When it comes to classic muscle cars, nothing compares to unrestored and unmolested survivors that still run and drive. Restored examples are nice, too. Unfortunately, most of these once glorious vehicles are now rotting away in junkyards and barns. Like the 1970 Ford Torino you see here.
Granted, the 1970 Torino is far from rare. Ford sold no fewer than 230,411 units that year, and it's not the kind of classic that usually changes hands for six-figure sums. But this massive production number includes a huge lineup of cars in seven body styles and four trim levels. The one you see here is not a regular Torino.
The FoMoCo you're looking at is a Cobra. This high-performance version was ordered in limited numbers due to high insurance rates for such vehicles. Ford sold 7,675 Cobras in 1970, which is only 3.3% of the total production. It's the second-rarest 1970 Torino, superseded only by the GT Convertible, made in 3,939 examples. It's not the rarest golden-era muscle car out there, but it's scarce enough to make it a sad sight in this condition.
How did it end up like this? Well, the current owner bought it in 1990 and drove for only one year. He retired the car in 1991 with a plan to restore it, but life got in the way. He only got to partially dismantle the Torino before he abandoned the project. Some 32 years later, the Cobra is still waiting for a second chance at life. Sadly, the muscle car is buried in junk and covered in dust, while the interior is a festival of dirt and spare parts.
Making matters worse, the original V8 engine is no longer under the hood. The mill still exists, but it's pretty much a puzzle of components scattered in the trunk and in boxes lying around the garage. Ironically, this Cobra has more engine in the trunk than under the hood. Maybe it wouldn't be that upsetting if this Ford had a Windsor or Cleveland unit, but this Cobra left the assembly line with a 429-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Cobra Jet. The king of Ford powerplants in the early 1970s!
Ford first introduced the Cobra Jet engine in April 1968. Based on the FE-series 428-cubic-inch V8, the first Cobra Jet generated 335 horsepower and landed in various Ford and Mercury models. The lineup included the Mustang, Fairlane, Torino, Cougar, and Cyclone. In 1969, the company introduced the Super Cobra Jet. The beefed-up mill developed similar oomph but featured heavy-duty internals prepped with drag racing in mind.
The 429 in this car is notably different than the 428. It's based on the 385-series V8 and cranks out notably more oomph thanks to a Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor. Specifically, it sends 370 horsepower to the rear wheels. Ford also offered a Super Cobra Jet version of the 429 with 375 horsepower on tap.
One of the company's most potent mills at the time, the 429 Cobra Jet is not only rare but also highly desirable. Needless to say, it's a lump that shouldn't be in pieces in a trunk and some boxes. But restoring a classic is no easy task, and I understand why the car ended up like this. Hopefully, the owner will finally let it go, and the Torino will get the restoration it deserves.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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