In 1968, the Ford Motor Company introduced its new series of mid-range cars, called the Ford Torino, originally an upgraded version of the Fairlane. New cars have increased in size and weight, in addition, a new modification with a fastback body has been added.
In 1968, Ford offered 14 modifications of the new car - various options for two-door hardtops, four-door sedans, station wagons, with an additional folding seat in the back, increasing the number of passengers from 6 to 8 people, fastbacks and convertibles.
The interior of the Torino, which came in a wide range of upholstery options, was completely new for 1968. Among other things, it optionally offered a clock and a tachometer in the dashboard and an improved interior ventilation system.
The engine range, which started with a six-cylinder three-liter, consisted of seven engines. In the middle of the line were five V8 engines with a volume of 4.7 liters, two 4.9-liter engines and two 6.4-liter engines. The most powerful engine offered was a 7 liter V8 with 455 hp. However, Ford officially underestimated the power of this engine to 340 horses so that buyers could save on car insurance. As standard, the engines were assembled with a three-speed manual transmission, and optionally three-speed and four-speed automatic transmissions were offered.
The car's decent power allowed the Torino to compete as a Pace Car in the Indianapolis 500.
After making minor cosmetic changes, in 1969 Ford offered two more modifications to the Torino.
The engine range has also undergone some changes. The base engine was a 4.1-liter 6-cylinder engine. V8 engines were also offered, with a volume of 4.9, 5.8, 6.4 and 7 liters. An improved seven-liter engine specially designed for drag racing was also offered.
Due to its decent handling power, Torinos were used as training cars for NASCAR racers, and later showed excellent results in the races themselves. And in 1969, Ford developed the Torino Talladega, built specifically for NASCAR.
In 1970, designer Bill Schenk, inspired by supersonic aircraft with narrow waists and bulging front and rear fuselages, developed a brand new body design for the Torino, dubbed "coca bottle style". The new body is bigger, longer and wider.
1970 proved to be a very successful year for Torino. The car was very well received by the automotive press, becoming the car of the year according to some magazines.
In just four years of production, 858,000 Ford Torinos were produced.
In 1972, a significantly updated Torino was introduced to customers. The car, which received a long hood and a short rear end, emphasizing a more pronounced "coca bottle style", with a conspicuous large chrome grille, chrome headlights and new bumpers, received the name Gran Torino.
The main change in the design of the Torino was the separate installation of the body on the car chassis. The new chassis wraps around the body in a way that provides a quieter ride and reduced vibration. The number of modifications was reduced to 9 due to the cessation of production of convertibles.
For the Gran Torino, Ford offered dependent and independent suspension, with rear suspension anti-roll bars and front disc brakes as standard. Power steering has also become part of the basic equipment of the car.
The base engine was a 4.1-liter six-cylinder engine. Also, buyers could choose V8 engines with a volume of 4.9, 5.7, 6.5 and 7 liters. Since the engines were developed with new environmental requirements in mind, in general, the power of the engines fell compared to previous versions of the car. The engines were paired with a three-speed manual transmission and, optionally, three or four-speed automatics.
The interior was updated, a new plastic dashboard was installed on the cars. The instrument panel contained a speedometer, fuel gauge, temperature gauge and warning lights. Optionally, a clock, odometer, tachometer and ammeter could be installed. The new seats were undivided and multi-seat with integrated headrests front and rear.
The new car turned out to be safer, more comfortable, quieter, better controlled than before.
Overall, the Torino was a commercial success in 1972, becoming the best-selling car of the year and being awarded the Best Buy award.
Being very popular, the 1972 model managed to light up for films and TV shows.
Slightly changed in 1973, with a new top-end 7.5-liter V8 engine and two luxury modifications, Gran Torino retained its popularity among buyers, maintaining sales at the level of last year.
More significant were the changes in 1974. In accordance with the new state standards, the cars received new taillights and large square-shaped rear bumpers, located just below the body. The fuel tank hatch has moved to a position above the bumper. The front end of the Gran Torino has also been revised. Gran Torinos are getting longer and heavier.
Increasingly focusing on luxury, Ford added several new options - a leather steering wheel, lower front split seats with separate headrests, a power sunroof and seat belts, which became mandatory in 1974. The new base engine was a 4.9 V8 with a three-speed manual transmission.
In 1975, the federal Clean Air Act required automakers to fit cars with catalytic converters to meet new standards. Thanks to this, as well as the introduction of a new ignition system, Gran Torino cars have become more environmentally friendly and economical. At the same time, the power of cars has decreased. The exclusion from the production of a manual transmission also contributed to a decrease in power. In this regard, Ford engineers modified the base engine, leaving only a three-speed automatic to pair with it.
