Custom Car Builder Jeff Lilly Crafted His Dream Blue Oval

Despite its great styling in the '60s and into the early '70s, Ford's midsize muscle car never seemed to get the respect it deserved among the classic Chevelles, flashy GTOs, and expertly marketed Mopars like the Road Runner and Charger. It seems like it's only a matter of time before the next generation of classic car fans realize their potential, because constant engine updates and multiple coupe and fastback body styles to choose from mean there's a Torino to fit just about every flavor of muscle car fan. It just so happens that Jeff Lilly's 1970 convertible example is one of our favorites.

See all 28 photos Jeff chose a healthy roller-cam 429ci Ford big-block for the Torino. It's topped by Ford Motorsports heads and pumps out 550hp. On top is a one-off air cleaner built by Jeff Lilly Restorations that houses an ample air filter. Exhaust is routed through custom 2.5-inch stainless tubing and Magnaflow mufflers

Jeff Lilly, of Jeff Lilly Restorations in San Antonio, Texas, has Ford muscle in his family tree, as his father raced a lightweight 1963 Galaxie, so when it came to selecting his personal car, he didn't go for a run-of-the-mill Mustang. Setting out to combine the best body styles of the 1970 Torino line, Jeff Lilly Restorations started with an original 429-powered convertible and got to work cutting into the sheetmetal. The door handles and mirrors were shaved, and the quarter panel extensions were significantly reworked to incorporate the rear spoiler from a Torino Sportsroof. Jeff took on the task of slicing, dicing, and melding the Sportsroof spoiler and the integration is seamless. From there it was a matter of correcting all of the Torino's blemishes as the tedious bodywork and welding of the panel gaps finally lead to the custom-mixed paint that was sprayed by Bob Ives and buffed to its final sheen by Nat Ramirez.

See all 28 photos Never offered on the convertible, the Tornio Sportsroof's small spoiler adds a lot of character to the convertible's trim lines.

Under the sheetmetal is a modernized chassis with a Total Control Products front coilover system that ties into the factory shock towers and a Currie 9-inch rear with 31-spline axles and 3.55:1 gears, perfect for highway cruising with the C6 transmission. The brakes also got a major upgrade by way of an ABS power brake system that uses 13-inch, two-piece rotors and six-piston calipers front and rear from Baer Brakes. Capping off the suspension are custom billet wheels finished in gloss platinum to match the Torino's trim wearing Michelin Primacy HP tires, 255/50/17 front and 275/45/18 in the rear.

Dropping the top reveals a custom rollbar fabricated by Louie Carrillo then Bob Ives painted it to match the Bohemian Brown leather on the custom seats. The high-back bucket seats have integral three-point belts for easier access to the rear seats and were upholstered by JLR's Eric Orishak, who also completed the car's final assembly. The leather was also used to wrap new door panels and the dash, which retains the factory sweep speedometer.

What truly sets the Torino apart from the crowd might not be noticed at first glance. As if the custom orange drop-top wasn't enough of an attention grabber, a top-notch audio system was a priority for Jeff. An Alpine head unit feeds the audio signals to a pair of IDX-24 crossovers where the midrange and high frequency signals are routed to a 450-watt JL Audio amplifier and on to a six-inch Dynaudio components mounted low in the center of the floorboards as well as a pair of Image Dynamics horns mounted just below the dash. The bass signals are sent to twin JL Audio 1,000-watt amps and then to a six-pack of 10-inch JL Audio W6 subwoofers mounted in a custom-built enclosure in the trunk. No matter where you're seated, and whether the top is up or down, the audio system will be able to keep up.

See all 28 photos A custom center console houses Auto Meter gauges, a Hurst shifter, and controls for the Vintage Air AC system.

See all 28 photos The customized seats have integral seat belts, making it much easier to get into the rear seats.

See all 28 photos Jeff is an audiophile, so the trunk is dedicated to sound. You'll find six 10-inch JL Audio W6 subwoofers in a symmetrical enclosure molded in fiberglass and wrapped in leather. They're powered by twin, 1,000-watt JL Audio amps.

See all 28 photos This shot highlights the extent of the bodywork and paint prep. The reflection is perfect! Nat Ramirez gets credit for the final cut and buff, Bob Ives aligned the panels and sprayed the custom mixed "Orange-Appetite" paint, and both men block-sanded the panels mirror straight.