1969 Torino Talladega Barn Find 428 Cobra Jet NASCAR Champion

Description

1969 Torino TalladegaOne of 751 NASCAR TorinosTalladegas Won the 1969 NASCAR ChampionshipGarage Find with Full Photo DocumentationDry Stored Since 1983 Numbers Matching 428 Cobra JetFactory Power SteeringFactory Power Front Disc BrakesFactory Staggered Rear ShocksFactory Competition SuspensionAlthough most people would think that Mopar with their far-fetched rear wings or dramatic front ends dominated the NASCAR tracks back in the late 60's but that was not the case. The (very humble by visual comparison) Ford Torino Talladega actually owned the NASCAR Manufacturer's Championship. With only 751 Talladegas produced they are very rare today. Examples like this one with the 'Day 2' modifications are incredibly rare and fun parts of their history.This Talladega was stored in Central Montana back in 1983. It was an urban legend that was only brought back into the light a month ago. It has survived very well thanks to the dry garage and ultra dry Central Montana weather. What you see on this car is the accumulated dirt from 35 years of storage. The story goes that the second owner who bought the car in 1979 and used it sparingly before heading off to work in Alaska where he worked during the summer. Since Montana isn't a place for a Muscle Car in the winter the car remained inside. By 1983 he decided to call Alaska home and the car sat in storage. The first inspection of the car required shovels to clear the accumulated dirt from in front of the garage door. After making a deal the remaining debris was cleared away and the car left in its 'as found' appearance.Under the hood the original 428 CJ has some 'Day 2' modifications like aftermarket valve covers, factory Ford Dual Point Distributor, chrome air cleaners, a block heater for those Montana mornings and headers. The original pieces are no longer with the car but are readily available since they were not specific to the Talladega.The decision was made to make the car run to confirm condition of the drivetrain. To do this the cylinders were lubricated, oil changed, engine pre-oiled, fuel tank cleaned out and fuel changed. The engine fired up incredibly easy and while it could definitely use a tune up it does run without any signs of serious mechanical engine issues. We did also replace the master cylinder to make the car mobile to lot drive. The tires are old and weather checked but do hold air (2 went flat after a week). The transmission shifts correctly. So mechanically the car is currently functioning. It would be best to do a full inspection and decide on your own the best way to proceed.The body is straight and lines up well. I don't see any signs of rust in the panels. At some point very early on the car was in a front end collision. From what I can see the front end was replaced with pieces from another Talladega. The hood and fenders were previously Royal Maroon and have a single repaint in the Wimbledon White. The rest of the car has only been white. Again, the panels line up well, the doors shut nicely and visibly it is not obvious the car isn't all original. The correct brackets, panels, bumpers, grill, and seals are all there for the Aero Nose. These are extremely hard to find parts and are a cornerstone of the value of this car.Inside the black bench seat interior is is surprisingly good condition. The cloth seat obviously has some splits but the original panels are in-tact and are in great condition. Thankfully the owner had the for-thought to place copious amounts of moth balls in the car. Not only did they keep any moths out, mice don't like it either so there doesn't appear to be any signs of them.Obviously we have left the car as we found it for those who appreciate the first bath. It appears that after a wash a nice machine polish would make this an impressive car once more. Wether the new owner decides to rock the 'survivor look' or go for a full restoration, this is an excellent starting point and a great investment.For Transportation we recommend Mike's Discount Auto Transport.

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