The modification of Gran Torino Elite, which appeared a year earlier, stood out this year as an independent model - the Ford Elite, drawing a significant part of buyers behind it. In this regard, sales of Gran Torino dropped markedly. Also, the increased interest of buyers in small cars influenced the decline in sales.
In 1976, customer demand for the Gran Torino dropped even further. In this regard, the production of the machine was discontinued. On the assembly line, it was replaced by the Ford LTD II, which was a deep restyled version of the Torino.
In just five years of production, 1,807,518 cars rolled off the assembly line.
Work with this car began with the task of buying a classic American Ford Gran Torino, importing it into the Russian Federation, going through customs clearance procedures and registering the car.
The task set by the trustee was formulated as follows: a car, on a confident move, serviceable, ready for operation THIS season, similar to the car filmed in the movie "Gran Torino" (drama filmed by Clint Eastwood in 2008): green color, model range of certain years of manufacture, preferably in an interesting configuration (V8 engine, automatic transmission).
If there were a sufficient number of cars of the desired model year on sale (in Europe and the USA, of course), then a clear color requirement severely limited the potential choice. One of the suitable specimens was found by our employees in Belgium:
After a preliminary call to the seller and agreeing on the nuances of inspection / test drive / diagnostics, we immediately fly for a detailed inspection of the car.
Inspection of the car in Belgium:
The car is in really decent condition, of the advantages is an interesting "custom" equipment (400th sports custom engine with a volume of 6.555 liters and automatic transmission). Of the minuses - the unwillingness of the seller to help with the export clearance and the lack of the SportsRoof option (vinyl roof). We leave an advance and draw up documents for the purchase.
Next steps for buying a classic retro car in Europe/USA:
- We prepare documents for export at the place of purchase.
- We send the car to Russia, unload it at the terminal of the Central Moscow Excise Customs.
- We pass the examination.
- We pay customs duty (calculated according to the volume of the motor).
- We get the TCP, pick up the car.
- We issue insurance, go to the traffic police, put on record.
A few hours of pleasant procedures, and fresh registration plates have been received - the car is ready for operation on public roads.
- We carry out maintenance, prepare the oldtimer and accompanying documents for operation.
Work completion time"turnkey" amounted to 2 weeks:
1 week – paperwork in Europe
3 days — delivery by car transporter
3 days — examination, customs clearance
1 day - insurance, traffic police
How to calculate the approximate budget for the car you are interested in:
1. The cost of the car you are interested in in Europe (or the USA).
2. Customs duty in full compliance with the law.
3. The cost of delivery, examination, insurance, overhead costs - from 3000 euros.
Currently, the car has undergone technical work, updating the paintwork and installing additional options:
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Company "Antique Cars": the car of your dreams is our job!
You can get acquainted with other completed works on this page.
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” personified the fate of this coupe, the unenviable finale of the path, which turned out to be not so glorious and long. But the Ford Torino also got its own luck, about which the car strives to tell at any opportunity. So Clint Eastwood could not resist, making the film Gran Torino in 2008 - a sad but instructive story ... Let's read?
background
Detroit in 1968 was the mecca of the automotive industry. The city center was the headquarters of General Motors, and in its suburbs were the head offices of the Ford Motor Company and Chrysler. The abundance of factories of large companies, such as Cadillac or Packard, provided jobs and social security for thousands of people. The Detroit Auto Show of those years was not just another demonstration of US technological achievements - it was of strategic importance for the country. The position of a top manager in one of the companies of the Big Three was the ultimate dream for any employee, because the said flagship of the automotive industry was the true embodiment of the American dream. In a word, the elite army of "white collars" had unlimited power over the city ...
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And yet, signs of decline were felt: in the 50s, the population of Detroit exceeded 1 million 800 thousand people, and in the late 60s the number of citizens barely reached 1.5 million. Many workers, having achieved success, transported families to respectable suburbs. The real estate of the "industrial capital" depreciated, the districts turned into a ghetto for the "colored". Banditry flourished on the streets. The discontent of the citizens grew, now and then pouring into spontaneous riots. And above it all was a trio of skyscraper towers GM, Ford and Chrysler, from the tops of which the vice presidents of the companies gazed absently at the city. Each of them could try to change the established course of things. But nobody did anything. In 35 years, America's largest industrial center will turn into a ghost town...
Birth of a legend
However, in 1968, US auto companies could still afford to enjoy life. For example, Ford Motor Company has updated its lineup, presenting to the public a "luxury" version of the full-size Fairlane named Torino. The future model received this name in honor of the Italian city of Turin, which was considered the "second Detroit".
