1970 Ford Torino Cobra Drag Pack SCJ, Restored

Mileage: 35,000 miles Vehicle title: Other Condition: Used
Transmission: Unspecified Fuel type: Gasoline Interior color: Black
Engine: 8 Cylinder Exterior color: Other

Recent restoration of an unmolested and orginal Ford Muscle car



From the beginning of the era with the 64 GTO thru the end of the 1970 model year, the Big three all had a big gun. At GM it was LS6 Chevrolets, Stage 1 Buicks, W30 Oldsmobiles and Ram Air IV Pontiacs. Mopar’s legendary Hemi and Six Pack cars were king at Chrysler. AMC offered up it’s own muscle with 390 and 401 powered Javelins, AMXs and Matadors.



For the Blue Oval guy, Ford offered up the Cobra Torino and it’s cousin over at Mercury, the Cyclone Spoiler. Three flavors of the mighty 429 were available for the Torino lineup with the base Thunder Jet being the standard offering in the Cobra. Optional was the 370 HP Cobra Jet or CJ and the bad boy 429 SCJ or Super Cobra Jet. It was ridiculously underrated at 375HP leading some to believe that there must not be much difference between the CJ and SCJ. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The SCJ was and is a very special motor with it’s 4 bolt main block, forged pistons and rods and healthy solid lift mechanical cam. The regular CJ was obviously no slouch but it did not get the strengthened mechanical goodies that that came standard with the SCJ.



What I have for sale is a very special and rare piece of muscle car history. Other than the Boss 429 which was available only in the Mustang, there was no other offering wearing the Blue Oval in 1970 any more bad boy than this. You could argue that the carry over 428 CJs in the Mustang were in the same category, but technically, Mustangs are not considered Muscle cars. Regardless, the 429 was light years ahead of the dear old FE from a technical standpoint. My Cobra is a super rare Drag Pack SCJ model as you can see from the Marti report.



I acquired this particular car a couple of years ago as a project car that had been off the road since the early 80s. It was covered with about 65% of it’s original paint and was very solid and straight. It was in boxes and mostly complete. For you guys who are obsessed with “matching numbers” the original block was destroyed at around 12000 miles according to the previous owner. However, it does have a true 4 bolt main SCJ block that is correctly dated to the car. Mated up to this block is the original heads, intake and exhaust manifolds born to the car. As the story goes, the original owner installed a Boss 9 motor in place of the 429 and drove that way until the early 80s when the car was temporarily retired. The odometer shows around 35,000 miles which I can not authenticate, but based on the condition of the car as found and the fact that it has been off the road since 1980, I wouldn’t at all be surprised if this is close to actual.



I debated long and hard on which path to take with the restoration. Total rotisserie concours or occasional driver? Since it was pretty much an unmolested original car, I chose to go the high end occasional driver route. To be very clear, this car was not put on rotisserie and detailed to the nines. It was however taken apart and cleaned, touched up and treated to a very high quality repaint over the original paint. Bumpers and other chrome pieces were replated. The interior is very original and untouched other than a new headliner and carpet. There are so many variables in valuing a classic car like this and the best description that I can give you to help with determining it’s value is to say that I would honestly describe the car as a “strong #2. I might even suggest that it is very close to be considered a “trailered concours” car with a little more detailing.

From a mechanical standpoint, virtually everything is new or refurbished. This includes the SCJ engine that was bored forty over and fitted with new correct TRW factory high compression pistons. The rotating assembly was balanced and the heads were freshened up (even though they were factory originals with only 12000 miles on them!) The cam comes from Crower and is a mechanical flat tappet that comes very close the original specs. Matching springs and valve train hardware was supplied by Crower as well.



The car also has new springs, shocks, U joints, completely updated and original nodular nine inch rear end, brakes, custom 2 ½ inch exhaust with Magna Flow mufflers, rebuilt Power steering system and rebuilt Toploader. I have tons of receipts and photos of the car before and after.



I have only driven the car a few miles since it has been completed but it runs and drives absolutely fantastic. There are a few details to be finished like a trip to the alignment shop and a new set of BFG radials to come, but this will be done before delivery to the new owner. Also you will notice that the car has the oil cooler and hoses shown in the pictures. When I got the car, the oil cooler setup was long gone. I have acquired everything but the block adapter which will not be included in the sale unless I locate one before the auction ends. Currently the hoses are not hooked up and are shown for photographic purposes.

For more information or want to buy the car, please ask me icostumer@gmail.com

The condition of the car very excellent, guarantee will be happy to buy this car from me.

Price USD 12800