Think of all the new cars that were introduced in 1965: the Mustang, a completely new GM full-size line for all brands, new full-size Chrysler products, new big Fords, a new Corvair. It’s a long list. Therefore, it’s no surprise that 1966 was a little quieter on the introduction front, so one car got almost all the media’s attention that year, earning the Motor Trend “Car of the Year” award and being featured on just about every magazine cover—it was the Oldsmobile Toronado. With beautiful, unique styling and a novel front-wheel-drive setup, it was bound to hog the spotlight in 1966, and it’s still a showstopper today. Barn Finder T.J. thought enough of this 55,462-mile example to send it in for our perusal, and it’s up for sale here on eBay in Lewiston, Idaho. The asking price is $25,000 or best offer.
Oldsmobile threw all its engineering might at the Toronado (almost—the brakes were widely heralded as being completely inadequate for the car’s size and power). The engine was the hottest version of Oldsmobile’s big 425-cubic-inch V8, which produced 385 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque. All this might was transmitted through a Hy-Vo silent chain into the Turbo Hydra-Matic 425 transmission, which was nestled alongside the engine. Finally, it made its way to the drive axles through a 3.21:1 gear ratio whose differential action was provided by a “planetary gear design.” This Toronado “runs very nice and drives well,” but the engine isn’t painted the correct “Slate Blue.” Other Oldsmobile engines were painted gold, but all Toronados were born blue, so to speak. The big 425 did a creditable job of powering this two-and-a-half-ton knockout. Magazine road tests generally quoted quarter-mile times in the 16-to-17-second range, but upper-range power was beefy; some tests listed a 135-mph top speed.
This seems like a well-optioned Toronado, with air conditioning, power windows, tilt/telescoping steering column, and AM/FM radio. None of these features were standard on the Oldsmobile’s top-of-the-line coupe; magazines of the time speculated that so much money was spent upon the drivetrain that costs needed to be cut in other areas. This interior looks very nice, which is good, because trim parts are difficult to find. The seller, who is representing this car for a friend’s father’s estate (that gentleman owned the car for 46 years), mentions that the power windows aren’t working correctly and the power brakes are “touchy.” However, all the lights work inside and out.
I always like to pause at the instrument cluster, which is almost as dazzlingly styled as the exterior. The “rotating drum” speedometer is the obvious party trick, but I like the little details such as the round clock that mirrors the vent for the air conditioner, and the climate controls that mirror the radio.
Whoever buys this gorgeous Oldsmobile will have some tinkering to do; it had a major service done in 2015 but has only been driven 151 miles since. At the very least, the tires will need changing, and while you’re at it, you can install some narrower whitewalls. The paint (it looks like the Toronado signature color “Dubonnet,” although the seller says it’s “Maroon Star”) was redone in 2008 and is in fine condition.
I’ve mentioned many times on Barn Finds that the ’66 Toronado is one of the few cars on my “favorites” list that I don’t own. This one is clear across the country from me and, frankly, a little spendy for my budget. Toronados have been going up in price for a while, however, so it might not be too far out of line. What would a fair offer be?
Todd J. Is on the hunt for beautiful burgundy Oldsmobiles today isn’t he?? Wow!!! Aaron, we are cut from a similar cloth when it comes to tastes in older cars. If I ever am fortunate enough to be in a spot, a ’66 Toronado is at the very top of my list, and this a just a perfect color for it too. I like the ’66 only steering wheels in the full size Oldsmobiles too. These dash boards are indeed a work of art. I know you can litterally smoke the tires off the front rims on these ( I wouldn’t). The Olds big blocks are notorious for have gobs and gobs of torque. The first Toronados, at least to me, is right up there with the early Rivieras. Great write up Aaron, and again, great find too Todd J. Thanks!!!
Dave, thanks for the tip ‘o the hat. I remember when the Toronado appeared in 1966, how it was a big deal at the time. Some of my buddies scoffed at the front-wheel drive configuration (“How are you gonna burn rubber with that?”), but I thought it was a gorgeous car and was intrigued with the engineering behind the powertrain. I always thought GM hit a bunch of home runs in the ’60’s and that this was one of them.
Back when cars were unique , different, and styish,,,,manufacturers were good from about 1955 to 1970’s now its got 4 wheels buy it
This car is absolutely STUNNING‼️ And, (aside from the JC Whitney chrome mirrors that a switch to OEM would be fairly easy and inexpensive) it is most apparent that it has been well maintained. The asking doesn’t offend me either. WHY don’t the automakers create masterpieces like they did back in the era when this car was introduced? I would be so much more willing to drive a classy luxury head turner like this and at this price than a nondescript Lincoln Navigator ($108K) or Cadillac Escalade ($120K). Thanks Aaron for taking me back to a more desirable time in Americana. Now, back to reality😤.
This vehicle’s especially nice compared to the Chinese built crap Lincoln is pushing these days.
I personally don’t care for this body style, but this is Olds luxury at its finest.
Beautiful car, worth the asking price in my mind. Nice write up.
I don’t see the ac compressor.
You’re absolutely right. The compressor’s mounted low on these and I saw the dash vents and made an assumption.
There was a older gal that would show up at the Kennedale dirt track for the “Run what you Brung” spectator race. Her Toronado won every time.
Wow, what a stunning car and an engineering marvel at the time. This just made my wish list. If I had the room, this price is more than fair IMO. However, does the rolling drum speedometer seem off to anyone else? Admittedly I have never seen one in action, so it could be my lack of understanding. A video of it working would be helpful.
