The Ford Torino Page Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > General Discussion > The Welcome Mat
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Long Time Coming but it’s Time
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Long Time Coming but it’s Time

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
71TorinoRagtop View Drop Down
New Member
New Member
Avatar

Joined: 26-May-2020
Location: Atco, NJ
Status: Offline
Points: 5
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote 71TorinoRagtop Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Long Time Coming but it’s Time
    Posted: 26-May-2020 at 9:43AM
Hi, longtime Torino owner here. It was given to me by my father when I got my drivers license in 1988 but had been sitting for many years before I got the keys. It was in pretty rough shape but I put it back on the road and kept it there for a few years, putting many miles on it driving all over South Jersey, before I took it off of the road. 

I was five years old when my dad bought it off of a used car lot in 1976. He actually let me choose between this car and another convertible next to it. My future 1971 Torino GT convertible was resale red with a black interior and top. The original color is light/ medium green metallic. 302 2V, column shift auto with a bench seat, ps, pdb and no air.

I took it off of the road to begin a restoration in 1991. Bought a 1970 Mustang fastback to drive because the Torino was just simply worn out and needed lots of work including repairing lots of rust. Had tried restoring and driving the Torino at the same time but that’s just not a good idea. Learned that even as I previously painted it grabber blue in body shop school while driving it back and forth to school every day.

The car was barely underway when I lost the cheap garage that I was renting to restore it in. It was on a home made jig that I made to hold it while I cut out the passenger side inner rocker panel. Was barely able to shore it back up before it began its 25+ year journey from storage to storage location. It’s currently in my home garage under a mountain of parts and other stuff. 

Present day has me deciding to change my wicked ways of having too much stuff and not enough room to work on any of it. Going to sell off or part out my Mustang, thin down and focus on restoring my Torino. Starting and having a family definitely made it easy to let the cars sit. Whether either of my sons is interested in helping is up to them, I won’t pressure but I hope that somebody joins me out in the garage.

My plans for the car is to restore it mostly original but with a few convenience upgrades like air and power windows. A manual transmission conversion is also in the plan. Already have the pedal rack, transmission and other assorted stuff for that. Unfortunately, over the years I lost my original convertible top frame, also the very nice top frame that I had located in a junk yard 30 years ago, the original bench seat and a bunch of other small parts. 

By this upcoming winter I hope to have located a top frame and be underway with the metal work. Have been just longing to enjoy this car again. Hope this wasn’t too long winded. 
Back to Top
72FordGTS View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group
Avatar
GTS.org Admin

Joined: 06-September-2005
Location: Ontario, Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 5802
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 72FordGTS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26-May-2020 at 11:14AM
Your introduction was not too long at all. It was a great read and what a cool car to own. Not only are these Torino convertibles rare, but having the long history with it makes it a family heirloom.

We'd love to follow the restoration project, so feel free to start a project thread. I upgraded you to a full member so you have full forum privileges and can upload photos.
Vince

1972 Ford GTS Sportsroof - Survivor, One Family car

GTS.org Admin
Back to Top
californiajohnny View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar

Joined: 05-October-2013
Location: winlock, wa
Status: Offline
Points: 14606
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote californiajohnny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26-May-2020 at 3:42PM
nope not too long at all, welcome! yes any pics you got would be cool Wink start a project thread...
JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE
74 VETTE CUSTOM
90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED
77 CELICA CUSTOM
75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED
79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED
75 VEGA V6 5 SPD
70 CHEV C10 P/U
68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION
Back to Top
71TorinoRagtop View Drop Down
New Member
New Member
Avatar

Joined: 26-May-2020
Location: Atco, NJ
Status: Offline
Points: 5
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 71TorinoRagtop Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27-May-2020 at 12:22AM
I’ll start a thread on the project soon, before I get started. It’s going to take a month at least just to clean out and organize the garage. Started on the cleanout yesterday. Lots of spiders. Lots of junk that i’ll never use.
1971 Torino GT ragtop
1970 Mustang fastback
Back to Top
handsofstone View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 13-April-2018
Location: Northeast
Status: Offline
Points: 3941
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote handsofstone Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07-June-2020 at 2:20PM
Sounds like a sweet project. Looking forward to following your progress.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.06
Copyright ©2001-2023 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.094 seconds.