CheapThrillb2
New member
Years ago I owned a 63 fairlane....I sold it to my dad so I could buy a 77 trans am (decision I regretted for multiple reasons). After a few years I sold the Trans Am to put all my attention to offroading. Another decision I always regretted. But my TA wasn't the most comfortable commuter and seemed to get around 7 mpg. For last year + I have had a nagging in the back of my mind to get another older car, but this time more a cruiser. Something I could jump in and drive long distance miles for the weekend comfortably etc, something I never felt comfortable doing in my previous cars. I didn't want a "race car" but a nice classic I could cruise in, but if needed I could make it scoot.
After some searching and some long hrs in the truck looking at cars I found one last night. I ended up with a 1970 Torino. It needs some love, but I feel its a good platform to work from. I don't want a show car, or numbers matching, but a nice reliable driver that looks good from 20ft is what I'd settle for. Budget wasn't big, I ended up giving $2500. I live in Hastings and drove out to Farmington Friday to pick it up.
Rear frame rails, sheet metal work I am ok with, but didn't wanna look at rebuilding any frame work. I looked at a 65 Galaxie in Marshall (after driving 3 hrs) earlier in the week that had more frame missing then what was still underneath. Was glad to see how solid the underside of the Torino was.
Got home today from work and pumped the pedal twice and it fired up, choke is bad but sounded decent. New valve cover gaskets and ditch the points are the first priority on the motor. Previous owner pulled the valve covers and didn't put new gaskets when he did so they leak like crazy.
Interior is poop, headliner junk, rear deck lid junk, carpet junk, dash less then fair. Suppose to get newly reupholstered seats from the seller hopefully in the next week, two GT buckets and the original rear bench all redone. Really hoping the seller comes through with this, left a voice mail with him today to arrange pick up but no answer, try again on Monday.
Found some mud in the LR 1/4, already damaged the front spoiler. Apparently on the drive home last night it popped out of park (shifter really loose/sloppy) and as soon as I undid the front straps it rolled off the trailer without the ramps out. Not bad but bent it upward on the left side
.
Plans are to go through the suspension and brakes. Convert the fronts to disc and power brakes (manual brakes right now). Maybe convert the manual steering to. Tune the motor and ditch the points. Service hoses and fluids. Fix up the interior enough for now to be comfortable and drive it through the summer.
Then when the storage season arrives fix the body and get it painted. Debating between a super dark blue (almost black) or a dark black cherry. And I need to do some research to see how possible and $ and time consuming it would be, but I would like to install a 5.4L triton and 4r100. Right now its a 302 2brl and I assume a c4. Time will tell though. For now I have cleaned the mold/mildew off the paint.
IF anybody has any experienced words of wisdom or links to swapping 5.4Ls into older rides I would love to here it. IF the 5.4L won't work then I probably settle for a 5.8L or similar with FI. Regardless whatever I do it'll be FI'd. I have been a avid rockcrawler/offroader. I currently have a 74 Early Bronco fitted with a 96 351 roller motor with all the electronics from the f250 donor. So I am familiar enough with the that set-up I could easily adapt another to the Torino. But I want something different and outside the norm.
I do need a few parts right off the bat, including a good rear trunk lid, p/s set-up, front disc brake set-up to name a few of the first things. I don't plan on keeping the rims. So if they interest you shoot me a pm.
After some searching and some long hrs in the truck looking at cars I found one last night. I ended up with a 1970 Torino. It needs some love, but I feel its a good platform to work from. I don't want a show car, or numbers matching, but a nice reliable driver that looks good from 20ft is what I'd settle for. Budget wasn't big, I ended up giving $2500. I live in Hastings and drove out to Farmington Friday to pick it up.
Rear frame rails, sheet metal work I am ok with, but didn't wanna look at rebuilding any frame work. I looked at a 65 Galaxie in Marshall (after driving 3 hrs) earlier in the week that had more frame missing then what was still underneath. Was glad to see how solid the underside of the Torino was.
Got home today from work and pumped the pedal twice and it fired up, choke is bad but sounded decent. New valve cover gaskets and ditch the points are the first priority on the motor. Previous owner pulled the valve covers and didn't put new gaskets when he did so they leak like crazy.
Interior is poop, headliner junk, rear deck lid junk, carpet junk, dash less then fair. Suppose to get newly reupholstered seats from the seller hopefully in the next week, two GT buckets and the original rear bench all redone. Really hoping the seller comes through with this, left a voice mail with him today to arrange pick up but no answer, try again on Monday.
Found some mud in the LR 1/4, already damaged the front spoiler. Apparently on the drive home last night it popped out of park (shifter really loose/sloppy) and as soon as I undid the front straps it rolled off the trailer without the ramps out. Not bad but bent it upward on the left side
.Plans are to go through the suspension and brakes. Convert the fronts to disc and power brakes (manual brakes right now). Maybe convert the manual steering to. Tune the motor and ditch the points. Service hoses and fluids. Fix up the interior enough for now to be comfortable and drive it through the summer.
Then when the storage season arrives fix the body and get it painted. Debating between a super dark blue (almost black) or a dark black cherry. And I need to do some research to see how possible and $ and time consuming it would be, but I would like to install a 5.4L triton and 4r100. Right now its a 302 2brl and I assume a c4. Time will tell though. For now I have cleaned the mold/mildew off the paint.
IF anybody has any experienced words of wisdom or links to swapping 5.4Ls into older rides I would love to here it. IF the 5.4L won't work then I probably settle for a 5.8L or similar with FI. Regardless whatever I do it'll be FI'd. I have been a avid rockcrawler/offroader. I currently have a 74 Early Bronco fitted with a 96 351 roller motor with all the electronics from the f250 donor. So I am familiar enough with the that set-up I could easily adapt another to the Torino. But I want something different and outside the norm.
I do need a few parts right off the bat, including a good rear trunk lid, p/s set-up, front disc brake set-up to name a few of the first things. I don't plan on keeping the rims. So if they interest you shoot me a pm.
