About

Originally an Alabama car, an older gentleman purchased it from the original owner a few years ago and brought it to Michigan. After some freshening up of the engine and trans he was forced to sell it. I bought it from him off of e-bay. The original owner had given him all the documentation for the car which was passed on to me. The window sticker, waranty tag, receipt showing that a 1961 T-bird was traded in on the car when it was purchased, and some miscellaneous other paper work. I have discovered build sheets under both the front and rear seats but they are for a car with a 302 VIN and my car is a factory 289 car. I'm not sure what explanation there is for finding two build sheets with the same VIN that isn't the VIN on the car.

The car had major issues when I got it. Massive vacuum leak from the carb spacer that was on there. Janky carb linkage. Bent a couple push rods, broke a couple rockers. After I remedied that situation the rockers didn't want to stay tight. Radiator sprung a leak. The last straw came when the front pump seal on the C-4 went out. I wanted to do a manual swap anyway.

My search for a T-5 to install resulted in me locating a T-56 for a good price first. Then I either needed a bellhousing for the T-56 to mate to the 289 that was still giving me fits or...I needed a mod motor to bolt to the T-56. I ended up buying a Mark VIII from ebay for $860 a couple hours from me.

I drove the Mark VIII home with flat front air bags. What a miserable 2 hours. I parted it out, keeping the engine, and sold parts totalling around $1160. Profit of $300 and an engine.

I had done some measuring and decided the valve covers would fit where they needed between the stock shock towers. I believe those measurements were solid. The problem was that the exhaust manifolds didn't fit where they needed to between the shock towers. So, those had to go. Rod and Custom Motorsports provided the new suspension that allowed that to happen. And if you're going to update the front, you should do the rear too, right?

Rod and Custom Motorsports makes a rear end for other old Fords and they sold it to me in an incomplete fashion at a discount due to the extra work I'd need to do to get it in a Torino.

All of that is currently in the car. the engine has fired in the car. The car can sit on the ground on it's wheels. But there is still a bit of work to do to make it drive.

Specs

Will Dyno and get to the track when it's done.

Factory Options

AM radio
Power Steering

Mods

Former mods:
4 barrel Holley Carburetor
Chrome engine dress up kit
Comp Cam
Shelby upper control arm drop

Current mods:
17 x 9 steelies with 245/45 front tires and 275/40 rear tires
Rod and Custom Motorsports Mustang II front end with tubular control arms, coil overs, and power rack
DOHC 4.6L from Lincoln Mark VIII
1996 Cobra Intake Manifold with IMRCs deleted
Aeromotive fuel rails
Aeromotive A1000 Pump, FPR, Braided fuel lines
Aluminum "Teksid" block
BBK Long Tubes
BBK Off Road H Pipe
Flowmater 40 series mufflers
T-56 6-speed transmission from 2003 Cobra
Rod and Custom Motorsports triangulated 4 link rear suspension
Fuel Safe 22 Gallon Fuel Cell
Ford 9" Rear end with TrueTrac Differential and 4.11 gears
Eclipse CD Head Unit with Sirius receiver and Boston Accoustic speakers
Summit Racing Aluminum radiator w/ modified lower spout


In progress mods:
Black leather bucket seats from Mazda MX-6
Autometer Ultra Lite Gauges in stock dash openings

Browse Related Cars: ford, torino, classic, fastback, gt, dohc, t56, swap

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