Bull In A Twister
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- America’s first post-war front wheel drive car, the Olds Toronado is one beautiful, bold machine. But was there a two seat version? And maybe a station wagon version? You won’t believe it…until you see it.
That car in running condition is 10 times better than ANY modern front wheel car. Amazing vehicle, makes me sick to see it like that, and I cant believe that powerful 425 is still there, bucket-loads of torque.
I had a " Toro" in the 80's loved it. A 5,000 pound living room couch commanded the road. Miss the damn thing.
Same here but I had mine in the 90s. It was a 76.
Beautiful car.. RIP OLDSMOBILE.
😢 Nothing like an Olds 🤗 still missing the ones I had 🫤
The Toronado was a design beyond compare. David North is a gifted designer and a true gentleman.
I'm surprised someone hasn't grabbed that surprisingly complete example for a parts wagon.
That little doggie loves you Steve.
Back in 1971 when I was a kid i was run over in a school zone by a 1967 tornado. I almost died from this. It was raining and I was walking home . I was in the hospital for a long time. But I survived. Thank the lord for saving me. Now I'm sixty . Not a pleasant memory but a memory..
I'm 58.
The transmission and engine was used on the 1973-78 GM motorhome which was also front wheel drive and had a lower floor compared to conventional motorhomes.
My neighbor has one
Was that the same one they used in the movie Stripes?
@@jeffrobodine8579 According to IMCDB, yes.
@@jeffrobodine8579 Sure was, but with some decidedly non-factory options! 😂
(BTW,Jeffro: On the subject of Oldsmobiles, how's that old Oldsmobile truck holding up out there in Beverly Hills?)
My folks had that GMC motorhome. This Oldsmobile setup had no problem hauling that beast down the road at 80+ mph. Once, I even got it up to almost 100mph before my father said, "That's enough".
No, the moniker of "Royale" would have typically gone to the 88 line, not the 98 line. The 98 was the premium line, the 88 was a 'step down'. I knew the body shop owner that did the "double ended" Toronado. I had seen the photo on his wall in his office. He said, "You'll never know if it's coming or going". This person owned virtually an entire city block in Queens, from the body shop itself to the houses across the street. He had projects upon projects buried in the corner of his shop.
No VIN, can't win, but easy to figure out, no doubt: 3 for Oldsmobile, 9487 for Toronado or 9687 for Toronado Deluxe, 7 for 1967 model year, M for Lansing, MI assembly and the rest is the production sequence. The Lansing plant, which was the Oldsmobile "home" plant closed in 2006 and today's Lansing Grand River Assembly has "assumed" the production at the former Lansing plant.
No tag, can't brag, but would be something like 67 for 1967 model year, 39487 for Toronado or 39687 for Toronado Deluxe, EUC for Euclid, OH Fisher Body, 060 or 080 for Black bench seat interior trim, possible X-X for Carnet Red lower and upper exterior paint, possible A for Black vinyl top among other accessory codes.
The Euclid, OH Fisher Body plant was located at 20001 Euclid Ave in Euclid, OH and operated from about 1921 to about 1982, but then stayed open for a number of years via worker concessions. The plant for a time produced parts for Sea Ray boats and then was eventually closed by 1993. The body was produced in Euclid and then railed over to Lansing for final assembly.
My best friend to this day had either a 1966 or 67 Toronado (it's been too long for either of us to remember which) as a "work beater" back in the mid-late 1980s. Eventually, rust took the ol girl to the great beyond but, to this day, we still talk about taking the radiator to a radiator shop (remember those places?!?) when it needed a repair. The owner of that shop told us that it was THE largest radiator ever used in any production car. I don't know if that's true or not but, I DO know that it took up almost the entire width and, almost from the tailgate to the wheelhouse in the bed of my 1977 GMC pickup. We had a lot of fun with that car and, those radiators are definitely large x huge!
