Here’s why the Torino is Ford’s forgotten muscle car

In this episode I provide the history of the Ford Torino, which initially was the higher trim of the Ford Fairlane in 1968, but by 1970, it has become so popular that Ford demoted the Fairlane name to a cheaper version of the Torino. The Torino's optional fastback roofline, called the "Sports Roof" proved so good for NASCAR that it was banned from the race the following year. By 1972, a new generation introduced the Gran Torino, which would also be the start of decreasing engine output, and larger federally mandated bumpers over the next couple years, and ended its run entirely after 1976, thanks to Ford trying to move away from performance and more towards luxury. Today, the Gran Torino is most well known for its role in the TV cop show Starsky and Hutch, and later in the 2008 Clint Eastwood movie "Gran Torino".

[@life_libertyandthepursuit...]

Thank you for covering this car even though it lived and died in the 1970s.

[@AlbertTimmons]

Loved the 1972 Gran Torino . My first car . Mine was a gold 4 door with a 302 engine . My step dad had the same , but his had the 351 Cleveland engine . Much stronger than mine and I got to drive his occasionally . That thing literally scared me once when I put the gas pedal down a little too far . It would spin the tires on accident . Mine wasn't weak either . I once drove it at 110 m.p.h. down I-17 in Arizona . I could have gone faster too . I wish I still had it actually . Thanks for the video .

[@rayknott1603]

Please do more 70s car videos this was great 👍🏽

[@chrishenderson9130]

They did it, they finally covered the dudes car! And it really ties the channel together...

[@neighborkruse4623]

Fuck it dude let's go bowling.

[@johndornoff]

One of the 3 surviving cars from Starsky and Hutch was recently auctioned off. The car had been signed by the actors and included one of Starsky's signature sweaters. I also turned a Grand Torino into a Street Stock racer.

[@1_Papa]

Again, you have outdone yourself!!! Very accurate, downright complete story of how the mid-sized Torino would de-evolve into the full-sized (oops, I mean "trim-sized") LTD II, which along with it's Mercury counterpart, the Cougar (nee Montego) became the largest and heaviest cars in history ever to be sold by any manufacturer, anywhere, that were marketed as "Intermediate-sized!" 🐰

[@milfordcivic6755]

There was a lot of wasted space in the front end of those 77-79 Fords, Mercs and Lincolns. My father used to call them big arks.

[@NotQuiteSteele]

The ‘70 and ‘71 Torinos are some of the best looking muscle cars out of the era - I hate they fell so hard by the wayside.

[@kevindalton2285]

Very enjoyable video. I was an 8 year old kid living in Ohio when the '70 Torino came out. I was obsessed with it. We were a FORD family at the time with a brown COUNTRY SQUIRE.

[@Hobotraveler82]

In Middle School, our new neighbor owned s 76 Gran Torino. Bought new out of High School, he drive it and maintained it well. Unfortunately rust overcame it and he bought a used Thunderbird to replace it. 😊 Awesome car, awesome video. 😊

[@milfordcivic6755]

There were a bazillion of them on the road when I was a kid.

[@bugsshmoney6980]

you have no idea how excited I am for this. just inherited my grandpas '70 torino with the 351c and I'm in love with it. can't wait to share this video with him

[@johnnymason2460]

This was a great episode. One of my aunts once had a yellow 1973 Gran Torino sedan. I will never forget that car. It was an honor to sit in that car.

[@wapartist]

So true. I rarely see these anymore even at shows!

[@Fabulousprofound168]

My dad traded in a little Dodge Colt for a 1972 4 door Torino with a 302 V8 before I was born, thinking the Colt was too small for a growing family. I remember the vinyl seats burning me alive in the summer, a column shift since new that would indicate neutral but was actually drive, and lap belts in bench seats that did nothing to hold you down lol. But what was said here is true. Lots of rust (and this was a west coast car), lots of engine problems, such as the carburetor needing to be rebuilt several times (it liked to diesel after the ignition was off), stalling from vapor locking, and then finally a broken piston ring brought it down. He ended up replacing it with a 1982 Chevrolet Celebrity, hoping for more reliability… and we all know how untrue that would be 😢

[@theconfusingwords]

I think it’s such a great, iconic classic car. Love to see it get a video

[@FrankTimms-cs5hl]

I remember growing up in the 80s I often passed by a house that had 3 Starsky & Hutch replica Torinos always parked in their driveway(wonder what happened to them?) Probably the most dedicated fan of the show and the car!

