70 Toronado questions

[sgtoro]

Many questions about newly acquired 70 toronado GT:

1. How do you remove the taillight lenses and/or change bulbs? There don't appear to be any obvious screws. Also, how to remove the front sidemarker bulbs??

2. I am trying to find the vin# on the engine but the spot pictured on another website behind the alternator only has a star and 3 letters, something like *CFO, same on both sides. There is also a small tag under the drivers valve cover near the back that has 3 numbers and 2 slant marks, like \615\, what does that mean? I have already found the 6 digit casting # that's divided into 2 parts in the middle of the head, the large E behind the alternator and the 6 digit number next to the oil filler tube that ends with F.

3. Are there any repro parts catalogs like Year One that sell Toronado parts (emblems, etc.)?

[mikebob]

1. Not sure about the tail lights (I have a 68),perhaps somebody from the Toro List can help. If you are not subscribed, I believe you can by sending an email to thelist@toronado.net with the word subscribe in the subject. (I'll also check the parts illustrated guide and see if it has any diagrams.

2. Take a look at the following links to give you an idea of where the VIN label is on the engine.

This picture shows the bare block with a drawn box around the pad. The numbers are not on the heads. The numbers *CFO are on the heads. I'm not sure what they mean, but they are not VIN derivatives.

http://www.justmike.us/TEMP/455Block.JPG

This picture shows the engine assembled with an arrow pointing to where the pad is. It is behind the bottom alternator bracket.

http://www.justmike.us/TEMP/ToroEngine.JPG. Hope that helps a bit. I had to take a VERY soft wire brush on my Dremel to clean off the grime from the pad enough to read it.

3. There are nearly NO Toronado repro parts out there. One possiblity is Fusick, but they seem to concentrate on 66-67 Toros. It's worth a look though (www.fusick.com). I know of no others at this time.

Hopefully some other folks can help you as well.

Mike

[rocketraider]

You have to reach up behind the bumper to get to the tail lamp sockets. There's probably a rubber dust seal hanging down between the bumper and body that you may have to move out the way. The sockets mount into the bottom of the taillight pod and are notorious for losing their ground.

The pod has to come out of the bumper to change the lens- it's attached to the pod by screws that are hidden when the pod is in the bumper. You can loosen the bumper and wedge it out and down a bit to get working room, but if you have an extra hand it's about as easy to drop it off the car where you can get to all the pod mounting screws.

Front sidemarker should have a quarter-turn socket accessible from behind the fender. Possibly a water deflector in the way there too.

Look at the LEFT FRONT SIDE of the engine block, just below the head and behind the alternator mounting bracket. There's a machined pad that has the engine # stamped into it. It may be obscured by the alternator bracket. Should read "3M0XXXXXX" Last six digits should match the car VIN if original engine.

The best ID for a W34/GT car is the transmission code. Look for "OM" on the transmission ID plate.

[sgtoro]

MIkebob, can you check that second link again, I got a page in Spanish that I think says "page not available" or something like that. Also, I found another machined pad under the valve cover toward the drivers side back that has 3 numbers, I think it says "615" and has a slash mark on each side, kind of like \615\, do you know what that means? It is between the last 2 spark plugs toward the back right under the edge of the drivers side valve cover

Also, is it unusually difficult to remove the bulb socket from the housing to change the bulb, or am I doing it the wrong way? I already broke the cornering light socket, it seemed to be stuck and I pulled it right thru the metal leaving a large hole on the back. They all seem to be stuck the same way, like they are cemented to the back of the housing.

[mikebob]

Sorry, the second link got a period stuck at the end of it... The link is

http://www.justmike.us/TEMP/ToroEngine.JPG

Mike

[sgtoro]

I found a number that seems to be just under the seam betw. the head and the block, but it's in the front not on the side, it kind of slants downward under the ledge of the drivers side head, following the seam. If you're standing in front of the car on the drivers side and looking at the alternator, you would be face to face w/ that number. I'm still trying to decipher what numbers they are, could this be a vin derivative also?

[mikebob]

I do not believe I have seen such a number in that particular place. What is the number?

If it is a VIN derivative, the last 5(?) digits will match the last 5 digits of the VIN (sequence number).