Unless I knew the severity and all of the details first, a flood auto isn’t typically one I’d be real keen on considering as a project. That’s an unfair assumption, as a soaked car isn’t something I’ve had any experience dealing with in the past, at least not that I’m aware of. However, my mind might be more open to the idea if the car were something rare and iconic, both traits that this 1969 Ford Torino Talladega here on eBay exemplifies. I’m of the mindset that even if a total restoration is necessary here, this one definitely needs to be saved, so head over to Granite City, Illinois, to see if it’s a good match for you. This cool muscle car can be yours right now for $31,900, but the seller may also consider the best offer. Curvette, thanks for your tip here!
Cars don’t have to have wings to be considered an Aero Warrior, a hat that this Talladega proudly wears, as the Torino was modified to more efficiently cut through the wind on the tracks of NASCAR. A certain number of Talladega street units had to be produced for the Talladega to qualify for the racing circuit, with some 750 finding their way to Ford dealerships for public consumption. Other than citing flood damage, the seller doesn’t elaborate, but it was severe enough to result in a salvage title. Hopefully, most of the panels are still solid enough to retain, and it looks like the passenger-side door has already been replaced.
The sole engine choice here was a 428 Cobra Jet, which featured a Holley 4-barrel on top. With a factory horsepower rating of 335, the CJ also offered plenty of low-end torque, and it’s a huge positive that this is claimed to be the numbers-matching component. Beyond that, the only other information provided is that the large powerplant will still rotate and that it has been cleaned and oiled. No word at all on the state of the C6 automatic transmission.
Considering the background here, many of the interior components don’t look all that bad. However, the photo showing the instrument cluster shows some soiling inside the gauges, so it’s probably safe to say that much of the inside has been waterlogged. Still, this is one desirable muscle car plus an important piece of Ford racing history, so no matter what it takes, I hope this one gets properly repaired and back on the road soon. Is this 1969 Torino Talladega one you’d feel comfortable restoring?
I’ve never had to deal with a flood-damaged car, but I suspect it would have to be stripped down to the last nut and bolt, dried, cleaned and reassembled. I would not trust the drivetrain or items like wheel bearings and tie rod ends to be free from rust or contamination in their current state. Wiring is liable to be a major problem as well, though thankfully this is a pre-computer car. Upholstery and its padding is likely beyond saving.
This car is potentially valuable enough that the long and agonizing process makes sense. Doing a quick-and-dirty recommissioning would be dangerous, to say the least, but a thorough redo would result in a pretty special car. If you’re mechanically inclined — and have space, tools, and money — it could be a lot of fun, too.
“Salvage title,” depending on State laws, this car might not be able to be registered again for road use.
Buyer beware!
(The I Do Cars YouTube channel buys flood cars with minimal damage, but if say from Florida, gets a flood salvage title through an insurance company, the car must be scrapped, non-registerable.)
I believe you are thinking of the certificate of destruction. Looks like a title but it states certificate of destruction on it. A salvage title is just that and you can put it on back on the road after an inspection. Cars that insurance companies total are not always a total loss. I live in Florida and my Rx7 was hit and I got it back from the insurance company with a title of destruction. Parts only and the car wasn’t hit where it wasn’t reparable, their cost to repair exceeded the value of the car.
Then why didn’t you get a salvage title? To an insurance company, a total is just what you described about your RX-7, too expensive to repair. An automobile damaged so badly that they deem it would be unsafe, no matter what the repairs, are is considered to a candidate for destruction.
Funny that they mention “title status” a couple of times near the bottom of the listing….call us it says…..
While I find the Talladega a desirable car, the salvage title is a deal breaker for me. This car is going to need a tedious restoration costing mucho bucks. The end result is going to be haunted forever by the salvage title. It will never be worth the investment. I will pass on it.
For a flood-damaged car, the price of admission is too high. Like a previous commenter said, to fix this car correctly it will need to be disassembled. Also, the CJ may have come with a 4-barrel but that air cleaner says “dual quads”.
It might still have a single 4bbl, you can find new single 4bbl air cleaners with the word “Cobra” and 2 wing nuts with a quick Google search starting around $80 and going to $215.
