1967 Olds Toronado Deluxe

[Doc Hubler]

Here's some pictures and description of my Toro project. My car, which I purchased from the original owner over 10 years ago turns out to have many rare options for these Toros. I didn't get it for that reason, I just though they were neat cars! Anyway, Here's the option list: Vinyl roof, Pinstriping, Custom Wheel Covers, K-50 Option known as Climatic Combustion Control which is a special air cleaner with vacuum operator doors, Comfortron -- automatic climatic control system with 3 sensors located throughout car to control temperature which is dialed in, Factory 8-track tape player, rear window defroster, Speed Control, tilt/telescope Steering Wheel, Cornering Lamps, vacuum operated truck release, custom seat belts, and bucket seats with center console. Options the car did not have: automatic vacuum operated door locks, front disk brakes, and just had the standard AM radio (have now added AM/FM Wonderbar as only non-original option upgrade. The K-50 option is rare on these cars as is the Strato-Bucket Seats with Center Console. In 1966, it is estimated that of roughly 40,000 vehicles, only 50-55 may have had the Strato Bucket seats. This number may have increased into 200-300 range in 1967, but exact numbers aren't known. Only about 22,000 67 Olds Toronados were built. Car was originally Florentine Gold (Code Z), with black vinyl top. I don't like the greenish gold color of the original paint (very popular in the 60s-70s), so I am painting the car the 1967 Gold Color (code G). The main problem with this car was the rust under the vinyl roof, necessitating complete replacement of the roof. This was done using a 67 parts car, and has turned out well. The body shop owner told me that the ~127K original miles car had about 2 dings on the passenger door, and a little rust repair on the rear quarters, but otherwise was in excellent shape. The engine was in excellent shape, but had to replace the original nylon lined timing gear which had come apart (car still running even so) and put in new valve seals, but otherwise is in great shape. The tranny has been gone through and seals/bands replaced. Will be finishing up the CV joints soon on this car and then is will be mostly an assembly operation. Will be posting more info as work progresses. Member of the Toronado Owner's Association and plan to post publish more info on this car there.

[Oldsfan]

I moved this for you, so now you don't have to sell it.

I, too, used to have a bucket seat equipped '67. I wish mine had been Florentine Gold. The original owner of my car ordered it in Sauterne (which could really look green if the light hit it right) with a Garnet Red interior. That car also had the CCC system, and power locks, along all the other usual goodies. At the time, I also owned a '67 with the Capacitor Discharge igntion system. I didn't know it when I bought it. I was poking around one day and thought... "why is that coil red?" Some further poking soon revealed the CD box under the headlight vacuum tank. I wanted to take the CD system out of that car and put it in the Sauterne car, but I didn't feel like dealing with putting the standard system back in its place. Something about the lack of a resistor wire in the harness, I think. That was a long time ago. The CD car was sold to MBNA bank. The Sauterne car is currently located somewhere in New England.

Paul

[Sweepspear]

Looks like that is going to be a really nice car when done!

Any pictures of the buckets seats and console? I've never seen a Toronado with them.

[Oldsfan]

These are lousy pictures. The windows were rolled up and the car was locked. And I was using my cell phone. I had some good picture from before I bought it, but I don't know what happened to them. The consoles in these were strictly for storage. There was no floor shifter. They were all column shifted. And if I remember right, the console was a separate options from the seats.

Paul

[Doc Hubler]

I don't have any good pictures of the interior buckets/console, but Paul's pictures are exactly what they look like. They are out of the car right now and will need new upholstery. There's really nothing fancy about the seats or the console box -- the driver's seat is 4-way power (no power for passenger seat). The console has a simple lock on it, no light, but is pretty large and unique to Toronado. They are rare because of the design with no transmission hump, most people did opt to go for the Strato Bench seats as you really could seat 3 across the front comfortably, or if only two sat up front there was a large center armrest. I have located a 68 Toro nearby that has the center console and floor shift and I'm pretty sure that is is factory authentic. This was a fairly rare option for 68. Of course, the rarest is a W-34 equipped ram-air engine (they went to 455 cubic inch for 68). Anyway, the console on the 68 Toros look similar to the other Olds cars, has a light inside and at the end of the console. Also, for 68, they did a better job of incorporating the factory 8-track into the dash and where it was more reachable. These Toros are excellent cars, and very well engineered. Because of their uncommon nature, and the relative difficulty of understanding how to service components, most of these cars are runners, but not restored very thoroughly beyond some upholstery and paint. You'll find most of them have a little floor rust in the rear seat floor pan behind driver's seat, and also in the trunk/quarters due to the rear vent drainage system (the rubber tubes get clogged with leaves and dirt and then eventually water leaks into the trunk. For me, 67 was the gold standard year for Oldsmobile. My next desire is a 67 authentic 442 -- that is the best year for those. I also have a 67 Vista Cruiser wagon that I think I'll buy. Neat cars!

[Guest BJM]

Doc, Dale and Paul - I am getting home too late in the afternoon from work to take good photos but will update on Saturday. Since I drove my 67 home 2 weeks ago I can say it drives well with no obvious issues mechanically so I will probably leave well enougha lone despite the over 100,000 miles indicating on the odometer.

