Disclosure: This site may receive compensation when you click on some links and make purchases.

Fresh from the Orange Grove: 1970 Ford Torino GT Convertible

Sneeze much? Don’t even look at this picture if you suffer from allergies. Abandoned in a California orange grove, this 1970 Ford Torino GT convertible hasn’t been driven since 1988. Had it lingered in a Louisiana swamp or a back yard in Maine we could probably scratch any kind of happy ending, but check out the picture below! More on the transformation in a minute, but if you’re itching to enjoy this drop-top muscle car’s second life, cast a bid here on eBay. You’ll find this long-overlooked GT near Los Angeles, California, where it’s spent its entire life.

Look closely and you’ll see this is *not* the outcome of a restoration. This car was simply washed and waxed and it looks amazing considering its long hiatus from any kind of attention. The seller’s documentation includes a Marti Report detailing the car’s options, service records, DMV information, and the title. The original black top was replaced with white at some point, perhaps to assist the air conditioning in combating the California sun.

Note the fairly clean but unrestored interior; again not bad considering nearly 30 years of neglect. In addition to the A/C and the GT package this Torino came with power brakes, power steering, power windows, C4 automatic transmission, and 3.00 rear axle. Ford sold this body style for two years only, 1970 and ’71, before launching the Gran Torino. The latter became famous thanks to the TV cop show Starsky & Hutch and Clint Eastwood’s 2008 movie Gran Torino.

Though *not* running, the two-barrel 351W appears mostly original — with some deviations as expected. At 250 HP this Windsor is no fire-breathing dragon but offers adequate torque to keep up with traffic. Besides, convertibles are meant for cruising, soaking up the sun, and impressing people with your amazing coolness. For anyone with that checklist in mind, this long-hooded beauty hits a home-run. The ’70-’71 Torino is on my personal Top Ten List, though I’d have to hold out for the optional hideaway headlights and a bigger engine. This one is super-sharp, though, despite needing an undetermined amount of love and parts to reach its full potential. What do you think of this rag-top GT?

Comments

  1. Avatar Robert Wirsing

    GT was not an option on 70-71 convertibles, ALL CONVERTIBLES WRRE GT.
    351W was not an engine option either. It was a 351C if it’s a 351

    Like 1
    • Avatar Brian Flynn

      Not true. Ford Torinos came with 351 Windsor’s and 351 Cleveland’s

      Like 0
  2. Avatar Nrg8

    The K40 CB antenna is a nice touch. Engine must be locked. Plug wires missing, loose belt. You go thru that effort to make it pretty, why not get it running too? I DO love these, probably go for a pretty penny.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Mike H

      My guess is that they didn’t get it running as the failure mode is terminal. Hard to do a decent flip when a $3500 engine rebuild is factored in.

      Like 0
      • HoA Howard A Member

        Hi Mike, BINGO! They did as much as they could without turning a wrench.

        Like 0
  3. Avatar Bitsy

    Man, that’s a beautiful automobile.

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Fred W.

    The before and after photos are mind boggling and frankly hard to believe. Engine is most likely locked and will need fuel tank cleaning, brake lines and on down the list. Sure looks nice though.

    Like 0
    • HoA Howard A Member

      Hi Fred, I agree. I think if it is the same car, there was a lot more than just polish to get it like this. One thing clear to me, It wasn’t parked outside for very long, not 30 years. One lesson here is, to clean up your “Barn Find” before selling it.

      Like 0
  5. Avatar Levi

    Wow don’t even look like the same car

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Metoo

    Incredible before and after photos.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar jeromy

    thats not a windsor its a cleveland 351

    Like 0
    • Avatar Darren

      I concur 351 cleveland 2v

      Like 0
  8. Avatar rod444

    1. Who parks such an awesome car and forgets about it?

    2. Who finds such an awesome car and parts with it before it’s running?

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Brian

    Am I wrong or is there no rust at all ??

    Like 0
  10. Avatar KiloTwoOne

    Very surprised that this is a “wash and wax”. But good to see it back out and about.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar DrinkinGasoline

    The first picture…I sneezed all over my screen (Ick). The following pictures, My sinuses cleared right up !

    Like 0
  12. Avatar sparkster

    So they replaced the top yet didn’t get it running ? ? ? Really ? ? ?

    Like 0
    • Avatar CATHOUSE

      According to the listing the top was replaced in 1984. It is now said to be in poor condition and needs replaced.

      Like 0
  13. Avatar Miguel

    I wonder why if the car was originally sold in Los Angeles and the original owner parked it, why the car has a 1973 license plate.

    Like 0
    • Avatar CATHOUSE

      I do not live in CA, never have and have no plans on ever living there. So I do not know the rules there. I am wondering though if the plate change came about due to adding his then new wife’s name to the title? New title, new plate? I am sure that at least one of our CA readers will be able to answer this.

      Like 0
      • Avatar Miguel

        No, the plate stays with the car for it’s life in most cases.

        When the wife was added, or the transfer to the new owner happened, the new plate was already registered to the car.

        I would like to know why it was sold new at one dealership but has frames from another.

        Like 0
      • Avatar CATHOUSE

        Thank you for the additional information Miguel. We do things a bit differently here in PA. Here the plate belongs to the person. If I sell my daily driver vehicle I take the plate off and keep it. I can then transfer it to another vehicle. It is up to the buyer of my vehicle to provide their own plate or to purchase a new one from PennDot.

        Like 0
  14. Avatar Miguel

    This story doesn’t make sense.

