The emerald-green 1972 Ford Gran Torino has become an icon of sorts. Blame two movies: Fast and Furious (aka Part Four), where Fenix, the right-hand man to drug lord Braga, uses one that’s hopped up on nitromethane, and in a more realistic role, Walt Kowalski’s pride and joy from the film Gran Torino, which is kept in meticulous condition. Compared to the only other post-1971 Torino that’s famous in any respect, the Striped Tomato 1976 version from Starsky and Hutch, we’ll take it any day of the week. We dig the look of the one-year-only 1972 models. Lots of other people do too, and they tend to hold their value well. The 1973 model is, for the most part, the same car, but with one notable difference: the nose cone, complete with it’s new, large Federalized railroad tie front bumper.

That doesn’t mean that we could bring ourselves to shut down a decent example if one popped up, and just barely squeaking into the Rough Start category is this formal-roof example, in Ivy Glow. By everything the seller describes, this is the one you really wanted: a Q-code 351 Cobra Jet car that was making 246 net horsepower. Yes, the horsepower party was no doubt over in 1973, but that 351 will still put the power through the C6 and out to the 9-inch rear axle with intent. So why is the car in the Rough Start category? Well…rust. The rear quarters need to be patched, though for a Michigan car it’s impressive that the holes aren’t bigger. Then there is the issue of the roof…this was a vinyl topped car, and mercifully the seller stripped the old roof off. Provided that the area underneath the rear glass on the driver’s side isn’t as bad as my eyesight thinks it is, you might get lucky enough to just prime and re-skin the roof. But look at the car overall: 64,000 miles on the clock and 95% of the car looks it. Put in a little bit of work and you can bank on two options: either a great return on investment, or an under-the-radar post-musclecar ride that can still get down when the urge strikes. How scared of rust are you, really?