One beastly muscle car that did not get the attention that it deserved was the Ford Torino Cobra. It had enough power to keep up with any of the big dogs of the era and had plenty of interior space, making it more comfortable than the Mustang or Chevelle. Even then, though, the Torino was pushed into the back of our minds because the Mustang of the time was the go-to Ford.

It has been over 50 years since this car was born, so it is about time that it gets the attention that it deserves. Let us cover some of the information that made this one fine ride.

10 Ford Torino History

1970 Ford Torino Cobra
via Mecum

The first Torino came to life in 1968, and it died out in 1976. It started out as a higher-end option for the Fairlane as part of the midsize lineup. In ’70 the Torino took the place of the entry-level car, and they pushed it completely out of production the following year.

1968 Ford Torino GT
Greg Gjerdingen via Flickr

The Ford Torino Cobra did not come around until 1970, when, for the first time in its history, the car become a viable muscle car. The new design made it look beefy, and the new motor gave it the extra power that it needed to keep up with the other big-block monsters on the street. For the next two years, the few people that special ordered this version became real threats on the streets and quarter-mile strips.

9 Ford Torino Awards

Rad Rides 1969 Ford Torino Talladega Shown
Via HemmingsMotorNews

In 1970 the Ford Torino received the Motor Trend Car of the Year award. Even though the people at the site claim that it was a hard decision, the changes to the outer style and size gave it this coveted award. The fresh look was dubbed as the “coke bottle styling” look due to its narrow center surrounded by flaring fenders.

351 1970 Ford Torino
Via: Hemmings

Over the years a number of restoration owners of the Torino have won many different awards at shows across the nation. Through the owners, the cars have received the Best Muscle Car, Best Ford, and the Best Original Awards. In 2013 a ’69 received the Mothers Shine Award, which means that it can be a gorgeous car with owners that have soft hands and an eye for detail.

Related: Ford Torino Cobra And 9 More Extremely Underrated American Muscle Cars

8 Ford Torino Cobra Styling

Via: Mecum

It was already mentioned that in 1970 the Torino had a complete outer styling change. The “coke bottle styling” look improved the aerodynamics of it, allowing it a few more mph on the strip, and a few seconds less in acceleration times.

Gorgeous 1970 Ford Torino Cobra
Via: Mecum

The grille and hood were blacked out, no matter what color the car was. The chrome bumpers were pushed into the front end, making it even with the fenders. The body itself was molded with sheet metal and was stretched out to give it a more stylish look.

7 Ford Torino Cobra 429

It can be recalled that the Ford 429 Cobra Jet was a monster of a motor, and is on the top of every list that compares power and torque. When placed in the Torino the motor was not as impressive as it was in the lighter Mustang, but it still had enough to keep up with the big boys.

1970 Ford Torino Cobra 4
via Hemmings

The engine pushed out 370hp and was a built-up replacement for the 428 big blocks which were being retired from service. It sported a high-rise cam, improved heads, high-rise lifters, and 700cfm Holley 4-barrel carburetor. This gave the motor more gas to fuel the beast, giving it a bump in power over the basic 429 that was put in entry-level models.

Related: We'd Love To Own These Modified Ford Torinos

6 Ford Torino Cobra Transmission

Via: Bing

The four-speed manual was shifted by a Hurst T-handle down to a Toploader transmission. The tranny was a close ratio style, allowing the gears to be shifted quickly. The premise of this type of transmission in the Ford Torino is to allow the driver the ability to stay within the engine power ranges.

1968 Ford Torino Cobra 
Via : YouTube

Normal transmissions can be shifted less often, which can cause the motor to go below the optimal power output. A close-ratio transmission allows the driver to shift more often to keep the power band in position for maximum horsepower from the engine to the tires, at all times.

5 Ford Torino Cobra Underneath

1970-Torino-Cobra--American-Collectors-Insurance-1
via: American Collectors Insurance

With the lengthening of the body structure, the intermediate Ford became longer by five full inches, and the wheelbase gained an inch. This gave it more weight and a wider stance, allowing the car to sprint off the line without burning through a set of tires. It also helps on the racetracks around corners and curves, reducing the possibility of losing traction.

1970 Torino Cobra--Best Car Finder
via: Ford website

The rear bias tires were widened out and put on 7-inch rims. Competition suspension was added all the way around, helping the car squat and shoot instead of spinning. The 9-inch Detroit Locker rear end allowed both tires the ability to rotate, increasing the torque at take-off.

3 Ford Torino Cobra Drag Pack

1971 Ford Torino Cobra--Bring A Trailer
via: Bring A Trailer

The 429 Cobra pumped out 360hp straight off the production lines, but when the Drag Pack was added it could push 370 to 375 hp. That is what Ford put the details at, but many experts claim that the upgraded motor actually pushed out around 429 hp.

via AutoEvolution

The Drag Pack made some serious differences within the engine, giving it more horsepower specialized for racing. The upgrade added a mechanical-lifter cam, oil cooler, four-bolt mains, forged aluminum pistons, and of course a 780cfm Holley four-barrel sitting on top. The Cobra Jet Air-Ram could also be added on, which gave the hood a scoop, but did not add any extra horses.

2 Ford Torino Interior

Ford Torino Dashboard
Rick W. Dryve

For the time period, the interior was considered to be luxurious, which is the main reason that it was built. It replaced the outdated and plain Fairlane with the most updated technology available. Comfortable bench seats were installed in the basic models, with plush bucket seats replacing them in the Cobra and GT trim levels.

via www.wall.alphacoders.com

The dash had the basic gauges with a tachometer added into the mix. The radio was an Am/Fm style, which was not a common find in the ‘70s vehicles. A huge benefit that came with Torino Cobra and GT was power windows. And even though it is not actually inside, they both had dual racing mirrors attached to the doors.

1 Ford Torino Cobra Value

1970 Ford Torino Cobra--DirtyWheel
via: DirtyWheel

Back when this car first came onto the market it was not as popular as the muscle cars that were common household names, such as the Mustang and Camaro. That meant that very few were sold. A little over 10,000 total was produced between 1970 and 1971, with the actual numbers sold being lost throughout the years.

1971 Ford Torino Cobra--YouTube
via: YouTube

These cars now are not easy to find, and when they are they have been allowed to rust in a field or garage. Of course, you can find some restored ones for a pretty penny. One just recently sold at auction for $38,000, but some have gone for as much as $51k. Not a bad investment when considering the fact that they sold for around $3000 brand new.

Related: This Is What You Need To Know Before Buying A Ford Torino GT

Final Thoughts

1969 Frod Torino Cobra--Wikimedia
via: Wikimedia

The Torino is one of those cars that collectors and gearheads keep an eye out for when looking through the classifieds. It is not as common to find as some of the other popular rides, but one does come up every so often. Do not expect to get it for pennies. The value is drastically higher than it would have cost new off the production line.

1968 Ford Torino GT coupe
sv1ambo via Flickr

As shown, though, this beast of the muscle car era could easily stand its ground against any of the other monster cars on the roads, and on the strips. It was not promoted as heavily as the others, and the Cobra Jet upgrades were not covered in detail in the sales brochures. Their loss, our gain. If bought new it is a huge gain on investment, if restored it can still be profitable. That is, of course, if selling it is still possible after taking it for a drive.