The Ford Torino and Fairlane 500 intermediates got an entirely new body style for 1970, solely designed by stylist Bill Shenk, who started with a sketch that progressed into a full-size clay model.  The story goes that Lee Iacocca, executive vice president of Ford at the time, was so impressed upon viewing the sculpture that he initially told Shenk not to change anything!  When production began, the car could be had from no-frills levels all the way up to muscle status, with this 1970 Ford Torino Cobra here on eBay falling into the latter category.  Located in Los Angeles, California, this one needs restoring, but it seems like a promising project for blue oval fans.  So far, bidding has reached $9,100, enough for a sale as this is a no-reserve auction.

According to the video provided, the car was put into a barn in the mid-eighties, where it sat until an enthusiast bought it in 2010, who intended to give the Ford a restoration.  This never happened, and it’s now looking for another owner who has the time and skills to get this one back on the road.  Some good news here is the pedigree, which includes a 429-4V, a 3.25 geared rear end, and a C-6 automatic.  Unfortunately, bad news follows, as the V8 isn’t currently running, with no hints as to why and no word on if it will still turn.  There’s no information on the state of the transmission either, so with all the decades this car has been idle, I’m guessing the drivetrain will require a thorough going-through.

Choosing the Torino Cobra got buyers the SportsRoof as part of the package, making the already attractive body look even sleeker.  This one appears complete outside, with the lower rear section of the passenger side quarter showing some rust. However, the rest of the body seems fairly decent for the most part, and I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the other panels will be salvageable.  It’s hard to tell if the piece under the back bumper is bent or just detached, but hopefully, this will be a simple repair.

Much of the interior will need refreshing, including the seats, dash, and a new radio to replace the hole where the old one once resided.  The floors are original, but the seller mentions a few holes are present toward the front, so these will need some patching.  Better yet, a new pan would probably be a worthwhile investment, such as this unit from Auto Metal Direct.  While this one needs quite a bit of work, it seems reasonably solid, and overall at an acceptable starting point for the future owner.  Is this 1970 Torino Cobra a Ford you’d consider taking on as a project?