Jalopnik
Since I decided against buying my friend's '65 Falcon Wagon in my first Personal Project Hell Dilemma, I've had to keep my eyes open for a project suitably cool/hellish enough. Fellow Jalop Ben Wojdyla went ahead and solved his personal dilemma- well, at least the initial part- by buying the '64 Continental of his dreams, Bumbeck has a project Starion and Starlet, and I'm still driving the ol' '97 Crown Vic and '92 Civic hatch. The peer pressure builds. Something must be done! But now my dilemma gets all the more tantalizing, because I have been offered a numbers-matching 428 Cobra Jet '68 Torino GT... for free! Thing is, it's a little far away, and it needs some work...
The first, and biggest, problem is that the car is in Wyoming. Not just Wyoming, but northern Wyoming, 1100 miles and two snow-covered, tow-vehicle-killin' mountain ranges away from Alameda.
Naturally, the 428 is in a billion pieces in the trunk, the heads are incorrect (off a 2V 390, meaning I'd need to spring for some real-deal CJ units), and the main caps are missing so it'll need line boring. On the plus side, the crank has been machined and the rods rebuilt, plus there's a set of new TRW forged pistons.
This car is actually something of a family heirloom, with a long and complicated story. Short version: my late uncle, Dirty Duck (the old-time biker, British-car mechanic, and storyteller who gave us The Legend of Hoot's Panhead) bought this car just before he died in 1989. His then-16-year-old son, my cousin Sam (aka Sammy Rockstar), inherited the car and proceeded to do what any self-respecting teenaged Harley-ridin', wrench-twistin' kid in small-town Wyoming would do: hoon the living piss out of it.
While the ghost of Dirty Duck no doubt approved of the gigantic clouds of burning rubber smoke, parking-lot-donuts, and 13-second quarter-mile passes performed by his son in the ol' Torino, eventually the drivetrain had had enough hoonage.
At that point, Sam (being a highly competent wrench) figured a complete rebuild of engine, transmission, and rear was in order, so he took everything apart and started the process of getting stuff out to machine shops, ordering new parts, etc.
But then, in a process I'm sure all of us who have lived in Project Car Hell can relate to, other projects and priorities intervened. Sam got a high-paying job as a roughneck in the Wyoming oil fields and was promoted to foreman after proving that he still had all ten fingers after a couple years on the job. There was just no time for the Torino project, which languished on a friend's land. Waiting. Then one thing led to another and The Rockstar ended up in Minnesota, always meaning to go back and finish the project, but always with another car, truck, or Harley right there in front of him, demanding his time and money.
Oh yeah, the engine isn't the only thing in pieces. You're looking at a bucket containing some of the innards of the 9" differential; Sam tells me there's a rebuildable Traction-Lok in the car somewhere.
As Dirty Duck would say, time goes by, y'know? The Ford has been sitting in a field for more than a decade, and a few of the parts have been misplaced over the years. We want the car to stay in the family, but Sam has several Hell Projects and I have none (well, if you don't count my Project House Hell, that is). And, damn, it would be sweet having a clean restored Cobra Jet Torino, especially one of the not-so-common coupes. But I've had several late-60s midsized Fords and, frankly, I fear that front suspension (not to mention the no-new-ground-broken aspect, though I've never owned a Detroit musclecar that wasn't all primer and junkyard parts). Then, of course, there would be the problem of originality; I'd be itchin' to do all kinds of hairy-ass modifications to the engine, not to mention stuff a Toploader behind the engine in place of the original C6... but this thing is so rare that even I cringe at the thought of deviating too far from the factory setup. What would I do with it, take it to car shows and sit on an ice chest debating the merits of hose-clamp date codes with other vintage Ford owners? Yet it's so damn cool! 'Tis truly a Project Car Hell Personal Dilemma!
Comments
Go for it. If you bring it back to it's original glory and aren't having fun (unlikely, at least if it were me), you can always unload it at Barrett-Jack$on. Though considering the sentimental value, you might just want to keep it anyway.
Yep. Do the deed. Back to stock. Then pass it on to a family member. For free. All the work, none of the benefits. PCH incarnate.
Then go find a project for you.
No brainer. Buy it, restore it (not to anal-retentive never-been-driven original, but to "driver" condition) while keeping the originality that is the root of its value. Drive it for a few years, then either sell it to someone who will do the OCD originality job on it, or keep it. Then get a 6-cyl or 302 car you can do the big-block/rockcrusher thing with.
@beercheck: Yeah, what he said.
Murilee says,"... but this thing is so rare that even I cringe at the thought of deviating too far from the factory setup."
Yeah right Murilee. You sure are a stranger to deviation.