[@gregbenwell6173]

ACTUALLY the Mercury Comet DID continue, but as a Mercury version of the Ford Maverick!!!!

[@Cats_Are_Scary]

I like that you covered the Torino. 1970’s cars are interesting and would be cool to see more on your channel!

[@rickloera9468]

I have always been a fan. My first car was a hand me down 1972 Mercury Montego MX 2 door hardtop that my parents gave me. I loved that car. This was beside my Prius the most dependent car I've ever owned. I currently have a 1972 Ford Gran Torino. It has been a really great car for the past 20 years. The red Torino in the commercial has some funky looking non factory black vinyl top. I prefer the semi halo top that most 72 Torinos had. Beautiful car.

[@PrydeWater901]

Gotta love those tire squeals on a dirt road!

[@SpaceTech54]

GREAT Car - so under appreciated.

[@SaintDouglas]

Loved that clip from Hooper, one of my favorite films as a teenager! I used to work on the WB lot so it was fun to see those locations once again. You are one of my favorite KZbin channels, keep up the amazing work!

[@Jfleshman1209]

Mom taught me to drive in a Torino. 2 door coupe, small V8. Good memories.

[@measuringcup7080]

I have a 1973 Gran Torino 4 door. 2v 351c engine. It was my introduction into the classic car world a few years ago, and is the only Torino I've ever seen to this day with the exception of a '72 Wagon. It's missing the landau top, and was a light green and rusted when I bought it. Got it off Facebook for $2600 after selling my first car (a cream colored 2006 PT Cruiser that I miss...) and daily drove it for the next year or so (when I wasn't replacing parts that were going bad one by one and having the transmission rebuilt). I ended up rattle-canning it purple and white while leaving the curved contour on the body like green "wings", before getting tired of the gaudiness and repainting the body solid gloss black and the top white. Just recently redid the interior with a proper molded carpet and headliner, patched up rust holes, and got better seat covers and a headliner. Despite being imperfect with all the cosmetics done myself, she's garage kept now. And though I'd been inches away from reselling her along the frustrating journey, I'm glad I didnt. The rarity of Torinos alone makes me proud to have one, and there isn't another car I'd trade her for. The stories and memories I've heard from older people, be it at shows or in grocery store parking lots, about how their dad or brother had one, how it was their first car, or how they flipped one on a back road in the rain while trying to get away from cops, are priceless. Other people can have their Chargers and Camaros, the '73 Torino is "My Car".

[@martinpettibone6044]

Had a 72 sport fastback, black. With that white stripe in high school. The skunk.

[@cybercrusader420]

I own a 68 Torino 4-door. Original from Fullerton CA, now in Thuringia Germany. The Torino is a good looking car and also quite convenient. It got everything i except from a late 60s car. Comfortable Bench seats in the front and back, V8 powered and an automatic transmission. 8 Beer Crates fits in the trunk with the spare tire removed. Good American made car indeed. Greetings.

[@Pedro-hn7nj]

Fun fact: here in Argentina the Ford Torino Model 1969 initiated production in that particular year, but since there was already a car named Torino in the domestic market (the I.K.A. Torino), Ford decided to change (retrieve) the name to Ford Fairlane.

[@sebastiend.5335]

Thanks for another great video. Greetings from the Netherlands

[@sterlinsilver]

My moms first car was a dark green 1970 ford Torino coupe. Said it was her favorite car she ever owned. Unfortunately by the time she bought it in upstate new york in the early 80s it had seen its fair share of winters. Eventually the floors rusted out and she had to say goodbye. :(

[@padroooo]

Good Ford video Pat. Getting close to that 100,000 subscribers I see.

[@vinnydaq13]

My high school’s driver’s education vehicle was a 1973 Torino sedan, complete with passenger side brake pedal for the instructor. I got my first license in early 1975 driving my dad’s 1973 Olds Delta 88 Royale. What a boat!

[@johnrobinson5156]

The Ranchero should be a tangent to the Torino WAGON... I had a 73 with 351 Cleveland CJ . Business up front, party in back!

[@nlpnt]

Fairlane/Torino wagons from 1966-71 had a shorter wheelbase than the others - 113" vs 116". Falcon wagons were built on the same wb with the identical body shell while Falcon sedans had a 108" wb. The Ranchero was built on the wagons' compromise span and switched from a Falcon to a Fairlane front clip in 1967, remaining Fairlane-Torino based until 1979.