All the attributes that formed its aggressive dynamic character were originally laid in the car. The Ford Torino was fitted with a more powerful 7.0 liter Cobra-Jet engine. The car had a stylish hardtop body and bright colors. Such cars were soon described as "muscle cars". They combined sporty driving characteristics with a catchy appearance that characterized the owner as a "bad guy".
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It's no secret that FMC has been at a premium to use the same platforms for many generations of different vehicles. The Torino was no exception: the Falcon-Mustang-Fairlane lineup shared the same wheelbase as the new Italian-named badass. However, the version of the body "Sports Roof" ("sports roof"), loved by Henry Ford Jr., coupled with the new engine showed impressive speed and aerodynamic results. And if you consider that a spring suspension with stabilizers and a semi-elliptical rear spring were installed in the new car, then it was quite possible to understand the boys who were ready to eat the earth for the keys to the Ford Torino ... In 1968, 172 thousand units of this model rolled off the assembly line.
In the early 70s, the Torino became the flagship of the mid-range Ford lineup, and now the Fairlane has become one of its modifications. All the advanced technologies of its time were embodied in the car, such as: the Detroit Locker and Traction Lock systems for engaging and locking the drive axle differential (in the "top" version); Ram Air, the most important option for racers, has been adjusted for the new hood design. The model also had eight engine options and a standard three-speed gearbox, which was replaced by the Cruise-O-Matic, or four-speed "automatic". In addition, the equipment list included an increased capacity battery, a new power steering, additional cooling and front disc brake booster.
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The best speed achieved by the Torino GT SportsRoof coupe was 97 km/h in 7.7 seconds. The car covered a distance of 400 m at a speed of 140 km / h in 15.8 seconds. Motor Trend magazine noted that: "This car's cornering is not a work of art, it's second nature GT." The 428 CJ engine, however, slightly improved the Torino GT's performance: a 400 m distance at a speed of 159.2 km / h was done in 14.2 seconds, as Car and Driver wrote the following: “For the cost of $ 306, Ford buyers have reason to rejoice »
The interior of Torino was not just updated, but received an original style. According to the unspoken laws among the automotive manufacturers of that time, a rich, even pretentious interior design was a must. Here, even the most nondescript "carriage" received vinyl seat upholstery and some branded trinkets. The point was not prestige (although not without it), but simple arithmetic: who will buy a car that looks bad? And in this matter, Ford was at its best (not like now). By the way, Torino is a rare case for the company when everything was in order in the car both with appearance and with content.
Even the body design of the new model was uncharacteristic of FMC cars: instead of the shape of the square "dreadnoughts", a concept was taken, which soon became known as the "cola bottle style". It was designed by designer Bill Schenk, inspired by the then current supersonic aircraft. Narrow "waist", bulging fuselages - all this is reflected in his work.
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The Ford Torino continues the tradition established by its predecessor, the Ford Mustang. Although his heritage was not as significant as that of this "tamed stallion", but the "turinian" was of strategic importance for FMC. According to Motor Trend magazine, Torino was the car of the year 1970. During the year, Ford produced 230 thousand of these cars, and the total amount with Falcon and Fairlane exceeded 407 thousand units.
The same classic
This was followed by a series of light restyling. The major changes were made to the Ford Torino in 1972. In addition to the fact that its body has become even more reminiscent of a "bottle of Cola", the car finally got its own chassis. It had a wheelbase increased by 51 mm and hermetically covered the body, as a result of which the Torino gained good sound insulation and became more comfortable. For this, the model was again highly appreciated by the press and received many positive reviews and awards. Among them was "Best Buy" ("Best Buy") from the publication "Consumer Guide". The Torino became a successful car overnight, with a total production run of 0.5 million.
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The previous fuse of the model was enough for 1973, when the fuel crisis broke out - like in all Ford cars, the engine in Torino was not economical, but it “ate” low-octane gasoline with appetite. This fact provided our “muscle car” with sales of the level of last year. But gradually the demand for the model began to fall. The reason for this was not Torino as such, but FMC products in general. After all, the company was engaged in endless restyling of the bodies of its models, instead of seriously working on the efficiency of engines. If in 1974 426 thousand units were manufactured, then the production of 1975 fell to 300 thousand. And a year later, the number of Torinos assembled by the plant did not exceed 200 thousand copies, after which it was decided to abandon the model.
star on the screen
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The classic tuning element, the "laser stripe", was an available option in the Gran Torino Sport, with a choice of four colors and now located along the entire length of the car. For drivers with a Rallye Equipment Group racing license, the coupes were equipped with an Instrumentation Group dashboard, independent suspension (highly praised in the press), four-inch G70 tires, four-speed gearboxes and 351CJ-4B or 429-4V engines
That seems to be the end of the story ... However, the Ford Torino had too strong a temper to leave the stage so easily. It bribed a lot of people in him, and his image flashed on the big screens more than once. For example, the film "Gran Torino" in 2008, which became an excellent demonstration of its "natural" qualities for a car. The director of the picture was the honored filmmaker Clint Eastwood. He also played the main role in the film, and this tense, monumental game literally grabs the viewer by the throat, not letting go until the final credits. Perhaps that's why Gran Torino's box office was eight times its original budget ($33 million vs. $270 million)!
