1966 Oldsmobile Toronado

[HarleyEarl]

Does anyone have any good photos of the '66 Toronado to share?....especially rear quarter views?

One of my favorite GM cars.

[capriceman]

[capriceman]

I want to cry everytime i see this car i would sell my G/F for this car (don't tell her that). When the time is right i will get one hopefully.

[HarleyEarl]

Capriceman!....thanks!....this is like Toronado nirvana....some great photos...much appreciated.

[HarleyEarl]

Damn, it looks so good in this color:

[vonVeezelsnider]

To me the Toronado represents everything that Oldsmobile SHOULD have been.

[HarleyEarl]

hey thanks so much for the incredible photos of this timeless car....it still exudes coolness.

[capriceman]

[capriceman]

[capriceman]

[HarleyEarl]

Perfection.

Look at that pure side window opening.

The pronounced wheel openings, which are again becoming so fashionable today.

[balthazar]

Pics do not accurately convey the drama/size of the fender flares - they have to be seen in person.

A thousand pics of the last car during resto here:

http://bdhvc.com/1966OldsToronado.html

[Robert Hall]

What a magnificent design...one of GM's finest, and my favorite Oldsmobile.

I'd have one in my dream car garage, along with my other favorite vintage GMs---a '67 Eldorado, '63 Riviera, '71 Riviera, '71 Grand Prix, '67 Corvette...

[vonVeezelsnider]

Balthy... That resto job put the Olds Logo on the hood on upside down

How Embarrassing.

Edited May 12, 2008 by vonVeezelsnider

[balthazar]

Undoubtedly it was intentional; perhaps either to 'point forward' in reference to the performance capabilities, or acknowledging the 'turn-about' of making the car RWD. Leno and his guys are not stupid, but it does catch your eye...

[K.C.]

Wow. Gorgeous Toros. Very nice.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Undoubtedly it was intentional; perhaps either to 'point forward' in reference to the performance capabilities, or acknowledging the 'turn-about' of making the car RWD. Leno and his guys are not stupid, but it does catch your eye...

That picture is of the car the Australian restored, not the Leno car.

[ocnblu]

Maybe it's a southern hemisphere thing. :AH-HA_wink:

Looking at these perfect '66s, it is hard to believe, and painful to realize, what this gorgeous car became just 20 years later. The '86 Toronado was a complete waste of time, an insult, and a symbol of GM's wholesale downsizing frenzy, a period of time in which GM was gutted of it's former, formidable glory and place in the industry. A place they've never regained. Is it too late? CAFE standards and the rise of GME after a paltry few years of success makes me fearful.

So let's celebrate what came before. GM certainly deserves all the accolades it gets for the Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell years.

[balthazar]

>>"That picture is of the car the Australian restored, not the Leno car."<<

Ahh, oopsie, then: WTH?

[Sixty8panther]

I was going to say, Leno has the coolest TORONADO in the world.

[capriceman]

I was going to say, Leno has the coolest TORONADO in the world.

I disagree..

Its not a Toronado and it takes everything the Toronado was. The whole point was look at me I'm FWD the first in damn near 40 years! (reference CORD L-29?) (Peugeot or Renault made a FWD in that time frame but it was rubbish so we ignore it and that was Europe so who cares?)

It was so innovative and so stylish. This proves that they can make a FWD coupe family car and not make it look like a jelly bean auto-pod. has comfort/power/looks/handling. I remember being in a 74ish toro when i was young and remember driving in Lansing through a snow storm with ease, while every one else was stuck or in a ditch. That car handled snow like no other.

There are only 2 cars in my book that i rather have over this and they both have 16 cylinders ones a caddy and the other a Duesenberg. the rest hold no significance. I see no point in owning a Camaro when i could cherish one these. i don't care if people don't know what it is at a car show, then you can bring up its rich past. everyone walks past the Camaros, Mustangs, and Chargers. People always stare at the odd balls.

[Sixty8panther]

CapriceMan:

I can appreciate your point.

For the record the Cord 810 was LATE thirties

(as opposed to the late twenties Cord L29) &

the Austin Mini was 1959.

[Blake Noble]

I love the very first Toronados. Such a wholesome and great design and so revolutionary for its time when it came to big American-made coupes.

[capriceman]

I stand corrected

"First Produced" American FWD 1929 Cord L-29

I would take a 1937 812 any day over the L-29 though

First European FWD Alvis Model ? 1928

First Successful European FWD Citroën Traction Avant 1934

But i will say FWD is not the only reason i love the car. Like how RWD isn't the only reason you love Dual Cowl Phaetons.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Did someone say... eek... FWD

It's got bigger front overhangs than my Impala.

OH NOES! CRUSH TEHM ALL!

[HarleyEarl]

The great photos and the discussion here, has reawakened something in me...a reminder why I'm such a GM fan.

This car embodies so much of what made GM so great.

[K.C.]

The first Toros were the epitome of what Oldsmobile was about. Shame that has faded. Will live on my our hearts though.

[balthazar]

>>"There are only 2 cars in my book that i rather have over this and they both have 16 cylinders ones a caddy and the other a Duesenberg."<<

Tell us a bit more about your dual-engined Duesenberg dream car... :wink:

[capriceman]

>>"There are only 2 cars in my book that i rather have over this and they both have 16 cylinders ones a caddy and the other a Duesenberg."<<

Tell us a bit more about your dual-engined Duesenberg dream car... :wink:

1919-1921 16 cylinder Land speed record car. I think it failed. but it won the french grand prix in 1921

I would love to own a Duesenburg SSJ too,but i don't think that would ever be possible. I can dream though.

But to be more correct i should of said Marmon Series 16 4-Door Sedan 1933.

[balthazar]

>>"1919-1921 16 cylinder Land speed record car. "<<

I learned something new with this- thank you, sir!

{reads......}

landracing.com states the Milton car did 156 in 1920, but only did a 1-way run due to catching on fire, which means it was a U.S. record as opposed to international. Entry also states the car had (2) I-8s as opposed to a V-16.

But then there's this :

April 25, 1928 . Stutz Black Hawk . Frank Lockhart . Daytona . V-16 Duesenberg . IC

Frank Lockhart made an attempt on the record at Daytona, lost control and ended up in the sea, he was rescued, Keech then broke the record, then Frank tried again blew a tire and lost his life.

The V-16 Duesenberg is on my short list for research....

[capriceman]

i will be honest though i pulled that out of my ass at the last second. I learned Duesenburg made a 16 cylinder today too! I need to put more thought into my posts from now on.

[balthazar]

Why, you little...... !!!!!

With vintage stuff, you really only have to watch out for me 'round here.

I have heard for years about the American V-16s- Cadillac, Marmon and a few Millers (IIRC)... but I've never heard a whisper of Duesey building any... unless a one-off race motor falls outside everyone's idea of an official V-16 because it's not production (but no Millers were put in a factory car, either). I would readily believe the LSR car was 2 I-8s... but that's a lil crazy for 1920 or even 1928... and that car looks mighty small to fit 2 crankshafts in there... I am curious...

[Sixty8panther]

Wow... a V16 Duesenberg SSJ would mean 64 valves & two crank-driven superchargers!