It is “a one-of-a-kind project car.” That much is clear. The midnight black cruiser started life as a front-wheel-drive 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado, an innovative design in anyone’s book. From there, its owner got the customizing bug, chopped the roof, made considerable modifications to the bodywork and interior, and added “seamlessly molded chrome bumpers.” Whether the result is “a standout in any collection” with “a sleek and aggressive appearance that commands attention” is up to you. Toronados are quite collectible, but as a non-running customized project, not as much. With a couple of days left on the eBay auction in Hellertown, Pennsylvania, this one is still under $2,000.
It’s unknown when these modifications were done. The blurbs provide little information other than that the car isn’t running but has a clear title. The flat tires and missing door panels you can see for yourself.
The car has its original back seat, but the front red velour buckets came from somewhere else. More worrying is what appears to be some custom electronic dashboard, sound system, and center console. Do the additions function at all? Maybe there’s no dashboard. An aftermarket “GT” steering wheel really stands out as a bad idea.
What’s up with that blacked-out rear end? The car was probably treasured once but appears not to have been for quite some time. Parts like those door panels have gone missing—or maybe they’re included, and the ad doesn’t say. Some of the glass may be AWOL, too, and why is the trunk popped? The engine doesn’t appear to have been messed with, but who knows? Getting it back to its original or just in running condition will be a professional job.
What an innovator the ’66 Oldsmobile Toronado was, definitely spiffing up the somewhat stodgy division’s image. The car was sketched by David North in 1962 as a futuristic personal coupe, but then the suits liked it, and it was produced on the E-Body platform. The Buick Riviera of the era used similar styling but was rear-wheel drive. The Toronado was Motor Trend’s Car of the Year for ’66.
Power driving the front wheels came from the 425-cubic-inch Rocket V-8, producing 385 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque. It was heavy at 4,496 pounds but could still achieve a zero to 62 mph time of 9.5 seconds—good for the time—and reach 135 mph. A three-speed Turbo Hydramatic transmission was standard. In 1966, the Toronado had drum brakes everywhere, making stopping it challenging.
Are you feeling lucky? Adventurous? Then this wild project might be for you.
The front buckets sure look like those came out of a Dodge Daytona or Chrysler Laser from the 80s.
A hard pass on this one. What were they thinking?
You will not find a better riding car. The 425 motor has more than enough power to move it on down the road. It is a great car. 1st front wheel drive, 1st with vacuum powered head lights. My Dad left me his 66 Toronado and I put it back on the road a year after he passed. It had been sitting for 4 years and I’ve done most of the work. 1st car I ever went under. No one knew what it was. But everyone looked. Great car.
I was quite impressed with the ride of my friend’s new ’73 Torino back in the day. I could just imagine the ride of a ’73 t-bird or ’73 big Lincoln.
Yikes agree with Jim what were they thinking? Started ruining a great design and gave up?
Work probably stopped when they realized that they’d devalued the car as much as they could.
Appears to be an early Knight Industries build. The project was rumoured to be abandoned sometime before they began building Kitt.
Midnight black? Looks more like a pastel black to me.
Customized by otherworldly aliens perhaps, before their premature departure?
Maybe.
Mannix custom toronado rear panel?(tho not red).
That pass rear tire has the thinnest whitewall i have ever seen! – i wonder what make the tire is.
Michelin Symmetry tires had a small (3/8″) stripe whitewall in the early 2000s.
They were great looking on my ’70 Cutlass
Somewhere in this car’s past is a nine-fingered man with bad credit and a lot of regrets.
I like the 66-67 toro’s I’d be up for this car , the only thing that would bother me is the dash,,guess I’d have to see it in person or alot more pic’s
lots going on here, (mostly not good) … and where are the door handles?
4500 lbs. with drum brakes. Yikes.
How do you get the doors open??
My ’64 Pontiac Sport Coupe runs drums, and probably is close if not the same weight as this. Drums that are kept in good nick, and aren’t used for performance driving, stop quite well.
& if you avoid deep water & going down long steep mountains.
My comments on several of the write-up comments:
“one of a kind”….and boy, I’m I glad about that
“commands attention”….perhaps as a clown car at the circus
“a standout in any collection”….well, that’s just a ridiculous statement
For me, this is one of the worst customizations I’ve ever seen.
This is Awesome! Despite the naysayers, I really dig it. These cars were kind of fugly to begin with, and I think the blackout treatment really helps give it a sinister appearance. I’d ditch the maroon seats, find an appropriate wheel, and blackout the original rims.
When I see something like this, it makes me think of that shipdit kid in Toy Story that purposely effs with toys until they are an abomination. There is nothing wrong with self expression, within art, but jeez, what the hell were they thinking?
I own a 1966 Toronado and I would never do this to my car!! Mine is all original and does run. Checking Hemmings, I see that these cars even in good condition don’t bring much more than $10K. What they did to the interior is sad and needs to be redone. I wouldn’t touch this car. Sorry.
That is alot of car to stop with 4 wheel drum brakes,sure they work okay except in the case of a panic stop or driving in heavy rain,don’t work well when they get wet either…..
Hey Chicken Little….I have three 60s-era 4000lb cars with drum brakes, and they all stop just fine.
If you more than breathe on the pedal of the 67 Newport it’ll send you through the windshield.
Jimmy Hoffa might be in the trunk.
What a hot mess! Not to hard to see why they threw in the towel on this one. Sad to see David North’s original design tweaked like this.
Absolutely love it if I was younger I would definitely take this project on. In my many years I have seen a lot of customs and have always been fascinated by them. Would love to know the back story on this. This was someones vision and I like it. I would keep it as is fix the interior get it running and drive it and enjoy it. GLWTA