4-Speed And New Paint: 1968 Ford Torino GT
If you weren’t a Ford guy, you might warm up to the Blue Oval with this 1968 Ford Torino GT convertible. This one’s a real looker, has been owned by the same person for the last twenty-five years, and has undergone a respray in the original shade of what appears to be Presidential Blue Metallic. Nicely equipped, this first-year Torino is located in Warwick, Rhode Island and is available, here on craigslist for $32,000. Thanks are due to Mitchell G. for this tip!
So the big news for ’68 was the redesign of Ford’s intermediate Fairlane along with the introduction of the new Torino, a higher trim level Fairlane. The Torino lineup included two different two-door hardtops, (fastback and notchback), a convertible, a four-door sedan, and a station wagon. The “sporty” GT, such as our subject car came in two-door body styles only, including hardtops and a convertible. Ford definitely had high-bank racing maneuvers on their mind in ’68 as both the Torino GT and Fairlane 500 fastbacks provided the wind-cheating designs necessary to be competitive for 500 miles at 190 MPH.
As mentioned earlier, this Torino has been repainted in its original shade and presents beautifully. The finish is strong and deep, with a nice shine, and it contrasts perfectly with the white folding convertible top. The white GT lower body stripe and styled steel wheels complete the look.
Power is provided by a 210 gross HP, new for ’68, 302 CI “Windsor” V8 engine that is connected to a four-speed manual transmission. The odometer proclaims 132K miles, but no worries the seller tells us that the small-block engine has been rebuilt, but…he doesn’t indicate when, or what exactly was done, and there’s no included image – a big faux pas! One thing that we do know is that the engine is equipped with headers and the seller claims it “runs great“.
Another missed opportunity is the interior – it’s not photographed either. It’s a blue vinyl, bucket seat environment, and from what little can be glimpsed, it appears to be in nice shape but we’ll never know without more documentation. And speaking of that documentation, when I come across a listing that’s a bit scant in details, I often pass it by without another look. But in this case, if I were interested in this generation Torino/Fairlane, I’d ask for more info. This Torino GT is a nicely balanced package of an attractive model that is often too overshadowed by GM’s ’68-’72 A-body intermediate powerhouse lineup. And that leads us to the matter of price – $32,000. What do you think, priced right or not quite?
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Comments
To paraphrase Homer Simpson, “WHEN are the pictures of the interior coming?”
Seriously – pictures would hopefully give us clues to tell us if this is a legit 4 speed, or a possible 3 speed column shift converted to a floor shift 4 speed. I have some doubts without pictures…and I’m a positive person. Think about the negative Nellies out there.
A very nice Torino rag top. You sure don’t see these every day. Maybe the grandkids aren’t into cars, so they don’t understand the value of good pictures when it comes to selling? Assuming the seller didn’t snap these.
A nice, fairly scarce Torino GT. I think the ask is too high, especially for a small block. I doubt it’s a 4-speed, more likely a 3-speed. It’s set up pretty similar to the ’69 Torino GT i had back in the ’90s. Mine had the same 302 and three-on-the-tree with a bench seat. It was a nice car that I enjoyed quite a bit and the small V8 gave adequate performance for top-down cruising. The lack of interior and engine pictures is disappointing and certainly won’t help selling the car.
Looks nice – long term ownestrange.
Like the headers.
No engine or interior pics is strange.
Do not ever see the convertible anymore.
Correction-
Long term owner is GOOD sign.
Nice car for what you can see but with no documents for the engine and nothing on the interior I’d say pass for that kind of money repaint is always a reason to cover something up
With out pics of the interior and engine I would offer $18000, sight unseen. If interested, call or text 304-673-2224.
Covertible + manual transmission 🙌
Color does not look like Presidential Blue to me. Maybe a midnight blue shade? Almost looks black. That top has seen better days. I’m not so sure those are bucket seats either. Lacking important pics. Price seems high based on pics. Otherwise those are fantastic cars!
Bucket seats were standard equipment in the Torino GT.
JO
Bucket seats and console were options – my Torino GT has the bench seat it came with.
Note the attached, it’s the ’68 Torino GT brochure. It states (lower right) that bucket seats were standard equipment. There was a full-width bench seat available (bottom image) but it was an option.
What I see in our subject car looks like the backs of bucket seats, but admittedly, it’s hard to tell.
JO
Thank you Jim – figures I would get the bench and column shift!
Very good write up.
Need those engine and trunk and interior shots.
Thank you!
JO
As a lifetime GM guy, I have to say that this is a Ford that I would love to own!
That’s all folks!
Nice car; bad sales presentation. How hard is it to snap a few pictures of the engine bay and interior? I’m not married to any one brand. There are lots of Fords, GM’s and Mopars that I’d like to have. This is one of the Fords. I like oddball makes, independent and orphans too. If you’re at a good buffet you might as well enjoy all it has to offer. That’s one of the reasons I like BF! Keep up the great work.
Being a 70 would make it lots better. But that’s just my personal taste.
The Torino GT stripes are wrong. They were for the lesser Fairlane 500. Every Torino I owned had the long side scallops. ’69’s were a little closer together, but full length, nevertheless. All my GT’s had buckets and consoles, but I’m not sure about the bench.
Atta boy malcom!! Good eyes. Hey i get my tennis shoes out, so i can out run 210hp. Car aint worth it.
Fastbacks had different stripes than the hardtop and convertible. Stripes on this car are correct for a drop top.
Am I seeing things, on the right a red stripe and on the left a crome strip, and 2 different iinteriors ??
In 1972 I traded our troublesome 1969 VW squareback for a 1968 Torino GT, at Courtesy Ford in Denver. Drove it into the 1980s. it was a good car. It had a 390 two barrel with dual exhausts and a bench seat/column shift C6. A friend of mine and a Ford fanatic said it couldn’t have come that way…until he found an identical one in teal, which he bought. Mine was off white.
Funny side story, Courtesy Ford had two ’68 Shelbys on the lot, one a GT350 and the other one a GT500KR. I could have had either one for $2395, but I figure they wouldn’t make very good family cars, so I bought the Torino for $1695.
Had a neighbor on my paper route that had one of these in green with a black top and interior. His had the 302 Windsor V8 and the 4-speed. They did build them this way. Not all Torino GT’s were rip roaring high performance cars. I would say that most weren’t.
Not sure if $32K is a good price, think a person would need more information, but I like this car.
Fastbacks had different stripes than the hardtop and convertible. Stripes on this car are correct for a drop top.