Losing a loved one, especially a partner of many years, is one of the most harrowing experiences in many people’s lives. Deciding what to do with their precious possessions can be equally difficult, but that is the one facing the owner of this 1971 Ford Torino GT. It was her husband’s pride and joy, but his recent passing means it needs to find a new home. He worked tirelessly to transform it into a Cobra Jet clone, and it will take little effort from a new owner to make this classic genuinely sparkle. The Torino is listed here on eBay in Owosso, Michigan. Bidding has raced to $22,600 in a No Reserve auction, with plenty of time remaining if you wish to give this classic the home it deserves.
The seller has listed this Torino on behalf of the late owner’s wife and is candid about its overall condition. The Candy Apple Red paint looks presentable in the supplied photos and makes a positive impression, but they admit it would benefit from a repaint. The worst issue is under the hood, where the old battery “blew,” damaging the paint on the hood’s underside. The exterior still shines nicely, allowing the winning bidder to address the damaged engine bay paint while they plan any cosmetic restoration work. The panels are straight, and with the car having spent the last few years in warm and dry storage, it remains rust-free. The exterior is clean, and the underside is rock-solid. The trim and chrome are above average for a driver-grade vehicle, and the glass is spotless. The Torino rolls on a sparkling set of Magum 500 wheels that show no signs of stains or deterioration. The hood scoop suggests there could be more to this GT than first meets the eye.
The original owner ordered this Torino with an M-Code 351ci V8 under the hood, giving them 285hp and 370 ft/lbs of torque under their right foot. However, the late owner craved extra performance, removing the 351 and bolting in a 429 Cobra Jet. That monster motor should send 370hp and 450 ft/lbs of torque to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. The transformation would be profound, slashing the potential ¼-mile ET from 15.3 seconds to 14.8. The car also features power steering, although stopping power is provided by unassisted brakes that the seller describes as four-wheel drums. The pedal suggests they should be front discs, which may be an item worth investigating. The Torino has sat since around 2017, and during this period, the battery exploded and inflicted the paint damage. However, the seller replaced the battery and oil, flushed the fuel system, and the car roared back to life. It runs and drives okay, but it will need a thorough inspection and at least a brake adjustment before being considered genuinely roadworthy. The trunk has a few extra parts, and the owner includes what she believes might be the original 351 in the sale. They supply this YouTube video of the car with the engine running, and it sounds super sweet, with no odd noises or smoke.
One area where the winning bidder won’t need to spend buckets of money is its interior. The seller admits there are a couple of small tears in the headliner, but rectifying the fault will not be expensive, with replacements retailing for under $150. The Black vinyl upholstered surfaces are excellent, with no wear or physical damage. The dash is tidy, and the pad is perfect. That last point is significant because replacement pads for these cars can be ruinously expensive. The only aftermarket addition appears to be a gauge mounted under the dash near the driver’s left knee. Otherwise, this interior is as it left the factory.
The listing text and photos suggest that lifting the presentation of this 1971 Torino GT to a high standard should be neither difficult nor expensive. The late owner completed the heavy lifting, and addressing its shortcomings would be a productive way to occupy the upcoming winter months. That would allow the winning bidder to hit the road when the sun shines again in a classic guaranteed to draw favorable looks and comments. It has attracted fourteen bids, suggesting people like what they see. Do you find the idea of submitting a bid irresistible? I would understand if you do.
Wow, just wow…what a beauty and beast in one.
I caught that too. This car should crack the 13’s with traction and a good driver. The 1969 428 Mustang with 35 less hp is listed as half a second faster than this 429 and I doubt it’s due to weight differences as both cars are fairly hefty.
That is one fine Torino. Big, burly, and a beautiful body design.
Surprising 65hp and 80ft/lb is only good for a half second in the 1/4 mile.
Agreed, the listing state an SCJ, but not what year. That’s a potent motor and 1/4 mile times would be quicker either way for sure!
The ’77 Vegabomb Is much closer to this in bidding than I ever would have dreamed!
That’s because Chivy guys are mentally challenged
A super looking car. I love this body style, and the big block and 4 speed just add to the mix. I hope she gets above and beyond what it’s worth.