Even us hardcore Mopar guys can admit GM styling was so cool. I dig me some Wide Track Pontiacs and Toronado's. Fantastic interiors too
Growing up my next door neighbor was an Oldsmobile salesman. He would bring home new cars all the time. I remember him bringing home a Toronado like this and the neighbors all went over to look at it. Different times.
That's a great Oldsmobile engine to be wasting away. The best big block heads, a good block, and even a forged crankshaft. That Quadrajet was *800* CFM.
Steve, actually the speedo went up to 140 when you consider the extra 10 MPH band between 130 and 0. As a Canadian who "endured" the transition to the Metric system, I remember the sticker kits available to easily "convert" ALL speedometers to read in Kph. Between '75 and about '95, I owned 4 '68 and 2 '69 Toro's. The first one, purchased in '75, set me back the Princely sum of $75.00 - that's because I wanted the AM/FM Wonderbar radio. It could have been bought for $50.00 without it. The speedometer could wrap around to the 140/0 mark then stop - ask me how I know!
Bro for real bought a car for 75 backs and went 140 mph in it💀👑👑👑
45 years of rebuilding automatic transmissions I've only had about 4 or 5 of Toanato come to me for the transmission rebuild ,and two of those were just a vacuum hose broken or came loose !
One of my favorite cars... Innovation, styling and engineering above and beyond!
I worked at an Oldsmobile dealership when I was 18 and took a doctor back to his office and was to bring his 66 Toranado back to the dealership to be serviced. On the way back I stopped at traffic light and easily smoked the tires for quite a distance. Thanks for the memories Steve.
Oh, by the way the GM Mark of Excellence foil sticker was applied to the doors on GM cars in 1967 ONLY.
Good day,eh.
6:00 am, Montreal time, Friday
That beast is my kind of cruiser. Beautiful
Eh!
Although it is a different name, your last name reminds me of the name of one of the characters on the old TV show Barney Miller.😎
When I was a kid, my uncle bought one that was a couple years old. I remember he stopped by to show it to us and when he left, he lit up the tires for about a half a block. As a kid, I thought it was so cool smoke was rolling out of the FRONT wheel wells!
455 cubic inches!
@@rickdaystar477 Yes, depending on the year.
Were big blocks 400 cubes plus
@@googleusergp my uncles had a 425 in it the two fastest cars I’ve ever been in was a 1970 toronado and a 1969 Grand Prix with a 428 and I’ve been in Chevelles Camaros vettes and all
@@ogphil5600 There was even a GT version of the Toronado.
Man, I love these Toronados! I had a 66 in a beautiful blue with blue interior and the optional chrome wheels back in 89 or so. It only had 70k miles on it, and was a California car, still in Cali, so it was in lovely condition. Wish I still had that Toro! Thanks, Steve. Rock on, man!
I'm glad Steve covered this spectacular car, but I think he's the only person I've heard who prefers the 1967 changes to the clean, striking 1966 design.
Too bad , Oldsmobile didn't produce a wagon version , of the Tornado .
Roomy interior 👌
Not too big on the 2 seater, though
This Ol' Lansing boy remembers when these First came out. They deserved "Car of the Year" Very Innovative. Jay Leno has a Gold one Super Fast, One of My favorite cars in his Collection.
In the late '70's I had a friend rip out the VW engine in his dune buggy and install a 455 Toronado engine/trans in the rear. It was an uncontrolable death trap and was left to rot in his driveway after only a few memorable rides. It sure did look cool though!
I'm sure it sounded impressive too.
@@kenschmidt6522 It was like the "Hurst Hemi Under Glass" wheelie car. I don't think it took 1/4 throttle to get the front wheels off the ground. In retrospect it probably just needed several hundred pounds of ballast in the front to get it under control but it scared him enough to just park it. It was funny to tell stories about how crazy it was to drive, not so funny to actually drive it.
I remember, back in the early '80s, my grandpa and I thought it would be fun to build our own rail buggy, and use a Chevy 283 instead of a VW engine.
But we never got around to building one.
