its strange one-off appearance.

One theory is that it was merely an in-joke, with the Torino's former iconic car status now being taken over by the Dukes' car "The General Lee". After Starsky and Hutch was canceled, the cars were returned to Ford and sold at auction. Currently, Torino #1 is owned by a man in Ohio. Unrestored and somewhat battered, it still has its original 460 V8, interior, and paint. Torino #2 is owned by a New Jersey man who supplied the main close-up Torino (featured on the movie posters) for 2004's big-screen Starsky & Hutch movie. During its life after Starsky and Hutch, #2 was wrecked and sold as salvage. It was repaired, although it was repainted the wrong shade of red and the iconic stripe was improperly painted. Although still equipped with bucket seats, #2 no longer has its original 460 engine, which was replaced at some point with a 2.8 liter Ford V-6. The car is currently undergoing restoration in Pennsylvania.

Finally, the 20th Century Fox Torino was purchased in 2009 by the owner of #2, sold to an Oklahoma couple in 2010, and restored. "Unit 129" is owned by a collector in New Hampshire. In addition, the Torino has many fans and collectors in the United Kingdom, as evidenced by the large number of UK-owned replicas (both factory and aftermarket). As stated previously, Glaser wasn't fond of the Torino as he found the car to be garish. Due to his contempt for the Torino, he deliberately mistreated the cars during close-up stunt scenes when he drove (this was admitted to in a 1997 letter he wrote to the owner of the #1 Torino; and in a first season DVD interview he said that tried to "destroy" the cars) and would often stop the car by hitting the front wheels against curbs, as well as coming into driveways at high speed and bumping into garbage dumpsters.

Firearms Edit Block In the pilot episode, Starsky carries a Berretta which he identifies as such in an early scene while the two are sitting in Hutch's car doing a weapon inventory, but once the series began, Starsky carried a M1911A1 Colt pistol, as seen in the opening theme of seson 1. A Smith & Wesson Model 59 (9mm) can be clearly identified in a close up scene near the end of "The Fix", the 4th episode of Season 1. In the pilot episode Hutch carried a .38 (also identified during the same weapons inventory scene), but carries a Colt Python .357 Magnum revolver through the series entire run. Hutch's weapon was a medium-barrel length at the start of the series; however, in the third first-season episode "Texas Longhorn", the "Zak" character carried a long-barreled model, and Soul subsequently asked to carry that version from that point forward. The criminals carry a variety of guns: rifles, shotguns, pistols, and revolvers in a variety of makes, models, and calibers.

Theme music eBay Find of the Day: Starsky & Hutch Remake ‘74 Torino Hero Car - Street Muscle Street Muscle Tweet The 1970’s were a hard time for America as gas prices and crime soared and the Nixon administration came under fire for a litany of crimes related for the now famous Watergate scandal. But it was also a time of awesome detective drama television shows and movies like Hawaii 5.0 and Shaft. But chief among these police dramas was Starsky & Hutch, which got itself a movie remake in 2004. While the remake featured big names like Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, and Owen Wilson, the real star was the 1974 Ford Torino, painted in that famous red-and-white livery. Now the hero car from the 2004 remake has shown up for sale on eBay. Just do et! The ‘74 Torino was the center of many gags, as Starsky (played by Stiller) was incredibly protective of his awesome car. The movie used numerous cars for action sequences, along with a “hero” car for the close-up shots.

The car in this eBay auction is supposed to be that hero car, which means it is in top-notch condition. The seller claims to have been the builder of the car for the movie, and he kept it for himself, putting just 80 or so miles on it since the movie debut. Car & Driver even called this the “Best Torino in the world”, and you’d have a hard time disputing that. But what is it worth? Right now bidding has stalled just under $33,000. And while normally mid-70’s automobiles don’t draw those kinds of numbers, this is a rare case where this Torino is worth at least that, if not more.