The most underrated and unappreciated muscle cars of the time, what’s not to like about the lines of a Torino, any Torino. Some good memories here, I had a few buddies in high-school who had “muscle cars”, although they weren’t called that back then, not me though, I putsed around in a 59 Cadillac. But I had several more fortunate friends, one of which had a 70 Torino Cobra, another with a 69 Judge, and another with a 68 Coronet Super Bee. Just about every Friday or Saturday night, after a few beers of course, the race was on, no cops, and no traffic back then, not where I grew up. It was always close, but more times than not, that Torino finished first. Unfortunately, all three of those, now gold mines, ended up totalled, the Torino is on a river bank, along with some other old cars, to help control erosion, the other two were later involved in tragic accidents, and are long gone. A story from days gone by
I prefer the 68-72 torino or cyclone as opposed to the mustangs, they have seemed to have all run the gambit. Mopars and trucks are the appetizers right now. It appears there are more for sale than being restored, the market is changing
Very nice, attractive, and desirable car. I give kudos to the seller: after a quick look at the pics and the video, it would be hard to find faults, but the seller does list out a few areas which could use improvement. This body style has aged well, still looks sleek and fast.
Thank you Adam.
I’m gonna have to follow this one. What a spectacular beast. Clean two engines what more could you ask for. That thing ought to eat chevelles for breakfast. Novasfor a midday snack. Always loved big block ford’s. 427 428 429 and 460s theyall have one thing in common they’ve got torque to burn. Shame they’re all gone.
What a sweet ride!! And a manual, i hope it brings big money for the lady.
Drums?? Yea those need swapped out.
Lots of guys like the body style it’s OK just immensely heavy
About the same weight as a comparable charger or chevelle
Oh, no, drum brakes!!! What an nonsense myth in the car world. Drum brakes, that are properly maintained can and will stop as effective as discs. Key works are properly maintained. I do concede that drums can be a bit finicky and the springs can be a pain but if you’re familiar with sorting them out and working on them, not much of an issue. Finding a place to turn drums, okay, got me there. That can be a challenge. I’ve had several cars with four way drums and they were all fine. I never felt like there was danger of not stopping even in, oh, no, again, rain!!! I’m not opposed to people swapping to discs, that’s perfectly fine, but people that seem to believe drums are completely inferior to discs, I’d argue that against that every day of the week.
Drums are ok but, they fade way faster and honestly discs do stop better. If not, they would still be around. I’ve had both and will bet my life with disc over drum. No performance builder ever said, let’s go with drum brakes! LOL!
Always been my personal close 2nd favorite to Mustangs. Car looks amazing for a “tinker toy” of a bygone era of raw power. Hard to believe it’s 52 yrs. old. Owosso, Mich. snowball throw from my hometown. Hope the widow reaps the harvest. She should w/this great specimen. Another informative well written piece Adam.
Wow. Nice Torino. That’s my favorite Ford from that era
Is it just me the pic of motor is it a 429 I thought the 429 had scalloped valve covers canted valve
Original CJ & SCJ’s had finned aluminum valve covers, same shape though. Huge ports also. I had one years ago and when intake was off put tennis balls in them to cover up the intake ports.
I believe what you’re referring to would be the “Boss 429″…
Nope, the CJ & SCJ had very large intake ports also. Go to a speed shop and see if they have an intake gasket in stock and take a look. Pretty damn large!
I lost a partner once, our business was never the same! Stop the wokeness!
Graduated from high school in 71, drove my torino from Memphis to New oleans to celebrate in 4 hours, only 400 miles. Great Era of time to grow up in. Great looking car.
4 wheel drums on that?forget about it!!with this setup 4 wheel disc conversion with cross drilled and slotted rotors,wilwood or brembo would be appropriate.or least front disc…
Had a ’72 Ply Sebring Plus, worked over 400, 4sp, manual drums. Stoping on a hot day from 137mph took more distance than getting to speed. Pumping brakes & down-shifting like my life depended on it(& it did). The drums were glowing orange when I got stoped.
That’s why wilwood make four wheel disc brake packages.
The listing is now gone??
yeah. What happened to it? I was following it and wanted to post the final price.
Whoever wins this bid know that I have a treasure trove of parts for this car. I had this same car but sadly it got destroyed in a hurricane where a 200 year old pecan tree fell on it. I have enough parts to rebuild this with a new body. I wish I could afford this, it would be in my driveway as soon as auction is over. This was the best and fastest car I ever owned.
Even though it’s a clone it looks like it’s very close to daily driver condition. In today’s muscle car market the current high bid is a fair deal for both parties. Parts have gotten expensive and it would be difficult to complete a car like this from scratch for the going price.
Mine was a real gt cobra. I still have all the parts including window regulators ,glass, with trim. All interior body panels and grill with all tail light assembly. Way too many parts to list.
This is my favorite body style of the Torino. If the sale did include the original M code 351 (not 351M from later years…that was a dog), I’d immediately put that back in. Numbers matching 351 Cleveland 4v with a 4 speed! I always liked the sound of the Cleveland engines. I’d find another project for the 429.