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Howdy, recently got into Oldsmobile stuff after looking into getting an older, muscly car and man I wish they stuck around. Lots of really cool and neat designs! Right now I'm looking at a 1969 Oldsmobile Toronado and the interior looks pretty spotless, the engine bay has the usual gunk on it which I'm fine with, and the car itself has a few dings around it but overall looks really cool. The guy's asking $7200 for it and was wondering if there were any problems or underlying issues with this Toronado year that I should look for or be concerned about when/if I do purchase it. Thanks in advance.
EDIT: Added pics below, forgot to save them on the first post.
Last edited by Jackhammer0312; December 26th, 2023 at 11:54 AM.
Reason: Putting in pictures
They are great cars. I loved my 69. Mechanical repairs can be super expensive. Especially front wheel drive components
Haha was afraid of that answer, but its to be expected. As long as its been taken care of it should last as long as the car right? I read somewhere that the FWD engine/transmission were extensively tested and tortured to make sure they'd be ok, but I can't remember where it was that I saw it.
1st generation Toronado is cream of the crop for Oldsmobile. If the car is solid and well maintained it's worth it ... For me the 69 Toro is best looking of all.
Only caveat is you have to be all in for FWD muscle era. Many are not so resale is not its strong point...
Last edited by 69CSHC; December 26th, 2023 at 11:50 AM.
I assume you've driven the car. Or if you haven't make sure you do. Maybe have somebody knowledgeable come along to assess engine, transmission, brakes, front end, handling etc. Repairs could be a lot more than what your paying for the car. If you post pictures on this site there are many people that can help you that know a lot more than I do. Good luck
Welcome aboard !
1st generation Toronado is cream of the crop for Oldsmobile. For me the 69 Toro is best looking of all. If the car is solid and well maintained it's worth it ... Only caveat is you have to be all in for FWD muscle era. Many are not so resale is not its strong point...
Will definitely keep this in mind, and I have to agree, absolutely love the look of the 69 over the others! And I thought the FWD was really cool and unique, especially coming from the late 60s.
I assume you've driven the car. Or if you haven't make sure you do. Maybe have somebody knowledgeable come along to assess engine, transmission, brakes, front end, handling etc. Repairs could be a lot more than what your paying for the car. If you post pictures on this site there are many people that can help you that know a lot more than I do. Good luck
My dad is much more mechanically inclined than i am so I'd be taking him with me, sadly I have not gone to see it yet, but hopefully I will in the very near future. My dad and grandpa have both hammered into my head to make sure to drive before you buy and thats exactly what I'm going to do. Thanks for the insight to other things I should be aware of!
Yes don't be stupid like me. I bought a cutlass sight unseen over the internet. Ended up having to sink serious dough into but it's ok, it could have been worse. That toronado looks pretty cool. Looks like original paint. I hope it works out for you
Interior is in great shape, engine compartment condition makes sense. Exterior is slightly rougher than I expected. (likely a good sign, drivers can make for some of the better purchases IMHO...) Looks solid/like it hasn't been in a major accident...
Mileage ? Any rebuilds ? And the usual once over, (Check for excessive rust, etc, stand by corners of car crouch down and study body line flow, etc ...)
If it's in steady use and healthy it should rip the front tire through an intersection easy.
Are you familiar with this era of cars? Toros are luxury with a floaty ride and an abundance of power.
Interior is in great shape, engine compartment condition makes sense. Exterior is slightly rougher than I expected. (likely a good sign, drivers can make for some of the better purchases IMHO...) Looks solid/like it hasn't been in a major accident...
Mileage ? Any rebuilds ? And the usual once over, (Check for excessive rust, etc, stand by corners of car crouch down and study body line flow, etc ...)
If it's in steady use and healthy it should rip the front tire through an intersection easy.
Are you familiar with this era of cars? Toros are luxury with a floaty ride and an abundance of power.
Mileage is ~77K, and I am not familiar with stuff from that era, I just know they look really cool. And glad you said something about the body lines, that completely slipped my mind.
Yes don't be stupid like me. I bought a cutlass sight unseen over the internet. Ended up having to sink serious dough into but it's ok, it could have been worse. That toronado looks pretty cool. Looks like original paint. I hope it works out for you
Thanks man and glad the Cutlass worked out in the end for you!
That's a standard. 3421 built. Custom had Strato-Bench seat and different door panels.
Looks like dual exhaust with turndown tips. Get me a picture of the transmission code tag located on driver side of the transmission case. It will be either OJ or OM.
$7200 is high for a 69 with that kind of body damage. Quarter panel especially will be a complicated repair.
Look for rust in: lower A pillars, trailing edge of front fenders (hidden by the rocker mouldings), rear wheel opening arches, rear leaf spring mounts, and trunk floor.
Look inside the trunk and make sure the rubber drain tubes from the rear vent grille area to the trunk filler panels are in place and good condition.
