It's official, I am building my own Interceptor!

Post by **HUMVEE Driver** » Fri May 10, 2002 4:49 am

The most wonderful part of my life is getting started; I'm going to build my own Interceptor. To all who have done or attempted this, please inform me of your efforts. E-mails, webpages, whatever. Right now I'm in the planning stage, but if anyone has parts for the car, I'll buy them. Since I'm in the USA, I think I'll be going with a Torino. Does 1974 sound like the correct year? I will probably need everyone's help to locate some of the more exotic pieces, but I am very determined, and price is no object. Let me know what you think!

HUMVEE Driver

Post by **Dmala** » Fri May 10, 2002 5:52 am

Just curious, if price is no object, why not import an Australian Falcon for the project? I'm thinking that a Torino is going to take a lot of extra work, and even then it'll never look quite right. There's a guy who posts here who imports Australian musclecars, check out http://www.aussiecoupes.com. I'm sure it's a little expensive, but having a car imported from Australia is definitely not impossible...

-Dave

Post by **Foxtrot X-Ray** » Fri May 10, 2002 6:05 am

If you're going to use an American car, particularly a Torino, the right vehicle would be a 1970.

Check Pete's XB vs USA Cars page..

Another option would be a '71-'73 Mustang. (there's a local body man who was shaving the ridge off the sides of his '72. Looked interesting)

Or a '74-'78 Mustang 2 might be a good choice. Somewhat limited to a 302, but, what the hey..

MY project at this time (in the vehicle hunting stages at the moment) is a '85-'86 Mercury Capri (Long story) onto which I plan to put an '86 Mustang GT Front bumper, & Rear hatch and a Mach 1 style fiberglass Ram Air hood..

Post by **HUMVEE Driver** » Fri May 10, 2002 9:44 pm

I thought about going with an Australian Falcon, but I don't know if I could get used to the right-handed steering. I drove a mail truck a few times with it's right-handed steering, and I didn't like it. But it's still an option, though.

Post by **Foxtrot X-Ray** » Sat May 11, 2002 5:58 am

How difficult would it be to convert an XB to Left Hand Drive?

*mentally reviews the underneaths of most early '70s vintage iron*

Hard part would be the Dashboard IMO.

The Fairmont has a more semetrical dash, correct?

Perhaps swapping that into the XB and doing some fabricating....

Post by **AdrianUK** » Sat May 11, 2002 8:50 pm

if your set on using a torino for your project, a1970 cobra would be ideal,the rear end is very similar,when fitted with arches,trunk and roof spoiler it will be hard to tell the difference[to the untrained eye]. now for the front end,i have a 1972 Mach 1, this would be a nightmare to graft on a nose cone and expect it to look right. purchase from an australian breakers a full XB front end. wings,bonnet,wiper panel, with good basic bodywork knowledge you could fit these panels to the torino. a good fabricator could easily alter wing/bonnet gaps.although their are falcons for sale in the US left hand drive conversion would also be a headache, i have been in the bodywork business for the last 20 years and over that time have grafted some very unusual vehicles together, if i were to have used a torino for my project i would definately use a falcon front end. it would be hard to tell apart from the real thing and you would still be sat on the left hand side.

hope i've been of some help.

Post by **Aussiexports** » Thu May 16, 2002 3:04 pm

In reply to Foxtrot X-Ray's comment on the Fairmont dash, nope all Falcons XA and XB have the same dash, the only change is in the gadges themselves.

Building a LHD Falcon would not be inpossible. We are experimenting with a conversion at the moment. Just trying to locate a full LHD setup that will go close to fitting and then we can fabricate mounts to make it all fit and work and be engineered to be safe.

I have seen a few Torino's and for the time effort and money there really is no substitute for the real thing. Even if money was an issue, by the time you have finished a Torino replica to the point that it is as close as it will ever be, you may still not be satisfied and then you may want to start again. But it's up to you.

The people we sell cars to have all looked for alternatives but in the end they figure just go for the real deal.

See ya

Cam

Aussiexports