77-78 Toronado Design Studies

The 77-78 Toronado was the last design incarnation of the all new 71 body style. The front end took on a simpler corporate Oldsmobile look. The subtle but still handsome restyle breathed new life into the 71 design and resulted in a spike in sales for 77.

Here are some design studies for the last of the big Toronados courtesy of Dean's Garage, http://deansgarage.com/ an amazing automotive design site from a guy who worked for GM design! Check it out.

Christmas Oil Change

Both the Toronado XS and the latest addition to my GM heavy fleet, a 1975 Cadillac Eldorado, had oil changes yesterday. Castrol 10W30 for the Toro, it is what I have run in her since I became her caretaker. The Eldorado received a mixture of diesel 15W40 and Castrol 10W30. My friend Mike swears by the 15W40 for older engines, so I will give it a try.

In the you learn something everyday category, the 500 cubic inch Eldorado engine (8.2 liters for you Euro guys and gals) has two drain plugs. It pays to get put and under your cars on a regular basis.

I bought the Eldorado as a backup for the Toro as I was so impressed by the performance and craftsmanship of these big FWD cars. The Eldorado is scheduled for a photo shoot for Classic American in the spring and hopefully I will post scans of the Toronado photo shoot for the same magazine from last winter.

Back

Sorry for the long absence over the summer, had to find new storage for a few of my cars. Brought the 75 Eldorado home, more on that tomorrow, more tinkering on the Jaguar, 59 Caddy is back in the home garage and the 76 Lincoln Mark IV is running strong once again.

The Toronado, after which this blog is named is back in regular service. Currently dealing with some water leaks. Found problem round windshield but somehow water is getting in under the back seat.

Ran through a number of press cars including a new 2010 Taurus SHO and Challenger. Loved both but the Challenger is one modern vehicle I would consider buying.

The above photo is from the fall when we were filming at Mosport, very early in the morning.

Snow In April

Due to unseasonable weather the Toronado has been pressed back into service after a two week spring rest.

Ordered a new drivers side drive axle, cheap rubber boots keep cracking, better to be prepared for eventual boot failure.

Also tail light problem has returned (also no dash or front marker lights), still have brake and turn signals but tailights are out. Much diagnosis revealed no power going to rear harnesss. Unfortunately not a break in the aluminium wiring GM used between the front and rear of the car... like last time.

I suspect it is the twilight sentinel control box as it turns the driving lights and tail lights on and off at dusk. Thee is a 78 Toro at a local yard I better check out for parts on my next lunch break, of course when it has stopped snowing.

Of Carbs and Men

No this is not the Toronado carb but very similar to its Rochester Quadrajet. This one is from my 79 Corvette.

The Vette has been my summer car, giving the Toronado some well earned rest in the warmer months. Also time for repairs and upgrades in preparation for another gruelling winter.

The Corvette always had a cold start problem and would flood if you didn't get the pump/crank combo just right. If it started first time you were set for the day, never any warm start problems. If you messed it up it would want to stall half in half out of the drive way and only start if you completely depressed the accelerator and cranked...lots of black smoke and neighbours pitiable looks for the crazy guy with the old cars.

Quadrajets seem to have a reputation for leaky casting plugs but no evidence of this on tear down. Even tested with gas in carb while suspended over a bucket...no leaks in the well plugs.

And yes I did install a new choke pull off.

Next step is a careful rebuild and hopefully a summer of quick starts!

Strange Bed Fellows

Unseasonable warm weather, a February thaw, saw plus degree temps up to 11! Thoughts of Cadillac convertibles and Corvette t-tops filled my head and the itch to finish the Stutz project was palpable.

Heck, I even cracked open the sunroof (sorry astro roof in GM speak) on the drive home.

Well this false spring makes for strange bed fellows, evidence of which is the long delayed XJS/LT1 project.

Keeps on Ticking

Continuing record cold weather makes life tough for all cars, especially ones in their third decade of use. Knock on fake plastic dash board wood that she keeps on ticking, reminds me the Toronado's clock still works and keeps excellent time.

