When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Number of 66 and 67 Toronados with bucket seats and console
Hi,
Does anyone know the actual number of 66 and 67 Toronados produced with bucket seats and with bucket seats and console. Any information would me most appreciated!
Hi. Not many at all is the best I can say.
There are a few renewal parts for the center consoles listed in my parts book, but nothing really for a whole kit.
There was a 67 a few years ago on ebay that sold from a dealer in Toronto. It was finished in white and I believe the car went for around the 20K mark and was a pretty nice example. I even considered bidding on it but too many at the time and no room for it.
That particular auction refered to the car as "having the rare Delmont package" indicating the bucket seat and center console package equipment. I've never attempted to verify if this is the correct jargon the dealers used for this option either.
Years ago, there was a fair bit of discussion about this topic at the Toronado club as to weather these cars were merely owner customized things or real factory options. Come to find out that there were a few cars ordered this way but the numbers to my knowledge have never been determined...but very few can be found.
Of those very few, I did see one car that obviously had a console modified from a Cutlass installed in it along with the bucket seating that could have been from several different potential donor car lineups and recovered to match the existing interior. The console in that particular one had a makeshift plate made up to cover the shifter opening in it and done rather crudely.
But as to the real deal, I have never actually seen one up close only pictures taken from some odd angles so as to make authenticity obscure.
There was a car on ebay last week I believe that had the bucket seats in it and what looked like correct fabric as it was the same as that in my car but the center console was not shown in the pictures for that auction.
There was also another auction a year or two ago from a fella who was offering the buckets and console package and as I recall he new what he had as the reserve bid was pretty hefty indeed.
My Toro has the strato seat which is most common and none of the 3 parts cars have the bucket option.
Along with this bucket and console package, there are a host of other things that from time to time come up in discussion groups as to what is and what is not original equipment. One has to remember that back in the day, if you pressed hard enough, you could order your vehicle with pretty much anything you wanted or the dealer would modifiy your car to your particular case at a resonable expense.
Another consideration is that the Toro presented GM with a big gamble as to whether or not they would be successful so they kept a stiff rein on things till that proved to be fruitfull for them. The consoles were probably slightly modified versions of those for other lineups, given that the Toro floor pans dont have the drive shaft tunnels as other cars. I personally cant see GM making a separate production run of these strictly for Toro useage since the overall production numbers were low anyway. Same goes for the bucket seating.
None the less, they are a rare thing to encounter in deed...real deal or not.
I found this section in my Toro assembly manual. It lists three versions of the console offered in black, Dk gold, and Dk red with associated matching carpet numbers.
There are no production figures available beyond production by model.
I have it that buckets were a no charge option starting in '67 (not available in '66)
Buckets and consoles were separate options; buckets could be had without a console.
Have to remember to that GM was also promoting these cars as true six seating rides given there was no drive tunnel so they probably didnt push the idea of buckets too strongly.
Ralph Braun,who writes the Frontwheeling column for Journey With Olds (the monthly publication of the Oldsmobile Club of America), wrote in a recent issue that only 'fifty or so' 1966 Toronados had the bucket seat option. He's an 'oldtimer' (in his seventies) and has been writing this column for years, so I'm thinking if anyone should know the answer, he would. My '66 has the strato-bench seat and I find it very comfortable. My only wish is it weren't manually adjusted. This car, given all the other options it has, definitely should have been equipped with a power seat adjuster. Oh well, as another fellow on this forum mentioned to me, "It is what it is."
Bucket seat an console were super rare options for all 1966 -1970 models.
There is no record (that I know of).
I know for a FACT that you could get buckets seats and NO console (console was a $90-$100 option). The reason why I know this, is due to the fact, the very FIRST automobile I rode (March of 1970) in was an Ocean Mist 1968 Olds Toronado, bucket seat and no console. The VIN# was 394878M604846, it was built around Oct 3, 1967.
