When an owner lists a car for sale and advises people to expect the worst but hope for the best, it is hard to know what to think. That is precisely the situation with this 1969 Ford Torino GT, which is located in Tryon, Nebraska. If you are either the sort of person who is willing to take a punt, or you are willing to contact the seller to negotiate the possibility of a personal inspection, then you will find the Torino listed for sale here on eBay. The owner has set a BIN of $5,000, but there is the option available to make an offer.
Starting with the good news, and it would appear that this dent in the front fender is the only panel damage visible on the Torino. Of course, we are working from limited photos, and this means that we don’t get a look at the driver’s side of the vehicle. It is hard to determine just how much rust is present in the external panels, but a good coating of surface corrosion has virtually obliterated the original Indian Fire paint. The major concern is the fact that the Torino has been sitting in its current location for approximately 40-years, and the owner states that it will require a winch and some shovels to extract it. I guess that this means that the car has sunk into the ground over the decades, and this probably hasn’t done the floors or frame any real favors. Having said that, I can remember seeing a ’69 Camaro in a similar situation once, and when it was dragged out of its resting place, it was actually rock-solid. Sometimes situations like this can be a lucky dip, and occasionally you do receive a pleasant surprise. Apart from the front bumper and the trim on the leading edge of the front fender, the remaining external trim and chrome appear to be quite good. Similarly, the tinted glass also appears to be in decent condition.
It’s right at this moment that I’m glad that these photos don’t include scent because I doubt that the experience would be pleasant. The interior has been the home to a fair collection of mice over the years, and anyone who has ever experienced a rodent-infested vehicle will vouch for just how foul they can smell. Even if the next owner chooses to take this car on as a restoration this won’t be an issue, because it appears that all of the upholstery, along with the seat foam, has passed the point of no return. This means that it will all need replacing, as will the dash pad, and the steering wheel. In its day it must have looked pretty nice inside the Torino, so it’s a shame to see it in its present state. Incidentally, the motorcycle parts are not included in the sale, although it sounds like any potential buyers might be able to negotiate on that.
Under the hood of the Torino is the Windsor 351ci 4v V8. This engine produced 290hp, which found its way to the rear wheels via a 3-speed automatic transmission. The Torino also featured power steering, power brakes, and air conditioning. Now we come to the crux as to why the Torino was parked all those years ago. Apparently, the engine required an overhaul for some reason. It isn’t clear whether it was due to it getting tired, or whether it had suffered some form of failure. The engine turned freely when the car was parked, but the owner isn’t sure whether this is still the case. As he said, hope for the best, but expect the worst.
Once upon a time, this Torino GT would have been an absolutely fantastic car, but it is now a shadow of its former self. As it sits today, it isn’t clear whether the car is structurally sound, or whether hooking a winch to the front of it will result in the car becoming an unplanned stretched limo. What I find interesting is the lack of visible rust, but like an automotive iceberg, it is hard to know what lies beneath the surface. Would you be willing to gamble on this car? Would you be willing to see if you could arrange an inspection? I have to admit that it is a car that has piqued my curiosity. How about you?
Nebraska uses lots of ice control chemicals,its possible this one could have been rusty before being parked in the pasture.Engine compartment looks above average,surprisingly no pack rat nests,what we can see of the body looks to be straight,with exception of mentioned front fender.No doubt will require a full restoration,love that aero-warrior fast back profile,I would get ahold of the seller and try to get more pictures.
It’s an interesting car, now, forty years ago no one gave a hoot about these Fords. Must have been a good looking car even when dumped out in the field. If it can be saved then by all means……
I hope one of the results of the collector car boom we’re experiencing now is a lot of books about how auto restorations are more difficult than they first seem. Seems like everybody’s kind of forgotten that lesson so we’d do well to relearn.
What a shame this Torino GT was neglected for so long, it’s a well optioned, desirable car. Rust repair on this one may be extensive. You know how it is with rust, usually what you can see is just the tip of the iceberg. I do like the way this GT was optioned and the small block 351 Windsor with 290hp probably gave the car better balance than a big block. And what’s so hard about taking all the crap out of the car so as to give potential buyers a better look at the interior? I’m sure this Torino can be saved but the rust repair along with all the needed mechanical work and restoring the rough, mouse-infested interior will be costly.
That’s sadly an awful rich asking price as “expecting the worst” will never cost me $5000–and likely no one else..
I don’t know which car you guys are looking at the car I see has a sound floor and minimal rust. I see only a few small rust holes to deal with I’ve seen a lot worse on here with way bigger asking prices. As for mice they can only get in if there’s a hole to get in so based on what I saw of the floor there is a possibility that if everything was closed up tight that there has been no mice invasion. As for the engine I’d pull it out and tear it down it may well be rebuildable. Everything will need to be gone through anyway. Very restorable car. What will be the undoing for this car will be the lack of interest.
