44K Mile 429 Cobra Jet 1971 Ford Torino GT
I’m on the fence with white cars sometimes. It almost seems like it’s a copout to have a white vehicle when there are actual colors available but I think it looks great on this 1971 Ford Torino GT fastback. This one can be found here on eBay in Fraser, Michigan with a buy it now price of $18,500 and a single bid of $12,000.
There were 28 colors available for the 1971 Torino and some really nice wheel options. I could be wrong but I don’t think these are Ford factory wheels for a Torino GT… I like the Wimbledon White here with the stripe, but in looking at the other colors, I may have gone with a Grabber Blue or Grabber Yellow, or maybe Pinto Lime. Enough about color, what matters is what condition a vehicle is in and this one looks pretty nice in the limited photos that are in the listing.
This is the only photo showing even a partial view of the passenger side, hopefully, it looks as good as the driver’s side does. You can see that the stripe has seen better days compared to the driver’s side photos. They say that the passenger side quarter panel was replaced sometime in the 1970s and it would sure be nice to see it. This car only has 44,000 miles on it so that’s a bonus, and it has a dealer-installed vinyl roof which may or may not be a bonus given the next owner’s view of vinyl roofs.
The interior looks great other than maybe needing a little surgery here and there. The seller says that there’s a hole on the dash where the original owner mounted a CB Radio and they mounted some gauges in the face of the dash, unfortunately. They do have a nice upper and lower dash that comes with the car. Also, a sunroof was installed in the 1970s and they have another entire roof that comes with the car. The tag on the driver’s door shows the transmission as being a C6 3-speed automatic.
The engine is a 429 cubic-inch Cobra Jet V8 and 4-barrel carb and around 370 hp. I’m imagining that this car would do a very nice Jay-Leno-approved burnout on the pavement. They say that there’s a small leak from the front transmission seal and a small exhaust leak by the right side manifold and it’s still wearing its original and complete factory exhaust system. Any thoughts on this 1971 Torino GT or the hidden-headlight ’70-’71 Torinos, in general?
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Comments
Seems relatively cheap as is. But I would want the sunroof and while you’re at it, the vinyl top, to go, but that would greatly increase the overall cost.
The sunroof is the reason for the $18,000 bin. I’d fill in the hole and install a new vinyl top, probably replace the dash to get rid of the gauges, then drive it, as is.
Too bad it wasn’t a 4spd.
Steve R
Do I see a new floorpan in the trunk? If so my thought is more like 144,000 miles. Check the entire body for rust and would need underbody shots too. Personally I would want the sunroof gone and the vinyl roof too, but I like the color combo. Torino’s always look better with the hide-away headlights.
If this does have 144000 miles, it’s looking extra clean for a Michigan car. Based on the lack of rust, and the fact the driver’s seat hasn’t completely split in the seams where one would sit, I’m inclined to believe this could be a genuine 44k mile car. When I was a kid, our family had a ’72 Mercury back then. We live in the Toronto area in Ontario, using vast amounts of salt just as Michigan does. The ’72 Merc was hauled away to the boneyard in ’84. Just about everything was rusted, and it “only” had 120k miles on it. Lower doors, trunk, brakes lines, all rotted away. The front bench seat was split in every seam due to regular use – the back seat was still pristine. Either this is a meticulously maintained 144k mile car, or it truly is a low-mile example.
Not a new floor pan, but a new gas tank.
That is the gas tank you see in the trunk pictures, not a floor pan.
The mileage on a car has absolutely nothing to do with rusted or non rusted trunk floors, or any other body panel for that matter. Exposure to salt or water are the factors that impact the lifespan of sheet metal.
I’d be all over that thing if I had room for it. Just a monster drivetrain!
Beautiful car and for me the white makes it easier to fly under the radar, and truly enjoy that 429CJ. If I owned this beauty, roasted rear tires would be a regular dish on the summer menu.
I’m sure a 4 speed would warrant more money!! Even being an automatic it’s a sweet car with the 429 in it!!! I think the buy it now isn’t a bad price for the shape it’s in!!! Especially after seeing what some of the trashed corvettes are bringing these days!! I realize it’s not a corvette but buying this car at this price doesn’t seem like you’d ever be upside down on it!! The interior looks good the body looks straight! I’d hit the bit button right now if I had the money laying around!!!
Love this car, not into the sunroof but I don’t even care..this is the last of the truly hairy chested mid sized Ford’s. That 429 CJ still had over 11 to 1 compression in a year when other manufacturers had started lowering them down. Awesome ride that I could never find years ago when price were way lower.