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Posters for the film that won two National Board of Film Critics Awards (Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay) in 2008
So, a suburb of an industrial city. The main character, Walt Kowalski, buries his wife. This is a stingy, grouchy, insufferable and inflexible, like a nail, a pensioner who does not care about everything that happens in the world. He has a house, a patch of lawn in front of the porch, a dog named Daisy and an incomparable Gran Torino in the garage. His logic is as clear as the Michigan sky on a hot afternoon, and his arguments are as simple as a lamppost. A veteran of the domestic auto industry, Kowalski worked for 50 years at the Henry Ford factory, and therefore does not get along with his eldest son, who "acquired a license to steal and now sells Japanese cars." For the main character, an "oak" patriot, the son's business is more than a generational conflict - this is comparable to treason.
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Clint Eastwood on the set of Gran Torino: “Sometimes you have to be arrogant, otherwise you can miss your chance, for example, to make a film and enjoy your work. Sometimes you hit too hard and miss, but that's not the point, it's more important that you hit hard."
“I remember putting a steering column in this Gran Torino in '72! Right on the assembly line,” Walt exclaims, shaking the air with his fists. Soon shots would rumble over his lawn, exactly for the same reason. A local gang of Koreans found out about the old man's treasure and decided to steal the car with the hands of a boy who lives next door to Kowalski. However, the protagonist is not so simple as to give in to the "appeased" youngsters - he sleeps in an embrace with a shotgun and not only fights back the robbers, but also takes the meek neighbors under his protection. Soon, Walt Kowalski, a Korean War hero and staunch racist, is drawn closer to his own family by the Hmong immigrants. As a rule, such a friendship cannot end in anything good ...
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Meet Walt Kowalski. His distant family. His neighbors. His Ford Gran Torino, rolled out to "breathe". And his self-loading rifle M1 Garand
What's left behind the scenes
The idea for the script came to Nick Schenk when he was young, when he was working in a car factory. There he met the Hmong diaspora and learned about the unfortunate fate of this people. Later, the author began to work closely with the team of Clint Eastwood and offered him the story that formed the basis of this film.
I read the script while filming another of my films, The Changelings. From what I read, I was delighted and immediately gave my consent. "Gran Torino" is the name of a 1972 Ford model, and, most importantly, this model is a symbol of the hero I play. Walt Kowalski is a widower, a Korean War veteran who worked for fifty years at Ford's Michigan factories, and a hardened racist. He watches with distaste as his quarter is filled with emigrants from Laos, but after some events, he is imbued with sympathy for a Laotian teenager who is associated with local gangsters and whom he will lead to the true path. Their relationship is full of exciting and dramatic moments. In short, this is the story of redemption. I was happy to act again, especially since I played a rather strange character, a man of my age. For people like me now, there are no interesting male roles. It seemed to me that I understood the hero and his delusions, for they were familiar to me. This type belongs to a generation that has dropped out of life, he feels like an outsider in modern society. Doubly pleased that the film is politically completely incorrect. Yes, we could not have acted differently: in such plots one must go to the end, otherwise all this does not make any sense.
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Local "gopota" completely insolent - they attack anyone who cannot fight back. But these youths are not impressive for a war veteran. “Let them know,” Kowalski says.– For every villain, old Walt has a loaded gun in his bosom."
It is curious that until 2008 Master Eastwood knew nothing about the Hmong. To immerse himself in the theme of the story, he had to do his own research. So he learned that many of these people are from Laos. During the Vietnam War, they fought on the side of the United States, and after the end of hostilities, the Vietnamese communists began to exterminate them. In order to save these people from death, the American government provided the opportunity for many of them to immigrate to the United States. The first group came to the States in 1975, and now their diasporas number about 300,000 Hmong. The largest of them are registered in the Californian city of Fresno, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and in the state of Michigan, where, by the way, the film was shot. To be as close as possible to their lives, Clint Eastwood invited many representatives of the Hmong diaspora into his picture. The director swears that it was not easy.