Related Articles Pick of the Week: 'Starsky and Hutch' tribute Torino | Classic Car News By: Bob Golfen Last modified on: August 24th, 2015 1 Comment The Gran Torino is instantly recognizable with its ‘Starsky and Hutch’ styling cues One of the most memorable cop shows of the 1970s was Starsky and Hutch, a classic buddy adventure series with plenty of yucks and mugging by the star-power lead actors, Paul Michael Glaser as Starsky and David Soul as Hutch. But what makes Starsky and Hutch most memorable, at least for gearheads like us, was Starsky’s impressive Ford Torino muscle car that was often shown careening through the streets of fictional Bay City, California, with a high-performance roar. Without that Torino, Starsky and Hutch most likely would have been relegated to the crowded scrap heap of ’70s cop shows. The muscle car is exceptionally well-finished, the seller says A more-recent feature film was based on the TV series, and the Torino was once again front and center in the action sequences.

So let’s end the year with a powerful piece of faux TV history for Pick of the Week, a 1976 Ford Gran Torino coupe that has been transformed into a fittingly muscular tribute to Starsky’s car, which in one episode, Hutch mockingly dubbed “The Striped Tomato.” “A quick Google search will tell you about one of the most famous TV and movie cars of all, but the details on this one are even more impressive,” the Fort Worth, Texas, seller says in the ad description on ClassicCars.com . “It’s not some ragged-out prop; it’s a purpose-built performance car built by a fan, and quite honestly if you have a Gran Torino coupe, this is the best way to make it look awesome. “Bright red is fine, but the iconic white stripe slims it down and gives it a very aggressive look that’s the exact opposite of subtle.” Motivation is provided by a performance-tuned 460 cid V8 The Torino has been fitted with a 460-cubic-inch aluminum-head V8, which would have put a maniacal grin on Starsky’s face.

The big block is fitted with Weiand intake, four-barrel carburetor, MSD ignition, long-tube headers and glasspack-style mufflers. Power is transmitted through a C6 three-speed automatic with a Hurst T-handle shifter, high-stall torque converter and nine-inch rear. The seller states that the car is beautifully finished, with an original interior that includes custom gauges and new carpet. So while it may not be an actual TV-show car, the next owner might find that it’s even better, the seller contends. “Finish quality is a lot better than a movie prop, too, with great bodywork on top of a clean original car, and the bright red paint is deep and shiny to make it really pop,” the ad says. “Up close, you’ll also note that the white stripe has been outlined in black to really give it some contrast and there’s a hood scoop just in case the look wasn’t aggressive enough. Big chrome bumpers look big enough to use as battering rams (which is what they often did on TV), and you have to admit that this big brute does look imposing hammering down the road. “The right ’70s stance and Centerline aluminum wheels help with the throwback look.

These cars were extremely popular back in the day, and not many have survived. If you like the show, the movie or just the car, this is a no-disappointments hot rod Torino that’s a blast to drive.” Related Stories Classic Car from Starsky & Hutch: 1975 Ford Gran Torino Braulio Barrera July 30, 2014 News & Blog , News & Entertainment 1 Comment 2,306 Views We’re back with our regular Wednesday feature, Hollywood Classic Cars. Recently we featured cars like the 1966 Thunderbird from the movie “Thelma and Louise” and “The Blues Brothers” Bluesmobile . Today we feature the 1975 Ford Gran Torino from the TV Show “Starsky and Hutch”. “Starsky and Hutch,” a show about plain-clothes investigators working in California, was a massive hit, running in prime time from 1975 to 1979 and spawning a movie 25 years after the show’s cancellation. Although memorable for its chase scenes and bromance, the breakout star is the cops’ custom-painted Ford Gran Torino.

The TV Show Creator William Blinn originally wanted a green and white Camaro, but Ford’s studio car loan program made using stock Gran Torinos much cheaper. An air suspension and five-slot mag wheels with wider tires were added to handle stunt driving, but it was the paint job, a bright red with white “Vector” stripes designed by transportation coordinator George Grenier, that made the car stand out. Paul Michael Glaser (Starsky) hated the paint scheme, nicknaming it “the striped tomato.” Models from 1974 to 1976 were used on the show. They had 351, 400 and 460 cubic-inch engines and a variety of options. Stunt cars had custom rear ends with lower gear ratios for quicker acceleration. The popularity of the car sparked a fad for replica paint jobs. Even Ford got into the act, making a limited run of 1,100 vehicles in 1976.

