Gran Torino project?

[bmxr152]

So im thinking about picking up a 1972 Gran Torino for a project. The guy only want $900 for it and says it runs. He said it has a v8, but is unsure if its a 351, or 302. Im going to look at it tomarrow. From the outside it looks fairly clean. Anyways what do you guys think? Im not big time money maker, im a starving student:whine: so dont bash me to much.

 

[nckissfan]

those Torino's are cool. Go for it. I would say it probably has a 351 in it, but you never know with a car that old.

 

[SublimeRT]

Well if you've never had an old car as a project, just be aware that things can snowball REAL fast. And since they've been around for 30+ years and usually many different owners, they're always full of surprises. I've seen some things in old cars I was taking apart that made my jaw hit the floor. In the end though I think they're worth it - the whole experience of owning/restoring/cruising/showing/racing an old car of that era is like nothing else. You will learn so much and pick up some great skills along the way. It is an expensive hobby though. More than these Mustangs we mess with. Sometimes it is very difficult to find parts for them, and when you do you'll have to pay an arm and a leg for them. You'll also meet some really good people along the way. The groups of people that are into them seem much more tightly knit than most.

Good luck if you get it and if you do, post pics and keep us updated with progress on it. Those Torinos are good looking cars.

 

[SublimeRT]

Just to give you an idea of how bad things can snowball.........this is a '70 Challenger I did. The car looked pretty decent from 10-15 ft. Hell, even up close, didn't look too shabby. A little bit of rust bubbles here and there.

This is kinda a crappy picture, but you get the idea. This was pretty much as I bought it. I added the wheels, but it looks alright, eh?


Well I started taking the car apart. The further I got, the more rust I found. I ended up having to get new full quarter panels on both sides, full trunk floor and trunk floor extensions, rocker panels, door skins, patches at the hood hinges, and partial floor boards, AND a new roof. I had to find a roof off a donor car. I don't have many pics or many good ones, but here's some of what I found. These pics don't really do it justice, it was Bad. Yes, that is a very thick layer of bondo on the sail panels that I ground off.



My Dad thought it would be funny to paint seizure man on my car. He gives me shit cause I'm so OCD about my cars. You can see the fist sized hole though on the sail panel. Just the tip of the iceberg.


Here it is with the donor roof. You can see the big hole in the sail panel after more grinding and all the rust under the tail light panel.



So, check it out real good. It might be $900, but it could need $5k in body work alone like that car. Thankfully I got that car for dirt cheap before Mopars exploded.

 

[Gallows]

Reminds me of my old 88 5.0:rollseyes

 

[bmxr152]

wow thats sure a rusty one, its a califonia car though so im not going to expect to much rust.

 

[bmxr152]

i Guess the torino is pretty rusty, but i still bought it. I need a project, Here some pics
Its got a 9" rear with 3.90's, a built 306, built c4 with stall, and may other goodies. But i does got its problems and need hours and hours of work. Good thing is that im the 2nd owner, well gunna be the first. THe car has been NON-Oped since 88 and the non-op was stoped at 92 and hasnt been paid since. So the DMV is gunna start a new title for me and ill be the first owner with 10,000 miles on the clock. I only paid $550 for it too. what do you think?

 

[1997cobrasvt]

looks like a project!! have fun. i wish i had time to do one ...but doin a old car is one of the goals i have in my future...i want to do a frame off job and make a nasty drag fox body that is streetable.

 

[bmxr152]

Im hoping to build this into a drag beast and maybie a weekend crusier or something since i wont have to be dealing with Smog rules! Yup well first up is paint and interior, or well a gutted interior with some mustang seats or something, and sheetmetal door panels, and after all the hours of body work done by myself, thanks to the Highschool autobody class, im going to paint it a dark blue i think and i dont know if im gunna want to put a vnyl top back on it or not?

 

[maniak87]

not a huge fan of this torino body style but hey, it urs go for it!

ive been helping my buddy restore his 70 nova and man is it alot of work.

have fun with it and post updates :beer:

 

[1997cobrasvt]

yeah keep us updated !!!

 

[bmxr152]

For sure. Im getting a whole new ignition system this weeks since the one on there is shot. Then its on to the paint

 

[My94GT]

you sure got a project....do it right and dont short change anything. you do it right the first time spend good money on good parts and youll have one hell of a nice car

 

[PACIFICGREENSVT]

we had a 70 cyclone gt as a dd when i was a little kid. I think its the same platform.
keep posting pics of the project as you go.:thumbsup:

 

[- Aj -]

Here is a '70 Torino I did. Needed alot of work. Redid the motor, front suspension, installed a 9" rear, 3:70 gears, moved the shifter from the column to the floor, new upholstery, headliner, brakes, pretty much everything mechanical. Had a cheapy 15ft paint job, but looked ok. Sold it 3 years ago.

http://rides.webshots.com/album/48731523tjsQyW

 

[bmxr152]

After all the body work im thinking about jsut doing a cheapy singel stage paint and getting a new bear bumper, then getting a dash cover and some kinda mustang or simular semi-racing seats

 

[Silver2003Cobra]

I have pretty much the same project.. but mine's a fastback.. in my case though my dad was the 2nd owner, bought it in 78 with a blown 351C and had a 302 built and dropped into it.. he drove it for about 5 years and needed money so sold the engine and then the body.. the body was stored in a field for a year, then put into a garage where it was parked till I bought it back earlier this year for 700 dollars.

 

[Wintermute]

There is only one colour combo that belongs on that car, red with the white mono-stripe.

 

[bmxr152]

Yeah, i love the rear end of the 72's most, but the front isnt bad once you get done doing body work and such. im kinda wondering if i want to put a vynl top back on it or just paint the whole thing? I wondering how much it is for someone to make a top for me, anyone have a clue?
BTW Silver03cobra how much rust does it have?

 

[gomach1]

those are pretty cool cars, got a 65 falcon, looks real clean and still seems to be but havent dove to deeply into it yet. for now just planning on doing a drive train swap then restoreing the whole car

Just check it out real good and you should be fine, either way itll be a fun project