This film deals with the theme of obsolescence. It generally touches on many topical issues. For example, how things are in the automotive sector of the American economy, where the end of an era is obvious. Walt is an obsolete person. He hopelessly lagged behind modern society and its rhythm. He does not know how to communicate with the people around him and how to react to what is happening around him. This gives rise to a feeling of powerlessness in him, which in turn transforms into cynicism. However, thanks to a young immigrant neighbor, he manages to discover in himself a sense of tolerance towards others.
Clint Eastwood, director of Gran Torino
Instead of an epilogue
It was no coincidence that I began this material with a long introduction about the "industrial capital" of America. The film "Gran Torino" seems to end the story that began a century ago. Of course, there is no open text in it. What and how can be understood from the context: cracked asphalt on unswept pavements, boarded-up windows of houses, destroyed high-rise buildings, numerous gangster groups, insolent from police inaction. For this picture, Clint Eastwood did not need scenery - he shot real-life landscapes. Detroit, for example, has become so because of the inactivity of the automobile magnates, from their swagger, pride and boundless devotion to the green papers. And Gran Torino in this context is just a symbol, brilliant and sad. Probably for this reason, the car never left the garage for all the screen time.
The habit of coming to any meeting early once again played a cruel joke on me. The person is late by the standard ten minutes, and I'm already on my nerves, because I've been waiting for almost half an hour. Tired of staring around, I decide that I recognize the real muscle car by the sound. And here it is - finally!
I heard the guttural grunt of a carbureted V 8 a couple of blocks away. A minute later, the troublemaker himself appeared. In a deep skid, under the roar of hard rock - everything is in the best traditions of the genre. For such a ride, these four-wheeled rebels were created more than fifty years ago.
His full name – Ford Gran Torino Sport Sports Roof. There is no such thing as too much sports! This name appeared after the fateful restyling of the 1972 model. Previously, the sports package was named Torino GT. But the SportsRoof prefix is almost the same age as the entire Torino family: this is how Ford called the dynamic fastback, discontinued in 1974.
A boldly upturned window sill line, a sloping roof, a wide C-pillar turning into swinging fenders, a slightly raised ass like a runner at the start - let dad go to church in an ordinary coupe, and fastback is a bully bully. Let the Fordists, since 1972, have distanced the model from purebred rebels who have begun to lose popularity, Gran Torino looks like a true “muscle”. It was in this body that Ford appeared in Fast and Furious 4, but there the 1972 SportsRoof with its killer whale-style muzzle became the hero. Our guy is quieter: in 1973, the grille took on a more traditional shape, but the Gran Torino did not become a good boy. The air intake on the hood and the 275th rear tire are witnesses to this.
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Inside
With the exception of the integrated state-of-the-art audio system, the Torino interior appeared to me almost in its original form and in the only correct color. I'm pretty cool about "upgrading" as long as it doesn't go overboard, but the interior of a muscle car should only be black. Leave everything else personal luxury car . The karma of a harsh male car does not accept other colors.
The architecture of the massive front panel deployed towards the driver reminded me of another "seventies" familiar to me -. But the mood in the Gran Torino is radically different, and it's not about the poor configuration, which did without comfortable options like electric windows. Deprived of traditional and so dear to many Americanisms like an “automatic” poker and a three-seater front sofa, Ford can easily pass for an old-school European.
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I counted as many as eight instrument wells. It's funny that the creators considered the watch to be more important than a voltmeter, oil pressure and water temperature. The front seats are comfortable, although purely automotive ergonomics in the modern sense are unknown to them. Adjustments - simplicity itself: only forward and backward. There are no seat belts, they have come as standard only since 1974.
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Looking around the expanses of the cabin, you immediately remember the bike about the fact that every second American was conceived on the back sofa of Ford. With a length far beyond five meters and, most importantly, an almost three-meter base, the Americans disposed of wisely - on any row of Gran Torino seats, you can safely roll up group orgies.
In move
In '73 the Gran Torino was no longer the same as the year before. Truly cool engines - - have sunk into the past. But what was missing on the conveyor was corrected by tuning. Who and when gave the fastback sports camshafts, forged pistons, an E delbrock carburetor and a Ram Air inlet is not important. The main thing is that the 5.8-liter Cleveland V8, according to the seller, began to give out about 390 hp. The increase was more than a hundred, and the form began to correspond to the content.
Launching an old Yankee is always a drama, and the Gran Torino did not disappoint. Second misfires - and the carburetor "eight" finally wakes up with a cough of a consumptive convict. The salon is instantly filled with loud peals of the release. The neighbors definitely adore this guy and dream of giving him a flower pot on the roof. Noise could be less, but the Ford is temporarily deprived of the rear of the exhaust.