[@josephtafur]

I love this channel Your historic retelling of history of old and defunct Car Brands and models some that i grew up remembering as a kid, its a great throwback

[@carexpertandy]

I took a Film & Literature class during my senior year of high school where we watched and studied ‘Gran Torino’ with Clint Eastwood. I also watched it in my Business Professionalism class my junior year of college, can’t remember why though. And nice to see that you have now expanded your criteria to include 1970s cars!

[@kevinanderson7613]

Thanks for the good video, I see no reason to limit yourself to cars from the 80s-90s

[@alexandrecorelli7179]

Another cool video from this channel ! Thank you ! The Gran Torino has even competed at the 24 hours of Le Mans !

[@j.r.wildermuth3365]

I have a 96 road master wagon and a 71 Buick estate wagon. All cherished in our house. I enjoyed your video.!

[@texanfournow]

My father worked at the Ford Research Lab in Dearborn and leased a new car every year. The first car I drove after getting my driver's license at 16 y.o. was my father's leased Gran Torino in Silver Blue poly with a white vinyl roof and blue entire. I liked it--comfortable and classy. Two years later Dad leased a Gran Torino Elite in triple green with a 460 c.i. V8. Good times!

[@davidkastin4240]

The 72 with the sports roof is my favorite Torino.

[@danmorley8116]

Thanks. I'd been waiting for a good video on the Torino. There were many 1970s cars like it that sold really well at the time but are seldom seen today.

[@abedekok322]

My all time favorite car is the Talladega Cobra Jet, just an absolute outstanding piece of mid-century design with racing credentials to back.

[@michaelsimko7694]

Whether it be enthusiasts or today's classic muscle car markets, the Torino doesn't get as much attention as its closest competitors of the time do. Plus, it's much more common to see a Chevelle, Charger, Road Runner, Monte Carlo, Coronet, and Satellite on the road these days. A few years ago, I couldn't believe what I saw parked in an Advanced Auto parking lot. An excellent condition 1976 Gran Torino Starsky & Hutch edition. As I was looking at it, the owner came out of the store. After talking with him, I had the opportunity to make a video of him begin to leave after starting up the car, which you can find on my channel.

[@BizzKek-hc3bd]

I think there were 6-7 of these in the parking lot during my high school days, 1984-1987, and they were all modded out and shackled up, and mostly ratted out with rust - rivaling the 'RustTang'

[@BizzKek-hc3bd]

PS - check out the Renault 'Torino' - super sexy in style.

[@DoubleZedd6]

My first cat was a 72 Gran Torino Sport that I bought in 1990 with lawn mowing money for less than 400 bucks. I miss that car almost everyday.

[@adamtrombino106]

My uncle had a 74 baby blue sedan. I was too young to know about anything car related but, I do recall him constantly under the hood during cold weather, trying to get it started. This would've been around 79 or 1980. To this day, at nearly 80 yrs old, he has never owned another Ford. I had a buddy in HS whose older brother had a 69 GT sports roof with the 390 and 4 speed, Raven blk on blk. He wasn't very good at driving stick and was afraid of it. I had learned to drive on sticks, and 1 day he and I went to a drive in/cruise night car show. It was a big hit. He let me drive on the way home, and I dumped the clutch at about 2500 rpm in 1st, wound it up and speed shifted into 2nd with the car sideways. He turned white as a ghost and yelled at me the entire way home. He sold the car in 1994, never letting me drive it again. LOL

[@OLDS98]

Thank you for the video. It was well thought out and put together. I enjoyed the footage and information as well. I liked that you mentioned Mercury as well. I did want to add Ford used the Fairlane name in Australia on its large sedan for decades. It was a a part of the Fairlane and LTD line up. I do recall this car. I was not a fan of the Ford Elite. The car as you said lived on through the late 70's as Thunderbird, LTD II and as Mercury Cougar.

[@chuckwhitson654]

As a kid, my stepdad gave me a pristine 68 torino gt coupe. 60k mi. Zero rust, dents or damage. I also got the old tired 302 out of his work truck. ( he bought the car for the 289) tons of fun

[@robertdragoff6909]

I’m glad you, as you talked about the cars history, also talking about its appearances in tv and movies. My favorite will always be on Starsky and Hutch….. I’m slightly prejudiced for the show because Paul Michael Glazer (Starsky) was from my hometown of Newton, Ma…..

