In 1968, the Torino was introduced as the top-of-the-line Ford Fairlane. By 1971, the Fairlane name was retired in favor of the sexier-sounding newbie. In 1969, if you ordered the Torino GT, you could also bolt on a Cobra-Jet 428 cubic inch V8 producing 370 hp. The seller’s car is one of those Fords, showing off the cool SportsRoof body style (aka fastback). It’s in mostly original condition and has been well-cared for over its 54,000 miles. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, this beauty is available here on craigslist for $50,000 OBO. Thanks for the tip, Jack M.!
Ford offered the Torino GT in four body configurations for 1969: a 2-door notchback a convertible, the Ranchero pickup, and the SportsRoof. The latter always struck me as a design that would be hard to see out of in reverse in an era before backup cameras. In any of these versions, you could check another box on the order sheet for the Cobra edition which got you a 428 V8 also available in the Mustang. The seller’s car is one of 11,099 equipped as a Cobra GT.
The seller refers to this automobile as a Gran Torino, but that’s in error as Ford didn’t introduce that name/model until 1972. But it is a GT, at least according to the logo on the gas cap. Other than a refresh of the seats and carpeting, we’re told the rest of the vehicle is original. The car has been inspected and authenticated by a Marti Report which the seller is happy to send along upon request. The body looks clean with no evidence of any past or current damage. However, we wonder if there is a little ripple in front of the driver’s side rear wheel.
This Cobra is paired with an automatic transmission, so perhaps its original owner wanted a car that was a tad more civilized than a 4-speed. We’re told this auto has been garage kept and serviced regularly. The seller has added some flashy new aftermarket wheels and tires but also has the original wheels and rubber shown in some of the photos. We assume both sets come with the sale and we’re partial to the factory rollers. If you were looking for a Cobra Torino from this era, this may be one of the cleanest copies available.
I’m a little baffled on this Torino. This looks to me like a 1969 Torino GT fastback with a 428 c.i. engine. We called the Torino a fastback and the Mustang was a sportsroof. If it was a COBRA, I thought it would have the cobra snake head decal on the front fender between the wheel and the door. And there was another snake head decal on the rear taillight panel. I haven’t seen a real Torino COBRA in many years so I’m just going from memory of 50 years ago. HELP!
I believe the Cobra emblem cars came out in ‘1970-71 with the new 429 “385 series” engine from 360 HP TBird Thunder Jet, 370 HP, and 375 SCJ rated power. Very few were actually SCJ optioned cars. I had a ‘71 Torino GT that could be ordered with 351C -2V and up but I don’t have specifics. The Cobra cars were rare and SCJ cars could be ordered with Drag Pack 3.91 or 4:30 Detroit Locker equipped gears. I believe less than 3,500 cars were actually SCJ cars each year. My memory could be wrong, but please chime in with production numbers…
A car just like this is number one on my bucket list. I’ve had three ’68-’69 Torinos (a 4-door sedan, a 2-door hardtop and a Torino GT convertible) and loved each one but I never had a fastback. I’ll probably never have one either as a nice original one is definitely well beyond my means. That’s just the way it goes, I guess.
Good eye, I do believe you are correct. the Cobrapackage included those identifers
One of the fastest cars I was ever in was this with a four speed! Beautiful car!
I had a 68 Fairlane 2 dr as my first car. Loved it to death and still have some parts of it in my garage, 35 years after it was hauled away when the rear frame rotted through. Learned a ton about doing body work on that car…
These are really nice looking cars.Since the seller can’t be
bothered to register it in their own state,I’m guessing this is an
attempt for a quick flip.
How much are they asking ?
$50k or B/O which is spot on for a clean original car. My aunt had a clean Candy Apple red ‘69 Torino fastback with the 351w-2V which was a base GT motor and a decent daily driver with balanced power and MPG. I would guess it would be a $20-30k car today.
Love those Torinos, the most underrated, most unappreciated, and best looking muscle cars of the era, in any year. Wish I had bought one years, but I spent my money on beer and girls. Too late now.
It’s a nice looking car. Best looking muscle car of the era, in any year ???
Now you’re smoking…..the Better idea.
That’s right Opey, the best looking. Now go finish your smoke.
This is a nice one!
Looks like a GT, the Cobra is its own model and does have the snake on trunk.
On HP: 335 adv. For Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet, both ram air (this one) and non ram air Q code 428. All are 335 hp.
So many are column (me) shift and this floor shift is nice, and has power steering and P. Brakes, the latter being a great system with nice modulation and pedal feel.
Near flat glass: Not a great view thru back window but that is ok.
My pal in HS late 70’s had the Torino GT 428 SCJ and non-PS and non-PDS with a 4 speed ($300. – tired with dead battery).
That kicked me 40 yrs later to move on one but nowhere near this sweet.
This GT is a nice one with a fair amount of the needed options. Might even have a Tach (??).
Nice!
I would buy it.
There is a lot of horsepower in that 69 428..
Yes, more than advertised.
California car with an AIR pump.
Had a 302 automatic 69 GT, and it was a good driving car. What it wasn’t was a car you could easily park. Not because of PS or something like that, rather because you couldn’t tell where the rear bumper was located.
