Each day the GTI gets a little closer to being street worthy and each day we grow a little more impatient to take it for a spin. We hear keep hearing how fun these light little cars are to drive and we can’t wait to see if it’s true. That is until we are sidetracked with a car like this 429 Cobra Jet equipped 1970 Ford Torino GT and then the hairy chested cave man comes out in us and all we want to power slide a big block powered rear wheel spinning chunk of American Iron. This Torino is still buried under this mountain of junk, so it may be a while before it is sliding anywhere, but you can find it here on eBay. Thanks go to Jim S. for the tip!
In all honesty, every car has its merit and something that makes it fun. For the GTI, it’s its nimble handling. For this Torino, it’s the 429 cui Cobra Jet V8 that makes it a blast to drive. The Cobra Jet was rated at an impressive 370 horsepower, which is a lot of power going to the back wheels. The 429 was the largest engine offered in the Torino and made what was typically a sedate mid-size, into a mean muscle car. The seller doesn’t state the condition of the engine, but the 4-speed transmission is currently sitting in the trunk. It’s safe to assume there are a few mechanical issues that will need to be addressed before any sideways shenanigans can take place.
We wish the seller would have cleared some of the debris before taking photos, so that that car’s current condition could be better assessed. Hopefully there aren’t any serious issues hiding under all this stuff. Given how desirable the 429 Cobra Jet engine is, we are sure someone will snap this one up. Let’s just hope they leave it where it belongs, in the engine bay of this hairy chested Torino.
Well, I’m not bidding until it’s confirmed that all that great stuff piled on the car comes in the deal: that nice red baseball cap, the bike helmet, the basketball—all must-have sporting equipment.
But seriously: “I found the car today by chance”….”still being buried in a garage”….”if you need more info…I will dig up what I can”.
It’s the opposite end of the eBay spectrum from the Studebaker from yesterday. But what do I know? It’s over $8K already, with lots of interested people asking questions, so I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t sell. I just hope bidders check out that “salvage” title before they hit the reserve. Best of luck to the winner.
He found it today & the trans is in the trunk but you can’t see anything because it’s piled high with crap, so how does he know it’s in the trunk I guess it’s cause they told him so, what ever, seems to me you would clear the crap off before you take the pictures but that’s me, but he says he gonna take more pics later I guess after he takes the crap off, & at 8,500 so far he may not have to but maybe that is the tactic here.
I just looked at the ad, and the seller pulled it out of the garage. There are a lot more updated pictures of it without the junk. I spoke to the seller over the phone. He sounds really honest. and took the pictures I asked for fairly quickly. Cool find
This comment was posted by someone with the same ip as the seller who also commented below…
I am the guy that bought this car. I come down to Southern California for two weeks out of every month. I drive 15 hours a day looking over fences and peeking in backyards. I am very good at what I do. I’ve bought 25 cars in the last two weeks and every one of them is as cool and as rare as this. I know how to buy right and the reason this is covered in junk was because I snapped pictures of it before I closed the deal with the seller. Then, as an added bonus, I picked the car up and got a truckload of parts I did not even know were there from extra hoods, fenders, doors, etc. So, it is the real deal boys and bid high.
Nooooo !
Can’t do it.
What is this seller’s life gonna turn into after he loses all his shelf space.
Just cannot do it.
“Hopefully there aren’t any serious issues hiding under all this stuff.”
now THAT’s funny.
That is hilarious. Looks it would have taken him less than 10 minutes to clear enough of that junk off. Reluctant seller.
Reluctant seller maybe, or maybe he has a lot to hide.
I think he piled the stuff on.
“Mum, do I have to sell it?”
All that laundry is probably hiding a huge dent made by a bowling ball that fell from a higher shelf…
“I found this car today”. Is it his car? I don’t understand why there is trash all over it….wouldn’t you want to clean it off first?……..this is so odd………….
These are big and heavy……..on the flip side, you don’t see them often and not a bad looking car. The cost to restore ain’t going to be pretty.
I rarely buy a vehicle with a salvage title……….very difficult to sell them (exception, truck to haul hay and construction supplies). But this car is a different story as to the rarity.
Really, couldn’t take 10 minutes to clear the car? Must be hiding something. Some of the items look a bit to strategically placed.
And, a correction to your description: If you check the VIN you’ll see that the engine is a Thunder Jet, not a Cobra Jet. Much more common.
