aprazer

Greetings from Idaho
Early this spring I was fortunate to find a low mileage (30,000+/-) 1984 Toronado Caliente 2-door hardtop that is practically brand new!
Amenities are: leather, digital dash, am-fm stereo, 307 ci (5.0), and loads of power equipment.
I'll post pictures later.
Been doing some research on the vehicle and ran across this club, so here I am - hoping that some of you can answer some questions.
On the drivers door, there is a sticker stating this vehicle has been modified by Hess & Eisenherdt. I understand that this firm is a coach builder that goes way back, but nothing is stated in their history that they worked on Oldsmobiles - other to make them convertibles???
Researching the web, I do not find much on Calientes - whether they are for sale or any history. Is this an unusual vehicle?
Any and all help will be appreciated.
Mack, the po-oh unemployed farm boy from Idaho

jaunty75

Here's the page out of the '84 Olds Full-Size brochure featuring the Caliente. It was apparently an option package on the base Toronado. Note how it says in the upper left "A car this unique will probably become a prized addition for the serious collector." Congratulations!


Also, note the two cars in the background. The red one looks to be a Toronado from about 1972, while the other one is a Toro from around 1970.

aprazer

Thanks for the update and sharing the dealer's brochure.
I'll assume that Hess & Eisenherdt were involved in the transformation of the Brougham
to the Caliente and that is why the sticker is on the door.
Mack

ThePackRat

H&E was a common convertible builder.

I believe they along with ASC did some of factory offered E-Body Eldo & Rivi's.

One or the other (poss both) may have done some of the "unofficial" Toro convertibles as well.

In the case of the Caliente ... H&E was the one that did all the extra stainless trim not found on the base Toro's.

No idea if H&E did the extra trim on the Eldo Biarritz's or not.

I always thought of the Caliente as a much cheaper Biarritz wannabe.

The Caliente's are certainly rarer than the base cars ... but they are out there.

In addition to the unique stainless trim ... all Caliente's came STANDARD with the following over & above a base Toro :

Unique Hood ornament.
Vinyl top
Wire Wheel Covers
Digital Dash
Leather

Other than those items ... most other things like a power passenger seat - moonroof - illuminated entry - Twilight Sentinel & Bose sound were optional.

A lot of people think/expect things like that to be standard on a Caliente ... but they are not.

And for the record in that 1984 brochure :

The other Toro's are a 66 & 73.