On my 66, in 1998 dollars and doing virtually all the work myself in an Automotive Technology (Mechanics) class, I still had $3000 in the engine in new forged pistons, cam, valves, springs etc. And as discussed it was a b***h to get in and out without the front clip off.

I generally want to go all the way through a car to know that it was done right but on Toronados and early Eldorados, maybe caution is a good way to go, if the car is to be used as a collector car, meaning maybe 2000-3000 exercise miles a year. I'll play it by ear...

[Doc Hubler]

Bryan,

One thing which you must/probably know about.... I also thought my car was just fine engine wise. And really it was/is. However, when I did take it apart, I realized that the timing gear/chain had problems. These engines used a nylon toothed timing gear, and they all eventually get chewed up and the nylon ends in the oil pick up tube. Luckily, it is screened, and goes through the oil filter. So my car ran/sounded fine -- there were no obvious issues caused by the timing gear because the chain engaged the metal teeth of the gear below the nylon part. But the slop in the timing gear was incredible, and it's amazing that it did run -- could have quit any time. Be prepared for the engine to stop running at any time if you think the gear may never have been changed, and of course you are then looking at a pretty major operation to get at the timing gear (look at the front engine mount and what has to be removed in front -- may as well remove front clip and go through the entire thing). The other issue is that you are causing a some oil deficit to the oiling of the engine, not good for sure, especially if the engine has been run hard. This is a common issue with engines from these years. Like modern cars, the timing chains were meant to be changed after a specific number of miles as part of a regular maintenance program. But who wants to spend money if the car still runs, then after 10 years, most mechanics aren't even aware of the issue. the reason they used the nylon gears was because it was supposed to be quieter with the engine running. When I had the exhaust system replaced, I had them give it a little better breathing and a little more "presence" in terms of noise, and all the quiet stuff was ridiculous anyway. Nothing sounds better than an Olds Big Block!

[Guest BJM]

Doc

You are correct about the nylon timing chain gear. When I rebuilt my 425 I installed a Mondellos double roller timing chain. I still remember getting a personal note from Joe Mondello with what to buy (cam grind / valves etc. ) Here are photos of my 67.

Having owned a single reservoir brake master cylinder 66, I wanted a 67. I was NOT looking for a Toronado. I own 7 cars, when this one showed up on the local Craigs List in late October.

The seller wanted $2000. Playing with house money (meaning I have enough cars already) I sent him an offer. "I will offer $800 for your car, so try to sell it for $2000 and if no one wants it, consider my offer." 2 days later he agreed to my price. It's an $800 car not a $2000 car.

This car has the auto climate control (A/C) and power windows in a 'standard' interior. Power bench seat, no cruise control, of course it has standard tilt and telescopic wheel. The best feature is near flawless chromed wheels with correct 67 wheel covers.

My plans are to change the color. Black interior is fine. My 66 Toronado was Dubonnet inside and out and was a fully loaded beautiful car with deluxe interior. I am OK with the standard interior as I purchased this 67 for the total package.

[Doc Hubler]

Thanks for the pictures! Couple of observations/questions. Is this a 94 or 96 series car? I don't know the way they put different option packages on the car. So for example, my power seat and window switches are a part of the armrest (in front of armrest). It is same on passenger side door, only one switch to operate the window since the bucket seat on that side is not powered. I was a little surprised to see the other 4 switch unit on the driver's door of your car. Typically, the wiring through the door needs help. Also on the dash panel, I have never found a Toro in which the plastic lenses for the signal indicators haven't decayed and crumbled. The brake and high beams usually survive. And the paint on the panel of the originals is always coming off giving a zebra stripe appearance. You have the AC/heater unit, but not Comfortron. I think the dial just operates the fan speed on your car (lettering says "fan" next to the round dial. Mine dial says "temp" next to the round dial which has numbers from 65-85 in increments of 5 indicating temp in Fahrenheit. The "dial" just oppsite that one is the infamous "blank" or fake dial (just a molded piece of plastic held in place with a single screw. If you had the speed control, this is where you would dial in the speed setting. That has a little plastic part that always breaks that I'm trying to find! Half the lights didn't work on the dash. not because the bulbs were burned out but because the "electronic" board (looks a lot like a computer integrated circuit board) that is the actual wiring had cracked and broken the connections, so no juice was getting to the lamps. Had to use a part off my parts car because as far as I'm aware, these are just not available in any form (they get heat cracked). I also replaced the wiring harness for my Tilt/Telescope steering wheel years ago because it had stopped working. You can get those from a company called Shee-Mar Inc. I can send you a picture of the instrument panel out of my car. I'm almost done with it, but just finishing a few items before it's ready for reinstall. As you might guess, you will need valium to get through he process of removal/repair if you ever decide to go through it. One other thing I found out is these cars had tons, and I mean tons of clay sealant pushed into the wiring connections to prevent water from getting in them, and there was a huge abundance of sealant tar everywhere. The way they did these trunks was to spray LOTS of glue in the trunk area and then glue the felt to everything, including the rear drain tubes. It's no wonder those things always harden and then leak. I'm sure Toro owners mostly were AAA members when their cars were new. Who the heck can get the dang spare out of the trunk, wedged as it is against the rear seat??!!