Under such accompaniment it is a shame to get under way smoothly. A jerk from a place is not even impressive by force - sorry, old man, we have seen and more abruptly. Winking at me with the letter D, the repeater of the selected gear on the steering column, informing me that I had not missed - the last thing I remember before I went completely deaf. The roar, the rumble, the smoke from under the wheels grinding the asphalt - a complete set of muscular special effects. Before I can get out of the parking lot, I already feel like Dominic Toretto walking away from the chase.
Ha! You won't get far. The Gran Torino Sport suspension is truly independent. And not only she. Steering and brakes are also independent. In the sense that little depends on you here. Where Ford and I are flying is a big, big secret. When a huge carcass with a roll flies up to the turn, and you are frantically trying to find the trajectory with an uninformative large steering wheel, feverishly trampling on the cotton brake pedal, Vin Diesel's cool mask is already lying in the back seat.
In a straight line, if with a breeze - also not an option. Annoying noise is added to the constant steering at high speed in search of a trajectory. Poor aerodynamics plus unadjusted windows and seals do their dirty work. The latter is a feature of a particular instance, with which the owner is actively fighting.
You can list the cons for a long time. No back visibility. Where does the endless trunk end? And the devil knows. It is convenient to admire the relief sides in the side mirrors, but there is little real help from them. For dessert - the answer to the most popular question: "in mixed mode, the consumption is almost 30 liters per hundred."
Ford Gran Torino Sport
Claimed fuel consumption per 100 km
There is almost no practical sense in having such a dinosaur as a dependent in the 21st century. It is interesting to accelerate in a straight line with a squeal of tires, give corners in a turn and do other childish things. You can just stand by with a casual look, and without lifting a finger, beat off the girl from the owner of the new BMW. Show off? And then! But if you are reading this text, then they are not alien to you, and all that separates you from owning such a miracle is a certain amount of money and a portion of courage. For practitioners, there is also a benefit: in the future, this investment will certainly pay off and bring income. Yes, exactly: an investment in show-offs, especially with such a historical background - almost all over the world, the purchase of such equipment is considered an excellent investment.
Purchase History
In 2013, Nikita decided that it was time to invest the money accumulated over several years somewhere. Buying real estate was out of the question - not the amount. Going through the options, Nikita decided to invest in movable four-wheeled property. Why not buy a muscle car?
Only options sold in Russia were considered for purchase. To this end, it was decided to turn to one of the St. Petersburg firms, which has been successfully importing, restoring and selling old "Americans" for a long time. The number of four-wheeled rarities that appeared before Nikita during the first visit was amazing. At least fifteen cars were put up for sale, but most of them were already reserved.
Nikita was offered a choice of three 1970s Fords: a Thunderbird, a Starsky and Hutch-style Gran Torino hardtop, and a Gran Torino fastback with a three-speed automatic. The first two cars were in perfect condition, completely restored. Fastback, on the other hand, only managed to be repainted in a non-native red color, and it still needed to be invested in, but a more powerful engine and, most importantly, an aggressive appearance did their job.
Repair
Adventure began on the day of purchase. Not having time to get to Pushkin's native now, Ford began to boil. While Nikita was waiting for the engine to cool down, the battery died. To eliminate problems with cooling, they installed a new radiator, an additional air intake and replaced the fans. However, the new battery did not solve the electrical problem. It was worth putting the Ford in the garage without removing the terminal from the battery - and a week later the Yankee refused to start. As a result, Nikita installed an increased power generator and replaced all the wiring himself.
The body was made anticorrosive, but this is only a small part of the required list of works. Not exposed gaps, unadjusted windows, "tired" rubber bands - all this led to the fact that two weeks spent on the street during the rainy period led to the flooding of the cabin. There were no serious consequences, but the elimination of all causes of the flood is still in the process.
Salon in Gran Torino native, Nikita just updated the flooring and replaced the gear shifter. According to the technique, all the brakes were replaced in a circle, and at the same time a divider was installed that cuts off the rear brake circuit. Suspension and engine investments are not required.
Improvements
In the process of installing music, the Ford body was completely soundproofed, and at the same time it was possible to overcome corrosion in the floor. The speaker system is built on PowerBass components. 175,000 rubles were spent on improvements.
Exploitation
The mileage of the Gran Torino cannot be determined due to the intermittent speedometer not working. Nikita himself drove about 15,000 km. There is enough work on the car, but everything is done gradually, as free forces and means appear. There are no problems with spare parts - everything can be found on Ebay Ford for a fresh Mercedes or BMW, but he is not interested in this. As for the sale - offers are considered, but it all depends on the price. If Gran Torino finds a new owner, then Nikita sees the Lincoln Continental Mark V as his next project.
Model History
The Torino name debuted in 1968 as the name of a midsize Ford Fairlane. Two years later, the management of the concern decides to rebrand. With its new streamlined design, the Torino becomes a staple in Ford's middle class, updated annually in line with the fashion of the time.
