When I first looked at this 1968 Ford Torino Hardtop, I really struggled to spot its single most outstanding feature. This is not because it doesn’t have one, but more because it has so many. This is a one-owner vehicle. That owner was your stereotypical little old lady. Then there is the fact that the Torino has been parked since that owner passed away in 1982. Probably the icing on the cake is the fact that the original owner managed to accumulate a mere 34,000 original miles in the Torino before her untimely passing. The original owner’s grandson has decided that the time has come for the Torino to go to a good home, so he has listed it for sale here on Craigslist. The Ford is located in Jacksonville, Florida, and the seller has set the sale price at what appears to be a very reasonable $5,500. I do need to take the opportunity to thank Barn Finder Steve P for referring this great classic to us.

Before I tackle the story of this car, I will take the opportunity to address the elephant in the room. The photos aren’t that great, and if the date stamp is correct, then they are also more than 18-months-old. A lot can happen in that time period, but we just have to work with what we’ve got. The Torino is finished in Wimbledon White with a Raven Black roof. The paint and panels wear a few minor marks and dings, but there is nothing that could be considered to be particularly bad visible in the photos. The vehicle has been garage-kept all of its life, and this has no doubt contributed to the fact that the Torino is said to be free of anything beyond some mild surface corrosion. It would seem that the next owner isn’t going to need to expend any energy on cutting and welding. The minor dings and dents extend to items such as the rear bumper. It has a pretty sizeable bend on the driver’s side, but it certainly isn’t bent to the point where it is beyond repair. In all honesty, it would be really interesting to give the Ford a wash and polish just to see how it responded. I think that there’s every chance that it would look quite presentable once that process was completed.

It would seem that our little old lady might have had some gasoline coursing through her veins. The entry-level engine in a ’68 Torino was the 200ci 6-cylinder, producing 115hp. She decided to forego that engine, while the 289 and the 302 also apparently weren’t up to the task for her. What she chose was the 390ci V8, and I believe that this is the 265hp version. Of course, if she was really serious, then there was a 325hp version available if she felt so inclined. This particular vehicle also features a 3-speed automatic transmission and power steering. In its prime, this package would have been capable of delivering a ¼ mile ET of 16.1 seconds, which tends to indicate that this was one lady who liked to live life in the fast lane. After she passed away, the Torino was parked in this garage, and apparently, it hasn’t moved since. The 390 was kicked into life occasionally to keep the fluids moving, but this hasn’t happened for a while. However, if that engine is in decent health, then it might not take much more than a weekend’s tinkering to coax it back to life. Of course, there will undoubtedly be plenty of other mechanical components that will require attention before the car could be considered to be roadworthy, but getting it running is a pretty important first step. It is also worth considering the fact that the Torino only saw 14-years of active service before the owner passed away. It is a bit hard to read, but I believe that the odometer is showing 34,747 miles, and I tend to believe the seller when he claims that the mileage is original.

The interior of the Torino is where the next owner is potentially going to be able to make an impact with little more than some time and effort. It features Black vinyl upholstery, and this looks to be in fantastic condition. The same would appear to be true of the dash and pad, which are free of cracks and splits, and house the original radio and optional clock. It is impossible to see the carpet or the headliner, but if the condition of the rest of the interior is an accurate gauge, then both should be in good order. Keeping it short and sweet, I believe that a solid few days inside the Torino with some decent cleaning products could have the interior presenting in as-new condition.

Occasionally a classic car will come along where the original owner has passed away, and you really wish that you had been fortunate enough to have met that owner. For me, that is the case with this Torino. I wish that I had been given the opportunity to discuss the vehicle with her, and to gain an understanding of why she chose to purchase a car that is in no way the stereotypical vehicle that you would expect a lady in the autumn years of her life to buy. Failing that, I hope that someone can grab this classic and return it to active duty because I am sure that this is what the original owner would have wanted.