A Trip Through Time With a 1970 Torino Cobra 429

It was 1969. The Stones, "Honky Tonk Woman" was one of the top ten songs along with "Get Back," by The Beatles and "Sugar, Sugar," by the Archies. Richard Nixon was President, a house could be bought for $40,000.00. Milk was $1.26 and gas 36 cents a gallon! A postage stamp cost $0.06 and the average income was $8,547.00. (Were those the days, or what!)

In November of that same year Richard Markarian went to the McLeod Ford dealer in Riverdale, CA and picked up his brand new 1970 Ford Torino Cobra he had ordered in August. The price, (tax and license included) was $4,300.

Two and a half years later he married his wife Susan who began driving the car. Richard bought himself a three year old Boss 429, for $1,800 which he began to race. The Torino became the tow car until eventually, he bought a trailer. The Torino also became the family car after their son Matthew came along but in 1976, after 116,000 miles, Richard decided to give it a rest.

Back at McLeod's he was offered $1,300 on a trade in. (You know those car dealers!) He declined, thank god. The memories and the fun won out and the "old Ford" was parked. It moved from barn to barn on the farm as the years passed.

In 1990, as muscle cars started to get a lot of attention, Richard began the ground up restoration process. He completely disassembled the car and rebuilt the engine and transmission back to factory specs. Over the years that his car sat (in those barns) Richard had found some of the NOS parts thinking that, "someday" he would restore the car.

Being a "California Car," rust was not a problem. The motor was bored out and stock compression ratio was kept at 11.3.tol. He replaced the stock hydraulic cam shaft with a Super Cobra Jet cam shaft.

Every nut and screw was removed and all parts were rebuilt or replaced with NOS new old stock or reproduction parts. A few of the harder parts to find were the tail light lenses, NOS carb and exhaust system Ram Air seal. The front end and interior were all redone and the paint job was done by his brother. Project time, two years of patience, persistence and love. As Richard says, "One of the greatest joys to me is all of the wonderful people I have met during this process from the Fairlane Club to the suppliers. Every time I drive my Cobra I flash back to my youth and all the great memories I had with this car. Every time I hear a story of someone wishing they still had the car from their youth, I smile inside and realize how lucky I am."

McLeod's is still there and so is one of the salesmen from '69. Richard remained a loyal customer over the years and, in fact, just bought four brand new pick-ups to help manage the work load on his farm. Three generations of Markarian's have grown wine grapes, raisins, almonds and prunes that are sold to packers and shippers like Blue Diamond and Sun Sweet. Along with his two brothers, Richard works the farm.

We salute you Richard, especially for not taking that trade-in offer!

This Cobra is one of the highest optioned Cobra's in the country and includes:

• Console with High back Bucket seats
• Rear window sport slats
• Magnun 500 wheels with F-60x15 raised white letter tires
• AM/FM stereo radio
• AC
• Rear window de-fogger
• Tinted glass
• Visibility Group
• Power steering/brakes/windows
• Deluxe seat belts
• Rim blow steering wheel Deluxe three spoke
• Intermittent wipers
• 429 c.i.d. 4V Cobra Jet Ram Air 370 HP
• Traction lock differential
• Shake Hood Scoop - Ram-Air
• 800 RPM Tach
• Automatic Transmission C-6