1971 Ford Torino GT

From the “no replacement for displacement” file comes this 1971 Ford Torino GT, which has been restored, but also upgraded from a 351-cu.in. two-barrel V-8 engine to an N-code 429-cu.in. V-8 engine (from a 1971 Thunderbird donor car) that has been bored and stroked to 468 cubic inches.

“I bought this GT sight unseen in March 2004,” the seller recalls. “I was surprised by the condition of the car when I received it—80% of the underside had undercoating on the original black paint, but it still required a full restoration in my opinion. I started it in 2006 and finished in early 2009.” Since then, the Ford has been driven about 2,500 miles, “but mostly it’s parked in climate-controlled storage.”

POWERTRAIN

The 429 block was bored .040-inch over and fitted with a longer stroke 460 cast crankshaft from Scat, original refurbished rods with ARP bolts, and Keith Black hypereutectic pistons. A Melling oil pump and new pan were sourced. Comp Cams’ hydraulic flat-tappet camshaft with 212/212 duration at .050-inch and 0.484/0.484-inch lift was specified, as were Sealed Power lifters and pushrods. The 429 heads were ported and received a valve job and new Ferrea valves and Comp Cams springs and retainers.

Holley’s 770-cfm carburetor and an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold were chosen, and a new distributor was fitted with a Pertronix electronic ignition. Cobra Jet valve covers and exhaust manifolds were added, the dual pipes measure 2.25-inches, and MagnaFlow mufflers set the tone. The fuel system, including the gas tank, was replaced as well. The seller reports “no unusual smoke.”

Lentech’s AOD four-speed automatic overdrive transmission with an Ultrabell and a 2,600 stall-speed converter “shifts fine,” the seller says. An Auburn Pro Locker differential unit, 3.50:1 gears (3.70:1 listed on the receipt was changed to 3.50:1), and new 31-spline Strange axles augment the 9-inch rear axle. The seller states that the “entire original powertrain is available for sale separately.”

EXTERIOR

After stripping the GT to bare metal in 2008, the seller discovered that the driver’s rear floor pan had rusted and required replacement “due to its improper factory installation that allowed water to get inside,” he laments. The passenger’s rear quarter panel had “sub-standard corrosion repair done in the past, so the damaged areas were cut out and replacement sections were fabricated, and the underside lip and dropdowns were duplicated to match OEM. A poorly done rust fix to the front driver’s fender, behind the wheel, was corrected, and the driver’s rear quarter had previously been replaced with an OEM panel, so minimal repair was required.”

The body was painted with a two-stage (basecoat/clearcoat) system in Bright Red. “I frequently get compliments at car shows with regard to the quality of the paint and how straight the body is,” the seller notes. “There’s a tiny blemish on the roof on the rear driver’s side. A few tiny chips are on the extreme lower body, but they will be touched up,” he says.

“Its original windshield is in very good condition, all the glass is factory tinted, and the rear glass has a slight abrasion in top driver’s corner that’s barely noticeable.” The seals and gaskets were replaced, and the lighting works, including the “new halogen headlights and high beam floor switch.”

INTERIOR

SMS fabrics provided the seat material, and the carpet and headliner are new, per the seller. The interior parts were redyed, a dash cap was installed, power windows from another Torino were retrofitted, and the donor Thunderbird’s tilt steering column was bolted in. A glove box light, rear window fan defogger with “unique three speed selector switch,” aftermarket seatbelts, and a tachometer were also added.

The factory A/C, heat, and speedometer “work fine,” he says, but the clock doesn’t, and “the fuel gauge reads slightly lower that what’s actually in tank.” Though the factory AM radio works well with its new in-dash speaker, the seller also mounted a Kenwood AM/FM/CD stereo beneath the dashboard and added four more speakers.

CHASSIS

All the suspension components were replaced during the restoration, except the front upper control arms, which were restored, he notes. A larger anti-roll bar was installed and an Addco rear bar was added to improve cornering. Magnum 500 15-inch wheels show “no wear, the tires are about 12-years-old with full thread, and there is no vibration at highway speeds,” the seller says. The power steering does not leak and play in the system is considered typical of cars of the era. An OEM power-assisted front disc brake swap was done, the remainder of the system was rebuilt; the brake lines are stainless steel, the flex lines are NOS, and the master cylinder was fitted with a stainless-steel sleeve.The seller states that this vehicle will be sold on the proper Ontario provincial document in his name for transfer of ownership. Additional paperwork includes an older U.S. title, the factory build sheet, a Marti report, restoration, a file of work performed by other and receipts for the parts. This 1971 Ford Torino GT retains the appearance of a restored muscle car, but packs the surprise punch provided by 468-cubic-inches of displacement, a built AOD to transfer the power rearward, and the 3.50:1-geared locker rear axle to put it to the pavement. The overdrive transmission also offers low-rpm highway cruising.