Every once in awhile, a car pops up for sale that has a story to tell. In the case of this 1970 Ford Torino Cobra on eBay, it stands head and shoulders above most other 1970 Torinos due to its history.
Let’s first start with equipment: the standard motor for the Torino Cobra was the 429 cubic inch/7-liter, 360-horse known as the Thunder Jet. Optional was the 429 Cobra Jet, which was rated at 370 horses. Adding a Shaker hood scoop kept the horsepower the same, but adding the Drag Pack would add 5 horsepower due to a different carb, solid lifters, and other supporting hardware.
This Torino Cobra, however, is a Twister Special. Mustang Twister Specials are much better-known, but the Torino is an equal partner of a regional special only available to folks in metropolitan Kansas City. Here’s the story: Ford’s Kansas City district office wanted a batch of performance Mustangs and Torinos to promote when the Ford Total Performance Day traveling caravan stopped into town. After the event, the Twister Specials were distributed to area dealerships and sold to the public.
Aside from a special black stripe along the side (similar to the laser-style stripe available on the Torino GT) and an animated twister decal on the rear fender, there was nothing that differentiated the Twister Special over the regular Torino Cobras, available at any other dealership in the U.S. All 90 Twister Torinos were painted Calypso Coral and had the 429 Cobra Jet motor and ram air, and some of them had the Drag Pack, too.
This 1970 Torino Cobra Twister Special on eBay is one of 30 built with the 4-speed manual, of which the seller claims only 13 still exist. A 4-speed car without power steering or brakes sounds like a handful, but if you enjoy the visceral experience of a vehicle’s mechanical presence, it shouldn’t be a big deal.
“It runs well, needs nothing, is a huge amount of fun to drive, and gets a lot of attention on the street,” claims the seller. At $50,000 Buy It Now, it’s pricier than your average Cobra Jet Torino, but if the thought of a unique regional promotional vehicle interests you, then this may be the car for you.
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