'71 Torino GT

[PortraitPro]

So I'm a new guy here so I thought I would introduce my driver/ongoing project.

It's a '71 Torino GT "M" code that I picked up in Carlisle at Ford Nationals in 2012. It's a one-owner with 45k original miles with original 351C and C-6 automatic. Car is completely rust free, and considering it's an original VA car, that is a rare find so it must have been garage kept. It 6was resprayed it's original color, Dark Green Metallic, in 2006 and not very well at that. A lot of dirt and dust in the paint, and it's showing age already.

Here are the pics of what the car looked like when I got it.

84792847938479484795

[PortraitPro]

The first thing I did was swap out the Ivy Green interior and converted it to all black.

This consisted of new interior panels and carpet and recovered the rear seat. All of the plastic trim panels, rear package tray, and headliner were spray dyed.

I went with Procar Elite Lumbar series seats. The seats are great but I won't even go into all of the issues with their brackets/adapters that they sent me.

I also chose to swap out the original rim blow steering wheel for an original GT style wheel out of a '78 Mustang. Found a nice one on eBay that cleaned up really nice.

847968479784798

[PortraitPro]

I then swapped out the front manual drum brakes and converted them to original style front power disc. Can't believe this car didn't come with disc brakes.

I sourced and original junk yard set from a '70 Torino, cleaned and painted them then installed a complete rebuild kit from Chockostang.

847998480084801

[PortraitPro]

Then I pulled the engine and trans. I cleaned and repainted the engine bay. Great results for a rattle can job.

8480284803

[PortraitPro]

Then finally I dressed up the engine before putting it back in. Installing an Edelbrock Performer intake, Holley 670 cfm carb, and MSD Ready To Run distributor.

84804848058480684807

[PortraitPro]

The last step was the wheels. Ridler wheels 18x8 in the front and 20x8.5 in the rear. I also cut a half a coil out of the front coil springs. Since getting an alignment (after this pic was taken) the front sits a little higher than pictured below, so I think I need to cut another 1/2 coil.

84808

[PortraitPro]

I also installed a Waldron's exhaust kit with 2.5" pipes and Pypes Performance mufflers. It took about 14 month doing all of the work by myself and only working on Saturdays.

The next big project will be blacking out all chrome and stainless trim and painting the car Raven Black, when the budget allows of course.

[CruizinKev]

wow sweet!!! looks awesome!!

[Dave B]

Sweet! Nice looking car, and nice work!

[SSLance]

Very nice work... and welcome! I like the projects that require more elbow grease and less cash infusion. They just seem more satisfying to me to look at and admire when done. and you've done yours well so far.

[PortraitPro]

Thanks for all of the kind words. I've gotten more positive feedback in the short time I've been on this forum than any of the other forums I belong to. One of my next smaller projects is to build a custom center console.

So if anyone has any good tutorials or ides for center consoles please send them my way.

[AusMarty]

That's because it's a f***ing awesome car.
I missed the chance to get a project for $3000.
Genuine Cobra, fold away headlights...
Here is OZ. (Yeah dead serious) was a flood recovery, but could have been fixed up with a lot of time, and not much sheet metal as it had been left in the sun to dry at the insurance yard.
kicking myself now that I blew it on my Supra at the time.

Keep the pics coming.
Save up for a sick Art Morrison frame and take that big phat-ass sexy b!tch to the wiggles!

[PortraitPro]

Well here is a pic of that is my vision for the car. I would love a set of hideaway headlights, but people want an arm and a leg for them. The only downside to Torinos, is all the cool stuff isn't reproduced. A good complete set of hideaways will run you over $2,500.

I just wish I knew how to do body work and paint.

84842

[Bossed]

Super nice, love these big gals. Keep up the good work, and thanks for sharing.

[djfxall]

Love the Torino they are one of my favorite cars ever made!! Never been to Carlisle even though it is pretty close to me. Either way love the project and can't wait to see more progress.

[PortraitPro]

I decided that I didn't like the carpet. It was a cheap replacement carpet from Dearborn Classics. I ordered some new carpet and opted to go with a modern cut pile style carpet from ACC over the original 80/20 loop.

So today I removed all of the old sound deadener and discovered the floor pans had a lot more surface rust than I originally thought. Still for being original floor pans I think they are in great shape. Luckily I found one place locally that stocks POR15 so I brushed that on.

88491

88492

[Blue Oval Man]

Awsome looking car. Not a big fan of green, but, I like it better than the all black version. jmo.