Ralph Braun,who writes the Frontwheeling column for Journey With Olds (the monthly publication of the Oldsmobile Club of America), wrote in a recent issue that only 'fifty or so' 1966 Toronados had the bucket seat option. He's an 'oldtimer' (in his seventies) and has been writing this column for years, so I'm thinking if anyone should know the answer, he would. My '66 has the strato-bench seat and I find it very comfortable. My only wish is it weren't manually adjusted. This car, given all the other options it has, definitely should have been equipped with a power seat adjuster. Oh well, as another fellow on this forum mentioned to me, "It is what it is."
Greg McDonnell
'66 and '85 Toronados
Greg, do you know what issue that was in? Ralph is a really great Olds guy.
The column containing the information regarding the number of '66 Toros built with bucket seats is in the current issue (April, 2009) of Journey With Olds. I went back and read it and, according to Ralph, the fellow who was responsible for seating (I'm assuming he was referring to an employee of the Olds Division) told him only 55 1966 Toronados had bucket seats and a console-apparently the two of these together were VERY RARE. That's amazing given almost 42,000 Toronados were built that year. But if Ralph said it in his column, I can't imagine him being wrong...
Greg McDonnell
Last edited by Greg McDonnell; April 14th, 2009 at 04:30 PM.
Reason: left out part of my reply
Read Ralph's piece.
Wow, that took some digging. Earliest reference I could find for buckets in a '66 Toronado was Oct '65. Later than the vast majority of sales literature was produced. Have to believe it was a "last minute" addition for production. Certainly not the main focus of the Toronado being a 6-passenger vehicle. Being in the shadows for '66, I'm sure the production numbers *are* very low.
I own a 66 with factory installed bucket seats and console. It is autumn bronze with matching interior. In 66, bucket seats were available in all vinyl trim only with 3 color options, black, blue and bronze. Bronze was a 66 only color and my interior is still original so it is not a fake. The data plate has the letters BS next to the trim code, which appears to match my 1966 Parts catalog data for Bucket Seats. If you look carefully at the 1966 Hotrod article on the 66 Toro, their car looks to be a trumpet gold with black bucket seat car. If anyone wants pix, I will be glad to send. I am in the process of restoring the car right now.
is it uncommon to have buckets and a console i never see that any where
Nice! I've seen a few but they're not common. Is your car by chance a GT? Welcome to the site! I'd encourage you to create a thread in the newbie forum telling us more about your car. John
I own a 66 with factory installed bucket seats and console. It is autumn bronze with matching interior. In 66, bucket seats were available in all vinyl trim only with 3 color options, black, blue and bronze. Bronze was a 66 only color and my interior is still original so it is not a fake. The data plate has the letters BS next to the trim code, which appears to match my 1966 Parts catalog data for Bucket Seats. If you look carefully at the 1966 Hotrod article on the 66 Toro, their car looks to be a trumpet gold with black bucket seat car. If anyone wants pix, I will be glad to send. I am in the process of restoring the car right now.
I don't know how many were built with buckets, with or without console, but I know the reason I bought my '67 was because of this gorgeous red bucket seat interior with center console.
Sorry for the crazy shading in front of the seats, I edited out some paper floor mats that were present when the photo was taken.
What color is the exterior of your Toro? I'd swear that's my old one. It had power locks and Comfortron - but I see a power seat switch on the door and mine didn't have that. Mine had a power antenna and I only see a courtesy light switch on the dash. I think mine had a rear defogger, too.
What color is the exterior of your Toro? I'd swear that's my old one. It had power locks and Comfortron - but I see a power seat switch on the door and mine didn't have that. Mine had a power antenna and I only see a courtesy light switch on the dash. I think mine had a rear defogger, too.
Hey Oldsfan - my car is white, you can see a bit of the "A" pillar on the upper right side of the photo. Post a pic of your car if you have one, we'd love to see it.
I don't know how many were built with buckets, with or without console, but I know the reason I bought my '67 was because of this gorgeous red bucket seat interior with center console.
Sorry for the crazy shading in front of the seats, I edited out some paper floor mats that were present when the photo was taken.
I also had a ‘67 with buckets and console like yours, mine was parked on the side of the road in a snow storm and was rear ended and totaled back in the early ‘80’s
November 11th, 2008, 10:53 PM