I would pass, except that it is a family item and I get a bit sentimental about such things... Still wish that I never sold my pop's Jeepster off. Thus I voted yes and agree with the 'do the work and pass it along' meme
I forget to mention that I live in an extremely crowded downtown urban area, with only two off-street parking spaces. Thus, taking on the Torino would mean either A) [Torino + Daily Driver and no other Hell Projects], B) [Torino + Another Hell Project - Daily Driver], or C) [Torino + 5 Other Hell Projects + 3 Daily Drivers Using Up All Street Parking For Blocks + Lynch Mob of Angry Neighbors].
Even though it's easy for me to say, since it's you that'll be doing the work, I'd say go for it. I would if I were in your boots. Make it beautiful and give the keys to Murilee Jr. when you're done with it.
You owe it to the spirit of Dirty Duck (Who I assume was the illegitimate offspring of Dirty Lyle and Rubber Duck) to bring this thing back to stock and make it a DOTS: Personal Edition.
Resoring it to factory specs sounds like a pain in the arse. I would blend the two extremes: Make the motor look stock, but mod it nicely internaly. So you can have some serious fun smokin the tires. Atleast the body isn't wrecked, right?
Like there just aren't enough ORIGINAL muscle cars for aging boomers to buy for multiples of the original price.
cough, cough.
Restore everything but the seats and driveline to clean/but condition and play with a far out driveline.
Lots of room for a Termi blown(stock with a pulley) 4.6 and T-56 and you'll have years of watching boomers choke on their double bacon cheese blasters for committing the affront of not using those stupid crimp hose clamps. Maybe you could even reuse that big silly aircleaner as a coolant tank for the intercooler.
Hoonage? Damm straight.
Despite the numbers matching aspect of it, I'd say that's not a huge issue here considering your plans. And the fact that it's a 428 *without* the CJ heads. The "free" part IS a big deal though, so what's your time worth to drive out there and pick up the heap?
I'd say pick it up if you have a reliable, satisfying daily driver and a fetish for ill-handling blue oval road barges. Non-running project cars seem to take epochs to get in road worthy form... and they'll nickel-and-dime you until you're selling the only good organs you have left.
The glass is there, the chrome is there, the sheetmetal looks to be in pretty good shape. Front suspensions components are readily available. Drop a 390 and a C-6 in it just to drive (Ford nine inch rear ends are cheap) - rebuild the 428 at your leisure and do the swap. And it looks like it's got some nice vintage mags.
What's the delay?
Here's a 63-1/2 Galaxy that I'm thinking of snagging. This could be Hell...
[seattle.craigslist.org]
It is your birthright my son. I want to see that sucker so clean and stock and original that it rips a hole in the space-time continuum.
I might be able to drag it back with my QOTD entry...anything I can do to perpetuate, uh, support a car project.
...oh, wait, you're on the Left Coast, orange (cty?) you? I'm on the mid-coast.
For once I'll give honest advice.
Get it. Get it running/intact without massively re-doing anything (ie keep the C6 unless it's trashed). It really shouldn't be that hard to acquire and/or rebuild stuff.
Once it's up and running...then see what you want to do with it. You might just want to drive it a lot.
No. You are not worthy. This car must be properly restored to its rightful place, and not left in the hands of a hack who will never take it beyond beater stage. You don't have the talent to do the job, because this job will take testicular fortitude and other elements you ain't got. It needs to be finished; not just started. This is no duct-tape-and-vise-grips special. Pass on it and let someone qualified have a shot. You will be in over your head, and this will just be another "project" of yours in which you will prove that you are lacking.
(Is this enough motivation, or should I consult my wife and continue at another time?)
Screw the neighbors, use the streets.
Also, buy this car!
@goatrope: Sir, yes, sir!
@Torqahontas: But I have some 429 Cobra Jet (actually Super Cobra Jet) heads! Can't I use them? Maybe JB Weld will do it!
This deserves to be restored to its original factory glory.
One my first cars was a `69 Torino stuffed full of 429 (it barely fit). A crazy scary fast piece of Detroit iron if there ever was one. Build another and make us proud!
2 words Murilee...... DO IT. Don't spend too much time on paint, use tweed on the interior, rebuild the CJ, keep the C6, Vintage Wheels, raise the back end up to fit fat rear tires, and there you go!
Go get the car, NOW!
Go for it! It's a family heirloom of yours...! Besides, you know your way around your local pick-a-part junk yards (full of relatively rust-free California carcasses), and parts shouldn't be hard for you to find (in your case, Murilee, none of us Jalops want you to suffer through PCH... we'd prefer it make for a pleasant passtime on mild Alameda weekends).
Besides, knowing you, ALL of us will live vicariously with your thorough photo- and wordsmithed- documentation as you proceed.
And my God, the vinyl roof is mostly intact...!
