|
What got you into liking Torino's? |
Post Reply 
|
Page 123> |
| Author | |
PS122 
Member 
Joined: 23-March-2011 Location: Eaton, OH Status: Offline Points: 188 |
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote Reply
 Topic: What got you into liking Torino's?Posted: 07-May-2011 at 4:50PM |
|
My dad's friend bought a brand new Starsky & Hutch Gran Torino and that big, bright red car with the white stripe really ignited a passion for the 72-76 Gran Torinos. That very car now occupies my garage. |
|
|
Joe
'76 S&H Gran Torino http://starskytorino.com/joes/joes.html |
|
 |
|
|
interceptor460
Senior Member 
Joined: 24-February-2009 Location: montreal Status: Offline Points: 409 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 05-May-2011 at 8:29PM |
|
I have owned at 18 torinos of only 6 were for drivers the rest were parts cars. It's getting harder to find them ,you got to have plenty of parts . As I have looking around in the past 5 years the good ones have been picked. The ones out there for sale now do not inerest me much. Anyhow I could not buy another one tough times. It's great that this site is dedicated to the midsize Fords &Mercurys.
|
|
|
|
|
Regul8r
Admin Group 
Moderator Joined: 26-December-2007 Location: Sarasota FL Status: Offline Points: 6624 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 04-May-2011 at 3:46PM |
Still rocking the SC??
|
|
|
Carl Corey (Moderator/Event Coordinator) Contact ANYTIME!
1976 Ford Elite "Lola Mae" 97 Suzuki Intruder 1400 US Army Retired |
|
|
|
|
rrlcommish
Member
Joined: 01-January-2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Status: Offline Points: 58 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 04-May-2011 at 10:55AM |
|
My grandfather bought my GTS new in July of '72. He drove it until 1987 when he bought a Merc Sable. Gave me the Torino in 1990, had it since. My college car and everyday car for a few years until I parked it for a T-Bird Turbo Coupe, then traded that for a Super Coupe. Anyway, just now finally have the $$ to restore it to glory. Ironically, my other grandparents had a '76 Gran Torino for a while. Resoration is coming along on mine, frame is finished, body work is very slow but getting there. Everybody says they hate the color of mine (light blue), but I think its a badazz color and very typical 1970's. And unique. Only seen one other light blue 72 GTS fastback, it was in Fairlaner a couple years ago, someone had it at a meet but that person is not listed in the FCA directory, would have liked to speak with them.
|
|
|
1972 Gran Torino Sport Fastback, Bored 30-over 351C - 4V, Lt Blue, Pertronix Ignitor, dual exhaust with Turbo mufflers, otherwise stock
|
|
|
|
|
dvldog2513
Member
Joined: 18-July-2010 Location: Lexington S.C. Status: Offline Points: 135 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 28-April-2011 at 8:33AM |
|
Back in 1979 my first car was a 2 door 1960 Ford Fairlane with the cat eye taillights,wings,straight 6 with a 3 speed on the column. I thought it was the ugliest car I had ever seen but I drove it for a few months.Thats when I told my dad I would give him that car back if would let me borrow a little money to buy a car that I wanted and I would pay him back.I had 2 cars that I could afford ,$700 dollars for a 1973 Dodge Charger or a 1972 Gran Torino Sport for $750.I just liked the GTS better plus it still had a 8 track tape player and it was just fun to drive.I wrecked that car in 1981.In 1995 I found another 1972 GTS and bought it for $1800 and I let my dad drive it for a few years.I sat the car up for a few years and now I'm putting it back together.
|
|
|
Bennie
1972 GTS Q Code |
|
|
|
|
interceptor460
Senior Member
Joined: 24-February-2009 Location: montreal Status: Offline Points: 409 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 28-April-2011 at 6:55AM |
|
My 1974 460pi torino was like that,but it had a blackedout front grill and medium red in colour.
|
|
|
|
|
fordnmerc
Senior Member
Joined: 21-May-2003 Location: Watkins Glen NY Status: Offline Points: 877 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 28-April-2011 at 12:58AM |
|
In 1975, when Starsky and Hutch premiered, my parents got to liking the Torino on the show. They looked around locally and found a 1974 base, secondhand with about 900 miles on it for $2700. We had it from July, 1975, to June, 1989:
  |
|
|
David
|
|
|
|
|
interceptor460
Senior Member
Joined: 24-February-2009 Location: montreal Status: Offline Points: 409 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 27-April-2011 at 8:54PM |
|
|
|
|
|
interceptor460
Senior Member
Joined: 24-February-2009 Location: montreal Status: Offline Points: 409 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 27-April-2011 at 8:53PM |
|
One thing I can say about my 68 ltd (428 cid) I was called Mcgarret after hawaii 5-0. Here comes John with the Mcgarret car ,so I had a tape with the five-0 theme tune and the bond theme near my fingers. It gave everyone a good laugh since it liked big cars and torinos when everyone drove pony cars.