[PortraitPro]

Awsome looking car. Not a big fan of green, but, I like it better than the all black version. jmo.

Thanks. I'm not a huge fan of green either, but this color kind of grows on you. It's a nice dark metallic green and looks almost black in certain lighting. I just couldn't keep that ugly ivy green interior.

[csouth]

Thanks. I'm not a huge fan of green either, but this color kind of grows on you. It's a nice dark metallic green and looks almost black in certain lighting. I just couldn't keep that ugly ivy green interior.

Love the Torino's. There are a couple of projects on here you should checkout, 68 Torino's with Cobra motors. Also Google Mark Bowlers Torino if you haven't seen it.

[PortraitPro]

Love the Torino's. There are a couple of projects on here you should checkout, 68 Torino's with Cobra motors. Also Google Mark Bowlers Torino if you haven't seen it.

Yes I'm familiar with Mark's Torino. There's also Troy's '68 Torino GPT Special http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-RZw6F5pUc

And there's also the "All In" '70 Torino GT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrT85z7JU64

I just couldn't bring myself to throw that kind of money into a car that you will never get back. Torino's are really soft in the market, something I don't understand. These cars are really nice and stand up against '70/'71 Chevelles IMO, but yet they are valued significantly less. I'm careful with all of the mods that I do trying to be budget conscious so I don't price myself out of the car. I got this car at such a great price, with what I have in it I can still turn a profit if I decide to sell.

[PortraitPro]

Finished the floor and the template for the center console.

88513

88514

[droptop73]

Awsome looking car. Not a big fan of green, but, I like it better than the all black version. jmo.

X2 on the green over blacked out.

[csouth]

Yes I'm familiar with Mark's Torino. There's also Troy's '68 Torino GPT Special http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-RZw6F5pUc

And there's also the "All In" '70 Torino GT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrT85z7JU64

I just couldn't bring myself to throw that kind of money into a car that you will never get back. Torino's are really soft in the market, something I don't understand. These cars are really nice and stand up against '70/'71 Chevelles IMO, but yet they are valued significantly less. I'm careful with all of the mods that I do trying to be budget conscious so I don't price myself out of the car. I got this car at such a great price, with what I have in it I can still turn a profit if I decide to sell.

The one Troy did for George Poteet was the pinnacle of Torino's, but the has to be a $250k+ car.

Here is a very in depth Torino project if you haven't seen it...

https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/46489-TwinTorino

[PortraitPro]

The one Troy did for George Poteet was the pinnacle of Torino's, but the has to be a $250k+ car.

Here is a very in depth Torino project if you haven't seen it...

https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/46489-TwinTorino


I'm familiar with that thread. I love the idea of taking modern technology and putting on these older cars. But I just couldn't bring myself to spend that kind of money knowing that I'm just throwing it away, but that's just me. For some that's not an issue and I say more power to you and build it and enjoy it. I just don't have that kind of disposable income.

[bikefreak600]

very cool car. i love that blacked out car !

[PortraitPro]

Mocked up the console today, complete with spot for my iPod, two cup holders and AutoMeter gauges. Will test fit it tomorrow.

88789

[Blue Oval Man]

Are you keeping the column shift or going console shift? Looks cool.

[PortraitPro]

I'm keeping the column shift. The open area toward the front will be covered in 1/4" luan flexible enough to fit the contour. I just ran out of daylight before being able to cut it. I'll cut it tomorrow, I also have to install the cabinet hinges for the lid/armrest.

[PortraitPro]

It fits. Now I can take it all apart and router the top edge with a round over bit, then it'll be ready to cover.

88795
88796
88797

[71duster]

nice torino,I think they are awesome. I had a 68 and never done anything with it. the green will look cool with some blacked out trim or something. what are the future plans?

[PortraitPro]

Finished the console today. It's not perfect but for my first attempt I don't think it came out all that bad. Perhaps my favorite part is the stitching my wife did. Just a little something extra instead of looking like a plain vinyl wrapped console.

88864

88861

88863

88862

[TonyHuntimer]

Nice work! Can't wait to see the Torino finished. :)

Tony Huntimer
TestCarDatabase

[PortraitPro]

Finished up the interior and installed the console. I went with a modern style cut pile carpet over the factory correct 80/20 loop.

89502
89503
89504

[PortraitPro]

Finished the dome/map light upgrade. This is out of a '01 Ford Explorer.