In 1972, the model underwent a significant restyling, which affected not only the appearance. Reduced engine power - Torino is now positioned as a luxury car. The engine range consisted of an in-line "six" 4.1 and five V8 options with an operating range from 4.9 to 7 liters. Gearboxes - three- and four-speed "mechanics" and a three-speed automatic transmission. It was decided to abandon the convertible. Only two-doors (coupe and fastback), sedans and station wagons remained in service.
A year later, the fastback was discontinued, replacing it with a new variation, the hardtop coupe. Subjected to regular updates, Torino was produced until 1976, giving way to the Ford LTD assembly line.
Nothing special happened in St. Petersburg - we met, looked at a couple of themed cars, drove to the place, looked at the Ford and bought it in five minutes. They took it for a penny, but the truth was that the car turned out to be very rotten, but everything was complete, everything was in place, except for the little things. True, Lincoln stood there in the garage in 78, why didn’t he take it then - it was also a mystery and there was money .. I don’t know and still don’t know, as if something stopped ...
It was decided to leave the Ford in place, in the garage until spring, so as not to suffer through the snow. In my opinion, the car was transported to Moscow in the spring, if I'm not mistaken, it was a rare case when the car got on time and did not cause anyone any trouble due to prolonged storage.
So the 1972 Ford Gran Torino wagon became mine. I really liked the car, I saw his photos long before the acquisition and the expectations were not deceived in any way. I liked everything. Of course, with the acquisition came an understanding of the complexity of the restoration of this machine - it required a lot of work and very serious costs, precisely because it had rotted badly, to the point that the supporting frame also turned out to be very rotten, which, I must say, is not often found on America 70s. It became clear that this was a long project and I had to put up with it, postponing everything for later.
So Ford still stands, but despite this, it has become one of my most successful and dearest acquisitions, although it has a very relative weight in terms of collection value. Why it is so valuable to me, I will explain after the technical reference, I understand that it is tedious, but you need to know what to do.
The most curious thing about this Ford Torino station wagon is that, like its counterparts, the Buick Skylark and the Oldsmobile Cutlas wagon, it was equipped with engines from sports versions.
Buick Skylark 64-68 and 1972.
Oldsmobile Cutlas Cruiser 1972
Pontiac
And finally Gran Torino 1972
For example, in Torino there is a huge V8 with a volume of 6.6 liters. The same engine was installed on the two-door sports Torino. what was the practical meaning of this - I don’t know, but it’s terribly funny and cool. such a sporty wagon.
It has an automatic transmission and power steering and brakes. Brakes front disc, rear drum.
Salon of beautiful and high quality leatherette. That's probably all of the nyashek on this Torino.
A little more should be said about the motivations for mass acquisition in my St. Petersburg saga. This is just a little more about that very mysterious and omnipotent St. Petersburg collector and the second part of the title of this story - a bit of Retro Union.
This disgrace began for me for a long time and for a long time. Back in the early 90s, a friend gave me the legendary '76 Chevrolet Camaro that started it all.
At the Sportivnaya metro station, where I had to visit every day for work, there was an awesome stall with magazines, in which the cult magazine HOT ROD, a thematic magazine on cult Americans, was purchased monthly.
These magazines were leafed through me to holes, as well as the daily review of the newspaper From hand to hand, well, and so on.
It was my way of knowing the world, I was quite young then.
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There were very few cars at that time. to buy, for example, a Ford Mustang in the early 90s was beyond the task, it was difficult not only to buy it, but even to even see it. Such were the times. Of course, there were cars, but there were orders of magnitude fewer than now, and all this was not massive. then there was neither Autoexotics in Tushino, nor much else
The very beginning of the 2000s is associated with "warming" in this area due to the fact that the direction began to gain mass character and both new, newly brought cars began to appear, and old ones began to emerge.
The Internet entered every home, websites of enthusiasts and clubs of lovers of automotive America began to be created.
Also, some opportunities began to appear for me, and coupled with available information about cars, old dreams began to come true.
Really cult sports American models began to be found, even if sometimes in a frankly killed state, even if it was even on the car itself in the everyday sense of the car, but only a project for its future construction on wheels, but still it was that very cherished iron, that very Dodge Challenger 70s or Pontiac Le Mans from your favorite magazine and from a bunch of revised and worn out American action movies.
Dreams came true in this way and it was incredibly difficult to stop.
And why stop when you are not alone and you need an eye and an eye and skill, so as not to be late and not miss an interesting copy, otherwise others will immediately drag you away. There were really not many others, but what!
There were legends about the Retro Union club in St. Petersburg, and first of all about its creator and caretaker - a mysterious collector, holder of more than a hundred at that time really interesting and iconic classic cars and authoritative rarities.