Steve R
I agree with you re: the air cleaner. While I am a far cry from being a Ford expert, that sure looks like a air cleaner for a dual four set up. Maybe some of the Ford guys could give an opinion.
Cobra oval air cleaners can be set up for any carb configuration. I had one on my 1970 Mach 1 with its single 4-barrel. The base plate is the only difference, single 4-bbl, double 4-bbl or even six-pack. Heck, I still have one in the garage somewhere along with around 8 replacement air filters!
$32k for a car that has gone for a swim?!
$30,000. Then you start the nut and bolt restoration. And you end up with a $90,000 car. Is Bill Gates a motorhead.
Restore this flood-damaged car and you’ll be financially underwater.
Photographing the car over wet concrete was maybe a poor choice. Bad optics.
Ha! That’s the first thing I grimaced at!
Way beyond my capabilities to restore but it looks like a candidate for a rotisserie resto. I doubt you would ever get your money out of it doing that so it would have to be a labor of love.
I’m not sure that was a $31K car prior to its taking a bath! I have my fair share of stipped/low option Superbirds and Daytonas in my day, but these were barely in that league IMHO, well that and I am not a ford guy so there is that. Seems like these folks may own this one for a while until they get their heads out of the clouds on the price…….kind of a wet can of worms they have?
I don’t touch a flood damage car because you don’t know the extension of the damage . Even after. you have it correct things pop up later. The price is to high for this model consider the damage not fully disclosured.
No way to fully disclose the damage. In reparing a flood car you have to have the trust of the insurance company/owner. You go and report. Then you go some more and report. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU WILL FIND IN A FLOOD CAR. And flood cars are worse than fire cars. They don’t look as bad. But the damage can be so extensive that the only thing that you know fir sure is if the body shell is good. Been there, done that and don’t want the souvenir coffee mug or Tshirt. Not something you want to remember.
Living in SW Florida, and seeing my share of cars that went swimming, the dash pictures tell you this car was wet up beyond the dashboard. You’ll be hard pressed to ever make that car right again. Priced waaaaay beyond any perceived value.
I got to drive one of these and it was ‘A good time”. He is asking pre-flood money for this boat anchor. I love the car, but being in the repair business with drown cars hitting the door. There is no way to predict the actual cost of repair. As stated above, it has to be a labor of love.
For 19 years I purchased salvaged cars and put them back on the road. Many were flood cars from just a couple inches inside to being completely submerged. They are the easiest to fix and the highest money makers. But I stayed away from salt water cars!
My rule of thumb was to change all fluids first and then crank with plugs removed. It’s a lot easier than body work!
No body said what kind of water this one took but after buying two salt water cars and losing another one in salt water your only choice is to strip it down to pieces and dunk everything in a chemical bath. There is a place in central Florida that can do that for you but that’s only going to be the start of a 200K build.
Just imho y’all have been too harsh on this car! Granted should be priced lower, but with no flood/salvage title, if just a clean survivor, you’re talking $50-60k car.
But it HAS a flood title! Don’t get caught up on the ‘maybe’ if it wasn’t a flood car. THIS Talladega is a flood car and has little value, unless you want to sink all that money in it just to look at it.
”sink all that money in it…”
I get it, LOL!
It is a great and rare car to have, but it was kind of in ratty condition before it decided to go for a swim. Agree with others here. Overpriced for its condition, especially considering the time and expense to make it right again.
One thing nobody mentioned is that the seller in all probability has received an insurance payout and bought the car back from the insurance company hence the salvage situation. I would also surmise that a vehicle like this would be insured at a pre-agreed value. I believe that the seller is trying to not only unload this victim of drowning but hit one out of the of the park money wise too. Another scenario is that a flipper is involved. I may be wrong but if someone buys this anywhere near the ask; they will own at best a very expensive parts car.
”One thing nobody mentioned is that the seller in all probability has received an insurance payout and bought the car back from the insurance company hence the salvage situation.”
More power to him!
