Ford Torino 1970 GT 351

Ford built 56,819 Torino GT hardtops in 1970 but only 3,939 GT convertibles, and this M-code 351 example with factory air conditioning and a deluxe interior sits near the top of that already tiny pool. The Cleveland-block 351 traded the old Windsor’s heads for a canted-valve design that finally let a Torino breathe at real RPM. Bright yellow paint and a drop-top roof only make this rare survivor harder to walk past.

A rare “M” code 351 4V 1970 Ford Torino GT convertible with bright yellow paint, deluxe interior, and factory air conditioning!!

Only 3,939 Ford Torino GT convertibles rolled off the Lorain, Ohio assembly line in 1970 — and that’s before you start narrowing things down by engine code, color, or options list. Drop in the M-code 351 Cleveland, add factory air conditioning and a deluxe interior, and you’re no longer talking about a rare car, you’re talking about a genuine unicorn most Ford collectors will never see in person. Bright yellow wasn’t a shy color choice in 1970, and neither was ordering a convertible when the hardtop was the popular, cheaper pick. So what made Ford’s M-code 351 worth chasing down in a car this rare to begin with?

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The Cleveland Engine That Changed Everything

The M-code designation points to Ford’s brand-new-for-1970 351 Cleveland, a genuinely different engine from the old Windsor-block 351 despite sharing a displacement number. The Cleveland’s canted-valve heads let it breathe far better at high RPM than anything Ford had under a Torino’s hood before, and paired with a factory four-barrel carburetor, it delivered strong low-end torque along with real top-end pull — a combination good for 0-60 runs in the mid-8-second range, quick for a full-size convertible of that era.

Convertible Rarity Nobody Talks About

Ford built 56,819 Torino GT Sportsroof fastbacks in 1970 against just 3,939 GT convertibles — a ratio that tells you exactly how few buyers were willing to pay extra for open-air motoring on a mid-size muscle car. Stack a genuine, numbers-matching M-code drivetrain on top of that convertible rarity, and you’re looking at one of the rarest muscle-era Fords most enthusiasts will ever encounter, let alone one still wearing its factory hideaway headlights, GT bucket seats, and console shifter.

Options That Make or Break a Survivor

Factory air conditioning and a deluxe interior weren’t cheap add-ons in 1970, and on a convertible this rare, they turn an already special car into something closer to a one-of-none. Cars built to this exact combination of engine, body style, and options are exactly why serious Ford collectors spend years hunting auction listings instead of just buying the first Torino GT that comes up for sale.

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