[@Steve-lb2gm]

Nice edit there. Reliability issues after the baddies cut Starky's brake-lines 👌 Yes, I'm a 70's kid 😁

[@davidp2888]

I also owned a 1973 Firebird, and would love to see a video on that model.

[@tabbott429]

I bought a 72 fast back when i was 17 for $1750. It had a 69 429 Police interceptor engine. It had some bad body work and some mechanical issues i sorted out. I found another 72 coupe a couple years later for sale with a later model 429 that was taken out sitting on the garage floor. Got it for $2500. The body was near perfect and custom painted in pearl white. I junked the bad body and built the white one with a 6pt roll bar and full engine rebuild with ported heads, and some higher performance internals. $22k spent over the years building up that car. It was a beast and looked and sounded great with 3" pipes all the way back. i kept the 69 429 aa a spare. I had a literal truck load of parts along with the car that was in near perfect condition. 18 years later in 2005 i sold it way to cheap which i regret to this day. The rear tires were 325/50/15s which made it look the part of pure muscle car. I made the buyer take all the parts or no sale. He did and flipped it to another buyer in Norway!

[@JTA1961]

Florida popo drove Gran Torino (Boss 302)with flashing BLUE lights, in 77. Often could hear the 4 barrel kicking in as they floored it to get to the next donut shop. I was lucky enough to get a ride in the back seat only once while later crown vics many times.

[@deborahmichalak8991]

The first car I bought for myself in 1976 was a 70.5 Ford Falcon with a Torino body. It was green, 4-door, NO power steering, and NO carpet. I paid $600 for it. Drove it quite a few years until the floor panels in the back rusted out!

[@TheCarCrazyGuy]

That was fantastic. Keep 'em coming!

[@jscatt6123]

Great episode! Have you ever considered doing an episode on the International Scout?

[@Winters_Folly]

Had a black and red 74 GTS coupe with the 351m, loved that boat.

[@CJColvin]

It would be awesome if Ford can make a Muscle Sedan (based off the S650 Mustang platform) called the Torino (or Fairlane or Falcon) to compete with the Dodge Charger and have the same 5.0L Coyote V8 in it as well.

[@bl3343]

I agree. Unfortunately, the Charger is being discontinued because everyone wants SUVs.😢

[@parkependleton6453]

I got my first car fifty years ago, a used two door 1968 Ford Fairlane with a 289 cu. in. V8 with three on the tree. Good times.

[@normbittner3762]

Just saw a red 1968 Torino at a tavern car night last week- it was awesome, not sure if the motor. Also, in the late 80’s my two cousins and I all took turns owning an LTD II, brown with pop up moon roof (aftermarket)- we lovingly named it “The Turd” 😂 Great video and I think for all us GenXers out here it’s fine if you expand your channel to 1960’s & 1970’s cars.

[@Rippypoo]

Great segments. Thank you.

[@madmike2624]

Great content my brother!!!

[@bl3343]

This was a great video, but one thing you forgot was the 1970 year had something called the Northwest editions. They had special decals like the Twister, and were available in three colors to represent the three states on the west Coast. These were basically grabber green, blue, and orange with different names. I can't remember which color went to which state.

[@joellamoureux7914]

We had a 72 country squire gran Torino. It was a tank. We had it longer than anything else in that time. It was a Massachusetts car but had no rust. At all? It had the seat belt siren that was sooo loud. No ac. And a garage door spring on the throttle. No idea why my dad didn't put a correct spring on it. You almost needed two feet to push the gas down. Our only woodie. The transmission broke the first day. We traded a Buick opel manta for it. God I wish we still had that!

[@jeffreydiechman4632]

Great video sir! I was wondering if you would mention the Elite. A good looking car looking for an identity. Ford called it a Torino for one year. I always considered it the T-Birds little brother. I always look forward to your videos. Jeff

[@christophertaylor9100]

Love the Ford Fairlane clip, such a hilarious movie

[@NotaBInMyH]

Thanks for another great video. Take care and God bless.

[@JJZephyr374]

Forgotten?!? What American muscle car enthusiast doesn’t know about the Torino?

[@averyparticularsetofskills]

_Mmmuuuhhaa😗👌_ I could've watched 40 more mins of this! Impeccably done per usual

[@davidp2888]

My first car was a 1972 Torino. My grandmother gave it to me. I loved and hated that car. lol

[@nathancook1404]

Nice work on the Video, Ford may no longer makes the Torino or Grand Torino anymore, at least they are remembered in TV Shows & Movies and are also notice in the Diecast Fandom with a Number of Torino & Grand Torino Castings through Hotwheels, Greenlight, JohnnyLightning & M2 Machines.