The mice must be a whole lot fatter where you live, Mark.
Yes we have fat mice they eat well from our composting bins. All kidding aside if a car body has exposed holes in it and it wouldn’t when new then the mice can’t get in so it is possible that no mice got in. Just saying.
They were good looking cars, so much so that the tinworms were all over them in short order. There don’t appear to be any trees growing through it so unless it breaks in half upon removal it just may be worth restoration.
There are no trees growing in nebraska… through the floor or otherwise…
The way I understand it, the only trees native to Nebraska are cottonwood and Willow. They only grow along rivers and streams.
It’s too far away for me but someone go to the thing and put your hands on it. You should spend the money to have it moved so you can see what’s underneath if anything (the car’s bones). If you get lucky and it’s intact, jump on it.
Apparently$5000 is the new $1500…
Make an effort already, I’ll never figure out how these people think they’re going to get top $ for something like this
Well it appears that the seller did just that; got it pulled out and additional pictures taken.
Hope they find the right buyer…
More pictures would be nice. Like the expect the worse and hope for the best.
Great 1500 dollar parts car.
Imagine leaving this in a field for 40 years and asking 5 grand for the hulk.
Keep dreaming
Do the Triumph motorcycle parts come with it?
Dave that’s what I thought – an early one at that or a BSA….
I would think 3k would be an outrageous price.
The new pictures help. Pulled my buy it now price down to $500.
It sure would be nice to see the bottom of the car!! At least pull it out of the weeds and see the lower part of the car!! Could be worth it if it could be seen!!!
Rust not bad at all for a Nebraska car,also very straight body,all there but still needs every thing rebuilt.
Like I said before, it’s a 66 Charger that Ford took 4 years to copy.
And then knocked the socks off everything Chrysler could throw at it, until the funny cars arrived. Even Petty thought so. Besides, your math is a little off. ’66 Charger (Coronet with a fastback glued on), ’68 Torino = two years.
I never thought of this design as a copy of the Charger; to me it was always a natural progression of Ford styling cues from Fairlane, Mustang, and Galaxie…and these are way better looking than a ’66 Charger, IMO.
It will not sale for sure. There is little to no demand for them. When I go to car shows today I see less and less original cars more new mustangs, corvettes, Challenger and camaros. Old cars and people that associate with them are dying off I think. I have mustangs that need zero body panels no rust even in the battery box and cannot sell, lol. Lots of people talk about what they sell for but very few ever buy anything. Resto mods are the cars that make money today not originals. BTW I have 15 cars and been collecting since the 60’s when it was fun. Everybody thinks they have a gold mine if it is old and rusty, lol.
Hi Dave Fowler.
I’m in the market for a rust free Mustang. I’m in Australia, but don’t let that bother you as shipping is my problem, not yours. How about letting me know what you have so we can talk further?
289 motor manual or auto OK.
bill.mcdonough6@gmail.com
Most Definately… the seller added one too many zeroes in the asking price… this car will never be worth what it would cost to make it nice again.. rust.. or no rust… its just not a car that would ever bring big money…Nothing but possibly a parts car at best…
I lived in Nebraska, This car is a total rust job both the rear finders are probably gone
Check the e-Bay photos, quarters and rockers “look” solid, floors and, maybe subframe, look pretty rusty.
My Brother In Law just bought one earlier this year—69, non-fastback, Cobra Jet with C-6 Trans, floor shift. For all intents and purposes—DONE. Just had to do a brake job. Ready to drive—-24K. From an antique Auto Mall.
5K for this fastback, plus 21K would NOT have you done. Esp. since no indication of rot in the underbody or running gear.
He shouldn’t be asking a nickel more than 2500, and probably less than that.
I love these cars, and this looks very restorable. I think he is a little high on the asking price. I would think this could be negotiated to about $3000 and that would be a good deal. Unfortunately I am currently in the middle of 2 restorations, and at my age l don’t see me taking on any more.
It is December and the ground is frozen in Nebraska. Without a jack hammer, you are not moving this until late Spring. I wonder, what are you really buying. Is really worth $5K?
The added photos definitely help and show some promising news , just not sure what should be done with it
Love the car that being said the issue is the Torino’s haven’t reached a value that allows you to have a huge budget to restore it and ever hope to be able to get out of it what you have in it If you can do all or most of the work yourself it might pan out If it has been sitting on the ground the floor pans are probably in trouble They are a unibody car and takes away a lot of the structural strength I have a 69 GT with the same M code 351 You can probably buy one in great shape a lot cheaper than you can rebuild it but if you don’t mind the work it’s worth it