Did you know Ford almost ended up using the Torino nameplate for the Mustang during the latter’s development stage? Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed, although the Torino still has plenty of fans among classic car enthusiasts.
Named after the Italian city of Turin, some variations of this car are considered valuable collectibles, depending on specification, model year and notoriety – we're talking Starsky & Hutch all the way to Fast & Furious fame. Of course, the 2008 Clint Eastwood movie Gran Torino also gave the nameplate a bit of a pop culture boost.
Speaking of giving something a boost, how about slapping a 1969 Torino GT model with a 3.7-liter V6 unit (modified), straight out of a 2012 Ford Mustang? This car is up for grabs through Bring a Trailer and according to the seller, it features a “mild to moderate” 93 octane tune for a total of 615 hp and 482 lb-ft (653 Nm) of torque. They also say that “there is definitely more headroom for increased HP with E85 and more boost.”
Visually, the car comes with a Magnetic Gray finish, hood scoop, tinted windows, custom side mirror, electric trunk release and aftermarket 18-inch wheels. Its factory steering and braking systems have been ditched in favor of electric power-assisted units, while the suspension comes with adjustable dampers in the front and Bilstein dampers out back.
Inside, it’s got heated front bucket seats and a rear bench upholstered in black leather, custom front and rear consoles, keyless entry, air conditioning, a wireless mobile phone charger, JVC touchscreen with Apple and Android compatibility, an Alpine amplifier and a Kicker subwoofer. It also has a reversing camera, which should come in handy with a car this size.
As for performance, the previously mentioned V6 engine features dual AGP turbos and is mated to a modern 6R80 six-speed automatic gearbox, which now has a high-performance torque converter, along with a 9-inch rear end, 31-spline axles and a Ford Motorsports Trac-Lok limited slip differential.
Bottom line, this thing would look good in anyone’s driveway and should be fun to drive as well, so color us impressed.
Speaking of giving something a boost, how about slapping a 1969 Torino GT model with a 3.7-liter V6 unit (modified), straight out of a 2012 Ford Mustang? This car is up for grabs through Bring a Trailer and according to the seller, it features a “mild to moderate” 93 octane tune for a total of 615 hp and 482 lb-ft (653 Nm) of torque. They also say that “there is definitely more headroom for increased HP with E85 and more boost.”
Visually, the car comes with a Magnetic Gray finish, hood scoop, tinted windows, custom side mirror, electric trunk release and aftermarket 18-inch wheels. Its factory steering and braking systems have been ditched in favor of electric power-assisted units, while the suspension comes with adjustable dampers in the front and Bilstein dampers out back.
Inside, it’s got heated front bucket seats and a rear bench upholstered in black leather, custom front and rear consoles, keyless entry, air conditioning, a wireless mobile phone charger, JVC touchscreen with Apple and Android compatibility, an Alpine amplifier and a Kicker subwoofer. It also has a reversing camera, which should come in handy with a car this size.
As for performance, the previously mentioned V6 engine features dual AGP turbos and is mated to a modern 6R80 six-speed automatic gearbox, which now has a high-performance torque converter, along with a 9-inch rear end, 31-spline axles and a Ford Motorsports Trac-Lok limited slip differential.
Bottom line, this thing would look good in anyone’s driveway and should be fun to drive as well, so color us impressed.