Hello All,
I am new to the forum and glad to be a part of the community.
I have recently acquired several Toronados 1967-1970. They are in varying states of repair and I have some questions to ask about restoring them.
I know that with certain cars it is taboo to make too many modifications to the original.
What is the popular opinion when it comes to the 1st generation Toronado?
I am particularly interested in making some styling modification to make the car a little more “sporty.” After all a Toronado may be “luxury” but it is anything but “sporty.”
Now when I talk modifications I mean a tasteful resto-mod that makes some performance enhancements but also some external changes like a lift kit for the back, maybe a tasteful hood scoop or cowl, racing stripes, a period appropriate rear spoiler and such.
I know Leno did some serious modifications under the hood for his Toro but retained a more stock looking exterior.
Are some years off limits and other years anything goes?
Any opinions?
Thanks for any feedback.

 

I'm partial to as stock as possible but its your cars, do as you like! Overall if you are keeping them cool. If you plan on selling, Toros in general I think are undervalued but most modified I've seen on ebay or auction get very little back out. I think primarily due to custom guys want to do there own and have their own ideas. I think values relative to stock would be close if you restrict modifies to disk brakes, fuel injection, shoulder belts and the like. But again, do as you want but save the parts just in case. M$.02

 

Thanks for the reply.
Those are good words of advice.
I would like to emphasize the word “tasteful” modifications. Time period appropriate I might add. There were a lot of cars from this era running around with hood scoops/cowls, and rear spoilers that looked pretty darn good.
I know this would be a bit of a bold move for the Toronado but I thought it might be interesting to explore some of those possibilities on a car that has an admittedly more “formal” look.
I am not talking about an all out clown car but some bold new styling angles.

 

Well, if it's opinion you want, it's opinion you get! The '66 Toro I believe was the Motor Trend Car of the Year.....obviously, a mags opinion, but for good reason! The first gen is beautiful all on its own! Way ahead of its time as far as styling and mechanical innovation. Plus, it is worth more if restored to original, not like a 442 in value, but more desireable if restored original! Leave them alone...of course, they are yours.....

 

It is opinions I want and I respect them all.
Don’t get me wrong, I feel the car has a distinctly dynamic look and presentation as well. I especially love the crisp line that runs the length of the car over the huge wheel wells.
However the rear end seems somewhat “unfinished” and the hood that goes on for miles seems like it needs, I don’t know……….. something more.
Am I the only one who thinks that?
I like the 1969 and 1970 in particular because they seemed to “finish” the back end for the first time. The 1969 however retained the sharp distinct line that I love oh so much.
I know the 1966 and 1967 are more “classic” in their styling and I can see not messing with that too much but is it too much to ask for a more sporty, aggressive, presentation?
I have placed a jack under the rear end of my 1970 and given it about 3” of lift to test the look and feel. For the first time I felt as though I was looking “downhill” rather than “uphill” and externally it gave the car a little bit of an aggressive bite. The thing runs a minimum 375 HP engine for goodness sakes. Give it some teeth.
Just a thought.

 

I love the body styles of them cars and what I can suggest is which ever year you go with.....make it a rear wheel drive!! and slam it with some wider off set rims.

 

If I ever did change the design and knew how to work with metal, I'd like to extend the front another 12"! Don't know if it would be easier in front of the wheel well or behind. Really accentuate the short deck lid. Thought of another mod that won't change looks, sequential taillights. Rob one of those funny relays from a Cougar

 

Now we are talking! A little mod never hurt anyone.
Well it may hurt the value of the car and that certainly hurts my pocket book if I ever sell, but look at some of the George Barris Toronado mods. Some of it is interesting stuff.

http://www3.telus.net/toronado/unusual.html

The Mannix car and one called Deano are pretty cool. Some of the other stuff is a little far out but this is after all the guy that did the Batman car.

 

ditto here.
Hard to find option on any 1968-70 Toronado is the W-34 option (400 underrated gross horsepower). Disc brakes is very hard to find on any 1967-69 model

 

The Cougar STOLE styling cues from the Toronado, thanks to the Ford spies!
David North even said so!

 

To give any 1968-70 Toronado some "teeth", just use a gear set/differtial from a 1966-67 Toronado (3.21 gears), 1968-70 had 3.07s.

 

Yes it was MT's car of the year.
I'll scan the rest of the artical later and post.


Adam

 

A friend of mine is selling his souped-up 68 for $8000. Horspower is 475-500

 

I would like to see what he has done with the car. Do you have a link?

 

Being into Rivieras, in many ways they are sister cars to the Toronado. Having said that, I have seen beautiful Rivieras both stock and modified. The modified ones that were tastefully done included shaved door handles, two-tone paint jobs, nice rims(not sure what is available in the aftermarket for the fwd Toro)

I'm open to either, but after all, it is your car. Good luck with the decision.

 

I might put some nice paint and aftermarket rims on a Toronado. Then again, I'm not much into modified cars. To each his own.

 

I love the Toros. They are a great looking car which i think looks sporty. Now if you are looking to make it more sporty with performance enhancements then lifting it might not be the best bet. Lifting a car raises the center of gravity and greatly affects how a car handles.

 

Happen to love the stock look myself. Rear wheel drive makes me scratch my head would it not make a great "all wheel drive" platform ?
Lots of work I know but so would rear wheel drive.

 

welcome...

IMO 66s were very sporty, almost spartan (well I am kinda partial to luxo-cruisers) but I love original.

check out this site http://www.toronado.org/ you may find of interest

 

I'll have to dig up photos somewhere. I though 6-7 years ago I saw Andy's Toro on an Oldsmobile 100th Birthday website.