Almost all the cars in the club were with Soviet history, which is interesting in itself.
Cars were searched everywhere and were located in various parts of the country, they were brought, restored and supplemented by the main team, the history of the formation of which, as it was then written on the website of the Retro Union club, at that time was about a dozen years. This site was regularly viewed by me as an edification story of a fairy tale that the impossible is possible, since this is the place to be. Of course, it didn’t even occur to me to compete with such a monster in any way, and it couldn’t come - it would be just ridiculous and ridiculous.
The mysterious Sergei Borisovich was the undisputed leader, winner, tsar, creator, holder, caretaker of the miracle he created, and thus formed almost the entire space and everything in it that was somehow connected with the auto industry in the country, and even more so in St. Petersburg.
In St. Petersburg, he was practically the master of the topic, and for sure, everything that happened was somehow connected with "Retro Union".
The man did a great and significant thing - cars were saved, restored and did not hide in dark and damp garages, which happened in the best case for the car, but monthly and almost weekly on weekends, expositions of cars, by themes, brands and eras were put on display people, on pure enthusiasm from good intentions.
At that time, this was a bit of a curiosity, since the owners then treated the cars very jealously, on the verge of tyranny and rarely showed them anywhere. Seeing an interesting old car at that time was mostly a matter of chance.
And then there are organized events and not one or two cars, but dozens, and even changing thematic expositions.
It was great - a fact!! I will not hide that from some point, Sergei Borisovich. became a legend for me without exaggeration.
Of course, he was not a role model for me, this simply could not be due to the impossibility of comparing his figure, especially with me.
As I said above, it was just not even funny, but the feeling that besides me there are still the same obsessed, moreover, who achieved results and deserved respect - yes, it was like that.
This feeling of ideological NOT loneliness, perhaps, was completely and completely filled and formed looking at Borisovich and Retro Union.
Yes, it gave me strength and, most importantly, it did not give me a reason to think seriously and critically about my aspirations, actions and their scale in the field of malicious auto-acquisition. I had no time to think, and why - with such a specific conceptual and ideological "roof" as Sergei Borisovich and his "Retro-Union", I had to look for and find cars and opportunities to acquire them.
This literally occupied all my time and attention, everything else was directly or indirectly subordinated to this desire. I really wanted to get to know this person. I will not hide it, but unfortunately I still do not know him personally.
Even despite his absentee invitation to visit "Retro - Union" in May 2008.
The invitation was voiced or passed to me by our, at that time already old mutual friend. just the same monster and guru, a connoisseur of St. Petersburg and Soviet auto antiquity, as well as a participant in almost all adventures, one way or another connected with the acquisition by someone of something old, especially American.
The main thing is that it was this St. Petersburg guru who betrothed and helped me acquire exactly the same Ford Gran Torino wagon 1972, on the very trip behind which, as described in detail and described above, my friend and I almost flew off into unknown worlds (with God's help, not flew away) and as it turned out later, Sergey Borisovich was also very familiar with this Ford in his younger years.
Ironically, his fascination with old cars involuntarily began and was connected and probably, in a certain sense, turned out to be tied to this particular car - a 1972 Ford Gran Torino wagon, a car with a long St. Petersburg history, located in St. Petersburg since the 70s.
It so happened historically that this particular Ford belonged to one of the chiefs of one of the military units of the Leningrad Region, in which Sergei Borisovich served in his time in his youth.
Of course, such a beautiful and rare car could not pass by, past the attention of young guys, of course they looked at it, and of course this car is associated with memories of young youth and vivid unforgettable impressions that such a beautiful and unusual car could not but evoke, especially at that time in the eyes of young guys, and even more so, who watched her almost daily.
According to the stories of my St. Petersburg friend and from the words of Borisovich himself, they had to polish this car to a shine, well, and so on. What are the vivid impressions of youth from outlandish and beautiful cars, I am well aware of my own memories.
I also had such cars, which I came to look at almost every week, talked with the owner for hours, which I dreamed about, as something impossible and unrealizable, well, and so on. I think all boys and teenagers had it. Therefore, for Sergei Borisovich, this Ford was certainly of great importance, our mutual St. Petersburg acquaintance spoke to me directly about this.
It so happened that this Ford turned out to be acquired by me, acquired simply as an old curious American car, one of many.
At that time, I was not aware that she was of any importance to Borisovich. Whether my friend knew about this or whether this acquisition of this car by me was a simple misunderstanding - I don’t know, I think that this was not a deliberate action against anyone, but I don’t know for sure.
To be continued...
Thanks to Godo for kindly providing interesting photos from his archive)
