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I'm just sharing what I found parked next door to my home at the Mom & Pop automotive service garage. The owner of the Toronado (whom I have not met) has it in for what I'm told are just basic service items. I'm told the owner of the Toronado just purchased the vehicle. I don't know much about Toronados, but I thought I'd just share images and the VIN. The VIN is confusing to me since I can't find '9687' in my 1971 CSM, but reading some other threads I 'think' it's like a custom optioned vehicle? I don't know - I'm only sharing with the group. I'm sure y'all have something to say about the '9687' build. I didn't want to get too up close & personal since it isn't my car and I was basically robbing pictures for 'show and tell'.
I get a kick out of the style of speedometer they used in these beasts.
I mentioned to the owner of the service garage to let me know when the gentlemen stops back to pick up the Toronado as I'd like to meet him. I'm sure I'll mention to him the CO group if he has an interest.
As I said, I have absolutely no clue about anything regarding a Toronado. I remember a couple of my Dad's friends owned them back in the 1970s and I know there's a CO group dedicated to them so I thought I'd just share. I live in a town of 3800 human beings (well, they appear human anyways). So, I'm suspecting I'll see this Toronado about town from time-to-time, I just wasn't sure about that '9687' VIN. I hope I get to meet the owner.
Here's the model designation chart from the 1970 CSM. Note down at the bottom Toronado is 39400 series. There is no 39600 as shown on the car's VIN tag on the door. I think this is because the 9600 series was added later in the model year, after the CSM was printed. Note that the "body description or name" is simply "coupe" for Toronado. I think the 9600 was "Deluxe Coupe" or "Custom Coupe" or something like that.
So this car's VIN would decode as
396870M624917
3 = Oldsmobile
96 = Toronado "Deluxe" or "Custom" or whatever
87 = two-door hardtop "Holiday Coupe" body style. Note that the same body style code is used in the Cutlass and 442 lines
0 = model year 1970
M = Lansing assembly
624917 = "plant sequential number," as the CSM describes. This is a high number, suggesting a late model year build.
Setting the Pace shows two Toronado lines for 1970, "Standard" and "Custom," with the production of the former, at 3,421, being practically a drop in the bucket compared to that of the latter at 25,073. The book does not say which of these was the 9400 series and which was the 9600, but I'm guessing that Custom was the 9600. Not surprising that it was more popular.
Boy I can't even imagine feeding that 455 in this day and age. Ioved my 69 trust me. That was way before 3.50+ per gallon of gas.
You're comparing apples and oranges here. Gas at $3.50 a gallon today is equivalent to about 50 cents a gallon in 1970. That's still high compared to what gas actually was back then, when it was maybe 35 cents a gallon, but it's not $3.50 high. The point is that you're not putting $3.50 per gallon gas as measured in 1970 dollars into your car today, you're putting $3.50 per gallon as measured in 2021 dollars in your car today. Relatively speaking, the cost of gas today is about the same as it was 50 years ago. A year or so ago, when gas was hovering around $2 per gallon or even less, it was actually cheaper in constant dollars than gas was in 1970. $2 in 2020 is equivalent to 30 cents in 1970.
The bottom line is that, assuming your income has at least stayed even with inflation between 1970 and 2021, the fraction of your income that you spent in 1970 to put gas in your 1970 Toro is exactly the same as the fraction of your income that you spend to put gas in that same Toro today.
That 1970 Toro that is the subject of this thread had a base price of about $4800. That's peanuts in 2021 dollars but not in 1970 dollars. $4800 in 1970 is equivalent to about $34,000 today.
Last edited by jaunty75; Jul 15, 2021 at 05:07 PM.
I was going to try to grab a picture of the cowl tag but I was already feeling guilty about taking pictures of a car which wasn't mine and didn't have permission from the owner. I hope I get to meet him and maybe he'll let me take a picture of the cowl tag and ask him if it's numbers matching.
Last edited by Vintage Chief; Jul 15, 2021 at 05:34 PM.
Reason: sp
You're comparing apples and oranges here. Gas at $3.50 a gallon today is equivalent to about 50 cents a gallon in 1970. That's still high compared to what gas actually was back then, when it was maybe 35 cents a gallon, but it's not $3.50 high. The point is that you're not putting $3.50 per gallon gas as measured in 1970 dollars into your car today, you're putting $3.50 per gallon as measured in 2021 dollars in your car today. Relatively speaking, the cost of gas today is about the same as it was 50 years ago. A year or so ago, when gas was hovering around $2 per gallon or even less, it was actually cheaper in constant dollars than gas was in 1970. $2 in 2020 is equivalent to 30 cents in 1970.
The bottom line is that, assuming your income has at least stayed even with inflation between 1970 and 2021, the fraction of your income that you spent in 1970 to put gas in your 1970 Toro is exactly the same as the fraction of your income that you spend to put gas in that same Toro today.
That 1970 Toro that is the subject of this thread had a base price of about $4800. That's peanuts in 2021 dollars but not in 1970 dollars. $4800 in 1970 is equivalent to about $34,000 today.