This is a good looking car, hope someone enjoys it.
i had a 69 gt fastback. I was 17, and not aware of the rot on the frame all fords had in those years. sadly the rear end was separated from the rest of the body when my younger self thought we were riding the General Lee on the back roads of maine. no one was killed or hurt save my pride ;)
Wasn’t just the frame rot – the floorboards were also a weak spot. In college, I picked a housemate up from work; she got in the passenger seat rather aggressively, and when she leaned back the whole seat leaned back with her. Got back to my house, pulled up the rubber floor mat, and saw the driveway. A LOT of driveway. Used a good sized sheet of 14ga sheet steel and some 1/4″ steel flat stock to rebuild and reinforce that thing. LOL
Nice
What a sweet ride!!
Is that a Ram Air hood scoop? Also do I see a dent in the chrome cover?
I had a ’69 Cobra Torino. Mine had buckets, column shift (auto) and a tach. Same wheels but no GT on them. Mine no hood scope, snake on the mid front fenders and on the rear valance. It also had a 428 bar emblem on the front fenders, each side, mine was 335hp. Also all Cobra’s had the black out grills. This one looks to be a GT with the upgraded 428 ram air motor. The scoops badges could have 351, 428, or 428 Cobra Jet on them. Very nice indeed.
I love this body style, Actually the mercury cyclone in 68, there was one with 427 4 speed. Im not sure which 427, as in 68 they put a single 600cfm carb on . Amazing not seen every day cars.
If you saw a 1968 Cyclone with a 427 then it was a transplant done after it left the factory. No 1968 Cyclones left the factory with a 427 installed in them. The only 1968 car you could get from the factory with a 427 installed was the Cougar GTE.
I had a 1968 Torino GT Fastback with a 428 CJ. C6. 3.90 rear end. Overhauled engine, .40 over. Trust me, it may have a rear window that is difficult to see out of, but who cares what’s behind them. Because they all will be.
Beautiful example of why the general public back in the 60’s had no idea what these cars would eventually be worth, because of their ability to handle serious horsepower. The value of certain Fords is rated and dictated solely by the engines in them. This brand Torino with the optional 427 side oiler 4 speed would be a museum piece and the sky is the limit as far as $ goes. Although 427 4 speed Corvettes are worth big cash these days, they can’t come close to what this Torino version of Fords’ super car can bring on the bidding floor.
No Torino ever left the factory with a 427 installed. There were a few 1966 or 1967 Fairlanes built with the 427. The last year that the 427 was factory installed was 1968 and the only car you could order it in was the Cougar GTE.
The 68 Galaxie could also be had with a 427, I had an uncle who had one.
Sorry Yblocker, your uncle’s 68 Galaxie did not have a factory installed 427. It most likely was a 428. As I have said the only 1968 model year FoMoCo product that left the factory with a 427 installed was the Cougar GTE. Don’t believe me? Feel free to check with Kevin Marti, he has all the numbers and will tell you the same thing.
Such a beauty! Wow!
@CATHOUSE. Well, it was a long time ago, and I was pretty young, so maybe I was mistaken. However, if you look it up, the 427 was available as an option in just about every model. And here’s a couple of tidbits to think about. I have a pair of NOS, still in the boxes, 427 emblems, part #prefix: C80Z, which means 1968 Fairlane. I highly doubt Ford produced replacement emblems for a car they never built. And just today, I noticed someone has for sale on eBay, a 427 engine tag, with an engineering #C8AE, which is 1968 Full size Ford. And I take Marti Reports with a grain of salt, I don’t believe anybody knows the history of every single model that the factory.
There are plenty of examples where something is printed in some sort of factory/dealership literature showing an option being available when in reality that option never was made available. The fact remains that the only vehicle to receive a factory installed 427 in the 1968 model year was the Cougar GTE.
You will find that a lot of engine parts will carry the A in the third position of the part number as the part was first engineered for the full size Ford and then just used on any other line where it worked. This is a very common practice with Ford.
As for Kevin Marti he does not need to know the history of every car built, he has full access to all of Ford’s records. All he has to do is to run a program through Ford’s computers to see every W code 1968 vehicle built, which he has done. Only Cougar VINs come up.
From half-way back to the tail end…looks like a knock-off of the 1st gen Charger. And even the front half’s are similar.
This is a Ford knockoff of the 1966-67 Dodge Chargers.
Another better idea from Ford. lol
Not quite, the Torino was much better looking. One could also say the Charger was a knock off from the Rambler Marlin. LOL!!!
Then the Torino GT fastback was a knock off of the Rambler. LOL !!!!
Cause the pic below is almost identical to the Torino. Ford fanboy.
https://image.hmn.com/ntcqpFVOgRxJKGN6XsLlPG8uhLQ=/820×545/uimage/95770718.jpg
Yup, looks just like a Rambler. Boy.
yahoo —I have a 68 Torino GT sitting in the pole barn–Navy blue with white C stripe blue interior, bench seat with a 3/tree with a 302, drum brakes all around. Bought a 302 crate motor and a Tremec 5 speed and disc brake conversion kit. Have other projects so I never started this one. Maybe it’s time to go. mpdelleree
Lets not forget the King Richard Petty 1969 torino 427, the torino Saw the 427,429,Boss.
Not factory but Holman-Moody, i would say it was another Big success for the blue oval , The FE, and Richard Petty.