The Ford Torino Talladega: A Rare Hot Rod Superstar

Many of the 1960s and 1970s era hot rod and muscle cars we highlight here can be readily found... with a little bit of hunting. But while many hot rods, like the Ford Mustangs and Chevy Camaros of most any year, are readily found, purchased, and rebuilt with personalized customizations, a precious few are in short supply and high demand. The 1969 Ford Torino Talladega is one such superstar model.

Why the Ford Torino Talladega Is Such a Desirable and Rare Hot Rod Superstar

Throughout the 1960s, Ford enjoyed topping the muscle car sales charts with the widely beloved Ford Mustang, but the auto manufacturer continually fell behind GM and Mopar when it came to nationally-broadcasted races. Then, in 1969, they released a power machine so incredible that they were able to lure famed race car driver Richard Petty -- the King -- away from Plymouth and his renowned Petty Blue Plymouths. That machine was the 1969 Ford Torino Talladega, named so after NASCAR's newest speedway, the Talladega.

Unique Hot Rod Design

The Torino Talladega has a platform that was largely based on the 2-door hardtop Fairline Cobra SportsRoof or fastback, but with some key race-oriented body design changes. The altered design elements were made to make the Torino Talladega more aerodynamic and included an elongated (stretched forward by about five inches) and tapered nose and a flush-mounted grille. The rear end also saw some changes with a cut and narrowed bumper that fit much closer in and featured a V at the center with fitted ends that created a sort of air dam to enhance the model's aerodynamics when traveling at high speeds.

There was also the unique but less obvious design change of reshaping and rolling the Torino Talladega's rocker panels so that the car could run an inch closer to the ground and yet still remain within NASCAR's rules regarding vehicle height. This lowered stance allowed the Torino Talladega to have a higher top speed as it lowered the center of gravity and thereby reduced the vehicle's wind resistance. Initially, the NASCAR-raced Torino Talladega ran on the Ford 427-V8 engine but in the latter half of the season, this was swapped out for the Boss 429.

In the end, Petty made the smart move (although Plymouth did sweeten the deal and got him to return after the year's end) and so did Ford as the '69 race-ready Torino Talladega performed just as the automaker desired. This hot rod went on to win 29 Grand National races in 1969 and 1970, which was far more than any other model.

So how can you get your hands on the steering wheel of one of these gorgeous hot rods? Well, only 500 consumer-available '69 Torino Talladegas were ever produced and so finding one can be hard but not impossible, as evidenced by Customs and Hot Rods of Andice is the only place you'll find someone as passionate about it as you are!