Since the show cars were mostly stock, it can be difficult to verify provenance: the only proof a car recently sold by Leake Auctions in Tulsa was used on the show was a plaque reading “20th Century Fox Film Studios” and a visor signed by the show’s stars. The Movie For the 2004 remake starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, the car made its return. It was updated to handle the more intensive driving scenes. With the original cars unavailable, Mike Walsh’s Premiere Studio Rentals built a total of nine cars including two “hero” cars driven by the actors, basing the design on an original Ford-produced replica and footage from the TV show. As with its predecessors, more power was needed for stunt driving. The stock engines were replaced with 360 cubic-inch Windsor V8s tuned to produce 435 horsepower. The alloy wheels are shod with modern BFGoodrich Radial T/As. These cars can do 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds and have a quarter mile time of 14.1 seconds.

One of the hero cars was sold at auction for $50,000, $10,000 more than Leake’s TV car. 1974 Ford Gran Torino - Starsky and Hutch - Driven by Ben Stiller - Movie Cars | Custom Classics News & Links 1974 Ford Gran Torino - Starsky and Hutch - Driven by Ben Stiller One of the most recognizable and memorable TV cars of all time. Introduced to another generation in 2004 on the big screen in the Starsky & Hutch movie with Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson. This car is part of the George Barris Star Car Collection. Built by Mike Walsh's Premiere Studio Rentals, it's one of the two "hero" cars built for the 2004 Starsky & Hutch movie. Appraised at $29,900 - It's not a lot for a genuine movie star, but it sure is a helluva lot for a Gran Torino. After it's use in the movie, it was sold to Volo Auto Museum and then entrusted to us for the restoration of this vehicle.

The restoration included a full repaint, re-chromed bumpers, re-upholstered interior, new BF Goodrich tires, transmission serviced, new Edelbrock carburetor, new steering box and more. The body is straight and rust-free, and it neither creaks nor rattles. The suspension has been rebuilt with stiffer rear leaf springs and air shocks to give it a mean rake. The slot mags wear 235/60R-15 BFGoodrich Radial T/As up front and 275/60R-15s in back. The PPG Viper Red paint is dang near blinding. The car idles with a nasty growl and roars when given some spur. It's even decently quick, running to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 14.1 seconds at 102 mph, despite being set up to swing its tail dramatically around corners rather than accelerate in a straight line. But at its core, this is a Gran Torino, and Gran Torinos flat suck.

Massive bumpers hang off its ends like chrome adult diapers, the hood is so stupidly long it should be divided into counties, the vinyl "bucket" seats actually try to throw you out of the car, and the steering has only an inferential effect on where the 4040-pound car is headed. There's a reason Ford is in trouble today, and it all started with cars like the Gran Torino. If you are interested in this car and would like one built, or have a similar idea for your car, contact us to get yourself into the seat of your very own custom car.

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 2-door coupe ENGINE TYPE: pushrod 16-valve V-8, iron block and aluminum heads, 1x4-bbl Holley carburetor Displacement: 360 cu in, 5899cc Power (mfr's claim): 435 bhp @ 4500 rpm Torque (mfr's claim): 450 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm TRANSMISSION: 3-speed automatic Wheelbase: 114.0 in Length: 213.6 in Width: 79.3 in Height: 52.6 in Curb weight: 4040 lb Zero to 60 mph: 5.6 sec Zero to 100 mph: 13.7 sec Street start, 5-60 mph: 6.2 sec Standing ¼-mile: 14.1 sec @ 102 mph Braking, 70-0 mph: 281 ft source:

Question: What vehicle was driven by Starsky and Hutch in the US TV programme?
Answer: Ford Torino