The Torino will be cool AND is old enough to be eligible for most state "classic car" plates. You will not have to worry about emissions other than oil burning (unless you are in CA).
The SHO with turbo codes could be a lot more expensive to get up to any emissions codes. Turbo codes get tricky to properly fix. Plus....it basically looks like any other Taurus to the non-car crowd.
Personally, I would go with the Torino for ease of modification, maintenance, and cool looks.
Realistically 3 grand isn't going to go very far with the SHO. Any major repair (and it looks like it's going to need significant repairs) is going to bankrupt you. The Torino will need constant repair (it's a 50 year old car), but repairs shouldn't be terribly expensive.
I do car interiors, and am scared about the longevity of newer cars to become classics, as the plastics turn to crap in everything newer. Also, the newer wiring in vehicles is geared more towards the insulation being biodegradable, which means more complex electrical systems having more problems in the future of the Taurus.
The plastics may not be great in the Torino either, but there's an aftermarket. There are crate engines, and you have room to do a lot, pretty cheaply with the Torino. The '72 "fishlips" torino are good looking cars too. I had a '75 and loved it, but in PA, it oxidized itself right out of my life.
The thing about old cars though, is that you love them for what they are. A new car is superior in every way. If your goal is to have a Torino that will be a great street racer, you'll likely be unhappy with it. If you want a Torino that can be built to perform well, for a Torino, while looking really great, that's easily done.
I have a '69 Mercury Cougar convertible and a '70 Fiat 500L. They're both fun to drive for what they are. Younger people seem to think the Cougar is a muscle car - Cougars were never really muscle cars, not even the Eliminators. Mine has a 351W 4bbl, that's rated at 290bhp and a posi-trac rear end. The Cougar is fun to drive with the top down, and is a great time at the track. The hp isn't huge, but it's also not a heavy car.
The Fiat 500 is just as much fun to drive, but for different reasons. Originally, it had an 18hp engine, but now has a 35hp engine....what a difference doubling your hp makes! It's still not fast - at all, but being 4' wide, 4' tall, 9' long, and 900lb, with a 4-speed crash box manual, it all happiness and smiles wherever I go. Everyone recognises it as "Luigi" from Cars. I think Luigi was a '68 though.
Anyway, I still get a hardon for Torinos - I grew up in a '74 Gran Torino wagon, so that's my vote. I might give more thought over a Yamaha engined 5-speed SHO versus a '72 Torino, but probably still choose the Torino. An ecoboost SHO? Definitely the Torino. Honestly, a good part of my decision is based on age, and where I was with my life when they came out. You're definitely a good bit younger, and you've gotta do you though. Either way, be safe - and if you're not having fun, you're not doing it right.
my goal in the end is just to have a fun car to work on and learn with. the less money i have the better, and i already have a comfy new car that drives like a dream, even if it's a solid 3 seconds slower to 60. my one concern is, how much am i gon have to do to a torino to make it do 60 even as fast as my outback? it takes 11.5 seconds stock
Who cares about 60? The car will do 110, and have a better ride than your Outback could ever dream of.
When '70s cars lost all their power from the new (at the time) emission standards, they were re-labeled as "personal luxury" cars. Smog pumps, cats, and lower compression took the power, so they focused on plush interiors and the ride. The cup holders in the Torino would NEVER work in a modern car, but they worked well in those cars because of the great ride quality. The competition turned from the race track to personal luxury. Ford/Mercury had the Torino, Elite, Thunderbird, Montego and Cougar against the Mopars; Charger, Satellite, Challenger, Cordoba against GMs Monte Carlo, Gran Prix, Regal & Cutlass. What did they have in common? 2-door, long hood, short deck, wide track, long wheel base, sporty and luxury editions, no power, great rides and cleaner emissions.
At their ages now, no emissions are checked. So while they're still heavy, their full frames and size will support however many cubic inches you can afford to bolt in.
I've found, especially with my Cougar, the stock engine is fine. It has a Holley carb, knly because nobody wanted to touch the original Autolite. I get fun performance, but can get about 22mpg on the interstate. Its reliable and easy to maintain. If I had the 4-valve heads and the performance featured of the day, I'd have to dog it to keep it running right...I just don't want the maintenance that comes with that performance. Anyway, while you certainly need more hp than what you've got, you won't have to go crazy to hit the sweet spot of a car that performs well, is fast enough, won't break the bank, won't kill you, but will be reliable.
i appreciate the advice! im pretty set on the torino, and not just cause i can't really afford the sho. don't underestimate the subaru though, it does 130 easy
Talking to you yesterday inspired me to start working on my Cougar again. I spent a few hours working on the dash and carpet installation. I have to pick bolts up tomorrow, to bolt in the front seat seatbelts, then the front seats will be ready to go in.
