Before emission laws and oil prices had their impacts on the car industry, America was producing some cars that were not only striking in appearance but also provided impressive performance straight off the showroom floor. Today, performance has returned to the showrooms, but I still believe that these older classics have a great look to them. This 1970 Torino Cobra certainly provides both great looks and the promise of great performance, and it is currently listed for sale here on eBay if you are interested in making the car your own. It is located in Pensacola, Florida, and bidding is sitting at $17,750 at the time of writing.
It seems that this Torino has a colorful history, and this makes it an interesting car. It is believed to have spent the early part of its life as a street racer, before serving as a daily driver through the late 1970s and early 1980s. It then sat in various sheds and garages awaiting a restoration that never happened. The current owner purchased the Torino, and that long-awaited restoration finally happened. The owner says that the restoration was completed professionally, but it wasn’t a full rotisserie project. The car underwent a repaint in its original Medium Red, with all of the original decals and trim renewed or restored. The original 14″ steel wheels and sports wheel covers have gone, and in their place are now a set of 15×7 Magnum 500 Wheels. The car is said to be solid, while the overall presentation of the car does look extremely good.
This is where things start to get frustrating, as the photos that the owner supplies aren’t very good. The interior looks to be in good, original condition, while the owner does say that the dash has received a new cover (which I would assume means a new pad), along with new carpet. There is a shot of the rear seat, and it also looks to be good, so it looks like there won’t be any real jobs to undertake inside the car.
This photo is one that has me tearing my hair out because this is as close as we get to a shot of the engine. The text of the ad is a bit vague on this point, but it appears that the car might be a numbers-matching vehicle. That means that you get the 429ci N-Code Thunder Jet engine, pumping out 360hp. This is hooked to a C6 automatic transmission, while power is then fed to a 9″ rear end. The car is also fitted with power steering and power front disc brakes. The owner says that the car starts and runs well and that the transmission engages cleanly, and shifts smoothly. At the bottom of the article, you will find a YouTube clip that was shot before the cosmetic restoration took place. It shows the engine starting and running, and it does sound very smooth. As part of the restoration, a long list of mechanical work was carried out on various aspects of the car, including a renewal of the entire braking system, a new radiator, and a further list of items as long as your arm.
If you love your blue oval badge, then there’s a pretty good chance that you’ll love this car. It may not be perfect, but if it is solid as the owner says, then it is a car that can be driven and enjoyed. It is possible to buy a Torino Cobra in better condition, but you have to ask yourself if you would enjoy the experience as much if you were constantly worrying about the occasional stone-chip every time you took it out on the road. What makes this Torino all the more attractive is that with the bidding currently sitting at $17,750, it appears that the reserve has been met. If that’s the case, then this Torino Cobra is about to head to a new home. That new home could be your garage.
I’m not the hardcore Ford lover my wife is, but this is fantastic machine by the supplied details! Big, yes, straight-line oriented, yes, but as a child of the late ‘60’s this machine is magnificent. Perhaps it’s near in size as the bastard ‘71 size Mustang/TBird love-child, but for a Plus Size Torino this was remarkably well designed…with a nice giddyup to help it romp and play.
Not one I’d push out of our driveway, most assuredly……!
If you want straight line muscle, then you should check this one out. I know the car style well enough, had a cousin with one years ago, though not a Cobra. It was a good riding car and I can only imagine what that drivetrains adds to it. The biggest complaint on it was the same as on my 69 fastback – parallel parking it was a real bear. Without any form of parking aids, it was next to impossible to know where that rear bumper was at.
My 2 cents.
You’re right, that drive train is the syrup on the sundae! It’d be an incredible ride for driving around our state with the wide open country and very few cities in between…Ande when you get to a city with parallel parking you can use the parking/driving aid that every vehicle has been equipped with since the earliest models-lane change, speed control, lane assist, blind spot warning and forward collision warning have been in the passenger seat from the first wifely passenger..
Beautiful car and nice price for this classic!
If the car was street raced, (really raced, not just the stop light stuff) I have a hard time believing a thunder jet 429 would have fared well without serious mods. I don’t know anything anyways, but the serious performance came in the other two versions of the big bore short stroke 429, especially the solid lifter cammed super cobra jet.
That said, this is a beautiful car with great lines, better looking than the Mercury posted a day ago with the killer SCJ 429. Price seems much more driver friendly than the rivals from GM and Dodge/Plymouth. Just a really nice sporty looking Ford, with plenty of low end.
