The Ford Torino GT was easily one of the most underrated American muscle cars from the 1960s, one that was an underdog to the iconic Ford Mustang.
The Ford Mustang is one of the most celebrated muscle cars of all time. It is among the few that are still going strong long after the muscle car heydays of the 1960s. That said, there were a bunch of other cars that didn’t last as long as the Mustang but played an equally huge role in fueling the muscle car craze back in the day. The Ford Torino GT easily tops this list. It was in production from 1968 to 1976, and unlike the Mustang, it was a proper muscle car since the day it made its debut.
Since the Torino GT had a relatively short production run of just six years, its surviving examples are currently fetching impressive dollar figures on auction platforms. Here are a few reasons why it is likely that this Ford will soon be worth a fortune.
The Ford Torino GT Debuted With Impressive V8 Motors
When Ford introduced the Torino in 1968, it came as a high-end variant of the Fairlane intermediate. It was available in three different body styles: a 2-door hardtop, a 4-door sedan, and a station wagon. The standard Torino came with a 200 cu-in six-cylinder engine across its model line-up. However, to give Torino a fighting chance against the Chevelle and the Charger, Ford also decided to introduce a more powerful GT trim which came from the factory with a 302 cu-in 4.9-liter V8 motor.
To make the Torino GT on par with its peers, Ford offered it in three different body shapes that were distinct from the standard Torino line-up. The 1968 GTs were available as a 2-door hardtop, a 2-door sports-roof hardtop, and a convertible. Apart from the 302, which would later become the favorite small-block motor for many, the Torino GTs were also available with a 390 cu-in and the 427 cu-in V8 as an option.
The entire Torino line-up, including the GT, was available as standard with a floor-mounted three-speed manual transmission. Buyers could also choose from a three-speed automatic and a four-speed manual.
Some of you who are on the lookout for a Ford Torino GT today might be unaware that this muscle car was also available with a 289 cu-in V8 for a short while. In 1968, soon after the production of the Torino began, Ford had to face a six-week UAW strike. This forced the carmaker to take temporary cost-cutting measures and sell the Torino GTs with a 289 cu-in V8 motor.
However, Ford didn’t change the 302 nomenclature on the car. So for a short while, several Torino GTs were leaving the Ford factory with the 302 badging but with a 289 cu-in V8 under the hood.
The Ford Torino GT With The Cobra Jet Motor Was A Beast
The standard 302 small block and the optional 390 and 427 big block motors allowed the Torino GT to pull impressive quarter-mile runs. However, the show’s star was the 428 cu-in big-block Cobra Jet V8 introduced in the Torino GTs starting from the 1969 model year. With 335 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque, the Cobra Jet was among the most potent stock motors of the muscle car era.
The 1969 Ford Torino GTs sold with the Cobra Jet motor came with a bunch of other performance upgrades over the standard Torino. It was available from the factory with a dual-exhausts, stiffer suspension, and bucket seats, among other high-performance bits and pieces. In addition, models with the Cobra Jet V8s were available with optional Ram air induction and a functional hood scoop. As standard, these models came with a floor-mounted four-speed manual shifter.
1970 saw the introduction of the second generation of Torino, with the Fairlane nameplate now existing as a variant of the former. Apart from a redesign, the Torino GTs from that model year also received new engine options: a 351 cu-in Cleveland V8 and the 429 cu-in Cobra Jet big block. The latter was good for 360 horsepower, with the power output bumping up to 365 horses with the ram-air induction.
The second generation of the Torino bowed away to the third-gen in 1972, which came with major cosmetic changes. However, things remained relatively unchanged on the mechanical front. Also, the GT nameplate was dropped for this generation, and the Gran Torino Sport came in its place.
The third generation of the Ford Torino ran till 1976, and by the time this muscle car signed off for good, it had transformed into a luxury offering, with its performance options slowly fading away.
Here’s What A Ford Torino GT Will Cost You Today
Currently, a Ford Torino is fetching an average price of $38,000 on auction platforms. The demand for the second generation Torinos is higher than the rest of its models years, with these models selling for an average of $42,000. As you’d expect, the Torino GTs, especially with the Cobra Jet motors, have an even higher asking price, with some mint condition examples going for more than $200,000.
This trend points to the fact that the Ford Torino, specifically the Torino GTs and the Torino Cobras, still pack in considerable value and could easily be worth a fortune very soon.
