Jalopnik
This DOTS Bonus Edition thing has really taken off, with photos coming in faster than I can post them (be patient- my jumble of files rigorously organized system will result in everyone's shots appearing sooner or later). We've seen North American cars and a few in Europe, and now it's South America's turn. Chilean reader Felipe sees this '74 Torino parked in his neighborhood (I forgot to ask which city), and he's gone out and interviewed the owner for us. ¡Gracias, Felipe! Make the jump for the car's story... but before that, let's look at a Malaise Torino that's not quite as nice as this one!
This Gran Torino Brougham from the year 1974, was imported new to Santiago de Chile.
Around the year 1990 it was sold to the owner which I bought it to, it was taken to a southern city called Los Angeles (Not California). There it was well maintained, it was used as a second car, only to drive around the weekends, not a daily driver. Around the year 2004 the owner had to leave Chile, this is when I bought it, the car travelled a distance of 500km with only changing the fuel filter, this means it was in good condition, at least the engine and transmission, when it arrived I noticed that it had some oxide; low part of the doors, fenders, trunk door and the trunk itself was ruined by oxide. Now the restoration begins, all the parts corrode by oxide were cut of and replaced by new metal, the chasis was in good condition so nothing was done there.
After the paint, which was done using the same colors, well originaly the roof had a white vinyl cover, which was taken out and replaced by a pearl white color, no more vinyl. When all the paint and metal was done it was taken to an electric to change completely the cables, and take out all the none original butons, maybe in the states this does not happen very much but here in Chile it is very common to find cars that have an enourmous amount of cables and buttons. Well the electric system was left original, exept for the third brake light and the sylvins were changed to halogen lamps, the orginal AM radio and A/C were left, both working to today. The next step was to complete the car, brand new Cragar ss rims were installed with wider tires (265 back and 245 front), this step completely changed the appearance of the car, it gave it a more aggressive look. All the emblems were installed, the F-O-R-D In the front did not come with the car, but it was an optional for this model so, it still maintains the originality, the other hood ornament (The brougham one) was not installed because personally I don't like it, yes I should not have left that hole in the hood, but I still have the ornament in the glove box. When the car was ready it was taken to get out that v8 sound, independent 2" exhaust lines were installed with mufflers, and inox steel tips, I orderd a pair of Flowmaster mufflers but they came too late, even though, the car sounds very good and it passes every thing legally.
The engine was only enhanced, stickers and stuff like that, it is original a 351 Windsor, also the transmission was left inttact. The car runs great, no smoke, 100%, just gas and you can go anywere, last year I went to the mountains (El Colorado) a ski resort and no problems.
The gas price has gone very high so I don't use it very much now, it has become a second car, the price of a liter of gas here costs $1.20, so you would imagine it's not very cheap to use as a daily driver, I used it every day for about two years. I have owned it for about 4, one year was completely used in restoration, and now I enjoy it in the weekends.
Comments
That's just a paint job away from a Starsky & Hutch Special.
Was this responsible for the volcanic eruption in Chile two weeks ago?
No? How can we be so sure?
I don't think there's a full-size "Personal Luxury Coupe" made that doesn't put a smile on my face.
Don't buy it if you live in LA. Larry Sellers might steal it.
Larry! Quieres saber lo que sucede cuando coges a un desconocido en el culo? Quieres saber, Larry? ESTO! Esto es lo que pasa! ESTO es lo que PASA cuando coges a un desconocido EN EL CULO!
my dad had a blue one of those in the 70's. I wanted him to take it down to Earl Scheib and get the Starsky and Hutch paint job for 99.95, RIIIIIIIGHT!
Can I just point out that Joel and Ethan Coen make the best car crashes?
@Tanshanomi: Me too and most had really elaborate names.
That looks like the 1976 Gran Torino my dad used to own... only the one we had was red (like Starsky and Hutch, only without the stripe and a couple of extra doors), was a 4 door and had the vinyl front bench seat instead of the upgraded seats this car has.
I remember it was really exciting when we got it as it was our first car that was kind of sporty looking, had AC, power windows and power steering. But it still had an AM radio unfortunately.
In hindsight though, the car wasn't that great. It rusted quicker than average, the window dropped down into the door while on vacation, gas gauge broke, the heater and AC always had issues, gas mileage sucked, a tie rod broke while on the highway (no accident luckily) and the brakes had problems... and that's just the stuff I knew my dad had to get fixed. I'm sure there was other stuff.
@Tanshanomi: Could not agree more. Cordoba, Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, Torino, Cougar, all that 70s goodness. Very nicely done, Felipe.
@Tanshanomi: Hear hear!
Lived in Santiago myself from 90-92 and sold my 90 Firebird Formula there, bright red, T-Top, got to be the only one in South America. I remember poking around looking at old cars there and found a 67 GTO, hood scoop, his/hers and all but it was not marked a GTO, it was called a "400". Strange. Anyway, a great place, best looking women in the world and keep an eye out for my Formula!
Personal luxury car.
I may be old but dammit I was in high school in the 60s and it was drugs and music and cars and gas a quarter a gallon, smokes a quarter a pack, the birth control pill was on the market and any STD could be cured with penicillin. "Carbon Footprint" would have been the name of a band, man.
OK, I'll just slouch on down to the tarpit, dinosaur that I am.
awesome i`m not the only chilean here!!! :)
grande felipe, grande torino!!!!
@IamZardoz:
"....best looking women in the world...."
joke of the day???
go get a pair of glasses!!!!
1 in 20 maybe preety... the others are "preety" too... preety forgetable!!!!! lol...
ooo, wena, hay chilenos en jalopnik!!!
-- great!, more chileans here!
@Stuntdriver:
Sadly, thats the true...
@Hart88: and Fooler and Petersterncan-
the technical term of the paint job you refer to so cavlierly as 'Starsky & Hutch' is (write this down, there WILL be a test) Striped Tomato. If you're in LA, you can take your car and have it done by Merle the Pearl, the Customizing Earl. Just don't leave Hutch's LTD there...
FELIPE great article. Thanks. These 'guest editor' pieces are excellent.
@BRDHNTR: Extraordinaire: Look, Larry. Have you ever heard of Vietnam?
@Ash78: He lives in North Hollywood on Radford, near the In-and-Out Burger...
Hmm. I don't have much CCR in my collection. I'll work on it.
@readplays: Those are good burgers, Dude.
@Armand, Star-Spangled Pedant: Shut the fuck up, Donny.
Jesus!
@readplays: cav A lierly
Not much hope for the Creedence tapes.
@Novaload: I'm ten years or so behind you. This is weak compared to the sixties boats that were being made in your day. When I was a kid this is what we were riding in with Mom driving, at least when I was a teenager jonesing for my license. I wanted the real barges from the sixties, the real steel. No emissions, air pumps, big stupid bumpers, had big loud V8's. When I was in high school, I was uncool because I still liked the big old boats. Everybody else liked cars like this (and Gremlins and pintos, as long as they were jacked up with cheap mags and 60 series tires).
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