Man...I hadn't thought about that in years, until I just seen your comment.😎
Does anyone remember there was a Toronado someone built and toured drag strips with? It had 2 engine/transaxles, 1 up front and 1 in the rear. It would smoke all 4 tires all the way down the track.
@@mikee2923 Hey Mike, the beast you're thinking of was the "Hurst Hairy Olds". Needless to say, with all 4 wheels doing a smoke show, it was a bitch to control, quite often ending up in the weeds! Over the years I've owned about 5 Toro's - '68's and 69's
I remember occasional car magazine articles in the 70s-80s of rear engine cars such as Corvairs and VW Beetles getting V-8 engine swaps courtesy of Tornado transaxles.
While open element air cleaners may flow better, there’s something about dual snorkel air cleaners.
It also became somewhat popular for people to use the Toronado FWD transaxle in Pontiac Fieros in the 90s.
Morning Steve.... these were really cool cars.
Base price on a 67 Vette coupe was just under $4500, so the Olds was more expensive, but only by about $375. The Olds came with more standard features (like an automatic trans) than a Vette, but still mucho dollaros for an Oldsmobile in 1967. I always thought this a very handsome design, like most mid sixties GM products.
Always liked the Toranado, GM sure had the designs back then, Thanks Steve.
I see some 2 gen FIREBIRD in this design . Especially at the rear .
I think ya got it backward, but I hear ya. Seems Firebird took cues from this design.
Now, it's a Moldonado
GMC used the Toronado drive train for a motorhome in the 1970s. The floor was low with no driveshaft to the rear.
I went to school with a guy that had one of these with a 455. We use to do donuts, in reverse with it. That thing was wicked fast.
I owned two 66s. One Burgundy with same interior. Another Gold with White Interior. Owned them both at one time. Great cars.
Thanks Stever!
I painted one of these once been a huge fan ever since they are so beautiful and incredibly fun to drive the car got more attention driving it around than any Chevelle Corvette or Mustang ive painted. People flocked to the car by the dozens literally.
When I was a kid I had an Aunt and Uncle that had one of these cars. I don't know if it was a 66 or a 67 but I always thought it was a cool looking car!!!
Same here, I knew about front-wheel drive on the Tornado because of model cars. And it was cool that models opened up that world to us, we got to learn all about the insides of cars and where all the parts fit.
Steve, I'm surprised you didn't spend more time talking about the Ultra High Compression Rocket. The 425 that came in those Toronados was pretty hot. Imagine if it had found its way into the 4-4-2.
The 425 was the best 2nd gen Rocket in my opinion.
@@Freedomquest08 I agree!
The original Tornado is one of my favorite cars of all time. Gorgeous and innovative design. I was a young teenager when it was released and I was immediately hooked. I built the model, but bastardized it with a late 60’s pseudo- hippie, Peter Maxx paint job. I think I used every paint in my arsenal. 😂 Great video! ¡Muchas gracias!
*Toronado damn autocorrect!
I read somewhere a couple of sisters bought one of these and ordered airbags. A new revolutionary option for American cars. 20 years later they were in a head-on crash & the airbags deployed & saved their lives!
Does anyone recall William Conrad’s tv show “Cannon”? He drove one on that show. A good friend in technical school drove one for a time. He had the same girth so he took no offense being called Cannon. Army cook in Cambodia or Thailand during his stint. Tony..good man.
Cannon drove Lincolns. Mike Conners drove a custom Toronado early on in his TV series Mannix.
@@scottsinaz3000 I stand corrected. Thanks.
I used a 1966 front frame section to build a Front wheel drive 1970 Chevelle with a 6-71 blown SBC adapted to the thm425 transaxle. The 66 & 67 thm425 was a switch pitch torque converter. That FWD Chevelle lives in Virginia somewhere now
Back in the late 60s, they built a 1 off car similar to yours I think for the owner of Hurst called the “Fouronado”. They took an Oldsmobile 442 and made it FWD. They kept the Oldsmobile engine which I think was a 455. There is a video here on UA-cam about it. I think some collector in Arizona now owns it.