What kind of car could you buy for 34k today? Sure as shi; won't be what this Torornado was in 1970. Torornado was the top of the line. High cube. Almost always loaded. Hell you can't even think of touching any TRUCK for 50k new. This car is no stripper truck. I don't subscribe to the well we are actually in the same place as we were blank years ago. Just not true. Way too many variables.
Gas price argument. When I was a kid ten bucks felt like ten bucks. Still does. To say a tank of gas was an investment back then like it is now is a silly point of view. Feeding a 455 daily at 1.00 per gallon was an entirely different ball game than ten bucks for not even three gallons.
Apples to Oranges definitely.
Sweet Toro by the way. To the original poster. I hope you get to talk to him and get some history.
Last edited by no1oldsfan; Jul 15, 2021 at 06:00 PM.
To say a tank of gas was an investment back then like it is now is a silly point of view.
What's silly is claiming that filling a tank with gas is an investment then or now. In dollar terms, nothing has changed. If it wasn't an investment in 1970, it's not an investment now.
A $10 bill might "feel" like $10 no matter the era, but it's definitely not. In 1970, a $10 bill would be enough for you and a date to go to a movie, have some popcorn, stop for a quick bite afterwards, and still have some change left over. In 2021, $10 barely buys one movie ticket.
Just barely, In 2019, the average movie ticket price in the U.S. was $9.16.
From USA Today. In 1970, the average movie ticket price was $1.55. Adjusted for inflation, that's actually more expensive than today.
Crazy. Out here a lift ticket to go skiing was 12 then 18 dollars. Now they are 150+ a day. 🤯
Funny thing too is back then you could get run after run in. Today? Four runs max.
So about the Toro. I need to see if my cousin has pictures. I sold it to her. I bought a 69 Toronado from the original owner in 89. He bought a brand new 89. (I felt so bad for him wanting the same quality in that 89) I absolutely loved that car. One of my favorite Oldsmobiles. The dash on the 70 is the same as a 69. I have so many cool memories in that car. All gold car. No top. Gold interior. Factory eight track. Worked perfectly. Power seat windows antenna. 455. He ordered it. Front drive burnouts made me feel like I was driving the Hurst Hairy Oldsmobile. Dork ha ha.
Last edited by no1oldsfan; Jul 15, 2021 at 08:28 PM.
Not quite. RH side especially is different. 69 clock was where the right a/c vent is on the 70 cluster. 69 is a smooth vinyl w/o clock, a/c vent or woodgrain trim panel as the 70 has. But still a friendly dashboard.
You can't use different year documentation to decode a VIN or anything else. This page is from the 1970 SPECS booklet. 9487 was the base Toro, 9687 was the Toro Custom. Note the standard equipment in the LH column. The biggest difference between the two (besides the fact that the Custom got rear seat cigar lighters!) was that the standard came with a bench seat and the Custom came with buckets. This is another case where the VIN will say 39687 but the cowl tag will say 39487.
You can't use different year documentation to decode a VIN or anything else. This page is from the 1970 SPECS booklet. 9487 was the base Toro, 9687 was the Toro Custom. Note the standard equipment in the LH column. The biggest difference between the two (besides the fact that the Custom got rear seat cigar lighters!) was that the standard came with a bench seat and the Custom came with buckets. This is another case where the VIN will say 39687 but the cowl tag will say 39487.
I talked the guys into letting me pop the hood (again) and have a look at the cowl tag:
EUC = EUCLID, OH - body assembly plant (where all Toro bodies were made) - I grabbed this from another thread. I did a basic on the PAINT & TR - it appeared correct, but I need to get going on other projects around the house.
The biggest difference between the two (besides the fact that the Custom got rear seat cigar lighters!) was that the standard came with a bench seat and the Custom came with buckets.
Curious if I am reading this incorrectly or you made an error on the seat selection?
Doesn't it say the Custom (9687) comes with Strato Bench Front (9687) as standard front bench seat?
Strato Bucket is an available option (A51)?
Curious if I am reading this incorrectly or you made an error on the seat selection?
Doesn't it say the Custom (9687) comes with Strato Bench Front (9687) as standard front bench seat?
Strato Bucket is an available option (A51)?
You are correct. I didn't read carefully enough, I just saw "strato" and read "buckets". I was thinking along the lines of the Delta Custom that came with buckets. Thanks for catching that.
You are correct. I didn't read carefully enough, I just saw "strato" and read "buckets". I was thinking along the lines of the Delta Custom that came with buckets. Thanks for catching that.
Yeah, no worries. I'm trying to deciper/learn how to read it. I 'think' what I'm seeing (this is peculiar, IMO) the Custom (9687) comes with standard Strato Bench front seat, but if you want the A51 option, you can get Strato Buck seats at no additional charge (installed by the factory)? Rather peculiar how they have it listed but I guess it makes sense if you're going for a Toronado which has a plethora of standard factory installed items to begin with?
It's interesting that bucket seats were a no-charge option on either the standard or the Custom. Usually the low-end models incurred a charge or were not available with that option (witness F85s were bucket seats were not an option).
It's interesting that bucket seats were a no-charge option on either the standard or the Custom. Usually the low-end models incurred a charge or were not available with that option (witness F85s were bucket seats were not an option).
