A two-time SEMA winner and Goodguys Street Machine of the Year, the 1969 Ford Torino Talladega GPT Special is the product of a painstaking three-year build by Troy Trepanier’s Rad Rides by Troy in Manteno, Illinois, for Hot Rodding icon and Bonneville racer George Poteet of Mississippi. Unveiled at the 2013 Detroit Autorama to rave reviews, the GPT Special was also featured in the Universal feature film “Furious 7” with star Vin Diesel sitting in the driver’s seat on set. The GPT Special pays homage to the Holman-Moody Ford stock cars of the late ‘60s in virtually every hand-finished detail, first evident in its extensive custom bodywork. The quarter panels were widened 1 inch and feature 1-inch higher crowns and functional integrated brake cooling scoops; the rear wheel opening lips were pushed 2 inches wider and 2.5 inches higher than stock, and the rockers were extended to accommodate integrated exhaust cutouts. In contrast to the original Torino Talladega’s extended nose, the GPT Special’s front fenders were shortened 3 inches, sculpted with fabricated lips to match the rear wheel openings, and the leading edges recontoured to match the custom-fabricated Talladega-style sloped header panel. The hood was then topped with a custom power bulge set within a unique scoop. Billet aluminum was used to form the custom machined front grille and tail light bezels. Custom nickel-plated front and rear bumpers, full-width front and rear spoilers, a hand-fabricated belly pan, roof rails and bolted-in windows complete the expertly crafted, NASCAR- inspired body mods. The car was then finished with two-tone Tennessee Whiskey Gold and Daytona Sand paint, a pairing found throughout this sensational machine. The Art Morrison chassis serving as the foundation was built with a 1-inch shorter than stock wheelbase, with Corvette C5 suspension and rack-and-pinion steering up front and 4-link rear suspension with custom Rad Rides Watts Link and custom machined bracketry. Wilwood disc brakes are a combination of 14-inch vented rotors and Rad Rides by Wilwood 6-piston front and 4-piston rear calipers, guaranteeing superior stopping power. Billet Specialties provided the GT40-style wheels, which measure 18x10 inches up front and 20x12 inches at the rear and feature powder coated centers and brushed lips. Michelin Pilot Sport tires are used at all four corners. The engine compartment shares the same impact as the rest of the GPT Special, extending the NASCAR theme with a Ford Boss 429 V-8 engine rated at 750 HP. In addition to Kaase aluminum cylinder heads, it features a rare Ford intake manifold discovered years ago by Poteet at a swap meet. Originally designed to accept Hilborn injection, it was modified to accept a custom fuel-injection setup by Rad Rides using Precision Turbo 58-pound injectors and controlled by a Big Stuff 3 computer-controlled engine management system. Custom sheet metal work, ARP stainless rivets, Tri-Wing fasteners and satin paint extend the NASCAR look under the hood. Topped with a hand-fabricated upper intake pan and painted to match the overall finish, the Boss Nine is backed with a Tremec TKO 600 5-speed manual transmission built by Bowler transmissions and fitted with a Hurst shifter topped with a Holman-Moody wood shift knob. A Mark Williams Ultimate 9 rear end with 3.70 gears and Detroit Locker puts the power to the pavement. In keeping with the overall them, the interior is a lesson in functional practicality and minimalist design incorporating racing-style aluminum structure racing seats with luxurious stitched upholstery also used to finish the gauge bezel, which showcases custom Holman-Moody gauges by Classic Instruments. Further equipped with a roll cage and safety harnesses, the interior’s punched steel sheet metal work, satin Daytona Sand paint, ARP stainless rivets, Tri-Wing fasteners and old-school toggle switches combine to perfectly bring home the GPT Special’s Holman-Moody/NASCAR ambiance, completing builder Troy Trepanier’s self-imposed mission to “create a new standard for street machines that combine the highest level of craftsmanship, creativity, and innovation with raw horsepower, superior handling, and rock solid reliability.”