When Steve talks cars nothing else matters 😊
What a beauty…when I was a kid, seeing one of these in upstate NY was rare…great car with all that innovative engineering. Thanks Steve, another great crawl!
I remember years back Hot Rod Magazine did a write-up on I believe it was a 70 Chevelle. But the guy who built it put an Oldsmobile subframe under the front and made it a front-wheel drive Chevelle.
Not something I would build, but it was definitely interesting and extremely unique. The car came out good
He rebuilt it, not built it as GM already built the parts once. Hobbyists rebuild not "build" vehicles. The parts already exist or are a combination of parts.
@@googleusergp well yeah, but it's still a build when we build stuff. Obviously we don't build things from complete scratch like factories would do, but we fabricate, assemble, usually drink a lot of beer and weld LOL 😁
@@richdiscoveries GM (or whoever) already built it and put a VIN number to it, it so it's being rebuilt by a combination of parts from various sources. The only builders are the OEMs who did it the first time.
There was another guy who made it into Hot Rod Magazine in the early 1980s, with a Vega he converted into a rear or mid engine format, using a TH425 transaxle from a Toro or Eldo. I think he used a bell-adaptor, and ran a Big Block Chevy.
You keep beating the same dead horse.
A guy at the local car show has one of these in pristine condition and shows every year. What a beautiful car. And the speedo is quite unique to see in person. My favorite car of the show every year, can't get enough of it. My phone, after the show, is always full of pics of that car.🤙
Great vid😁👍
I've driven several...even late models. They are torque monsters. Nothing better than churning huge amounts of tire smoke from the front end.
Quite possibly the finest riding platform GM ever made
We're all pulling for you Steve. Hope to see you soon
My dad had a 66,I remember it as a little kid. Very cool cars
Another great video. Only nitpick is, the 67 was the the first FWD Eldo. The name was on rebadged De Villes long before.
I would really like to have the Wagon at this point. So many awesome wagons in the 50's & 60's
I was so suprised when I learned these were fwd. From the exterior youd never know
Good Morning Steve, I met a Man in Upstate NY, that owned one, But his was like know other, He removed the frame, Put a station wagon frame rear wheel drive, 425 4 speed 12 bolt posi, He custom made a console, that was Beautiful, raped around the inside like a airplane cockpit, Great looking car, It took him 3 years to build,,I really thought I would see it in a magazine.
He built it the way that GM should have.
Front wheel drive was the whole point of the car.
Jay Leno has one he turned into some 800 hp RWD beast.
@@seed_drill7135 I don't think the Man built it for the front wheel drive ,He said he loved the body style, and If you saw the car, It was as good as a chip Foose build, People change thing to there Liking, Know difference,than putting a v 8 in a VW
@@brianbloom1799 Sorry, I was replying to Gary, not commenting on the modifier.
An important feature of the Toronado that lived on, was the drivetrain, which was used in the future GMC motorhome.
These power plants ( engines ) will fit in the engine bay of a 2nd gen. Chevrolet Corvair with very few mods.
Too cool. Also, interesting choice to blur the dog’s face at the rear drums. I have no idea why anyone would do that lol
The dog is in the Witness PAW-tection Program. Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante
@@SteveMagnante aw man. That’s hilarious lol. Hey by chance you know anyone with a Time Machine? I’d like to go back to when all of these cars were brand new…
The blurred dog face and the creepy looking deer head were both unexpected.
It's sad to see these old beauties slowly fading away. Enjoyable video. Interesting.
I've always loved these Toronados. I wasn't born until '68, so I didn't get to see them when they were new, but there were still many of them on the road when I first became aware of all kinds of different makes and models, probably when I was like 5 or 6. Every time we were out somewhere, my dad always made a point of announcing what year, make and model of cars in oncoming traffic. Sometimes there was also a short story like the Toronado was FWD, or '59 was the first year that Ford did this, or '66 was the last year for the Barracuda to have that huge rear glass, or when Chevrolet rolled out their first Small Block, and all kinds of little fun facts like that.