Gotta ask though, is this a GT or a Cobra? They did offer both and the Cobra was the stand out muscle head version. Noticed the decal on the rear fender. Don’t care about the transmission, the C6 is fine, only thing that would make it even better would be a solid lifter super cobra jet. Fearsome Ford!!
Column shift, no Ram Air , No Shaker, no Slats,all in all the basest of base models with that engine…a Shane, because the full on real Cobra Jet option with Oil cooler, Detroit Locker, Shaker, etc was only like 450-600$ more. I think price wise it’s right where it needs to be. Torinos are overlooked because millions were built and the vast majority was the sluggish 351W 2V version *yawn* but when you actually see an up-optioned full on Cobra Jet, they are pretty cool. Fords answer to the Chevelle.
That was a heck of a neat factory stripe FoMoCo did……..
This is not a Cobra, it is a Torino GT. The Laser stripe and hideaway headlights were not offered on Cobras. The 429CJ would be correct if fifth letter in the VIN is a “C” as seller described (K=429 2bbl, N=429 4bbl, etc). The trunk floor of the 68-71 Fairlane, Torino and Cobras is the gas tank (just like Mustangs). The wheels, like the sunroof and holes in the dash, are not factory. Note that the driver’s door jamb looks good (no fractured metal around the striker screws); 44k milage may be correct.
A laser stripe was an option on the ’71 Cobra, but not the ’70 Cobra.
There was never a 429-2V option on the Cobra.
Check out the recent Hemmings article on Torinos, very informative.
I would not restore but fix all the problems. Nice car to save.
I don’t think fender mounted turn signal indicators came on Torinos; it seems that there are a LOT of “add ons”: the bumper guards aren’t stock, Cobra decals, gauges installed in the dash, and horrors! that add on sun roof/vinyl top. And what is that item at the bottom of the ‘a’ pillar? It would be nice if this car had a Marti report, I’d approach this one w/ caution.
Bumper guards were standard on the 71 Torino thanks to those empowered to look out for our best interests.
I think you could get fender turn signals on the Torino Brougham. Maybe a previous owner liked the look of an old style A-pillar spot light? If the car IS original and retains the (R) 3.25 track loc that’d put the 140 mph speedo to use. Pity there’s a clock where a ribbon tac should be. I’d pony up to replace the vinyl/sunroof atrocity and what looks like a Mustang II steering wheel, put on stock wheels and drive it like I stole it. The Laser Stripe tape can be replaced by someone that wants to see it sitting still. Hopefully the build sheet is still under the bottom of the back seat.
If I had $19k, I’d buy this in a heartbeat, even at the BIN price this is a bargain. Just think what a 429 ci. Mustang would be.
Rare car.
Love to have this rather than a Rustang.
Great car, but the after market sun roof is a definite downer.
Nah, aftermarket sunroof, cars not worth it, when you replace the roof, your gonna paint the quarters, panel behind the back glass if vinyl top is there, now you gotta paint Mr the whole car, stripe, needs wheels, and a dash
if you look at the odometer the numbers do not line up this is an indicator it has fliped anyone in the know knows that its not 44 k
I guess the people that said they would get rid of the sunroof and fill in the hole didn’t read that a new roof comes with the car and same for the upper and lower dash. The car would be a lot better with a 4 speed manual transmission instead of the automatic transmission.
Yup. You guys convinced me.
Just junk the thing. 400 bucks for the whole thing
I’ve been a Ford guy much of my life and have a love/hate relationship with some models. The Torino is one of them. And really despise vinyl roof treatments. Never ceases to amaze me why certain options (or lack thereof) appear on various cars. Why, for instance, the original purchaser of this one didn’t opt for the console with floor mounted shifter baffles me. 429 CJ with a column shifter ? Really ??? Bumper over-riders look awful too. Upon looking at this one’s ad I saw a pristine ’71 Torino Cobra w 25K miles, though it was the 351…BUT, 4 speed car . In basically the same yellow color as my ’67 Fairlane GTA, and with very nice black paint package. To each their own….
Everyone has an opinion but some of them here border on stupidity
Well I have two 1970 torinos and two 1970 rancheros now. I would take this one if I had the room. 29 years working for FOMOCO I know a little about them.
This car has got it right where it needs to be. This 429, when tuned, cammed, and the airflow and compression is just right, is a real fire breathing beast