1971 Ford Torino GT convertible

[Sherlock]

I was recently at a friend's place and saw his 1971 Ford Torino GT convertible...

He doesn't know much about the Torino GT convertible, but does know that only 1,613 were made that year. His particular car has always been an Alberta car, and he has owned it himself since the early-1990's. He has never seen another one himself, and is curious to find out more information about it.

Considering its rarity, does anyone recall seeing one of them? Know anything more about them?

 

[Steve]

I didn't even know that such a car existed, but then I am the last one to profess knowledge of American cars. I know the Torino from Starsky and Hutch, and that is my limit.

Must be a rare bird indeed for you to be asking.......

 

[Bret]

The Starsky & Hutch Grand Torino (1976 I think?) is a totally different animal than the Torino GT. The S&H body style was more of a raked chiseled look while the older Torino's had more of flowing coke bottle look. I find it interesting that Ford jumped on the band wagon and actually made Starsky & Hutch edition Gran Torinos. Interesting footnote for an otherwise ordinary car.

Anyway the 71 Torino GT in convertible form, is pretty rare thanks to the lower production numbers but I believe the holy grail of all Torinos has to be the Cobra version with the 429.

 

[kennypinkerton]

In addition to the not that rare 370hp 429 cobrajet (available from 1970 to 1971 on the Torino Cobra Fastback - 7675 were made in 1970, 3054 in 1971), They also had a 340hp 428 available in 1968 and 1969) 285hp Cobra 351 (small block), a 210hp 302, and a 145hp I6. The last 2 being standard on the Torino, and the others optional.

The Torino started in 1968, and there were 5310 GT convertibles made then, in 1969 2552 GT convertibles were made, in 1970 3939 were made. In 1971, (last year for the GT convertible) 1613 were made, they retailed for $3408. And the car weighs 3428 pounds.

In 1972 The torino became a huge boat of a car to compete with the Chevy Monte Carlo - at the worst possible time - when everyone started looking for fuel economy.

That said... The only Torinos rarer than a 1971 GT convertible would be a 1969 Cobra Torino 428 CJ, or possibly a 1968 Torino with the 390hp 427 - which my sources show as an option that year only on hardtop models.

 

[Guest]

The 71 Torino was a gorgeous car IMO, I'd love to have one. Never seen a vert that year in the flesh. A friend of mine in HS had a 72 Torino fastback with the 351 cobra jet and a 4 speed. Even for a big heavy car it was quick as snot in a straight line (the 3.73 rear helped) and I always thought it was a downright mean looking car. Do you know what motor is in your friends car? There were a ton of options for the GT, which would or could add to its value. Ribbon style tach, rim blow steering wheel, rear window slats, Magnum 500's, etc. If it's a GT it should have the hideaway headlights and the high back buckets with the center console. Does it have the ram air hood? That option could be ordered on any of the V8 engines I believe. In 71 the big dog motor was the 429 thunder jet, but honestly I'd rather have a cleveland car. You can get just as much power from the 351 with a little work and you save a bunch of weight. In the 71 Mustang the Boss 351 could run the 1/4 faster than the 429 car. Also, 71 was the last year of the GT nameplate on the Torino, in 72 the GT equivalent was called the Gran Torino.

Heres one for sale, convertible with a cleveland. Don't know if it's still available.

71 Torino GT Vert

The Starsky and Hutch car was a 75. My wife had one just like it as her first car (without the white on red paint).

 

[Sherlock]

I did get some pictures (with a limited range inside his garage), including the "Go Fast" stripes, remember those?

He has the 351 Cleveland engine in his car, and my understanding is that this car is verified as the genuine article.

 

[Guest]

Yeah, those were cool stripes, very period. Sounds like your friend has something worth hanging onto.

Here's a few more. This guy is asking much more for his, and it's only a 302 car, but it looks really clean.

71 Torino for sale

Now this one is nice:

Marks Torino GT vert

If I was looking for one I'd want a fastback in grabber blue, with a Cleveland and a 4 speed.

 

[William]

I would think the real Holy Grail of Torinos would be a Torino Talladega, with the extended nose for racing. Wasn't there a Dan Gurney special edition, or was that the Mercury Cyclone?

Our local ABC affiliate couldn't use any real footage from the Winter Olympics in Torino, so they used simulated Playstation video. But whenever the sports anchor was introducing Olympics coverage, the logo they used featured a Starsky and Hutch Torino! The sports team at this channel is well known for using weird stuff for logos. Almost every year, they use a photo of Irv Kupcinet wearing a hockey helmet for Stanley Cup coverage...