[@GummyBearWA]

The '74 Gran Torino was the last American car I ever owned. It had a garbage 302 V8 with no power. I had to turn off the A/C if I wanted to get away from a full stop. The car did save my life when I was stopped on the road to left turn into a driveway, and a full sized truck rear ended me at 90+MPH.

[@HWolfeIII]

My first car was a 75 Gran Torino. It was a pretty cool car, but had issues with the exhaust, I ended up selling it to a guy that I once lost a fight to. It was a poetic justice.

[@stanparsley9186]

Please continue to stretch the boundaries 😊

[@RealBLAlley]

I had a 69 Fairlane 500. Great car, except the rear wheel wells cut the tires when you jump them. The 70/71 Torino with hidden headlights is still a great looking car.

[@100percentSNAFU]

In my opinion the early versions with the hidden headlamps was the most handsome model of the Torino.

[@raysamson9411]

My first car! 1972 Torino!

[@PrydeWater901]

Great show! You had to know at this channel’s inception that you were limiting yourself with such a finite pool of subjects by restricting yourself to cars from the “80s to mid-2000s”. I was always hoping that you broadened the scope in order to make more content. Now, about that Lincoln Versailles… 😉

[@danielventura8073]

I had a 1969 Torino Squire back in 1977. I kept it until 1985

[@karlepaul6632]

Its a no brainer: Do more 70s cars!!!!

[@motoflyte]

I think this is as close to the mad max interceptor that we had in the states

[@100percentSNAFU]

Correct, the Interceptor, or Pursuit Special, was a '73 Ford Falcon (Australia)

[@bl3343]

I remember when I first saw an Aussie Falcon I thought, "is that a 71' Torino? Looks too small".

[@HollyKost]

Got an Robin's egg blue 1972

[@Gorio-h3u]

"Thanks to serious reliability issues and corrosion most of the 2 1/2 millions Torinos ever built are no longer on the road today" - If anything, Ford is consistent over the years.

[@Mr.Guild1971]

Recently they came out with a Badass concept Torino but it sadly never made it to production. I believe it was fitted with the GT40 motor setup. I sold my '69 Torino fastback 5 years ago.

[@pepperonipounder]

🎵 Mercury Montego, I drive a Ford Torino🎵

[@allenkranawetter9482]

The starsky and hutch Torino was always cool

[@lash9400]

Fords model range in the 70s is huge. I can’t tell what is at the bottom of that the line up to the top. Then to have different variations on each model

[@williambrown3458]

My 1st car was a '70 Ford Fairlane and my 2nd car was a '76 Ford Elite.

[@daveblock4061]

We had 2 Mavericks which were dubbed the 'S**tcan". Traded both in for a Gran Torino which earned the nickname 'Gran S**tcan'.

[@RoadRunnergarage8570]

I have built a handful of Model kits of the Torino-(AMT 69 Torino Cobra,AMT 69 Torino Talladega,Revell 70 Torino Cobra,and 74 Gran Torino Starsky And Hutch,,) All in 1/24 and 1/25 scale..

[@rayknott1603]

I had a 72 Gran Torino 302 small block. It was a good car. My pop bought it from his boss for me. Then the transmission died 😢

[@manthony225]

The 70 and 71🤩

[@ve2vfd]

Let's not forget that the fifth and sixth generations of the Ford Ranchero (Fords "El Camino") were basically Torino pick ups.

[@lucwijngaard8413]

Gran Torino!

[@timfordfalconxf7714]

Always LOVED the 4 doors dunno why haha, Kinda like the AUSSIE ford falcon i guess ?

[@RUfromthe40s]

the 72 torino coupé was a hell of a car but never owned one

[@bl3343]

Were you able to find out what specific reliability problems the Torinos had? I used to have a 71', and my biggest problems were cancer in the floors/trunk, and electrical, but I always associated that with the age and condition of the car.

[@Unloaded74]

They should bring back the Torino as essentially a big Ford mustang

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

Not a Ford fan. But I love all 60s cars and most 70s cars

[@cowboybrooklyn]

Growing up, my friend had a Gran Torino. Not sure what year it was, but we all called it 'The Dildo'