GREAT mid-`60s GM cars on "My Classic Car"

That's just stunning. Not only is it in amazing shape, but the design is so visually appealing. Clean, long lines. Great ergonomics for '62, or any year for that matter. Just beautiful.
 
Thanks for the kind words.
tiphat.gif


Someone once said everyone made a great car in '62.
 
Thanks for the kind words.
tiphat.gif


Someone once said everyone made a great car in '62.

You're right - I was actually looking for a 62-63 Studebaker Hawk or some variant to restore. Couldn't find one locally and then the Toro found me.

There were some pretty good designs for sure then - but I would say throughout the 60s there were good, innovative designs - yes, even the Mustang.

One of the interesting design elements of the Toro was the hugely sculpted fender wells. Not many cars (or none) had such a profile. That plus homage to Cord, and it's sloping rear deck, made it one unique ride. Though I'll say the '66-'67 Toro is not my favorite. The 69 is about the best version in my view - not just because I own one, but it has a bit more modern look to it. Sad thing is all of it came to an end in 1971 when GM went supernova with all of their cars. Ugh.
 
Last edited:
Park Avenue, ugh. Wildcat, I didn't even know there was a 2-4bbl option. IIRC my grandmother's '65 said Wildcat 455 on the air cleaner cover...I assume it was a single 4-bbl.

Yes it was a spectacular car and even if no sentimental reasons were involved I'd still prefer the '65 as it was a much cleaner design than the previous two years. .

This was my `65 Gran Sport....had the dual-quad Super Wildcat engine.
It was a special car, I seriously regret ever letting it go....


upload_2018-1-17_19-23-11.png
 
She’s a beaut! Was that the 401 nailhead? I always digged the clamshell hideaways.
 
They’re out there for sure. 68s were an evolution into my car. Virtually the same front but still kept the sloping, short rear deck of the 66-67s.

As with any Toro, a challenge to restore.
 
65 Buick Riv Gran Sport with very low miles & fully documented just went for $107K at Barrett -Jackson!
 
Last edited:
Even later GS go for a big pile of cheese, or is that Grand National. Can't remember. I'm really reaching deep into the wayback jello.
 
Park Avenue, ugh. Wildcat, I didn't even know there was a 2-4bbl option. IIRC my grandmother's '65 said Wildcat 455 on the air cleaner cover...I assume it was a single 4-bbl.
I'm pretty sure those had a Carter 4-bbl carb. The dual carbs were only on the Gran Sport, and then, only on the larger 425 ci engine.

The '65 Wildcat was actually using the "Wildcat 445". The engine had 445 ft. lbs. of torque. The larger 425 ci engine was dubbed the Wildcat 465 for the same reason, and there were a couple of smaller engines similarly marked. Pretty sure they were all the nailhead design (the larger ones, definitely were).

"Park Avenue" was like other Buick marques--it was originally a trim level that morphed into its own model designation. Then there was the Park Avenue Ultra...didn't that get morphed to just "Ultra"? The Regal, same thing--it was a high-line trim option for a Century.

I have to say that the '71 LeSabre had to be the worst Buick we'd ever had. That thing stranded us all the time. 3/4 of the way to Toronto, it dies a half hour or more outside of Hamilton ON--fuel pump. It was continually bursting coolant hoses (different one each time), soaking the distributor since it was located on the front of the engine. The distributor got all loose and clunky inside, dimming the lights any time you'd accelerate. The floor rusted out. It was a "slug" accelerating (we had the 350 engine). My mom hated the color ("baby shit gold," she called it), and further disliked it because it was a 2-door car. The AM/FM radio never worked right--it would cut on and off any time you'd hit a bump. I will say that the A/C always worked (better than the Catalina that came along two years later).

Having said all that, they're still cool as hell. Mine's about halfway done. Paint, interior still need finished.
I still remember that pic you posted when you found the Toro. Looking good so far (and...no longer neglected!).

This was my `65 Gran Sport....had the dual-quad Super Wildcat engine.
It was a special car, I seriously regret ever letting it go....
When my dad brought home the used '73 Catalina in '75, we had to drive our '65 Wildcat sedan to the junkyard. The body had just begun rotting all over. I think that was a sad day for all of us! The carb never did work right (he was always too cheap to buy a new choke for it!), it had a few other small issues, but otherwise she still ran, and was my mom's favorite of all the cars we had owned. Parents of a buddy in high school still had one back then, a 2-door in that bluish-turquoise color. They kept it in nice shape and did not want to give it up either! I've always wanted to get another.