I was 9 years old when these came out in the Fall of 65. I was intrigued by the front wheel drive. I thought it was a brand new thing until later as teenager I read an article about the Cord. If my memory is correct these were champions of the Pike’s Peak run. The front wheel drive and all that torque was a great combination for climbing uphill.
This one looks to be worth every penny of the ask here.
I own a ’66 in “Dubonnet” and this car is not that color. It could be “Autumn Bronze”. Motor and air cleaner are wrong colors. Why say major mechanical was done but not elaborate? Price is at the top for Toronado’s but this car should be $15,000 or so after a personal detailed inspection.
I don’t think it’s Autumn Bronze, but it could easily be a non-stock color. I’ve posted an Autumn Bronze car for comparison.
GM design at its finest! As kids back then we called them ‘frog eyes’ when the headlights were on! Beautiful design until you had to turn the headlights on!
I had a ‘70 Toronado back in the late ‘70’s…
Being in my early 20’s I would bury that drum speedo many times on the 680 in east bay CA
Until the hood flew open at an inopportune moment doing over 100 over Kirker Pass in Concord…
I look back on those moments and realize, not much has changed with “young folks”
lol
Clearly a rather clumsy repaint. No A/C. Hard PASS !
not a a/c car
Look again at the dash climate control. Definitely an a/c car, although I don’t see any a/c hoses or the bigger heat box for the evaporator, etc. coming out of the firewall. Where’s the compressor although I think Adam said it’s mounted lower.
Other than that & the color question, it looks good, but maybe $20k good.
Why is the motor gold?if all original it would have been a red 425! Not gold small block! Something not what they say it is!
The ‘66 Toro is on my shortlist as well. I can hardly think of a more beautiful car – American or otherwise, from any era. The engineering on the FWD has yet to be replicated (outside of GM), and is the only way to go with almost 500 ft lbs of torque . 25k seems a little high in the current market, but not outrageous by any means. In any case, a very nice example, and would be happy to have it in my driveway. Thanks for the write up, Aaron.
looks decent in the pics but it needs attention in different areas the biggest is the engine color which involves the most work. very common for these early toros not to have a/c. the systems they used in these was extremely problematic and prone to failures. i agree this toro is a 15k example.
The second greatest production car to ever roll off an American Assembly line. Only topped by the 810-812 Cords. And unlike the Cords it contained virtually zero bugs. Product liability laws did not exist in 1936 but 1966 was the dawn of the consumer movement. The Toronado was as close to a perfect product as could be made. Jay Leno spent a fortune depriving one of its uniqueness,
The rolling drum spedso were common in the ’20s. My ’29 Pontiac has one tho it’s horizontal
Interesting that the car’s speedometer shows “40 mph” while the car’s transmission is also shown in “park.”
That makes the quoted odometer reading a little dubious.
Back in The Old Daze, a buddy had one that we used to drive to Watkins Glen and back. Those doors must have weighed 500 lb apiece!
I need a bib because I’m drooling all over the front of my hoodie.
Beautiful Toro!!
One of my favorites for sure. Even using this Hydro 425 in the GMC motorhomes I never heard of a failure. I recently saw this transmission and a 500ci Caddy in the back seat of a ’61 Corvair. The engine sat behind the driver facing rearward. With a very short drive shaft connected to a modified ( right side shortened alot) 9″ Ford rear differential. It was built for drag racing. I would have liked to test drive that thing.
Ex mom-in-law (rest in peace) had one like this but dark turquoise with a black vinyl top. From her little farm into town the back way it was a 2 lane county blacktop that followed the borders of the fields all the way. Right curve,left curve, right curve, left. Sylvia always drove fast and that big Olds ate up that road like it was straight. Except for me hanging on that is. Beautiful car and person. :-) Terry J
Worst problem, I’m told, were the standard drum brakes that would barely complete one panic stop from highway speed without overheating. Same as the El Dorado with the same problem. Why they didn’t include front disk brakes is one of those unexplainable mysteries from GM management’s skewed priorities.
1966 – 1969 Toronado engines were all Slate Blue Metallic. This is a nice car, but I prefer the blue or turquise exterior with black Deluxe interior.
The FWD Toronado had some unique engineering that later appeared in both the Cadillac Eldorado and the GM Motorhome! I know that the Toronado had the FWD platform all to itself, for a little while, anyway. When did its Cadillac sister, the Eldorado get FWD as well? Inquiring minds want to know!
GM used the same FWD transaxle in the motorhome so they had more room under the floor, for things like freshwater and wastewater storage tanks in the RV, as there wasn’t a driveshaft under the floor to the rear wheels. FWD also allowed for the floor to be lower to the ground, for easier entry and exit from the RV. Later, other RV manufacturers semi-copied GM’s innovation, by using a rear-engined bus chassis, to move the powertrain away from the front of the RV, to accomplish the same objective of eliminating the driveshaft under the floor, so the floor could be lower and offer more storage space.
I don’t know if you’re asking about the Eldorado rhetorically, but it got the Unitized Power Package (front-drive) in 1967.
Thank you, Sir! Yes, I knew that the FWD Eldorado came later than the Toronado, I just wasn’t sure how much later. So the Cadillac version came only two (2) model years later than the Olds version, with the Olds launching in the fall of 1965 as a 1966 MY, while the Eldorado came in the fall of 1967 as a 1968 MY, correct? They shared a platform from that day forward?
No, the Eldorado was a 1967 MY vehicle, so from that point they shared a platform.