-Wm.

 

[kennypinkerton]

Ford Galaxie 500 XL was the big Nascar ford, but I see that there were Torino's and Cyclones too. And the 1969 Torino Talladega Probably is one of the rarest. A Homologation car with 743 made. Rarest of them are the 2 rumored to have been built with Ram-air induction. And the last one Made special for the president of ford (actually considered a prototype though).

 

[AngliaGT]

I believe the stripes on the Torino were called Laser stripes.
I just came accross a magazine on the '71 cars.
I don't toss very much out.

- Doug

 

[Guest]

Yeah, the Talladega was a hot ride, and rare. Ultimate rare Ford aero car IMO, the 70-1/2 Torino King Cobra. Only three of these cars was ever built, they were prototypes and the plug was pulled on the project before going to production. They were meant to go up against the Dodge Daytona and Plymouth Superbird in NASCAR, replacing the Torino Talladega. Of the three built, one was a Boss 429, one a 429 CJ, and the third a 429 SCJ.

Ford King Cobra

There was a related Mercury Cyclone Super Spoiler II, the red car near the bottom. I think it says only 2 of those were ever built.

 

[Taz]

My father bought 71 Torino GT convert new in 71. It was a Mustard color with a black top andsaddle brown interior. Had the Yellow Lazer stripe down the side. 351C motor C4 auto trans and 3.55 gears. no bucket seats ( bench seat ) color sound awfull but it was real sharp. dad had Crager mags on it. I was not allowed to touch this car. I had wrecked his 65 Galixy 500 XL, he never forgave me

Taz

 

[kennypinkerton]

Very cool. I remember seeing one of those King Cobra's in a magazine decades ago. I forgot about them.

 

[Sherlock]

Here is a picture of his car...

It's very solid with only a few bad spots on the bodywork, I reckon that it could go on the road the way it is - assuming the engine is still running good, but he wants to make it perfect and doesn't plan to show it until then.

 

[kennypinkerton]

Nice! Love the color! and the stripe works good on it! Is that a battery tender on the radiator support?

 

[Guest]

Thats a sweet lookin car, the color works beautifully with the stripes. If I were him two things I'd do to it right off the bat. First, the hideaway headlights. You should be able to dig up the grill, headlight doors, the vac reservoir, wiring, etc. from somewhere, although I'm sure it won't be cheap. Makes the car look totally mean though IMO and it won't make a difference if he's wanting to show it and keep it correct. That option was not reflected on the VIN code or the body tag, so if the car originally left the line without that no ones gonna know unless they have the build sheet, any GT could have gotten it. My 68 Galaxie fastback had the hideaway headlights and I loved them. Also, although I like Ford's GT dog dish poverty caps I think the Magnum 500's look sooo much nicer and, again, would be correct for the car as they were a factory option. However, even if he decides to keep it as is, it's still a gorgeous ride.

 

[SteveL]

One thing to remember, the HP for the 351C was somewhat
understated in 1971, the 351W was rated at 250HP, and from
what I remember, the 351C 4V was making closer to 350HP...

The problem in those days was the big insurance companies
were charging the muscle car guys an arm and 1/2 a leg
for their policies...

Beautiful car by the way...

SteveL

 

[William]

Dotanukie- I believe that the guy who owns the yellow King Cobra Torino also owns a Daytona or Superbird wing car as well. I saw an article about it in Hemmings Muscle Machines or some similar magazine. Maybe not that yellow car, but one of the three cars and it was yellow. Lucky so and so...

-Wm.

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
Dotanukie- I believe that the guy who owns the yellow King Cobra Torino also owns a Daytona or Superbird wing car as well. I saw an article about it in Hemmings Muscle Machines or some similar magazine. Maybe not that yellow car, but one of the three cars and it was yellow. Lucky so and so...

-Wm.


[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, your not kidding. Not enough to own two of the rarest muscle cars to roll out of Detroit, but two that were NASCAR related on top of that, way cool. I originally saw the King Cobra on an episiode of My Classic Car, it was a yellow one also. Can't remember who the owner was. There was a Dodge Daytona at our local cruise in night last summer, first time I'd seen the guy or the car there and first time I'd seen one in the flesh. Pretty impressive car, it was a 440 car, red with the black tail stripe, had just completed a total nut and bolt ground up resto. If he's there again this summer I'll be taking pictures.

 

[Howard_The_Duck]

I personally had a 1971 Torino 500 4door sedan as my first car.

I absolutely loved it!