Looking fairly solid, this trailer-bound Torino in San Jose, California last propelled itself on public roadways in 1979! This highly interesting original configuration increases its rarity. Not many dealers would order a GT convertible with the 302 cubic inch V8, three-speed column-shifted manual transmission, and front bench seat, so we may surmise that the original owner ordered this baby to suit their personal style. If you’re looking for something a little different, this might be the ride for you. Throw out the high bid at the No Reserve auction here on eBay and this classic will be yours.
I love these 1970-71 Ford Torinos, and I hope to own one some day. The full-width blacked-out honeycomb taillight panel echos the similar treatment of the hidden headlight front. Hidden headlights seem to have peaked in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and they still look great today. The front bench seat matched up with the column shifter to provide comfortable cruising for six. That front bench is gone, and the buyer will get later model Mustang bucket seats for a more sporting driver experience.
We might wonder where the right half of the dashboard went, but what you see is what you get. Kudos to the seller who crafted a detailed description and included a number of pictures from various angles including underneath the vehicle. While the three-pedal setup remains, someone converted the powertrain to a 351W and C6 automatic. The seller also graciously includes an extra pair of doors including panels, hardware, and glass.
You’ll find myriad parts for the 351 Windsor Cleveland engine, and they can be built in flavors from mild to wild. The C6 can withstand heavy use, though they are known for sucking additional horsepower compared to a lighter-duty unit. Where do you think the bidding will end on this No Reserve auction?
Ummm that was a rough 9 years…and the proper storage didn’t help much.
Would likely be the only one at an all Ford show though!
That’s what I was thinking. 9 years? What the heck?
The ad has been taken down by the owner.
I would like to know more about the car as the license plate was from 1974 or there abouts, so it might not have been an original California car.
I agree with the above statements.
If it was only on the street for 9 years, how did it get so messed up?
I’d rather have my cheese grated than shredded…there’s a reason someone put it away and it wasn’t as a speculative enterprise. More likely sheer boredumb.
I once sold a 70 Torino conv sans engine 429 thunderjet with hidden and tail lights similar but had the beefed front engine mounting area and the triptomatic . It was rough but compared to this was a cream puff in mint condition even with the one frame spot that was repairable 👀😎
It went to Oregon I think 🤔
This dash is sad 😞
This is a 351 Clevland not a windsor. But, on the plus side it appears to be a 4 barrel, which means it has the big ports & valves.
Actually the 2V clevelands with a edelbrock intake for 2v heads with a 4v carb with headers and a good dual exhaust does just as well as a stock 4v Cleveland.
column shifted manual trans?
At most of our local shows we have 2 that show up, a red one and a light blue one. Both are immaculate but they have the 351 v8s.
The convertible was only available as a GT, so the 302 isn’t too surprising as it was the base engine.
Currently installed engine is a Cleveland, not a Windsor BTW.
Thanks Rodent; Fixed!
how can u tell difference between Windsor & Cleveland by sight?
Hi Walt – Great question. That’s what I linked on word “Cleveland” above. You can click on any of those bold dark red words for more information. Here is the same link… http://www.vintage-mustang.com/topics/faq/351windsorcleveland.html Thanks for asking!
Glad it was taken down from eBay due to errors. “Rear bench seat” is there? Well lah-dee-dah! How about the huge chunk of dash missing and oh, thanks for the Mustang seats. Better than a milk crate I suppose for yard driving. Whatever put this bull down in 79 isn’t half as bad as the storage this car suffered in the years since. On the bright side, a parts car with bench and 3 spd column shift may actually be obtainable as they would have been the loss leader, en mass, for Ford in this period. 70.5 Falcon anyone?
70.5 Falcon
Base V8 engine, bench seat, stick shift on the column, I have a feeling that car was not ordered by a customer, but by a savvy dealership sales manager who could advertise a Torino GT Convertible at a price lower than the competition was advertising.
And at the end of the model year, he could drop the car’s price down to his actual invoice cost [and show the buyer the actual cost the dealer paid for the car], and sell it down the road “cheap”. The buyer probably didn’t realize that at the end of the year, Ford gave them additional financial incentives, to be used to buy new Ford products, so the dealer still made money!
Growing up in the Washington DC area, I realized there were several factory dealerships who regularly ran ads in the newspaper touting certain brands or models of cars available at really cheap prices. Maryland has a law that if a dealer advertises a car for a certain price, the ad must refer to the specific car’s inventory number.
I remember seeing ads in 1967 for Chrysler sedans for $2998, and when you looked at the car, it was a basic Newport with 318 V8, DELETE clock, DELETE power steering & power brakes, 3 on the tree transmission, no radio either.
I saw a 1967 Rambler American 2-door advertised for $1,995. No options of any kind, not even a heater, no carpets – only rubber mats front & rear. Delete clock too!
These American car dealerships were trying to stay price competitive, especially against Volkswagen. You could find ads in the Washington Post for VW beetles as low as $1795, with radio & heater. That was a huge 10% difference in actual “Drive it out the door prices” [plus Tax & DMV fees].
I grew up in the DC area too. I remember the Post and Alexandria Gazette running those ads. Rosenthal Chevrolet, Herby’s Ford and Ray Burnette Volkswagen always had their print ads strategically placed to get the reader thinking about price comparisons. I remember those dog-dish, no frills ‘murican sedans well. This was in the 1968-76 timeframe.
I had a ’69 Torino GT convertible with the same powertrain; 302, three on the tree. Nice driver, black with a red interior. Very sharp car, one of 2,552 built. One that I now miss.
This car takes me back , in the mid 70’s I owned a 1971 Torino GT Fastback ,it had been in a major accident and was severely mashed in on the front end and the rear end. I had a lot of fun with it. It had a 351 Cleveland Engine with a four barrel Holly Carb. I had it lifted on the rear, with a rear mounted spoiler. It was cherry red with a laser strip down both sides . 2 door with a front split bench seat. Also it was a hardtop not a convertible. I sold it when I got married and just lately I’ve been thinking I’d love to have another , I’m just not sure I’m healthy enough to take on a big project like that anymore ….. but I love seeing it here.
Not a “Barn Find”, it’s a ‘outside find’ .
I have A 71 convertible that’s next on the “list” to build for the wife. White, 302, column shifted manual, no p/s, no p/b, but it does have an am radio & a heater. I ran a Marti report right after I bought this car from a junk yard. There were only 1613 built in 1971. The 302 3 speed manual was in 432 (? IIRC), so it’s not really an uncommon powertrain combination.
Mine also has a 1979 VA state inspection sticker. Even coming from a junkyard, mine is in way better condition than this one.
The plan is to build a driver that looks like a 71, but runs & drives like a 2013 Mustang. She wants an automatic instead of the 3 speed (even though she’s quite good with a clutch). I know some purist will cringe, but this one is rough enough that it would require a boat load of money to restore. At least, done properly, it will give our kids a return on my investment as a hotrod/cruiser.