She’s a beaut! Was that the 401 nailhead? I always digged the clamshell hideaways.
The dual carbs on a GS would have been on the 425 ci Nailhead. Thing is, I haven't found out conclusively if the dual-carb Wildcat engine was called only "Super Wildcat" or "Super Wildcat 465." The latter makes no sense as dual carbs would increase the torque over a single carb, would it not?
 
Even later GS go for a big pile of cheese, or is that Grand National. Can't remember. I'm really reaching deep into the wayback jello.
GS (Gran Sport) was an option on a few models for a string of years. The early 70s Skylark had a GS package--it was kind of like a sleeper hot rod of sorts, I think? Used to see quite a few around the neighborhood.

The Grand National was a Regal turbo package from 1982 to 1986-ish, the Grand National parts (turbo and performance mods) being added by Cars & Concepts. The final year they were called GNX (Grand National Experimental), where the GNX accouterments were done by McLaren. Stealthy and fast, and had some sick performance numbers. (They could seriously embarrass a Corvette at the time. ;) ) I've seen the final GNX produced--everyone who worked on it signed everything in the engine bay. (It was on display at the massive Buick 100 auto show in Flint back in, I think, 2003...)
 
Theres a gnx that lurks around my town ,sinister looking for sure.I just watched a doc about the gs 455 circa 1970.Most likely the fastest muscle car around .Faster than the hemi cuda/challenger .They said because of their design the motors of the earlier Buicks (early to mid sixties) though torque monsters would fall flat on top end .Theres one or maybe 2 gs 455 in town also.
now that's what I'm talking about.Actually your car is lovely but I really love those giant fin cars be they gm,dodge etc.Is that yours?
 
Theres a gnx that lurks around my town ,sinister looking for sure.I just watched a doc about the gs 455 circa 1970.Most likely the fastest muscle car around .Faster than the hemi cuda/challenger .They said because of their design the motors of the earlier Buicks (early to mid sixties) though torque monsters would fall flat on top end .Theres one or maybe 2 gs 455 in town also.
now that's what I'm talking about.Actually your car is lovely but I really love those giant fin cars be they gm,dodge etc.Is that yours?

Back in the late `80s, my ex-brother-in-law had a `70 GS 455, 4-speed, with a little work done to it. That thing was fast, he ran mid-12s at about 115 through the traps with slicks and open pipe.
At that time, I had a Saleen Mustang with a built & juiced 351. When I ran him just on the motor, we were about even on a typical run. On the bottle (125 shot) it was a different story, I would pull on him pretty good....
(I miss those days.... :) )
 

I figured the 2x4bbl would have had an elongated air cleaner, in order to fit two carbs under.

Hard to remember my grandmother's now but it did have big dramatic script on the label.

Definitely a round air cover, & there's no reason they'd have gotten the 2x4bbl anyway.
 
Actually your car is lovely but I really love those giant fin cars be they gm,dodge etc.Is that yours?

Got it last July. I agree- nothing like the fins on a '59 Caddy - the largest ever put on a production car.
 
Having said all that, they're still cool as hell. Mine's about halfway done. Paint, interior still need finished. I have been mechanically restoring it first. I didn't find it, it found me and I fell for the ole' girl. It's been quite a ride for the past several years - frustration, anger, bloody knuckles. But in the end, it'll be my car, that I rebuilt and that's pretty cool. It'll also be the only one in town - and that's even cooler!


View attachment 1091581 View attachment 1091582
View attachment 1091583

Oh yeah, and it comes with Air, PW, PS, Tilt/tele wheel, power seat, PB and cornering lights. What else came that way base in '69? Maybe a Caddy or Lincoln. Certainly not a Mustang!!!

On the Eldorado, A/C,tilt/telescopic wheel, and 6 way power seat continued to optional items in 1969 so those items would definitely have been optional on the Toronado. However, 2 way power seat was standard on the Eldorado, probably the Toronado as well.

Good luck with the restoration!
 
Back
Top Bottom