After a night of clubing my friend and I picked up some girls. Driving my 1968 ltd at 4 am, my friend was talking to one of the girls ,and she said "What leg room, I can stretch my legs wide open." . My friend and I looked at one another . We did have a great early morning with the ladies.
|
|
|
|
|
interceptor460
Senior Member
Joined: 24-February-2009 Location: montreal Status: Offline Points: 409 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 27-April-2011 at 8:33PM |
|
Back in May ,1976 my father bought our new 76 torino wagon for bread deliveries. He bought it so plain no radio, cheap plastic seats that burned you every time you sat in the car in the summer months. It was tin can on wheels. It did the job well ,in 1979 I found a wagon in scrap yard with a brougham squire interior. I bought the whole interior plus the am/fm stereo for 75 dollars. It changed the car into a palace.
This car paid the bills for the store, it had been loaded with junk from demolition work ,boxes of bread, stock for the store, metal and 460 and 429 engines in the back.
It was solid car, it had been in 13 accidents in a year with small damage. It did lose control and did a dukes of hazard stunt . In Montreal we have a mountain in the center of the city. It went sliding on freezing ice off the road hitting a tree ,lamp post and drove on rocky road on this moutain untill police saw my brother drive in front of the giant statue on this moutain. With 6 people inside no one was hurt,but my father was cursing from here to high heaven. The car in the end was stolen . The thief hit 14 cars on a popular club street and lost control on a on ramp to highway 720 where 3 more cars crashed into the driver side which was repaired before by my brother. No one in the torino got hurt as no one was found in her.
The car was retrieved at the police pound and we drove it home twisted as a tie.
One hell of a stong car. It got me interested more in ford cars as my first car in 1982 was a (Q code ,1968 ford ltd) and yes it was a 428 engine and later a modified 428 cj replaced it. I 've had more 68 ltd's and a 69 ltd ,t-birds about 6 torinos and my 1975 torino 4 door crusier that I have now. There are so many more stories of her able to run in the high 14's with a 400 engine , when the transmission blow it's foward gears and my brother drove all his friends home in reverse after parting at a downtown club untill he was pulled over only 2 blocks from home.He got away with a good excuse. It was filmed on the news in 1987 in the Montreal hockey riot in as my brother fleed from a mob as they tasted torino on it's way. Later to be seen at the airport as the hockey players returned to Montreal.
If you find a good Torino wagon they are cool cars.
|
|
|
|
|
Uante
Senior Member
Joined: 31-August-2009 Location: Tempe, AZ Status: Offline Points: 914 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 27-April-2011 at 4:35PM |
|
Cool story 4spd. Wish I would have kept my original car too...way to go! Looks Great!
|
|
|
'73 Gran Torino Brougham
'63 Econoline Standard Van - Brent *USAF RET* |
|
|
|
|
Godzillarich
Senior Member
Joined: 16-December-2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 171 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 27-April-2011 at 3:50PM |
|
Great story, can you post a link to more pics? My smart phone is only showing about 1/3 of the photo. I am kinda of envious of you guys with the ultra clean street machines.. I went a different route in my quest for speed. Its hard to have it both ways on a budget, I chose to sacrifice everything almost . Some day I hope to have a nice streetable torino that is still kinda fast.
