I saw this on Craigslist, my daughter just moved to Wilmington NC and I have to see what they have.

Toronado 455 powered with front wheel drive factory, all steel body.
Not a true wagon or Vista Cruiser but it does cruise and the windshield probably has more square feet than all the glass on one.
Looks like peeling woodgrain on one side so in the same fake wood family.
Drive it off a cliff and it will survive (don't know about occupants), rumored to be indestructible.
Can be purchased by the right owner, probably check you out to see if you deserve to own it like a Ferrari Enzo.

And it does have a flat top, and sides, and front, and rear...

http://wilmington.craigslist.org/cto/931108248.html

 

I can see that thing chopped about fifteen inches in the front and about..........fifteen inches in the back, maybe channel the body down six inches and then.....put big 20s on the front and the back with a midnight blue pearlescant paint.

 

The Cortez is a very cool motorhome, though I think I prefer the Toro-powered GMC campers of the mid 1970s.

 

I may just take a look at it for kicks if the guy still has it in a few weeks when I go down there for Christmas, my wife told me I can get it if we win the lottery.
I found out after researching a little that they were made about 15 miles away from me, small world.

There is a brochure for it on evilbay, check the artist's rendering of the 455 in action by the ocean at sunset, would make a nice poster.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1971-...Q5fAccessories

Allan

 

With a steel frame, I wonder what this thing weighs. I had never heard of one. I agree with Joe, I do think the GMC was prettier. I always thought they were cool.

 

Survived driving off a cliff once?
This would make a Leno top ten list.
Low miles, runs great, always garaged, new battery, Ice cold AC, drove it off a cliff once.

 

Uh, Leno is the car guy, Dave Letterman does the top ten list every night...

 

Kinda cute in a backwards or maybe retro chic way. It would be neat to see one that was in original condition.