I had a Torino Cobra with the exactly the same drivetrain combination, it’s isnt what someone would call exciting. This combination was best suited for highway cruising. You are right, a street racing history seems highly unlikely.
The restoration doesn’t seem to have been performed to a very high standard. The all black hood is wrong and more than suggests sloppy research or execution. It may have shiny paint, but I’d be surprised if it’s a quality job. The column shift bench seat interior isn’t particularly interesting either.
… and that painted-over trunk latch mechanism would lead me to expect that the restoration may leave something to be desired. If you can’t be bothered to remove it, at least tape it off!
Two good reasons to buy and fix this car: one, it’s not a Chevelle, and two, it’s not a Road Runner. We just don’t see very many of these anymore.
When you claim the car is rotisserie restored at least get the hood color correct.
Back in “78” I got my a$$ handed to me by a 70 SCJ Torino , 4 speed with a shaker scoop . I had a 69 Olds 442 , 400/350 HP with headers an Offy intake and cam , an 850 Holley and a Mallory dual point , backed by a 400 turbo with a shift kit even had the factory dual gate shifter. I was embarrassed big time . Wasn’t many cars around that would out run Dr. Olds .
Still a nice bod……….
The best thing about this car—you don’t have to be afraid to drive it… or park at car shows.. often times cars such as this-in such condition gather more interest and attention than a restored version.. it may not be as “valuable” on the auction block—but a child can walk up to it, touch it, feel it and gain the passion of classic cars.. great car!
(Edit—oops.. just saw the original condition is no longer-I liked it better un-shiny…)
This seems to be the best of the Torinos out there right this minute. Others are 351C 2V and 302, neither of which has the oomph this does. Too big a car for me these days regardless of CJ power and old-school coolness. I ordered & bought a BOSS 351, so I know what a “challenge” it was backing into parking..especially on a really sunny day. But I’m tall, so I could “rubber-neck” and do it. Anyway, I suppose one could drag race it. US 30 was in operation back then and there were plenty of stock and ET classes this could have run in.
I don’t know of any GTs that didn’t have either a shaker hood or just a non-functional scoop appearance added to the hood. The only Torinos that I ever saw with no hood scoop or scoop design on the hood were not GTs.
Why does this one not have any type of hood scoop? Or did the builder have to replace the hood and so did it by buying the cheaper plane Jane hood to cut back on expense? Also, the paint on the hood should not only be a different design, but it should not be a gloss black, but a satin black. In addition, on the rear fenders, near the bumpers, there should be a plastic emblem that says “Torino” on the right and one on the left.
Wonder if it’s a real GT or not.
Robert you’re right and on the Cobra 429 it didn’t mention the Torino anywhere on the car! Looks like the owner put his personal touch on this classic,the hood was never painted completely black,they had pin stripes around the black. This is still an awesome ride!
Why are no pictures of the front grill? The GT has the GT emblem blazoned right in the middle and can’t be missed. The non-GT Torinos do not have this emblem. Also….why does not the GT have the GT emblem right behind the doors, and in front of the rear fenders, along with, what I call the “shark gills” between the GT emblem and the wheel well? The non-GT Torino does not have these. Why would someone restoring such a car remove them, when these are the distinctive marks of a true GT.
I’m not buy in… I don’t think it’s a true GT….I think the number plate may have been from a wrecked Torino GT and a non-GT body was used.
Buyer beware….something isn’t right.
This never was a GT to begin with. The Cobra had its own trim-decals, as you well know was also only available with the big inch 429. I know I’ll get blasted for saying this but I always refered to them as Torino Cobra’s which is incorrect, but every time I mentioned Ford Cobra everyone starts looking for a two seat sports car with big side pipes, not a massive looking mid sized muscle car.
I don’t think some people3 give much thought to giving a restoration their personal touch, because…they aren’t the ones buying it. The ones buying it may and should, want the original layout of decals, insignias, and plastic/metal names of the car, and end up changing it back to how it should look. W/O the shaker hood, this car looks “ok”, but would look so much better as it came from the factory….more like a true muscle car.
Beautiful car. I like it. But, priced way too high for me. Current bid = $19,000.00. Congrats to owner for all the work and best of everything to the new owner!!
This is not a GT Torino,this is a Ford Cobra 429.Period.
So I see….I did some quick research and I will say that I’ve learned something about Torinos today….didn’t know the Torino Cobra was not a GT…thanks…