I can't believe how basically complete this one is. The engine is still there, and it appears to be complete. the last owner of it may have only parted with it not too long ago in the overall picture. I mean, there aren't a whole lot of them still on the road, so this one could have been where it is for several years, with not too many people looking for a 425, even a seized one.
I appreciate you respecting that dog's privacy.
Mr. B. Here ! From Sunny Carlisle PA, thank you Steve love the Toro very cool car ! Auto swap meet here In PA .☕️☕️☕️🥯🥯🥯 Steve will be looking for a Toro here at the show & swap meet . Have a good day Mags !
Hi I'm usually there every year but this spring it didn't work out. I'm in St Augustine for a 3 night show this weekend. I've sold a bunch of stuff up there in PA. My home is in NC. I always have a blast in Carlisle. Have a blessed day 🤙🏼 Namaste 🙏🏼
@@chrisscearce You to Chris ! Show is pack this year , and sunny ! 😎😎😎 ☀️☀️☀️
@@debbiebermudez5890 My 1979 Trans Am was sold at either Hershey or Spring Carlisle in 1991 to the owners that I got it from in 1999.
I had a girlfriend who grew up in Sturgis, SD - I would imagine the car events in Carlisle rock your little town a bit like the Harley rally rocks Sturgis - minus the scantily-clad women and people throwing up in the local park……..😂
Morning
Pretty olds in its day ..
Cool design, and the best speedometer EVER...!
I do prefer the 66 model, with the two inserts above the closed head lights and the linear grill.
FWD Tornado. Best demo derby car. They are unstoppable.
My parents had 66/69 Toronados, loved them
My Brother in-law owned a '72, put over 150k miles before he traded it in on a '75 Toro & put over 180k miles on it. He loved both cars. Instead of getting another Toro in '81, he bought an Olds Regency 98 Diesel. He admitted making a huge mistake. The 98 was in the shop more than in his garage. After the 98 debacle he never bought another GM product & purchased an '86 Lincoln Town Car.
That two-seater looked sweet.
When I was a little kid, I couldn't grasp the design of those cars.
Nor the Riviera.
But by the time I was teenager, I started to develop a respect for the design.
Decades later, I love the design.😎
The drum speedo was so cool.
I'd love to see the story on that 70 Kingswood Estate Wagon in the background!
That deep dish steering wheel is rare on '67's.
$38.000 in todays money still one heck of a deal what car prices should be.
Although it was a later model, I had a 76 Toronado. Mine was a huge luxury land yacht. 455 with FWD. Even though by then that 455 was only rated at 215HP, it had no issues laying down a black mark on the pavement. Didn’t even require a brake stand or an uphill start. Just mashing the gas would erupt the tires. I remember following a buddy of mine who had a wickedly fast 69 Firebird with a 455. He did a quick burnout. So I did one too. At was almost as long as his. I asked him how my smog motor could do that. He said the torque is still there. That was the most comfortable car with the best ride I ever experienced.
Fuzzing out the dogs face was classic.
I have a 1967 Oldsmobile full line brochure in my collection in my attic in my chest and a whole bunch of other Chrysler product brochures from the 60's and 70's and 80's and 90's
The tailpipe treatment is my favorite too
I recently saw a 66? Cadillac convertible with the door handles on the rear of the door for rear seat passengers. First time I had ever seen it. Pretty Kool.
I'm glad you kept that dog's identity secret.
These cars are way better at hauling through deep snow than any rear wheel drive car, I had the 1972 in Alaska and it was pretty great for that climate.
what a cool looking car
The 67 ultra high compression 425 was a super beast
That engine would fit nicely under the hood of a 79 cutlass!
That was the good front wheel drive cars unlike the little foreign junk today.
Great video that car looks good enough to get out of there and get running body looks straight what a shame. The seat backs look like the same ones used on chevelle and monte carlo 70-72 and 69-72 chevelle.
I used to have a 66, and later had a 67. There really was nothing else quite like it.
