From Torino to Gran Movie Star
When Walt Kowalski discovers somebody inside his garage messing with his 1972 Gran Torino, he takes action, grabbing a shotgun and heading to the haven of his most prized possession. Just Kowalski’s facial expression is enough to essentially turn the perpetrator to mush…”Do ya feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?”
Whoops. Wrong iconic cinema moment. But you have to wonder if Clint Eastwood’s character (in the 2008 Eastwood directed Gran Torino) was so enthralled by his Gran Torino that his Dirty Harry alter ego stepped forward to teach this punk a lesson. If they just had a .44 Magnum magically appear…
Movie cars typically have an aura attached to them and Kowalski’s Gran Torino played a central role (hence the movie title). When Ford produced the 1972 versions, some 92,000 were decked out as Gran Torino Sport models, each having that identifiable hood scoop (only functional on very rare Ram Air Induction option models).
Some could be ordered similar to the movie car with the side laser stripe, Magnum 500 wheels and it was possible to up the go-power to a 429ci, but this was the tail end of what we now call the muscle car era and the powerplant became a low rev, high torque engine that was just a shadow of its former self.
The Torino was born in 1968 as a variation of Ford’s popular Fairlane models, adding upgraded trim to make it a sub series of the line. In 1970 the Torino moniker became the primary model with Fairlane falling to the sub series designation and Fairlane was dropped altogether in 1971. Torino had been listed as one of the proposed names for the Mustang when it was under development but was attached to Ford’s intermediate line as a twin to Mercury’s Montego.
The intermediate line was not ignored when it came to power, however, though much of the Torino line was populated with 4-door sedans. In the initial 1968 offering you could order a Torino with a 428ci Cobra-Jet sporting 335 horsepower, but it was not released until April of that year so few of these cars were sold. These could be ordered with the standard three-speed manual or the optional automatic or 4-speed trans. A 390 ci was also available for the line but the excitement for muscel fans was the 429 with the Ram Induction, 3.91:1 gears and Cruise-a-matic which recorded a 14.2 second 98.9 mph ¼ mile when tested by Car and Driver Magazine.
In 1969 the Torino wasn’t changed dramatically but was available as a Cobra 2-door SportsRoof and hardtop. Ford used the Cobra name only on those particular models and came standard with the 428 Cobra-Jet engine, special suspension, 4-speed and F70 X 14 tires. Hood lock pins and “Cobra” emblems marked this competitor to Plymouth’s Road Runner and used a lower trim level to keep it in line with what Chrysler Corporation was offering. The Torino GT could be ordered with the same engine options, but the trim level became a bit more luxurious.
NASCAR was not far away from Ford marketers in 1969 as well with the Torino Talladega offered during the first few weeks of the year and produced specifically to be competitive in NASCAR racing. Because of homologation rules, a minimum 500 of these special Torinos were produced, and Mercury also produced the Cyclone Spoiler II at the same time.
The Torino Talladega (named after Talladega Super Speedway which opened in 1969 as well), used the Cobra Sportsroof (fastback) 2-dr hardtop and the front end was “smoothed” based on a design from the Holman-Moody Race Team. The nose of the car was extended six inches and the grill flush mounted with a flush mounted bumper created from a reshaped rear bumper attached and pushed close in to the body work. The car’s rocker panels were also reshaped so the car could be lowered an additional inch.
The Talladegas had engine and power steering oil coolers, staggered shocks, a heavy-duty C-6 automatic column shifted trans and a 9-inch 3:25.1 31 spline rear end. These components could be ordered on other Torinos, but normally were included within “drag pack” options except the drag pack used a 4-speed and limited slip rear.
Appearance wise the cars had “competition black” hoods and tail panels and you could only get one interior…black vinyl and cloth bench seat.
The Talladegas marked the end of Ford’s racing programs after 1969 though some teams continued to campaign the cars in 1970 when Ford replaced the cars with a less aerodynamic version. NASCAR basically banned these aero cars by restricting them to 305 cubic inch engines and the aerodynamic racers became history.
Some 750 of these special Torinos were produced and are high collectible today.
In 1970 the Torino became the primary mid-size, replacing the Fairlane which became a sub-series. The new car featured a “long hood, short deck” styling that was a departure from previous years making the Torino longer, lower and wider. The windshield rake was increased and the entire exterior became much more aerodynamic with a pointed front end and “Coke bottle” shape.
Ford offered a Super Cobra Jet 429 CJ rated at 385 horsepower and still offered the Ram Air induction hood, though late in the year came out with a “shaker hood” which attached the hood scoop to the engine, sticking through a hole in the hood.
Few changes were made in 1971 for the Torino as Ford dropped both the Fairlane and Falcon models. All engines except the 429ci had a slight drop in compression, limiting power and the Cobra was still alive, but its standard engine became the 351–4V. The death nell was sounding throughout the industry as manufacturers grappled with insurance company concerns and required emission controls.
1972 saw another redesign, but the car maintained its “Coke bottle” shape, dropping the windshield angle to 60 degrees and adding a large egg crate grill. Ford cut the number of Torino models from 14 to nine, but the big story was the change from unit-construction to body-on-frame construction. That provided the Torino with a quieter ride and less vibration. Ford also decided to make the 2-door and 4-door models slightly different sizes with the 2-doors having a 114 inch wheelbase and the 4-doors sporting 188 inches.
Federal regulations mandated 5 mph bumper systems in 1973, so Torino saw another exterior change to accommodate the new front-end sheet metal. The car picked up some additional weight with the bumper changes and the 429ci could still be ordered, but Ford also offered a new 460ci with the same 385hp rating. 1974 heralded more mandated bumper changes, this time for the rear which added more square shaped chrome. Ford designers decided “opera” windows should also be an option on Torinos and the line essentially moved into more luxury with leather=wrapped steering wheels and even fender skirts to give the cars a longer, lower appearance.
A competition suspension option was also dropped in 1974 and 1974 proved to be the end of the performance 351 CJ engine and 4-speed transmission. Heading into the 1975 and 1976 years, catalytic converters, landau roofs and a standard rear axle ratio of 2.75:1 killed off what little performance the line had remaining.
Except for Starsky and Hutch. Remember those loner TV detectives who roared around the mystical city of Bay City, California in Starsky’s bright red “Striped Tomato”, a 1975 Torino that had a vector stripe applied to its flanks which instantly placed the car (and the show) in television history. The show actually ran for four years, ending in 1979, but the “Striped Tomato” lived on in infamy with Ford actually producing around 1300 special editions in 1976 to honor the TV star car. Of course today, those original editions are sought after by collectors, but as with all things, many knock-offs and clones have also flooded the market, keeping the value relatively tame.
1976 was the final year for the Torino which sold just 193,096 units that year. The only Torino component that lived on for a couple more years was its chassis which found a home under the Ford LTD II, Thunderbird, Ranchero and Mercury Cougar.