Red Flag this one.
*Buried
Yep, you got us! All fixed, thanks.
I came on to post the same thing — dude could’ve knocked that stuff off before he took pictures. Here’s another thing – bidding is already up to 8,300 and the reserve isn’t met, so he wants what, at least 8500, 9, maybe 10? If you’re selling something for more than 500 bucks, wipe it off, hit it with a hose maybe. Strange, strange.
Why do people sell stuff on Ebay as if there is no water where they live? If you were going to sell something wouldn’t you want it to look it’s best to obtain a good price?
Why post pictures of a car for sale piled full of junk?
Or sell an item that looks like you just dug it up in the back-yard?
It’s Ebay, not “photos at the landfill”.
Wow, memories. In HS in the mid-70’s I had a 70′ Torino 429CJ with the factory blacked-out hood, rear window louvers and the shaker scoop. It was yellow w/black interior (bench seats) and column shift (C6auto). In auto-shop I installed a set of air shocks on her to fit the N50 series tires, it did look bad-ass but nobody could sit in the back bc of tire rubbing but it worked at the drive-in lol. The car was a monster on torque, I even put sun gauges around the steering column and a fire extinguisher was mounted on the dash. The Crager SS’s set it off but it was a land yacht even with the 429, this kid in auto-shop had a 70′ Camaro Z28 350LT1 that could clean my clock. I think the 429SCJ (super cobra-jet) had a bigger carb & solid lifter cam and 4spd.
‘I spend 15 hours a day snooping around garages…’ Probably the best thing he’s found during all his snooping, and this is how he flips it? At a guess, he’s knocked on the door to find someone who ‘just wants it gone before my husband gets home’. Caveat emptor. Nice car, but.
did you notice how all the crap on the car has no dust like it was just put there.
hmmm… there’s more to this than meets the eye. boom tish.
I know where a 69 is in about the same shape, buried under junk.
Is that even a 429 Motor?
First time I’ve heard of having “junk ON the trunk”.
Thank @The 2904 for doing the leg work on the motor, although the difference value wise is marginal. The visual evidence points to a genuine “barn find” and a seller lacking marketing skills. If you’re in the area it’s worth a look see, but not all that rare unless you’re a Ford Torinophile in desperate state…the current auction price is top dollar.
Its a turd if you look at all the pics you will notice the right wheel appears to have snapped off the upper ball joint the valve Covers are chrome the Carb appears severely corroded 8300 for a staged barn find that was moved indoors recently is too high engine is probably seized and SALVAGE title probably bought from pick a part and dragged to the garage!!
Wow. better have ALOT of NOS parts in another garage
to go with it.( under more junk)
There where 5 different 429 engines back then.That is not it.
I have 2 Torino’s 1970 -2 door hardtops by in my back yard.
429 /4-speed /GT for one.
I DRIVE 1970 Cobra 429CJ /4-speed 3:90 LS Drag Pack car.
Gold /Black . With every option a 4-Sp car can have.
Wasn’t aware the GTs came with a 429. Pretty sure it is a 350 Cleveland with a shaker hood
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Torino_GT
Torinio’s rusted badly, esp. in rust belt/salted roads area. Won’t find them in N.E. Ohio, in any condition to hold that much junk, lol! PPI is needed @ $1k, much more so at $8.5k!
Could be a real toy for someone though, just not me!
Learned how to drive in a Cobra Jet Torino and (as I remember) you had to actually loosen the motor mounts and raise the motor to change the plugs. Not sure what this is but doesn’t look like a 429 CJ to me.
BTW – now shows as “Reserve Met”
Read the article and all the comments, and then clicked the eBay link to see that the car is currently resting about 5 minutes from my home. He;s got some other interesting vehicles for sale as well.
Ditto on the comments about the photos. If you want real money, you need to take real photos!
Man oh Man..people are slobs.
VIN does ID it as originally having a 429 Thunder Jet. Makes me wonder if the shaker hood was original or added (especially since there’s a generic flat hood in the “spare parts”). Certainly an interesting combination of options — had to be very few 429 GT’s built. $8400+ with 3 days left. Motor still looks too narrow to me but maybe the Thunder Jets were not as wide as the Cobra Jets. This is more like what I remember with the plug wires mashed right up against the shock towers: http://www.torinocobra.com/images/cobrajetpictures006.jpg.