Info on a 77 Toro XS?

[imported_Badger Guy]

A guy called me up and wants to sell his 77 Toro XS. I have no idea what a XS Toro is? I know they quit making the 455 in 76. But he claims it has a original 455! I would like to know something about a 77 Toro before I go look at it. Thanks.

Tom

[Dave@Moon]

The Toronado XS was a 2 year only special made in 1977/1978. It was a Toronado with a special "bent glass" rear window. Total production was 2713 in 1977, 2453 in 1978. Both years came only with the 403 Cu. In. motor.

Toronado XS on Jay Leno's Garage

[Reatta Man]

The Toro was also extensively covered in a recent edition of Collectible Automobile magazine.

The cars are very heavy, feel and drive very loose, and never seemed to have caught on with collectors. The doors also are very heavy and have a tendancy to sag on the hinges.

Other than the very unusual rear window, if the car isn't spotless, or dirt, dirt cheap, it is totally out of place as a daily driver in a world of $4-5 gas.

[Guest bkazmer]

I had a 75 or 76 Toro back when. Excellent car in snow, but the 1970 weight with mid-seventies desmogged power made for pretty uninspiring performance, as was typical of the times.

[Steve Moskowitz]

Come on, I see in your avatar that you have a Hurst Olds! You can always use another Oldsmobile. I like the car! I drove one for a demo and sold several at our dealership. They are big but still a cool car. Toro's are becoming more and more collectible, so if it is a nice example, get it.

Originally it was also supposed to include POWER t-tops (XSR) and we actually ordered some but they were never produced. The pilot car found its way to a junkyard and is now owned by an OCA member. If I had false teeth I would have lost them when I saw the car years ago.

[imported_Badger Guy]

Well Steve, there is also a 67 F/85 in the avatar. Not in the pic is a 60 Impala that is the next big project. There's also the "when I have the time and money" cars, The 37 Chev coupe, 66 Toro, 36 Pontiac convertable. Plus a couple more I think I have. The Hurst/Olds, F/85 are done and in the big garage The Impala is in the shop waiting for some funding to show up. The rest are in a friends salvage yard waiting to be worked on.

The 77 Toro isn't in the best of shape. Rust at the quarters, bottom of the fenders, ect.. And as the Reatta Man mentioned, the doors are sagging bad. It's been sitting in the guy's yard for 4 years. Even when I was looking right at it and could clearly see it was a 403, he stuck with the 455 story. His friend told him it was a 455.

He said he would take $1200.00 for it even though he knew it was worth MUCH MORE! Because he has seen the car auctions on TV. I offerd $300.00 and left. That made my wife happy!

Tom

[Reatta Man]

Was he offering you $1200 to get it out of his yard? If not, then pass!

These people that price their rusting hulks based on some book, price guide or an auction they saw on TV just KILL me!

If you ever talk to him in a year or two and the car is gone, be sure to ask him if he got MUCH MORE for it.

[Jim Rohn]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Steve Moskowitz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">... I like the car! I drove one for a demo and sold several at our dealership. They are big but still a cool car. Toro's are becoming more and more collectible, so if it is a nice example, get it.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Originally it was also supposed to include POWER t-tops (XSR) and we actually ordered some but they were never produced.</span> The pilot car found its way to a junkyard and is now owned by an OCA member. If I had false teeth I would have lost them when I saw the car years ago. </div></div>

I saw one of the power t-top cars brand new on the showroom floor when they were new. I did not know it was the ONLY one ever made though ...

The dealer (Suburban Olds?) was on the north side of Maple Road in Troy and I remember thinking that was an odd thing to think of, the power retracting t-tops, but there it was big (and I mean BIG) as life and they were retracted. I always remember that car and honestly have not seen many of the wrap rear window versions, let alone the power t-top version, maybe it WAS the only one ever made ...

[Guest leadfoot]

Toros are definitely becoming more collectible, especially in the 80s where there isn't a lot out there that's interesting. I recently acquired an '83 southern car with under 70K miles. It was a smoker's car, but that was easy to fix. Also the road feel problem is an easy fix by adding elements of the factory handling package until it thightens up and feels right. The 80s Eldo & Riviera are basically the same car and all three are collectible. It's interesting that there were five 80s Toros at the Cumberland spring meet. Mine with a 307 V-8 gets 22/23 MPG on the road at 70 MPH. Wish my other antique cars could do that! One big downside - finding parts is a challenge.

[Reatta Man]

Leadfoot,

There is a huge difference between the '83 Olds Toronado and the '77 or '76 models. Your '83 isn't a bad car; moderate-sized V-8, not too heavy. The '70s models were huge, weighed much more, and couldn't be made to drive any better.

Joe

[Guest PaulSigmund]

Oldsmobile made at least 11 XSRs and most were destroyed but a few got out. The prototype was a 1976 Toro converted to a XSR. The yellow car that no Toro club will display these pics was photographed around 1981 in Milwaukee WI.