If you're lucky it's a front disc brake car.
The car's not beyond fixing, and depending on that transmission code would definitely be worth saving and owning.
check the front floor edge where your heels sit, they like to rust out there.not a bad fix since the floor is flat. look for rust in the trunk from rotten drain hoses. check the leaf spring mounts for rust. fuel gauge probably does not work, i dont think they are available yet thru Fusick but 71/72 sending units work ok. dont be too worried about front drive its pretty beefy, comfortron hvac systems are finicky, check to see if it has front disc brakes, check that the headlight vacuum system works and doesnt leak, the body looks pretty rust free looking at where the wheel opening trim is peeled back, Toro's were USUALLY not beat on too bad. hope it still has the high nickel 1969 block and c heads looks like it needs a few trim pieces, none repop'd, will have to source them used.
Join Toronado Owners Association if you buy it (i'm just a member, great community for Toro owners)
Anyway, thats my 2 cents, or in Toronado terms, my $2000.
good luck and welcome to Classic Olds (another great community)
Check around the vinyl top real well. That can wick water in around the windshields and rot out the roof. Years ago I bought a 1967 that seemed pretty rust free. First time I drove it in the rain there was a trickle, not drip but a trickle of water coming down near the rear-view mirror. When I pulled the front windshield trim off I found serious rot between the glass and the roof. In my part of the country that price would be a little high. But I know things can vary between Oregon and Georgia. When you look at it do check the transmission tag as mentioned. Its on the drivers side, the yellow tag in the pictures. The common one is OJ but if it has OM its worth a closer look. John
Last edited by 2blu442; December 26th, 2023 at 03:01 PM.
Most everything has been mentioned. The car does look pretty rust free. Looking at the under hood photos, I doubt the AC has worked in some time. Be prepared to walk away if too you find too many of the things mentioned above. These are great cars and run like crazy. We have a member in our Olds Club that has a 69 he bought new. He retired from Oldsmobile. It is a beautiful car. If you are fortunate, the most expensive thing you will be looking at is paint. We will be watching to see how it goes. Good luck.
I agree with many things already posted here. I owned 67-68-69 Toronado's. 69 is my favorite year Toro. Mine was a one owner car. All gold. No top. The most fun winter car ever. That car ran so strong. Loved it sold it to my female cousin. I asked her to dig out pictures.
I honestly in my opinion think 7 grand plus for this car you are looking at sounds too high judging from the pictures. I am guessing five grand would even be a tough sale. Not trying to discourage you. It needs front and rear bumpers. It needs body work that will not be cheap. The interior does look clean. I am sure that is the sellers strong selling point. Keep in mind that finding Toro parts can be very difficult. Cars like these are not an easy sale anymore. Especially something like a Toronado. Very limited market. This car is obviously for sale locally? Do you know any history on it? Has it been sitting?
As was said before. When you go look at the car don't go with beer goggles on. Make sure you inspect every corner of the car. I am not sure how bad of a rust area you live in but that could be very expensive if you find rust. Especially under that vinyl top. Feel the corners. Smell for wetness in the interior and trunk. Just my two cents. They are great very unique cars.
Good luck with your endeavor. 👍
Last edited by no1oldsfan; December 26th, 2023 at 06:14 PM.
Ok ,so some of them were "beat"!
Fact of the matter is that the Toro front drive is basically a big chain drive, kinda like a 4wd transfer case, going to a turbo 400 with no driveshaft . what can really go wrong?
I will admit that my 69 Toro is the only car I ever squealed out on dirt/gravel (debunking the Dukes of Hazzard County myth, classicolds member cherokeepeople can attest to it. very funny story but probably not something I should put in print )
you are looking at a 375 or 400 hp olds (if original block/heads) in a big comfortable car. Interior is a very expensive resto, that looks done.big resto savings. Top looks good.. didnt see any bubbles in the photos.. if this thing has good compression on all 8, talk the seller down a few grand and have some fun with it! Remember Olds engines are very expensive to rebuild. body work can be done later.
I bought a 70 Toro Gt that needed nothing a few years ago for $6000. i know inflation is up about 9% but the government is trying to do away with gas cars so I see the market going down.
more of my2 cents i mean $2000
good luck man! Merry Christmas *belated*
If you do find an OM transmission in this car don't make a big deal out of it unless the seller mentions "W34", in which case he's probably aware what he has. W34 is the 400 horsepower engine option we're buzzing about and it's comparatively rare, especially on a standard trim Toronado.
If it does check out as a W-car, if you don't get it yourself let someone in the Toronado Owners Association know about it.
W34 has exhaust cutouts on the rear bumper. It basically has a W30 engine. I don't think this is a W34.
A base 69 Toronado engine would actually be closer to the 390hp W33 engine Delta 88s could have. Basic difference being the base Toronado single exhaust vs the W33 with duals. But, moot point since horsepower rating was ultimately a factor of GM's 10 horsepower per 100 lbs of car weight formula.
