Like I need another project
Price was to good to resist.... delivery included.
Pretty rough body not sure what to do with it but it was running and driving a few years ago registered til 2021
1966 Toronado.

 

That heater bypass is amazing.

 

Cool project!

 

Awesome car.

 

You found a money pit.

 

You bought yourself a 66 (7) Toro that spent a lot of time outside.
Whats the plan?
Original color? Cant quite make out the Fisher tag.
Interior any good?
Run?

 

Money pit is right! I love mine but there's no doubt it is a major money pit and it requires a major commitment. The problem is that almost nothing is reproduced for these things and the stuff that is reproduced is often extremely expensive. Things are often one year only or Toro specific with no interchange. You're pretty much stuck finding used & NOS stuff on Ebay which is also very expensive.

A mint, concourse quality one will bring what......40K absolute max? Usually in the 25-30K region from what I can tell, and that's the problem. There's no incentive to restore so there's very little to help you out. I think you really got to have a reason to take these things on.

Thankfully the engines and transmissions are very durable. Carburetors in these are a guaranteed problem, rust in the rear is usually a problem (especially where the leaf spring shackles are), some bushings are hard to find.

 

You have the room and time. Might as well

 

Interior is pretty good. GG for color
Gonna see if I can get it running, may end up parting it out.
figured the engine is probably worth what I paid, but I really like look of the car.
Maybe a 1k + hp rear drive conversion like Jay Leno's (Then I woke up)

 

There's definitely good money in parting it out.

 

Cool Car. Hoping it's mostly rust free. Don't fret about the qjet, it can be replaced very easily.

Here's hoping the stainless and diecast chrome is complete, not pitted and all there. Here's hoping the 425 V8 is sound and that the CV joints are good too.

Lots of us jump to financial return on evaluating the restore-ability of a given project. The $ numbers aren't really the whole picture with something like this.

I humbly suggest you evaluate your non-financial returns on the project: 1) you'll have fun; 2) you'll learn all about analog mechanical systems and how to fix them; 3) you'll enjoy operating each system you fix or maintain; 4) you'll enjoy the finished product as a unique driver every time you get in the car; 5) You'll share a smile with friend who know what you're up to and and endless stream of strangers, young & old who will marvel at what Olds (and you) did to your '66.

I say this as owner to a '66 Starfire and '66 98 convertible. Neither one of those are popular collector cars, but I've had them for decades and they still put a smile on my and other's faces.

Have a ball and post the updates as you go along. If it were me, I'd start by stripping the interior for cleaning, and get the safety stuff sorted out first.

Cheers
Chris

 

I agree, if you have a small amount invested in it's purchase, and can get it running for a decently fair amount of money you have a driver that you can have fun with. People will see it and maybe someone else will want it for the "restoration". After you learned points 1 through 5 above. Resisting the temptation to jump into the restoration mode yourself will be the problem.

 

Run it, drive it, enjoy it with as little money spent as possible.

 

Regardless of what you just did, what you SHOULD do is join the Toronado Owners Association, which is celebrating its 20th year of existence in 2025. They put out a wonderful, bi-monthly, glossy magazine called Front Wheel Driver.

https://www.toronado.org/

Here's the cover of the latest issue.

 

I see a lot of work ahead of you.. I hope the rest of the car is not made up like the heater bypass job.....

 

Especially as opposed to just using caps...

 

I vote for giving it a good, thorough cleaning. Change all of the fluids including a good brake bleed. Evaluate condition of drivetrain, suspension, brakes, tires etc. A nice unique machine as opposed to todays sterile plastic techno mobiles. Leave it a bit rough. Drive and enjoy. Maybe drive it to a parking lot and park it uncomfortably close to a new Tesla. LOL!

 

Did a couple of these but they were in better shape to begin with as in no rust. These cars are very affordable to buy now. Restoration? $$$$$$$ I have the mindset that it is always better to buy one finished. (now)

The End Result

 

Got a few of the 10 layers of moss off.
Put a battery charger on it looks like something is on or has a short.
Not sure if the P/O was color blind, the battery cables have the same caliber repair as the heater bypass.

 

That "bypass job" is using the factory heater return tube that runs alongside the passenger side head.

 

Good luck with the project...

 

G Trumpet Gold 1966, or Gold Poly 1967, sharp either way. Cool in/out color.
I long for a Dubonnet/plum gut or an autumn bronze/bronze gut 66.

 

I am in error due to my lack of knowledge of Toros. So it appears they just undid one from the core and stuck it on the return pipe. That's a Chevy style solution. Quick and easy.

 

Got it to turn over, where is that thread about bringing a car out of hibernation?
looked but couldn't find it.
I figure I should at least disconnect the fuel line and feed it fresh gas for starters.
it has oil and tranny fluid.
or should I just feed it a little gas or starter fluid to see if it fires?

It's 4 yr old gas not 40

 

Think I have been watching too much Road Kill
Rather than pulling a Fryburger I should be a little more gentle and pull the plugs and lube a little and do an oil change and review what's in the radiator.

 

I dig the twin snork air cleaner!

 

Can't beat a cheap purchase, as the saying goes, you make money when you buy, not when you sell. So being a pretty rough example that will take far more time and money to resotre than you could ever get back, the options I see are:
1) Get it running, clean it up best you can without major expense, and have fun driving it as-is.
2) Part it out, I am sure you will get 2-3x your purchase price. I've always done well parting out, but it does take time and the hassles of selling the parts. But 2-3x return on investment is pretty easy money. Plus it does help me feel better knowing the parts are going to help other old cars stay on the road, even if the one I am parting is destined for scrap once picked over.

 

Here ya go...
66 or 67??

 

Thanks

It's a 66

 

My Cutlass is going to eventually look like that, I pushed it outside next to the garage last October.

 

Yes ^^ this, I use; PB Blaster, or Marvel, to lube cylinders and leave the plugs out and turn it over. Changing the oil first is a great idea.

 

Pulled the plugs and shot some pbblaster. Took a look with the scope and the pistons look good from what I see.
Gonna let it soak overnight, Change the oil and filter.
The filter was tough removing until I realized I was tightening instead of loosening
Radiator looks good with clean antifreeze.
Plugs looked not the best and the gap looked a little tight.
May just clean them up and see if she fires tomorrow.
Oil needed changing for sure.

 

Found a completely rebuilt new carb for my 79 cutlass drove 1 hour to get it
let’s see how she runs

 

You should play the lotto. You're lucky.

 

What's the problem with the carb and what should be done about it?
​​​​​​​

 

The new-for-66 QuadraJet was notorious for leaks at the lead plugs used to seal drilled manufacturing passages. There were a bunch of factory bulletins and fixes issued for that.

The early QJet fuel inlet fittings were problematic too. The steel inlet nut had only, I think, three threads, and after a few filter changes the threads in the mushmetal carb body casting tended to strip out and leak. Toronado with their negative rise intake manifolds and high underhood temperatures suffered more from this than other GM cars.

The 67 QJet was much improved and the redesigned carbs were issued as service replacement carbs for 66 Toronado.

In case you ever wondered why the 68-later BOP QuadraJet changed from side inlet to front inlet, that eliminated a lead plug leak point. Yet Chevrolet and Cadillac stuck with the side fuel inlet till the end of QuadraJet.🤔

 

Got most of the moss off, still not sure if I want this dog indoors.
It might be an outside pet.

I may just move it around back and stick its nose under the overhang to try to get it started.

 

Definitely looks MUCH BETTER cleaned up!

 

Looks like the perfect beater with a heater for the winter from my house..

 

Nah, not a "beater". Winter MUSCLE!