|
|
|
72 Gran Torion Sport
472 Hyd 12.98@105mph 466 Roller 11.59@116.5 Sac Raceway 02/28/2011 11.44@114.5 5/13/11 DYNO 452 RWHP 456 RWTQ |
|
|
|
|
4spdTorino
New Member 
Joined: 04-May-2010 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 29 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 27-April-2011 at 3:22PM |
|
My liking of Torino's started in 1979 I had saved my money up since i was 13 with a paper route for our local newspaper. My family and I went to Mrytle Beach on vacation and I was looking for a car!Of course I wanted a Mustang.I only had $800.00 saved.Well as you can imagine every Mustang we looked at was way out of my price range we looked all week and no luck.On our way home just outside of Charlotte N.C I spotted a Mustang at a used car lot we stopped and of course out of my price range again,My Dad looks over and there sets a red 1972 Gran Torino Sport and asks the salesman "Hey how much for the Torino" the guy says gotta have a grand for that and I threw up my hands in disgust as I walked back to the car! My Dad says tell ya what I will give you 800.00 cash! The guy looks at my Dad and say make it 875.00 and its yours! And he said DEAL I looked at my Dad and said hey I only have 800.00 he told me you can owe me, these cars are gonna be collectors items someday. Well I have owned the car ever since I think they are the coolest cars made and after owning it I would rather have it then a Mustang. I have had alot of offers on the car but i will never sell it!!!! Edited by 4spdTorino - 27-April-2011 at 3:24PM |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
unlovedford
Senior Member
Joined: 17-December-2010 Location: Tennessee Status: Offline Points: 10142 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 25-April-2011 at 2:40AM |
|
My love affair with Fords began at an early age with my dad's '65 Country Squire and my mom's '65 Mercury Monterey Marauder (427 Ford). I remember washing that car at an early age and thinking how cool that car looked and sounded when running (dad would let it idle to get me to wash it, lol). Oh, how we should have kept that one... The Torino craze started with my mom's 70 Squire, then her '72 Squire. I learned to drive in that car (would smoke the Firestones forever!). However, I ended up with a '77 Vega as my first car, then a '73 Buick Century (455) as my 2nd. I decided to look for an early model Camaro as my 3rd car when my dad's friend got in a '76 Torino 2 door at his car lot with 50K miles. Dad convinced me to go look at it as a temporary car until I found something I liked better. Price was right ($1,050) and it was only 4 years old so I bought it - as a side note it ended up costing me $1,111.11 with tax (weird, but a forecast as to it being #1 in my mind). I drove the car until about 1983, then parked it, as I had become fanatical about keeping it squeaky clean and dent free and bought a '69 Torino GT as my daily driver. Sadly, that car was wrecked by a neighbor, but I still have the '76 to this day. We have already started gathering parts to restore/improve it and it should be ready in a year or two. I have had a lot of old/rare Fords since then and have enjoyed them all, but I have always held onto this car for some unknown reason. Perhaps it was to be able to meet all of you?
|
|
|
Joe
1972 Mom's Squire Wagon 1972 Torino Wagon 1976 Torino 1968 Cougar XR7-First batch 1972 Torino 460 1989 BroncoII/Jeeps/Titanimous Popeye and Brutus (Rams) |
|
|
|
|
VorbottenO
Senior Member
Joined: 22-March-2008 Location: Atlanta Status: Offline Points: 375 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 23-April-2011 at 2:22PM |
|
In 1976, I started working in an Amoco station that had 12 service bays pumping gas and odd jobs then progressed into turning a wrench.
At the time I had a 1967 Falcon Futura with a 289ci and 4 speed that held its own but not too cool.
The manager had a 72 fastback H code Torino (and several other cool cars) and blew the engine racing a Dodge one day on his way to work. As I was towing the car in he told me about a 70 351 4V Torino GT he had owned before but the 72 did not hold a candle to it.
Long story short, I gave him $500, got a 351 4V from a 1970 Cougar in a junk yard to rebuild.
Fortunately Bob Glidden (if you are old enough to remember he held the Pro Stock records in the 70's and 80's was a friend of my dads and lived only 3 miles from us.
Bob helped me build the 351 (thowing in a few tricks) as well as setting up the drive train. Car ran 12.7 in the quarter which at the time was a fast street car. Pure pleasure smoking Camaros, Novas, Road Runners, Challengers, you name it.