The weather is supposed to get up to plus six on Saturday a great improvement over the -22 experienced the other day.

The Toronado will have its own feature article in an English magazine dedicated to American cars. Photo shoot was three weeks ago...yes in the snow. Here is a teaser.

Snow Day

Between 15 and 20 cm of snow predicted for today, schools closed. Does the Toronado rest, Nay soldiers on avoiding careening pickups and snowplows to bring me safely to work..yahhh.

Looks somewhat like a undersea predator, hiding itself in the sandy ocean floor awaiting an unsuspecting minnow or Honda.

Salty

Here is the great white north huge amounts of salt are deposited on the road in an effort to keep motorists out of ditches or opposing traffic.

The unfortunate side effect is dissolving cars. Rust proofing companies like Krown offer yearly oil treatments to keep the oxidation demons at bay. In these minus double digit days the salt only looks ugly coating your car. However when the temperature rises above freezing (approx. 40 degrees F) the chemical reaction takes place causing rust. The salt accelerates the chemical reaction between steel and water by providing a highly ionized environment. So as soon as temperature warms up head for the car wash!

The shade of Ransom E. Olds can be clearly seen to the left of the photographer.

Return Seat to Upright Position

The freezing weather continues north of the 49th and the Toro soldiers on. It does not mean all is perfect. To do list for slightly warmer weather, say like -10 degrees, is to replace the anemic aftermarket horns with some proper GM blasters. Also the driver’s power seat seems very sluggish in the cold.

The passenger seat is always happy to oblige, perhaps the grease in the drive cables is hardened or the motor may be on its last legs. As I now regularly transport two children to school, functional power seats are a necessity. With the driver’s seat all the way back (how I like it) the rear seat leg room is less than adequate for your average kindergartner or hobbit.

Morning ritual is power seat forward until my chest is pressing against steering wheel, once children delivered to place of indoctrination, seat goes back…so I should make sure I fix before it sticks in the crushed against the dash board position. Actually you can get four adults in the Toronado relatively comfortably, while my experience of modern BMW 6 series and Jaguar XJ’s is that the back seat is for show purposes only.

I will now enjoy the drive home, seat in the fully extended and lowered position.

Drive in the car wash come out clean

If you have children you might be familiar with that line from my favorite car friendly kids book, Toad on the Road. No nothing to do with Wind In The Willows, rather the story of new driver toad and the freedom he finds behind the wheel of his very own internal combustion vehicle. The book has been a favorite with all my children and includes a positive anti-public transportation message, “get off pig and ride with us”. Pig was on a bus you see.

It is never too early to teach your children the benefits of large cars that can a hold all of your anthropomorphic animal friends. “I can drive them here, I can drive them there, I can drive them anywhere…drive on Toad!

http://www.bullersooz.com/tr.html

Wife Drives Toro, Deliriously Happy

Busy day for the Toro. Wife has early meeting to host so she takes the mighty Oldsmobile while I take the 2002 Town & Country to deliver children to school. We then switch cars and I drive into work.

Made sure the Toro's block heater was plugged in for an hour or two and then warmed up and ice scrapped off the windshield for her.

As I watch from the living room window I see my dear wife having some trouble inside the car. Seat was too far back and it was so cold the power driver's seat did not want to move. Apart from that minor hitch no problems. However she did complain of some ribbing at work for driving such a big old car. Philistines they know not what they say.

Rare photo of extra full gas tank. Note vacuum economy gauge, helps maintain that 20MPG 77-78 Toro's are famous for.

So Very Very Cold

From the hard to read title page you can see that we are already four winters (how we tell time above the 49th parallel) into our story.

The tale from the beginning will slowly be told but right now its -28 degrees with the wind chill and the Toro waits patiently for quiting time.

The cold weather makes the big 235/75R-15 Yokohama's look a little flat and the driver's side rear was down a few pounds. Added some air at lunch but the tire might have to come off the rim and be remounted for a better seal.

Yokohama's are all season and combined with the Toronado FWD have so far pulled me through a couple of winters worth of snow storms. Look for me, I will be the guy over taking all the SUVs in a blizzard.