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FE Power Forums => FE Technical Forum => Topic started by: 57 lima bean on October 21, 2015, 01:13:49 PM

Title: King Cobra...non FE
Post by: 57 lima bean on October 21, 2015, 01:13:49 PM
https://www.mecum.com/lot-detail/FL0116-229792/0/1970-Ford-Torino-King-Cobra/Automatic/?utm_source=emv&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=FL0116-R208
Title: Re: King Cobra...non FE
Post by: machoneman on October 21, 2015, 02:57:24 PM
Rare indeed but....it is kinda' funny looking.
Title: Re: King Cobra...non FE
Post by: mlcraven on October 21, 2015, 03:51:27 PM
Rare indeed but....it is kinda' funny looking.
Understatement of the week...it's just plain ugly.
Title: Re: King Cobra...non FE
Post by: Qikbbstang on October 21, 2015, 06:23:42 PM
It's butt-ugly from every angle pictured. Hard to believe there's not a good angle.
Title: Re: King Cobra...non FE
Post by: gdaddy01 on October 21, 2015, 07:09:28 PM
I must be a bit odd , but I have always like the looks of those
Title: Re: King Cobra...non FE
Post by: fairlanegt427 on October 22, 2015, 08:54:17 AM
not a fan of that car.  I cant even say its different.   it looks like a torino with an opal front on it imho.
Title: Re: King Cobra...non FE
Post by: BruceS on October 22, 2015, 08:56:52 AM
Did it ever race anywhere?   Don't think the car made it to NASCAR. 

Thanks, Bruce
Title: Re: King Cobra...non FE
Post by: machoneman on October 22, 2015, 09:10:34 AM
No, it didn't. In fact, I don't think either of the two even hit a racetrack at all. As an experiment, it must have been one of the lowest aero-drag cars of that era.
Title: Re: King Cobra...non FE
Post by: BruceS on October 22, 2015, 09:23:59 AM
Bob and all, this article may shed some light:

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2015/10/22/one-of-three-prototype-ford-torino-king-cobra-once-served-as-bud-moores-runabout/?refer=news

Bruce
Title: Re: King Cobra...non FE
Post by: machoneman on October 22, 2015, 09:36:34 AM
Hey, nice find!

One would guess that if Ford had actually done more than wind tunnel testing, some info on its race track performance would have shown up. Back then, I do remember Ford and Chrysler (Dodge/Plymouth) crowing that the Talladega Torino was xxx faster than the standard car and Dodge doing the same for the winged birds they developed. Would be cool to get one in race shape to see what it could have done but nah!

Way too valuable to do something that dumb! 
Title: Re: King Cobra...non FE
Post by: Katz427 on October 22, 2015, 10:26:47 AM
This car I believe was at Ford Carlisle back in June.
The front end was reported to have been done by Larry Shinoda.
A torino with that front end did see the track but was not raced. A
Gent who worked with Ford at the time said the nose had tremendous
Downforce and was a rocket on the straights but was so unbalanced between
Front and rear downforce that it was difficult to drive in the turns being very "tail happy"! He
Also said HenryII did not like the looks and Nascar made the decision easy when they raised the
Required minimum to something like 2500 cars. As a side note Shinoda also influenced the design of
The 70's Opels. I had read at that time back in late 1969 that Ralph Moody felt a rear spoiler similar to
The dodge rear wing was needed to balance the downforces.
Title: Re: King Cobra...non FE
Post by: machoneman on October 22, 2015, 10:40:29 AM
Yes, that's what I read as well. Too much front, not enough rear downforce. Would have been neat to see a Ford designed rear wing for the car.....ugly as it was!
Title: Re: King Cobra...non FE
Post by: 57 lima bean on October 22, 2015, 02:14:36 PM
Stoney says:
October 22, 2015 at 9:20 am
"Man, that’s the ugliest 240Z I’ve ever seen"......now that is funny!.

Title: Re: King Cobra...non FE
Post by: TomP on October 25, 2015, 02:13:01 PM
Anyone know about this Brett Torino collection in Las Vegas? Is it something we can visit?
Title: Re: King Cobra...non FE
Post by: TomP on October 25, 2015, 02:19:22 PM
Never mind, I've found it. Not a Torino collection, a Mopar collection by a guy named Torino!
http://vegasseven.com/2011/09/22/collector-2/