Needless to say, I won a lot of money that summer street racing and I had the only 72 built up so it always caught attention.
|
|
|
Eric
72GTS-Ncode (429-477ci) |
|
|
|
|
GaryFi
Senior Member
Joined: 23-October-2008 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 231 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 21-April-2011 at 6:34PM |
|
My first car was a '71 Mustang with a 302...I was 13 when S&H show came out and thought that was one cool car....When I was 17, I bought a "69 Dodge Charger and made a General Lee clone, at the same time, my younger brother built a S&H Torino clone. It was really funny having both cars in the driveway at home.. People called it "the house with the Cars of the Stars"..My brother sold his Torino when he went into the military and I sold the General to pay for college..I always wanted a striped Tomato of my own someday but felt if I was going to put money into a restro I wanted to put it into a Limited Edition S&H Torino...Finally got my wish 3yrs ago and will hopefully have it on the road this summer.... |
|
|
Starsky and Hutch Limited Edition #559 in rehab
|
|
|
|
|
BackInBlack
Senior Member
Joined: 11-January-2011 Location: Virginia Status: Offline Points: 1013 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 21-April-2011 at 5:03PM |
|
My first car was a 65 Mustang Convertible. I was 15 and a instant Ford nut. Restored it when Mustangs weren't popular. Everyone thought I was crazy. I bought a $400 Cuda to drive while I fixed up my Stang. I was in a minority surrounded by Chevy buddies...I was the only Ford/Mopar guy. When I raced them in my Cuda and Stang they quickly quieted...and gave a nod.
I sold everything to pay for college. I later found my old Stang from the person I sold it to and bought it back about 10 years later. The previous owner did not take care of it and required fixing up. I started to repair it and quickly ran out of cash...wife and kids were a priority. I sold it again. This time I'm glad I sold it to a Father and son who restored it to show winning collector. Since then I've been searching for another, not so popular, cool ass car. I've always loved the Torino and the Aussie Falcon. My search continued for years....until I found a rust free super clean 73 GTS. Although I was searching for a 4 speed big block 72...I'm completely content with this 73 GTS. I love it and will not let it go...over time it will be Street bruiser able to hang with the track corner carvers. I look at this as a challenge to show what these cars can achieve. They are truly an unrecognized Muscle car with excellent engineering behind their design. |
|
|
-John
1973 GTS |
|
|
|
|
HbMarine
Member
Joined: 21-February-2009 Location: San Diego, CA Status: Offline Points: 121 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 25-March-2010 at 4:08PM |
|
one of my co-workers had seen the movie Gran Torino. i hadnt seen the movie so i based my decision on what the car was, not popularity. so we were pokin around on CL and we ran across a 72 gran torino with a 400. since i was thinking of buying a project car @ the time i looked into this car. i looked into what it came with from the factory and couldnt resist @ that time. so now here i sit with one of my greatest challenges. not so much a challenge but a labor of love.
|
|
|
72 gt 400m auto 10.2 @ 70mph in 1/8th
"We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm. - George Orwell" |
|
|
|
|
Godzillarich
Senior Member
Joined: 16-December-2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 171 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 24-March-2010 at 3:51PM |
|
Already had a 77 Ranchero , Saw a 72 GTS in the paper and had to go look at it for one of the yahoo Torino Club Members I think it was McFord , After a saw it I had to get it for myself!!
 |
|
|
|
|
legend onirot
Senior Member
METAL GOD Joined: 18-January-2009 Location: hattiesburg ms Status: Offline Points: 3038 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 22-March-2010 at 10:22AM |
here is a picture of mine and inset is my sister gloating after she had just gotten the car (this is the best oldest picture i could find)... to the left is our new family car, a 1981 LTD
|
|
|
|
|
Guests
Guest 
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 21-March-2010 at 9:20AM |
|
Now after all these years holding onto the engine I wanted something kewl to put it in so 2004 I got a 70 Mustang Sportroof 302 car that had decent sheetmetal but the bottom was rotted but great project for ProStreet.I had my own restoration shop at the time and the car just sat and I needed some cash to keep the biz afloat so I sold the Mustang.Flash forward 2009 after closing my biz in 2007 I went back into collision work but dable in classic cars on the side and wanted my own car again so started to search,know 70 Sportroof Mustangs werecat a premium I thought why not look at another Torino,so I searched ebay and found a 73 formal roof in ruff shape but cheap enough to buy,so I bought that and then found this forum and after a few months here learned a member was selling his 73 GTS project which I bought the rolling chassis,cause I always wanted a Sportroof ever since I painted that 72 GTS back in the 80's so after 25 years i'll finally have one
|
|
|
|
|
Guests
Guest
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 21-March-2010 at 9:06AM |
|
ok long story short back in the early 80's I worked at a bodyshop as a painter and we had a wrecked 72 GTS come in and after finding a front clip the owner decided to do a color change from red to a nice medium blue metallic,so all bodywork was performed and I sanded the car and prepped it for paint.the complete car was painted bc/cc including jambs & underhood and trunk.After painting I sanded and polished the clear to a mirror finish.The car was a 351C 4v 4 spd most likely a Q code but I didn't know much about them back then,alls I knew it looked kewl and was fast.A few years later after moving to NJ with a 72 Gran Torino wagon my grandfather gave me that I restored the body on.I eventually found a 73 plain jane Torino which I installed a 74 front clip and doors from my uncles Ranchero.it was my first hotrod project and even though I wanted a Sportroof it was a Torino.After moving back to Florida I installed the 351Cfrom the Ranchero with some upgrades.I scraped the body in 1993 and kept the motor
|
|
|
|
|
ramair351
Senior Member
Joined: 08-May-2006 Location: west michigan Status: Offline Points: 1561 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 21-March-2010 at 3:43AM |
|
i wont say my dad ( who built the house himself) wasnt a visionary. he was just very practical in his automobile thinking.