1969 W-Toronado DID NOT have the cutout bumper. Well- mine does, but it's a 68 bumper! Yes, I did that!😁 and a couple of people have been after that bumper since first time they saw Toronasaurus Rex wearing it over 30 years ago.
66-67 ALL Toronado had the cutout bumper.
68 and 70 only the W34/GT had it.
69 no Toronado got it.
The 68-70 375hp engines had single exhaust outlet. Full duals from engine to muffler, then a single bullet resonator with a turndown tip exiting on the passenger side like you see in the rear end pic above. No, I don't know why Oldsmobile did that.
68 and 70 W34 had the full dual exhaust, cutout bumper, and chrome extensions on the bullet resonators.
69 W34 had full dual exhaust, no bumper cutouts, and two bullet resonators with turndown tips exiting under the rear bumper.
You can clearly see the passenger side turndown on the rear end pic above. It may be just a shadow but looks like there's one on driver side too. That and the pinstripes are why I took the thread in the W34 direction.
Last edited by rocketraider; December 27th, 2023 at 08:16 AM.
If you can you may want to hold out for a car that's already been restored that somebody else put their blood sweat and tears (and $ ) into. About 2 years ago I saw an immaculate 70. Original owner all original car in mint condition. silver with black interior. Something like 50k original miles. No rust. Beautiful car. They were asking 15k. Would have bought it myself if I had room for it. To restore your typical old toronado to that condition could cost upwards of 100k
You can clearly see the passenger side turndown on the rear end pic above. It may be just a shadow but looks like there's one on driver side too. That and the pinstripes are why I took the thread in the W34 direction.
WOW !
What an incredibly concise and informative post.
Jackhammer0312 if everything checks out and it's a W34 its an automatic buy...
If you can you may want to hold out for a car that's already been restored that somebody else put their blood sweat and tears (and $ ) into. About 2 years ago I saw an immaculate 70. Original owner all original car in mint condition. silver with black interior. Something like 50k original miles. No rust. Beautiful car. They were asking 15k. Would have bought it myself if I had room for it. To restore your typical old toronado to that condition could cost upwards of 100k
I would hold out, but anything else like this is a rust bucket with no engine. This thing is literally the only pre-70s Olds with a big engine for 400miles.
This thing is literally the only pre-70s Olds with a big engine for 400miles.
Young'un, you might be surprised at the Olds machinery lurking in Georgia😈. Georgia is, of course, home to Linda Vaughn, Miss Hurst Golden Shifter herself!
How close are you to Atlanta? Dixie Olds Club covers Georgia and is pretty active in the Atlanta area.
A base 69 Toronado engine would actually be closer to the 390hp W33 engine Delta 88s could have. Basic difference being the base Toronado single exhaust vs the W33 with duals. But, moot point since horsepower rating was ultimately a factor of GM's 10 horsepower per 100 lbs of car weight formula.
To bypass those fictional GM horsepower ratings based on car weight, here are some net HP comparisons. (Note for Jackhammer: Net HP is the same method used for horsepower rating in today's cars.)
W33 in the Delta 88 is 295 HP (this has dual exhaust)
Base Toronado engine is 275 HP (after deducting 25 hp for restriction of single exhaust)
W34 in the Toronado is 320 HP (this has dual exhaust)
For REAL man, these guys breathe Oldsmobile!! Very glad I posted here!
We're glad you stopped by too, and especially happy you're interested in Oldsmobiles! Especially one that can stun people by annihilating its front tires.
The biggest drawback to this car is it's probably not going to like modern gasoline, and that goes for all 60s high performance cars. They were made when 100+ octane premium leaded gasoline was the norm and that's what they were designed to run on.
We're glad you stopped by too, and especially happy you're interested in Oldsmobiles! Especially one that can stun people by annihilating its front tires.
The biggest drawback to this car is it's probably not going to like modern gasoline, and that goes for all 60s high performance cars. They were made when 100+ octane premium leaded gasoline was the norm and that's what they were designed to run on.
You can clearly see the passenger side turndown on the rear end pic above. It may be just a shadow but looks like there's one on driver side too. That and the pinstripes are why I took the thread in the W34 direction.
Good eye, Glenn.
I processed the picture to remove shadows. You were correct! W-34 Out of the Shadows
93 at minimum. It might grumble but long as you're not full throttle all the time you can get by with 93.
Gary, thanks for the picture cleanup. I think another Toronado W-car has been found. The transmission code will tell the tale. Here's hoping the transmission has never been replaced.
Rough estimate has been around 10% of total 69 production had W34. So, with 3421 Standards built, figure 350 might have had W34. Then figure a 2% survival rate and there are probably less than 10 of them left. Since they weren't A-bodies, no one thought they were anything special or worth saving.
December 26th, 2023 | 10:01 AM
