Old car guy with new 1972 Gran Torino project

Hi, all. I'm Jay, and I am in the process of buying a 1972 Gran Torino formal roof project. This will be the first car project I've tackled in a pretty long time on this level, and it was suggested to me by the guy I am buying it from that this is one of the best forums for more information on these- and from what I have been lurking and reading here, that seems to be the case. So I hope you will welcome me in and help me out with answers, if possible, in the process of getting another one of these back on the road (and perhaps the occasional weekend local car show, cruise-in, and so forth. Here's a few pictures of where I am starting from, including the MARTI report on it and also one of what I am wanting to consider trying to use some parts from; my 2007 Crown Vic P71 as a donor for its 4 wheel disk ABS brakes, possibly power rack and pinion steering, and A/C system if it can all be made to work on the Torino. What I do not have a picture of yet is the 351C-4V engine for it and the FMX transmission, and the Magnum 500 wheels (if I don't wind up using the cop car spindles, steering, and wheels instead), plus whatever else might be adaptable/useable like the battery, radiator, etc. It came with the factory competition suspension option, so hopefully with some new bushings and shocks, along with the modern disk brakes and steering, it *could* be a really great driver once finished (and was probably a real sleeper in its day back in 1972).

Here's a few pictures of what I am starting out with. I know it looks rough, but there are some other parts that are not seen in the photos like the bucket seats, console, floor shifter set-up, non-column shift steering column, extra wiring harness, etc. that will give a good start. I am not dead-set on trying to do any sort of 100% original restoration, but I don't want to go TOO far off the reservation with it either. The body seems pretty solid except for the dents in the nose, the drivers door, and the rust spot in the roof that needs repair. Maybe a color change, strip the side moldings but redo the landau roof AFTER properly treating the metal underneath to preserve it, going to the console and bucket seats instead of the original Ginger bench interior, and such? My FIRST goal is to get it and the motor paid for and look around to get inspiration from others' projects, to get a firm plan in mind as well as trying to determine what parts if any I can use/adapt from the Crown Vic. Any thoughts/comments/opinions are appreciated and considered. Thanks!

(and one of the 2007 Crown Vic potential donor car)

Welcome!  I have upgraded you to a new member and you have full forum privileges.  Looks like a good project car, definitely lots of work.  We did have one former member try to swap a '72 body onto a modern Crown Vic frame, but he never finished the project (or updated us).  The frames are pretty close in dimensions.

Start a project thread so we can follow your build.

Okay; change of plans. I paid off the Gran Torino today and the guy I bought it from has a shop with a lift, and was kind enough to roll it into the shop and lift it up to where we could walk under it and get a better look at what lurked underneath. Well, to my (pleased) surprise, the bottom side was in pretty good condition, frame and all. It still had most of its undercoating on it and in the spots where that was lifting, about 98% of it still had the factory underpaint on the body. There were a few small spots that need to be addressed but for a 50-year-old car I was honestly kind of shocked at the condition up under it. There was one dent in the floorpan where it looks like somebody might have picked it up with a forklift but it also looks like it could be knocked back down (and the metal was still solid) and most of the competition suspension seemed in pretty good condition as well.

All this to say; at this point I am no longer planning on trying to do the frame swap with the Crown Vic as I just don't see the need for it. With the original competition suspension and *maybe* a set of better springs (maybe a 2" drop?) and some new shocks, and maybe a good brake job, and at most one of the quick ratio steering boxes, I am going to see what I can get out of it first without changing TOO much from original (at least to the frame and drivetrain). The car was originally a standard bench seat column shift but came with the Sport interior parts along with a complete wiring harness, floor shifter and console, dash with the factory A/C control, most of the original A/C setup, and the non-column shift steering column, so it is going to get the fancy interior stuff done. But that's a lot less work than a frame swap, and I have a line on a good 351-4V Cleveland, as well as the rebuilt FMX that was included with the deal so that is going to be the route I am now looking at. Hopefully that will simplify the build and maybe get it back on the road far sooner and far easier and cheaper than the Crown Vic swap? (And maybe even add some value to those who would rather see it be closer to original than resto-mod, should I ever decide to sell it- which I don't plan on doing) Here's a few shots of the belly of the beast (and yes, I saw where some damn fool cut holes in the gas tank. If they can't be welded safely, then I may need a new one. All this set of photos were taken from underneath looking up, so pardon the weird angles, and also into the gas tank from the sending unit hole.