90666

90667

[MidnightSpecial]

Great job!

How did you fasten the console to the floor?

[PortraitPro]

Great job!

How did you fasten the console to the floor?

I stapled Velcro strips under the curved vertical support pieces that follow the contour of the trans tunnel. The Velcro adheres to the carpet, between that and the weight of the console there is no need to fasten it to the floor with screws.

[JoeyP]

Car is looking good

[CampbellshotrodsAZ]

Looking good, I've always liked those cars. Though I like the green as is, doing the black interior took away from the overwhelming overload. That black car is just too blacked out, never been a big fan of that. But I can see this car black with the original chrome and trim, and maybe silver or charcoal accent stripes.

[srh3trinity]

I stapled Velcro strips under the curved vertical support pieces that follow the contour of the trans tunnel. The Velcro adheres to the carpet, between that and the weight of the console there is no need to fasten it to the floor with screws.
The console looks nice. I can't help but think that velcro/weight might not be enough to hold it down if the car were in an accident. I knew a guy that was on the loosing end of a speaker enclosure turned projectile in a rollover.

[PortraitPro]

You're not factoring in the length of the console and the fact that the front is wedged under the floor heater vent. It's not going anywhere. Besides a lot of aftermarket consoles are held in place with Velcro such as with the Humphugger consoles. It's nothing new and there is no since in over complicating the process.

[adeeos]

Looks great-good job on the center counsel

[Brads70]

Nice car! Love the 70-71 Torino's!

[Wilky]

Any Progress?

[dangina]

the console turned out great! its a shame, you just don't see any torinos anymore..

[Auto Rod Technologies]

Nice car... Good job on the console!!

[PortraitPro]

Thanks for all of the compliments on the console. This was my first ever attempt at building one, so wasn't sure how it would turn out. Last weekend I tried to start the car for the first time over the winter and the battery was completely dead, and I couldn't even charge it up enough to start the car. Picked up a new battery and will try to start it up tomorrow. Two weeks ago the battery still had juice, I'm hoping that my new dome light isn't somehow draining the battery since it died after I installed it.

I wont be doing anymore upgrades to it now until next fall/winter. Will probably cut another 1/2 coil out of the front springs and install new rear leaf springs. Trying to come up with ideas for body mods now and figure out color scheme for down the road when I get it repainted. Thinking of shaving the front and rear side marker lights and antenna. Would also like to shave the rear trunk latch lock and install a remote trunk release and then install an LED 3rd brake light in the rear deck lid. I also want to see if there is a way I can make a set of Mustang Ring Brothers door handles fit. Just some ideas I'm kicking around now. I've never done any metal fab or body work so I may be overzealous in what I want to do. There aren't a lot of modified 70/71 Torinos out there to pull ideas from.

I wish I knew someone that knew how to build custom grilles...Would love to build one for this car like in the picture below.

92315

[Nothingface5384]

Love the 70-71 body style
are you also a member of torinocobra.com?

[PortraitPro]

Yeah, I'm on that forum as well. I like this forum a little better because it's focused on modified cars and not concours restorations. Most of the cars on that forum are only lightly modified. But there are a lot of purist on that board.

[PortraitPro]

Started the Torino this past weekend for the first time all Winter. A couple weeks ago I tried to start the car and the battery was dead and couldn't even jump the car. Bought a new battery and dropped it in, put the key in the ignition turned the key then a loud "POP" and lost all power. Usually never a good sign. I checked the fuses and none blew. Took a test light and everything under the hood was getting power. Just before I was about the get really pissed I followed the battery ground wire to the block, it was a little loose, once I jiggled it I got power again. Easy enough fix. I turned the car over and she fired right up and the 351C ran like a sewing machine. Now I'm ready for Spring, if it ever gets here. Expecting snow here tomorrow.

Thanks to 67Rally for the renderings, I'm experimenting with color schemes. Leaning toward the black/green and painting the bumpers the dark metallic green body color.

92465

92464

[PortraitPro]

Had a guy contact me about buying the Torino. Apparently it is similar to one he had back in high school. I told him I'd let it go for the right price. Decided to go ahead and post the car for sale on Craigslist. Figure if this guy is serious and if I can get someone else interested in it I may have a better shot at getting my asking price. I'm not in the position to where I have to sell it, so I can hold onto until I get a price I'm comfortable with. We'll see what happens.

[Tackleberry]

Wow! Did you sell?