The seller looks to be primarily a salvage dealer that specializes in Dodge Vipers and other late model Mopars according to their website. They also dabble in a lot of enthusiast cars. Their website is the same as their eBay user name. They have 6,000 listings, roughly 100 are cars, the rest are parts.
Steve R
Comes with 2 paddles, no extra charge.
If it was flooded in salt water I would not want it. However if it flooded in fresh water it can live.
A salt water flooded car cannot be saved without taking it apart and dipping the entire body and frame. Then the wiring harness would need to be replaced entirely.
The instruments and radio replaced and the motor, trans and rear end taken apart and rebuilt.
Maybe this car would be worth it. Perhaps.
Never been a fan of old gauges anyway. It’s a rarer opportunity. Consider it a wash.
So many subtle puns here…Wash & dry cycle many times….
Depends on was it fresh water or salt water?? 2 different approaches to the restoration process!
City flood water with mixed in sewer water is just as bad as salt water. ALL ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS ARW CORRODED INSTANTLY. And if a wire in the harness has a connection in there. It’s junk too.
scary proposition
this thing was in the deep end of the pool. those gauges have water lines on them. this car looks like it was slapped together prior to the flood. car was red now poorly done white. imo it’s a parts car but 30k no way
I had a friend with one in 1971, I suspect this is a clone. His had bucket seats, floor shift and didn’t have talladega on the rear end.
Actually, this car is in the Talladega registry, so not a clone.
If your friend’s car had buckets and a floor shift, I’d suspect it was either modified or was in fact a clone. They came with bench seats and column shifted C-6 automatics only.
Starting price is way too high. I’m not sure any flood car is worth 30K.
A rare aero nose car. Notice the lack of grill space or gaps to gulp and hold air. The Talledega fenders and hot easily make it worth $100k but the extensive water lines in the dash pods look like it sat underwater for days. Only pro shops would even consider this resto…hard pass!
A rare aero nose car. Notice the lack of grill space or gaps to gulp and hold air. The Talledega fenders and hood easily make it worth $100k but the extensive water lines in the dash pods look like it sat underwater for days. Only pro shops would even consider this resto…hard pass!
There has been one listed on eBay for a while in the mid-$70,000 range and several recently that have been run through Bring a Trailer that have received high bids in the mid to low-$40,000. These are nice, I remember seeing one parked on the street near a friends house for years when I was in high school. Their biggest problem, besides being a Ford that isn’t a Mustang is that they are a bit bland, they are subtle, no bright colors, bench seats, 3.25 gears, subtle badging, they just don’t have the widespread appeal to command high prices. This one is overpriced, there is too much downside risk to the buyer, especially when it’s matched up against the others that have recently come to market, even if it wasn’t a flood car with a salvage title, it would be a hard sell at its current asking price.
Steve R
WOW,,over a THOUSAND viewers, that’s the most I’ve seen for any car so far,,,and bupkis on the offers? Trouble a brewin’ for the old car hobby,,, I mean, this HAS to be, or was, the most sought after car when Ford was in its racing heyday. A Talladega was unheard of on the streets, and believe me, a 15 year old gearhead looked at every Torino to make sure. Never saw one in Milwaukee, or in any of my travels. The fact it even exists is amazing, who cares about a title issue, apparently, 1,000 do. Well folks, I’m sorry to say, this only bolsters my position on the old car hobby today and for the future.
Just put the body, after it’s been dipped, on an old NASCAR chassis,
bolt on lights and call it good.
Tens of thousands of cars were written off in mass by insurance adjusters, sight unseen after the Sandy Storm. I purchased a 1993-4 320CE AMG Sportline Cabriolet, partially flooded by fresh rain-water when the then-owner had the car moved inland to a staging area at a near-by shopping center. The car was parked on a knoll and received water only up to the driver-side sill and floorpan, yet the owner’s insurance company wrote the car off. Because of its age at the time and considered a used car it was “totalled” on paper. The then-current owner was heart-broken to learn her insurance company(Geigo) hadn’t even bothered to look at her damage. Moral of this story is to research throughly any car you chose. Saltwater flooding is a deal-breaker, personally. And any water near the dash I won’t bother with. Even for a Hemi!