1969 Ford Torino GT / A Muscle Car of the late 60's
The car featured here is a 1969 Ford Torino GT. This was the second production year for Ford’s Torino and it was also the year that the Torino Cobra and Talledega models were first built. Ford’s Torino, named a mid-sized model, was produced from 1968 to 1976. The three stages of the Torino are the upgraded Fairlane stage, the Torino uprising, and the Gran Torino era.
Torino's First Year
In 1968 the Torino took over from the Ford Fairlane model. The Ford Torino was designed as a better version of the Fairlane.
Fairlanes were built after 1968 but they had a lower level of trim that the Torinos. These were the base level cars and were produced for the American market. By 1970 Torino had become the main name for Ford’s intermediate model. The Fairlane then became a sub-series of the Torino.
Torino's came out with larger bodies than the Fairlane. The Torino's offered several different body styles including hardtops, sedans and convertibles. Probably the most noticeable design element of the Ford Torinos are their great looking fastback bodies which had some resemblance to the Mustang except with a very different roofline.
A 60's muscle car the Ford Torino was. The Torino fastback model was a big hit with NASCAR. Driver David Pearson took the 1968 title. A Torino Cobra model was raced starting in 1969 and the semi-inclining lines on the Sportsroof model would see them transposed on the Australian Ford Falcon of Mad Max fame. In the mean time, the Torino GT Talladega, named for the opening of the Talledega race track made it’s entrance in 1969.
When the 1969 Ford Torino came out in 1969 most people saw cosmetic changes on the exterior body. What was really significant for that second year of Torino production was that the cars received quite a few performance upgrades. The 1969 model really stood out from the 68 model in the performance department.
Torino’s Big Engines for 1969
The Torino was built from the very beginning with lots of power and comfort with standard equipment V-8 engines from the small block 302, to the big block 390 and 428 Cobra Jet. The new 1969 Cobra was built purely for speed with one of the most powerful “showroom stock” performance engines ever built.
The full Torino line continued into the 1970 model year replacing the Fairlane with small six-cylinder and V-8 engines. These 1970 and 1971 models came with a complete new body style with entirely new looks.
Collectors were interested in the 1969 Torino GT and Cobra automobiles.
The semi-slanting GT car sold 56,819 units, however there were only 3,939 convertible models which made those pretty rare. The Cobra GT accounted for a small 7,675 buyers regardless of the fact that the car sported a 360-hp, Ram Air 429-cid V-8 and along with an optional four speed manual transmission.
See additional Muscle Car Journal articles on the links below.....
An All Electric Mustang Fastback That Does 0-60 In Under 3 Seconds
A Rare 2011 SMS / Bodurant Chevy Camaro
You may also enjoy this video of a 1968 Ford Torino Advertisement
Also see What Happened to the 60's Era Muscle Cars?
Two excellent reference sources regarding the Ford Torino include... Steve Magnante's 1001 Muscle Car Facts by Steve Magnante and Ford Torino 1968-1974 Performance Portfolio by author R.M. Clarke.
Late 60′s Ford Torino’s Make Good Collector Cars
Some of the lure of the late 1960′s Ford Torino’s is that they were a big part of the performance effort in mid sized cars. The year 1969 in particular saw the introduction of the Cobra and the Talledega as well as Richard Petty joining the Ford Motor stock car race team.
To give you an idea of asking prices as of this writing, we see Torino’s priced from the mid teens to the high $30,000 range. Originality, actual mileage and degree of restoration if any will determine the asking price.
We also see a rare Talledega with an asking price nearing $90,000. We also see an all original 1969 Richard Petty Edition GT Cobra with an asking price of $79,500.
(Article and photos copyright Muscle Car Journal)
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| 1969 Ford Torino |
In 1968 the Torino took over from the Ford Fairlane model. The Ford Torino was designed as a better version of the Fairlane.
Fairlanes were built after 1968 but they had a lower level of trim that the Torinos. These were the base level cars and were produced for the American market. By 1970 Torino had become the main name for Ford’s intermediate model. The Fairlane then became a sub-series of the Torino.
Torino's came out with larger bodies than the Fairlane. The Torino's offered several different body styles including hardtops, sedans and convertibles. Probably the most noticeable design element of the Ford Torinos are their great looking fastback bodies which had some resemblance to the Mustang except with a very different roofline.
A 60's muscle car the Ford Torino was. The Torino fastback model was a big hit with NASCAR. Driver David Pearson took the 1968 title. A Torino Cobra model was raced starting in 1969 and the semi-inclining lines on the Sportsroof model would see them transposed on the Australian Ford Falcon of Mad Max fame. In the mean time, the Torino GT Talladega, named for the opening of the Talledega race track made it’s entrance in 1969.
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| The Torino's fastback look |
Torino’s Big Engines for 1969
The Torino was built from the very beginning with lots of power and comfort with standard equipment V-8 engines from the small block 302, to the big block 390 and 428 Cobra Jet. The new 1969 Cobra was built purely for speed with one of the most powerful “showroom stock” performance engines ever built.
The full Torino line continued into the 1970 model year replacing the Fairlane with small six-cylinder and V-8 engines. These 1970 and 1971 models came with a complete new body style with entirely new looks.
Collectors were interested in the 1969 Torino GT and Cobra automobiles.
The semi-slanting GT car sold 56,819 units, however there were only 3,939 convertible models which made those pretty rare. The Cobra GT accounted for a small 7,675 buyers regardless of the fact that the car sported a 360-hp, Ram Air 429-cid V-8 and along with an optional four speed manual transmission.
See additional Muscle Car Journal articles on the links below.....
An All Electric Mustang Fastback That Does 0-60 In Under 3 Seconds
A Rare 2011 SMS / Bodurant Chevy Camaro
You may also enjoy this video of a 1968 Ford Torino Advertisement
Also see What Happened to the 60's Era Muscle Cars?
Two excellent reference sources regarding the Ford Torino include... Steve Magnante's 1001 Muscle Car Facts by Steve Magnante and Ford Torino 1968-1974 Performance Portfolio by author R.M. Clarke.
Late 60′s Ford Torino’s Make Good Collector Cars
 |
| 69 Ford Torino dashboard |
Some of the lure of the late 1960′s Ford Torino’s is that they were a big part of the performance effort in mid sized cars. The year 1969 in particular saw the introduction of the Cobra and the Talledega as well as Richard Petty joining the Ford Motor stock car race team.
To give you an idea of asking prices as of this writing, we see Torino’s priced from the mid teens to the high $30,000 range. Originality, actual mileage and degree of restoration if any will determine the asking price.
We also see a rare Talledega with an asking price nearing $90,000. We also see an all original 1969 Richard Petty Edition GT Cobra with an asking price of $79,500.
(Article and photos copyright Muscle Car Journal)
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