POP UP, UP AND DOWN HEADLIGHTS! 😂
Man those where some beautiful cars! Every time I see one of those! Jay Leno’s version comes to mind!
My little shitbag, Canaan, use to call it my Ozenbile when he was a wee tike. Now he's a soldier. Time sure does fly.
Automobile Quarterly Vol .18 / no . 3 Nice article on this car .
I have a 68. Magnificent car.
The first year an olds factory guy came to the local dealership in a Toro, with a trailer behind it, he jacked up the lift and sway bars and drove around with the rear wheels removed.
Delicious looking car...😆👍 never heard that saying I like it and it's true and he's the best!!
That 2 seater looked 👌 great
Unique speedometer
I had 2 1967 Eldorados, loved them. I also bought a gold 1966 Toronado but I never got it running so I never was able to drive it.
Watching this video made me think - in the 1960’s, automakers were falling all over themselves trying to make vehicles people wanted to buy. In 2023, automakers are falling all over themselves trying to make vehicles nobody wants to buy…….⚡
I enjoy driving a over priced pile of plastic with a angry face lol
The government is also trying to build a society that no one wants to live in
@@GREATGARLOOXX - Well, Sniffy Joe is getting precariously close to achieving the “dream”……😱
From your lips to God's ears
Thank California 😂
Very interesting video. I've never given much thought to those old front wheel drivers. I worked at an Olds dealer in the late 70's and then a Cadillac dealer in the early eighties and the only front driver that I ever thought was cool was an early 80's or maybe late 70's, not sure, Eldorado that was black and had no chrome. Everything was blacked out and it had stylish aluminum wheels. At the time I was driving a 68 charger with a ho 383 that I had bought off of a guy who was having his 76 Eldorado serviced and his wife had come and picked him up in the Charger. I fell instantly in love with the Charger and got it for 2,200 bucks. It was in perfect condition, Dark green exterior with a white interior with dark green accents. I sold it a few years later for 2,500 bucks. Now I'm sad.
The Eldorado (from 1967 up, the name was used prior to that) was always front wheel drive and so was the Toronado. The Riviera became front wheel drive in 1979 when it joined its E body cousins (Eldorado and Toronado) and related K body cousin (Seville) being produced exclusively in GM's Linden, NJ plant through the 1985 model year. The Eldorado you're thinking of was likely the circa 1983 and up Eldorado Touring Coupe which had blacked out trim.
What a shame to see this icon wasting away. Vermont winters likely killed the frame and floors.
But someone ought to salvage that 425!
If I had the time I’d drop it into a mid 80s cutlass 442/Hurst Olds.
@Howard Fletcher Very true what a shame this car needs to be resurrected. 👍
@@howardfletcher7206 When I first met my wife she had an 86 Buick Regal that had an Olds 307. I had a rough 76 Olds Toronado that I used as a winter beater. I always wanted to pull and rebuild the 455 and put it in the Regal for a sleeper. The Regal had a bench seat and wire hubcaps.
Steve! It would be so cool if you could get some one in the area to bring there survivor 1967 Tornado or other to the junk yard and place the two together side by side and go back and forth in time wondering what could have been if only the elderly rusty car was save. Thank You! :-D
They used a very similar setup all the way through 1985. My mom had a 84 and it sparked much of my interest in cars. This car really doesn't look that bad for sitting there for 35 years...reasonably complete. That 425 would be a great upgrade for a 307 powered olds. Love the videos steve thanks!!!!
It didn’t have the same heavy duty THM425 transaxle. That was used from 66-78 until the downsizing of the Toronado and ElDorado for 1979. The THM425 was also used in the GMC motor home built from 73-78. They also used the same Oldsmobile 455 until it went away after 1976. 77-78 motor homes used the Oldsmobile 403 that replaced the 455.
What happend guys, its 2023 now and that thing from 67 still looks like a crashed spaceship!
66 or 67 they're both a beautiful beautiful car
my late brother in law had a white one with blue interior, very nice car