|
|
|
-Pete
1972 montego GT 1970 Torino cobra SCJ 1970 mustang mach 1 1965 Falcon futura |
|
|
|
|
Guests
Guest
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 20-March-2010 at 10:18AM |
|
wow that's kewl you had a 3 car garage back then,now thats a motorheads dream
|
|
|
|
|
ramair351
Senior Member
Joined: 08-May-2006 Location: west michigan Status: Offline Points: 1561 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 20-March-2010 at 9:51AM |
|
My family, dad mostly, always liked strange cars. never a 'normal' car. all growing up, we had AMC's. Hornets, concordes, matadors, heck my dad even bought a PACER brand new. mix this in with the toyotas, vw's and international scouts, and we were pretty much a geek family. While all my freinds dads had chevelles and chargers, we had a nissan pickup. here is an actual photo of our driveway in 1979
 then my brother went off to college in 1982, he bought a 72 torino while there, much to my parents dismay. after college, he bought new mustang GT, and in 1985, he gave me his torino.
like mike says: hooked for life.
 |
|
|
-Pete
1972 montego GT 1970 Torino cobra SCJ 1970 mustang mach 1 1965 Falcon futura |
|
|
|
|
mcford
Senior Member
Joined: 31-May-2003 Location: Utica, Michigan Status: Offline Points: 2160 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 20-March-2010 at 9:15AM |
|
Back around 73/74. dad bought a 72 used. gold with white top, cant remember what color interior. i was about 7/8 years old or so. and then of course there was that cool tv show about a couple cops and a suh-wheet red torino with a white strip. hooked ever since. 72's are my top pick tho and outnum,ber any other year in my ownership history.
|
|
|
|
|
Guests
Guest
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 20-March-2010 at 9:06AM |
|
congrads on your purchase,got any pics?also welcome to the site
|
|
|
|
|
Harris72GTS
New Member
Joined: 15-February-2010 Location: Plymouth, MI Status: Offline Points: 25 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 20-March-2010 at 8:52AM |
|
In high school everyone seemed to have, or talk about camaro's and mustangs. When I graduated I took my grad money and spent it on a well used '72 Gran Torino. These cars were different from all others and stood out. I couldn't believe they were not more popular than the mustang. So I bought a car that looked worn but ran great. That car has been gone decades. Now, twenty-five years later I still have the bug and recently bought another '72 G. Torino. Love it, Love it.
|
|
|
Don '72 GTS fastback '68 Cougar GT '09 Challenger R/T |
|
|
|
|
Guests
Guest
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 19-March-2010 at 12:59PM |
|
I haven't seen any Holden Commodores,the reason I know about them is from going to I-CAR classes(Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair)
|
|
|
|
|
Torinogts73c
Senior Member
Joined: 14-February-2004 Location: Tucson Arizona Status: Offline Points: 1034 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 19-March-2010 at 12:56PM |
|
Well i do own a Charger lol but the rest of the stable is Blue Oval!!
|
|
|
Gary 73 Gran Torino Sport 351CJ,17 Mustang Ecoboost,15 Jeep Grand Cherokee LTD, Ford Ranger parts hauler
"Never complain Never explain" Henry Ford |
|
|
|
|
Post Reply
|
Page 123> |
| Tweet |
| Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |
Topic Options
rrlcommish wrote: