Here’s an unusual one for you, a 1969 Ford Torino station wagon powered by a 390 CI V8 engine – one of 319 assembled according to the non-presented Marti report. We don’t come upon too many Torino station wagons so this example is an unusual find in its own right – equipped in the way it is, makes it that much more special. Somerset, California is home to this second-year Torino and it is available, here on craigslist for $9,500.
To be specific, this is a Torino Squire and thus the faux wood grain siding. There was also a pair of non-cellulose sided wagons in the form of the Fairlane 500 and Fairlane. This example is suitably worn-looking and makes no mileage disclosure. Most of what I see is faded but no invasive rot or rust is spied. The di-noc veneers haven’t started to peel off though some surface rust is bleeding through what looks like a Dresden Blue finish. I’m not great with wheel cover recognition but the ones this Torino Squire is wearing don’t look like the correct, original pieces.
The interior is not well represented photographically but what can be seen looks fair. Ford’s marketing material states that this wagon’s upholstery should be vinyl so perhaps what we’re seeing here is a redo in a cloth and vinyl blend (and there’s a bolt of material in the way back that looks like what was used in the upholstery job). Speaking of the way back, the plastic side panels are seriously degraded from age and sun but that’s a normal occurrence with most wagons that I have reviewed. Fortunately, the looong headliner checks out as OK.
The surprise with this Torino Squire is under the hood where a 320 gross HP, 390 CI “FE” V8 engine is holding court. While this Squire wagon is one of 14K assembled in ’69, the previously mentioned Marti report claims it is only one of 319 so-equipped with the big V8. I assumed the automatic transmission is a C-6 but my technical source states it should be an FMX gearbox. The seller adds, “runs well“.
Old station wagons are a hot topic these days but I must admit I’ve not encountered a Ford Torino/Fairlane among the usual suspects. And that’s unfortunate as I think Ford did a very respectable job in the styling and functionality department when it comes to this vintage of their intermediate. And…the 390 motor is just icing on the cake, right?
Torino wagons are rare now, but were ubiquitous back in the day. They were family-haulers, used and abused, and seen as appliances. With the propensity of that-era Ford cars to rust, most dissolved, were sent to the cruncher and gone, inside a decade.
I’m not an expert in deciphering Ford VIN numbers and history, but I look at the photo, and see what appears to be an electronic ignition distributor. As far as I know, it was never offered by Ford in those years. I’d be wary of perhaps a shade-tree swap to put in a bigger V8.
Electronic ignition retrofit kits were (and still are) available on the aftermarket. I paid $20 for mine at a Zayre’s Department store in 1976, as an overstock clearance item. So yes, check the VIN and numbers stamped on the engine block, but don’t assume an engine swap just because of a non-standard distributor. A popular swap is to take a Ford DuraSpark distributor and swap it into an older engine, much as is commonly done for GM engines with an HEI distributor setup.
Wow…..
A Zayre’s department store reference! Is it possible there is an older reader than me ?
Zayre gave me my first store credit card. Oddly enough my mother worked at Sears!
It’s a later 2 piece Ford distributor cap, which will fit any Ford V8 distributor back to 1957, which also requires use of the later rotor
And Ames is supposed to be making a comeback.
Idk about this one JO. Seller states. “it wouldn’t take much to make this a daily driver.” Imo, it should be for 10g’s! How are brakes, steering, fuel feed, ignition, carb, etc.? I can deal with the 🌪 in the back & paint. Underside looks good but why do sellers of classics rarely put on a garage lift?. Love me a 390!!! Nice write up btw.
The 390 “FE” block was a Ford workhorse in the 1960’s and early ’70’s, showing up in everything from Torinos to T-Birds, some with four-barrel carburetors, but many more with two-barrel mixers for lesser models. No mention of what is sitting on top of this particular engine, though. A four-barrel manifold and carburetor is a relatively simple bolt-on operation, though. The Torino sedans and coupes were unibody cars until 1972, did the wagon get a full frame, or were they unibody cars as well?
Unibody until ’72.
Thanks for the update. Good to know.
The two-barrel version wasn’t available on this Torino wagon according to Ford’s ’69 publicity material.
JO
No, the wagon were unibody through 1971 just like the rest of the lineup. Falcon wagons were based on the Fairlane/Torino body too.
Or one can say that the Fairlane/Torino are based on the Falcon as the Falcon came out first (1960). My father had a ’67 Fairlane wagon, Pretty much the same as this Torino, different grill and dash, but no real difference in bodies.
If it’s a 320hp 390, it’s a 4barrel
Clean it up, put on a set of Magnum 500s and rwl tires and cruise
Cruise on down to the junk yard!
Somebody’s gm feelings are hurt!😛🤣🤣🤣
Must be a chivy guy runnin off at the mouth
I have a 74 Torino Wagon. I’ve owned it for 5 years now. Equipped with the wonderful Cleveland under the hood. We take it all over. People love it everywhere we go.
I believe the wheel covers belong to a mid-70s Galaxie 500.
Yes, and so does the steering wheel
My ’73 LTD wore a set of those wheel covers, they were the Galaxie 500 and base LTD cover. This car has had 15 inch wheels fitted. The steering wheel is identical to the one my ’69 Falcon had. The horn ring disappeared from that steering wheel in 1970 so I’d guess that this one is original.
1973 or 1974 Galaxie & LTD. They were ugly on those cars and no better on a 1969 Torino
A real popular distributor swap for these is using a GM HEI.Have seen several Fords with one….
one of “the influencers’ just sold one like this (as an ol guy pre-covid was yesterday). BUT… it hada 429 8^ 0
About the same shape I think, white in color. He trotted it out on his uTube blog (vids like a TV show of sorts). May have guested it on other broadly subscribed to sites (explained how it got a 4 speed oe). No mention of sales for (seemed) a year. Then went back again, this time announcing sale. Did the “100 pic stand-a-lone” auction site, etc. A true show of salesmanship (reach top price). Didnt do much to it (a lill better interior than this). May B breaks’n tune up…
I like it but not enough to drop almost $10k on it, I can get one from D&H classics and get it back on the road cheaper
Me too. I wouldn’t pay more than $5,000 for it. The rarity of the supposed factory installation of the 390 means nothing to me. I’d rather it be a 302 or 351 and in a little better shape.
Interesting that it’s listed on Craigslist as a 69 Torino GT, although that would be a cool concept. Restore it with Torino GT or even Torino Cobra markings, hood scoop and maybe factory chrome style steel wheels or Magnum 500s. It would make a cool cruise-in or car show participant as well as a daily driver. I saw something similar with an Olds Vistacruiser with 4-4-2 hood, wheels and markings.
These were not common even when new. I remember as I was a 12 year old Ford nut in those days. It seems like there were far more buyers for the full sized wagons.
True. Most Ford buyers opted for the full size wagons (Country Sedan & Country Squire), while GM seemed to outsell Ford in the midsize wagon department, with the Olds Vista Cruiser, of “That 70’s Show” fame, leading the charge, but with the Chevy Chevelle and Buick mid-sizes not far behind. The Pontiac Mid-size example, OTOH, was relatively anonymous.
This would be a total resto for me, body work and paint, interior redo, and a refresh of that 390, along with some shiny new Cragars or Torque Thrusts. Could be a beautiful wagon, and a sleeper one at that
I remember a buddies dad had a 351W 1970 wagon. Aside from the terribly squeaky suspension, I remember a Ford plate on the dash warning of the possibility of the “vehicle” possibly coming out of Park or something to that effect.