The following comes from Tim Lien of Ames, Iowa.  Tim writes "What I am sending now are pictures of my '71 Torino project car. Right now plans are to toss the 302, which I have already tricked out, and dump in a '73 351C and 4 speed tranny. The full story behind the car is kind of interesting, and here it is. I live in Ames, IA (about 30 miles north of Des Moines) and had put my '78 Chevy Nova for sale. I had restored it and scooped it, painted it cherry red, but in the end it was a big disappointment. I was talking to one of my friends about wanting to buy a muscle car, so he suggested checking out an ad for a '71 Torino with a 500cid motor. I was immediately impressed and checked out the ad in the paper. When I called the guy (about 5 minutes later because I didn't want to lose this car) I got his answering machine. So I left a short message giving my phone number and letting him know that I was interested in the car. The guy called back about four minutes later, and guess what, he called collect. I said no to the operator, but had waited too long, so the call was through. I talked to the guy for a few minutes, he was pretty loud and hard to understand seeing as how he spoke in ragged slang. The guy kept telling me the car was old and it wasn't going to be in perfect condition ( I had already figured this out because the car was listed for $500). He also told me that it actually had a 351 motor in it, and that the car and motor would need some work. So, about a week later I was in Des Moines. I called the guy and got through to his answering machine. I told him that I wanted to stop by and look at his car, but he wouldn't have it. He told me to meet him at a Quick Shop or something like that he even asked me what I would be driving. So I said "Ok, I'll be in a Red Chevy Astro, we'll be there," (I was with my dad at the time). I think I told him I would be there at about 5:00 pm, but I took the good 'ol civic to an auto parts warehouse to get some parts for my Nova. When I got back (pretty late) my dad said that he had gone to the gas station and saw no Torino. So I got on the phone and actually managed to reach the guy without talking to that stupid answering machine. The guy was livid, yelling about how he was there waiting for us and had been there for a few hours. I told him that I would try again saying "Do you really want to sell this car?" That finally shut him up and he said we could try again. I told him we would be there in 10 minutes, and he told me to meet him at the airpump. When he finally got there I recognized him immediately even though I had never seen him before. I was ecstatic because he pulled up in a rusted out Caprice. I can tell you I was MAD. But, he told me to follow him, so we did. We managed to follow his no turn signal, no brakelights, rusted out Caprice through the Gangland area of Des Moines to his apartment complex. We finally got to the car, and man was it sad looking. It had four flat tires, but it was a Torino. I didn't get a real good look at the body or motor because it was about 9pm in February, so it was really dark. My dad talked to the dude (he was built, and about 6'4" tall) and seemed to get the idea that he could be worked down to $300. So, we left and I dreamed of the Torino all the way home. About a week later my friend and I drove down to Des Moines and met up with the guy in order to take a closer look at the car. I asked if I could listen to the motor run, so Alfredo (as we now affectionately call this bastard) met my friend and I at the gas station where I bought a little gas to run the Torino and a little gas to get Alfredo's car back to his apartment. When we got back to the car I tried to talk the price down. I kicked the floorpans, "hmm...these are rusted out..." looked at the quarters "hmm...these are gone..." noticed the holes in the hood and the four flat tires too. I did manage to get the guy down to $300. So, it was time for the motor to be started. Alfredo warned me the whole time "It's gonna be loud," (an escuse Alfredo had been using all along to not start the motor.) The guy began by dumping about ten gallons of gas in the Carb and then pumping the gas while cranking the motor. After about ten minutes the engine lurched to life and scared the crap out of me. It sounded just like one of those alcohol funny cars. Alfredo killed the motor and let me know that it was time for him to go get his free meal down town, but we could meet him later. So, my friend and I went to best-buy and he bought a lot of electronics. We debated whether or not I could afford to buy the car then and if he could loan me the money. We decided to just tell Alfredo that we didn't have the money (he had suggested that I take a loan from my friend). We rolled up to the gas station with a car load of brand new electronics and I told him I didn't have the money and my parents said I could put any down on the car. I went back to Ames a little dejected because I didn't have a car and that I might have to deal with this loser again. The Nova finally sold and I went directly to Des Moines. I met Alfredo at the gas station and he wrote out the bill of sale and application for title. I drove Alfredo around Des Moines for about two hours (because he needed a van to hall DJ equipment) and he chilled with his otha gangstah homeys. We made it to Reiman music where Alfredo argued with the clerk for a seeming eternity and finally they agreed on a price. Then, Alfredo called on me to sign for the thousand dollars worth of equipment using my driver's license (he conveniently left it at home). Luckily one must be at least 18 to sign for this kind of stuff. Prior to getting to Reiman music I had stopped at the bank and withdrawn the total amount plus 50 bucks for the tow. We finished the deal in the parking lot and he assured me the car would be delivered that day. I got home and waited, and waited. The car didn't show up. The next day I called Alfredo and he said that he couldn't get a hold of his "tow guy". After several days of the same Alfredo quit returning my calls, I dug through my pit of a room but didn't manage to find the list of phone numbers Alfredo gave me. So, I went on the internet and had remembered the name of the Auction blocks where the car was purchased. I remembered the tow guy's name luckily and called the Auction place once I miraculously found the phone number on the internet. They got me the tow guys number. I got a hold of the Tow guy right away and he seemed to be of good character. He told me that Alfredo was BAD news. He also told me that Alfredo had not talked to him once, but he had seen him at the auction blocks. He hadn't received the payment that Alfredo was supposed to give him and Alfredo already owed him money. I told him, forget about the money, I'd pay him in cash upon delivery. The next Friday I left early and transfered my title as soon as the courthouse opened so that Alfredo couldn't sell the car to someone else. I went to my beloved torino and parked right next to it, all by myself. I called the tow guy and let him know that I arrived a little early. About 45 long minutes later he arrived. I didn't have any keys and the steering was locked, so we drug the car to the middle of the lot with a winch. The torino was rolled up onto the flat bed and halled back to Ames. On the way a few chains fell off and make a shower of sparks on the road. I was worried, but I could hear the chains in my van with the windows up and stereo on so I figured that the Tow guy could hear it. About 20 minutes later he pulled to the side of the road and fixed the chains. The car was deposited at my neighbors spare driveway and the journey was finally finished. In the following week I finally got keys made and hooked up the tranny. Shortly after I removed the 27, yes 27, fullsized car batteries from the newly opened trunk and sold them. I also sold anything else I could find that was worth value (all of Alfredo's belongings were in the car, this was also an excuse not to give it to me, he wanted to clean it out first). Underneath the pile of trash was a near mint black leather interior, that kind of made up for the stressful transaction. The thing that I am still angry about is that when I came back to my torino to get it towed there was a giant pile of beer bottles around the car and the windshield, headlights, and windows had been shot. The passenger fullsized and quarter windows had been shattered. The car was shot AFTER I bought it. When I opened the trunk at home i found a new looking AA book. Apparently Alfredo didn't read it carefully. After I rebuilt the carb and was all pumped up to finally drive the car I put it in drive and it immediately died. The head gaskets were blown. So I decided, after getting the heads off, to just rebuild the whole engine and trick it out. The pictures of my heads show you how much progress I have made. This is the most insanely ridiculous transaction in the history of the universe. I will keep updates coming on my torino project. It is my life!!"

Thanks Tim,..... Wow what a story! Beer bottles, bullet holes, AA, free meals downtown, wow this one had it all!  As the Torino Turns.... Just kidding, great story!