Hmmm.... Also, hmmmm...
Wait, you've got:
-Backstory
-Family attachment
-Road trip to Middle America
-Rarity
-Classic American Muscle
I'm really failing to see the downsides on this, from both a personal standpoint (for you) and professional one (for us, readers of Jalop who will get to live vicariously through you.) I usually yawn or laugh my way through these PCH posts, but this one is legit. I'm not much of a wrench myself, but even I would think twice about walking away from something like this...
Jeez, can we petition Mr. Spinelli and/or Mr. Wert for a Gawker Corporate stipend to help underwrite some of this (i.e. Murilee's out-of-pocket expenses), knowing that we Jalops shall all stay glued to our monitors awaiting his every status report...
For a bearded wonder such as yourself who can put together such an amazing junkyard radio I am suprised this is even a question.
I voted no, and then I remembered who will be taking ownership. Wanky needs a new home. Go for it.
Go for it man, its free, and you said you wanted hell. I like the FREE part. Take a vacation, see the sights, go pick it up and drag er home. The car will always have a story to tell.
Free projects are the best projects!
Whats have you got a to lose? A few hundred bucks in gas, and a full days driving. no brainer!
@Charles_Barrett:
i concur. get some Gawker/Jalop financing and make this one hell of an in-depth feature. hell, you could rent out an alameda airstrip, Myth Busters-style, and have a weekly video segment involving explosions and remote-control hoonage.
I just listened to Dirty Duck's story; on that post you mentioned that he "died on the road nearly 20 years ago- in a Super Cobra Jet 428 Torino"; is this that Torino? If so, why are you even asking the question? Get your butt out to Wyoming and bring it home, and damn the neighbors with their petty complaints. Or better yet, move yourself to Wyoming and your neighbors there won't care.
Besides, if this is the vehicle Duck bought it in, chances are all you'll have to do is push it around backwards for a while and his ghost will put it back together for you.
One big Ford in your life isn't enough, get this one also.
Doesn't matter who's project this is nor the overall condition of the heap being purchased, the answer is YES.
Black out everything but the front and rear bumper, jet black a set of 15x8 steelies, use chrome lugs, black limo tint, and black full interior.
Drop a 5.0 Cammer in there, with a Cobra IRS.
Wait for everyone to bow at your feet.
And then weep with joy as all the tiresmoke enters your soul through every orifice on your body.
@akier: We could turn that Jalopnik segment into a thinking-person's "Monster Garage" and make Murilee a literate, well-spoken version of Jesse James (who also takes damn fine photos to illustrate).
Gawker Media, where art thou...!
I know it's easy for me to say yes from my cosy old button-backed leather armchair, while stuffing my pipe with rough shag and placing a log on the fire (England is cold tonight)
But please do. Do it for yourself and the family. Do it for Torino lovers everywhere. But mostly, do it for people like me who would love such a project but know there is no way in hell we could do it. For all kinds of practical reasons.
Keep it looking factory stock, but maybe with a period aftermarket supercharger conversion. Also:- It's a 428 Cobra Jet!! And it's yours!!!
I'll even come over and help at weekends.
my only question is....
how MUCH IS IT WORTH restored?
are you workin for $2 an hour in the end?
or $90 an hour?
wooo hooo
WHEN ARE YOU GUYS GONNA GET A TV SHOW GOIN??
@thunder: Yes, he died in the car. High-altitude asthma attack at a rest stop. Don't worry, someone in my family is going to get it and get it running.
140 yes and only 8 noes. And all these great reasons given for "yes."
This is a legacy from your ancestor. At the very least, you must rescue it from Wyoming and get it back to civilization--there, at least, if you decide it's too much, it has an excellent chance of someone else giving it life again. Not so if it gets consumed by the Wyoming--prairie or whatever that is.
Look, I'm like you--only diff is my 97 is a Mercury Marq and the beater is a 98 Camry with an huge chunk of missing bumper and mismatched mirrors. I also have a house project hell --but am constantly prowling--I got a list of what I'd go for once I win the lottery. But this Torino is marked for you! It's free! It's your birthright! and Dirty Duck will be with you--maybe laughing, but with you nonetheless--every step of the way! Do it!
@thunder: Thing is, Uncle Dirty Duck- being a pro wrench for his entire adult life- was extremely unsentimental about cars, unless they were A) British and B) had at least a 1:2 carburetor-to-cylinder ratio. In fact, "To The Crusher with it!" was one of his favorite epithets, usually directed at some Detroit machine (such as my nearly-identical-to-the-Torino) '68 Cyclone. So, really, if I wanted to be all about honoring his legacy, I'd go and get a basket-case A-H 3000 and start living British Project Car Hell.
Still, I know he really dug that Torino.