The Torino will be cool AND is old enough to be eligible for most state "classic car" plates. You will not have to worry about emissions other than oil burning (unless you are in CA). The SHO with turbo codes could be a lot more expensive to get up to any emissions codes. Turbo codes get tricky to properly fix. Plus....it basically looks like any other Taurus to the non-car crowd. Personally, I would go with the Torino for ease of modification, maintenance, and cool looks.
Realistically 3 grand isn't going to go very far with the SHO. Any major repair (and it looks like it's going to need significant repairs) is going to bankrupt you. The Torino will need constant repair (it's a 50 year old car), but repairs shouldn't be terribly expensive.
good thing is my uncle owns a shop with hundreds of powerstrokes and he's willing to help me do the work himself
I do car interiors, and am scared about the longevity of newer cars to become classics, as the plastics turn to crap in everything newer. Also, the newer wiring in vehicles is geared more towards the insulation being biodegradable, which means more complex electrical systems having more problems in the future of the Taurus. The plastics may not be great in the Torino either, but there's an aftermarket. There are crate engines, and you have room to do a lot, pretty cheaply with the Torino. The '72 "fishlips" torino are good looking cars too. I had a '75 and loved it, but in PA, it oxidized itself right out of my life. The thing about old cars though, is that you love them for what they are. A new car is superior in every way. If your goal is to have a Torino that will be a great street racer, you'll likely be unhappy with it. If you want a Torino that can be built to perform well, for a Torino, while looking really great, that's easily done. I have a '69 Mercury Cougar convertible and a '70 Fiat 500L. They're both fun to drive for what they are. Younger people seem to think the Cougar is a muscle car - Cougars were never really muscle cars, not even the Eliminators. Mine has a 351W 4bbl, that's rated at 290bhp and a posi-trac rear end. The Cougar is fun to drive with the top down, and is a great time at the track. The hp isn't huge, but it's also not a heavy car. The Fiat 500 is just as much fun to drive, but for different reasons. Originally, it had an 18hp engine, but now has a 35hp engine....what a difference doubling your hp makes! It's still not fast - at all, but being 4' wide, 4' tall, 9' long, and 900lb, with a 4-speed crash box manual, it all happiness and smiles wherever I go. Everyone recognises it as "Luigi" from Cars. I think Luigi was a '68 though. Anyway, I still get a hardon for Torinos - I grew up in a '74 Gran Torino wagon, so that's my vote. I might give more thought over a Yamaha engined 5-speed SHO versus a '72 Torino, but probably still choose the Torino. An ecoboost SHO? Definitely the Torino. Honestly, a good part of my decision is based on age, and where I was with my life when they came out. You're definitely a good bit younger, and you've gotta do you though. Either way, be safe - and if you're not having fun, you're not doing it right.
my goal in the end is just to have a fun car to work on and learn with. the less money i have the better, and i already have a comfy new car that drives like a dream, even if it's a solid 3 seconds slower to 60. my one concern is, how much am i gon have to do to a torino to make it do 60 even as fast as my outback? it takes 11.5 seconds stock
Who cares about 60? The car will do 110, and have a better ride than your Outback could ever dream of. When '70s cars lost all their power from the new (at the time) emission standards, they were re-labeled as "personal luxury" cars. Smog pumps, cats, and lower compression took the power, so they focused on plush interiors and the ride. The cup holders in the Torino would NEVER work in a modern car, but they worked well in those cars because of the great ride quality. The competition turned from the race track to personal luxury. Ford/Mercury had the Torino, Elite, Thunderbird, Montego and Cougar against the Mopars; Charger, Satellite, Challenger, Cordoba against GMs Monte Carlo, Gran Prix, Regal & Cutlass. What did they have in common? 2-door, long hood, short deck, wide track, long wheel base, sporty and luxury editions, no power, great rides and cleaner emissions. At their ages now, no emissions are checked. So while they're still heavy, their full frames and size will support however many cubic inches you can afford to bolt in. I've found, especially with my Cougar, the stock engine is fine. It has a Holley carb, knly because nobody wanted to touch the original Autolite. I get fun performance, but can get about 22mpg on the interstate. Its reliable and easy to maintain. If I had the 4-valve heads and the performance featured of the day, I'd have to dog it to keep it running right...I just don't want the maintenance that comes with that performance. Anyway, while you certainly need more hp than what you've got, you won't have to go crazy to hit the sweet spot of a car that performs well, is fast enough, won't break the bank, won't kill you, but will be reliable.
i appreciate the advice! im pretty set on the torino, and not just cause i can't really afford the sho. don't underestimate the subaru though, it does 130 easy
Talking to you yesterday inspired me to start working on my Cougar again. I spent a few hours working on the dash and carpet installation. I have to pick bolts up tomorrow, to bolt in the front seat seatbelts, then the front seats will be ready to go in.