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Family Cruiser (on road) 1970 Torino

19K views 184 replies 35 participants last post by  CheapThrillB2 
#1 · (Edited)
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 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, but a nice reliable driver that looks good from 20ft is what I'd settle for.

Rear frame rails, sheet metal work I am ok with, but didn't wanna look at rebuilding any frame work.






Got home today from work and pump 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.





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 :fish:. 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 :sonicjay:.
 
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#119 ·
Rear window removed in anticipation of headliner install. Also removed the old headliner. Gonna install some insulation on the roof and sides, paint the rear package tray area and clean up the rear window channel and replace all the hardware.

Still haven't committed to where I am doing the headliner install. Half tempted to try it myself. But will probably puss out :sonicjay:

Also got my reverse lights wired up to the new floor shifter, even though I apparently don't have wiring or sockets for reverse lamps in the rear of the car?



 
#120 ·
FYI, I just payed a buddy to install mine, and I stood there watching saying to myself "why am I paying this jackass money for what I can clearly do myself". Buy a headliner, hang it from the bows (keep them in order, and scotchbrite them till they are slippery), brush good glue around the edge of the headliner, start tucking it around the edges and run the clamps down, roll the windows up and park that bitch in the sun. Done.

I wouldn't pay to have it done again. Good luck.
 
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