    The write up says Purchased New on August 24, 1970 at Ralph Williams Ford in Los Angeles, California

    The original owner Gene, drove the Torino back to his home in Glendora

    No mention of the car getting sold to another dealer and then to another buyer but the car has frames on it from Robert H Loud Ford in Pasadena.

    How did they get on the car along with the newer license plate?

    Somebody is telling stories here.

    Like 0
    • Avatar CATHOUSE

      Here is what COULD have happened. According to the Marti report this car was originally sold to Ralph Williams Ford. The car was built on 5/12/70 but was not sold until 8/24/70. So the car sat on the lot for a few months. It is possible that Mr Ehrlich went to the Robert Loud dealership looking for a 70 Torino GT convertible. They did not have what he wanted on the lot but Ralph Williams Ford did. So Robert Loud Ford bought the car from Ralph Williams Ford so they could sell it to Mr Ehrlich. Now if the ebay seller has paperwork in that pile from Ralph Williams selling the car directly to Mr Ehrlich then my idea goes out the door.

      Like 0
      • Avatar PRA4SNW

        Yep, that’s what happened with me when I bought my ’86 GLH-T from a dealership in Nashua, NH. It was brought down from a dealership in VT. I didn’t know this first, but discovered it later when going through the paperwork.
        I had called the dealership in NH asking them if they had one, and they said “Yes”. My guess: they went looking and got one before I stopped in for a test drive.

        Like 0
  15. Avatar Miguel

    OK I see the confusion.

    One Gene bought it new and another Gene bought it in 1974 with the 1973 plate already on it.

    The story of the original owner parking it in 1988 is not true.

    The seller is trying to say Gene changed his last name from Warren to Ehrlich.

    They aspear to be different Genes.

    Something looks very weird with that transfer in 1974.

    Like 0
    • Avatar CATHOUSE

      What if Warren is Gene’s middle name?

      Like 0
      • Avatar Miguel

        That might be but I don’t think I have seen a document that just has the mans first, middle and JR without the last name.

        They don’t explain why the plate was change and it was sold through a second dealer if the original owner still owned it.

        Like 0
      • Avatar CATHOUSE

        I went and relooked at the listing to view the paperwork photo again. If you look closely at the DMV paper dated 9/6/74 it says Gene Warren Jr – Gayle Anne Ehrlich. Then look at the place where it is signed, that says Gene Ehrlich. I would say that there is only one Gene.

        Like 0
  16. Avatar BRAKTRCR

    A friend in H.S. had one of these with the 428, and the automatic. Was a cool car, he raced it at the local dragstrip, I’m pretty sure it was 15.90 range which is pretty quick in that era. RIP Rich

    Like 0
    • Avatar z28th1s

      428 was not available in the ’70 Torino, probably was a 429.

      Like 0
  17. Avatar Troy S.

    These are great looking fords and they run pretty good with any number of optional 351 or 429 engines. Ford really gave you a choice back then. Could use a stronger running engine, or at least one that ran at all.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar z28th1s

    The motor in this car is a 351C not a 351W. You can tell by the ‘hump’ at the front of the driver’s side valve cover.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Todd Fitch Staff

      Thanks z28th1s! On a good day (or with more pictures) I can tell a “C” from a “W” but I didn’t catch that. Good eye!

      Like 0
    • Avatar CATHOUSE

      You can also tell by the upper radiator hose to engine connection. It points straight down to the ground. A 351W would point to the firewall.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Scot Douglas

      Not to mention that 351C is listed on the marti report. :)

      Like 0
  19. Avatar Mark in WNC

    A 351C,a2bbl and a C4 is a Muscle Car?

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jeffro

      Define: “Muscle Car”

      Like 0
    • Avatar Troy S.

      351 C with a 4 barrel yes 2 barrel not so much.

      Like 0
  20. Avatar craig m bryda

    Ad in E-BAY Says it was parked and properly covered ?????

    Like 0
  21. Avatar lawrence

    Y’all really think those side decals came out like that ?….Wait….I’ve got a 1-owner I need to sell………

    Like 0
  22. Avatar joeinthousandoaks

    Wait a minute. Who’s on first?

    Like 0
  23. Avatar Canadian fordfreak

    Am I mistaken or is the drivers side front fender missing a chunk of metal just above the chrome bumper or is it an optical illusion? Did anybody else see what I am referring to in the image of the cleaned up vehicle

    Like 0
    • Avatar CATHOUSE

      There is no missing metal. What you are seeing is that the front bumper has a twist to it and it has been pulled down away from the front fender extension creating the gap you are seeing. On the passenger side the top edge of the front bumper has been pushed up and is too close to the fender extension. You can also see that the lower part of the passenger side of the front bumper has been pushed forward away from the car, that is what pushed the top edge up into the extension. It probably happened when the dent was put into the passenger side fender.

      Like 0
  24. Avatar Todd Fitch Staff

    Appears to have sold for $14,800

    Like 0
  25. Avatar Superdessucke

    Wow. For a non-running basically standard V-8 that probably needs another 10k in sorting. That wasn’t a pretty penny. It was a sexy penny, with long tan legs and a nice caboose!

    Like 0
  26. Avatar pete

    It is hard for me to believe the condition of the paint after 30 years of moist orange tree acidic compost laying on it, good thing that it was not a GM car with factory lacquer. Old timers in SoCal remember Ralph Williams Ford, he had some sleazy dealings, I wish I had one of his license plate frames…

    Like 0
  27. Avatar JimmyJ

    Short list on sexiest front end ever

    Like 0

Leave A Comment

RULES: No profanity, politics, or personal attacks.

Become a member to add images to your comments.

*

Get new comment updates via email. Or subscribe without commenting.