Survival Rates of 1st and 2nd gen Toros?

Drachen · Postby **Drachen** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 3:29 pm

I posted elsewhere that I am looking at a 1970 Toro for sale near my home.

I showed a couple crappy cell pics I took of the car to a co-worker who stated
"I haven't seen one of those in.... forever." Thinking about it, neither had I,
not even at one of the half-dozen car shows I attended in the Southeast this year.

I would venture it's probably been 25 or 30 years since I saw a 1970 Toro; I've seen
the occassional '66-'67 at a car shows, there's a yellow '71 or '72 that drives around
mid-town Atlanta from time to time, and a I've spotted a pretty rough looking '78 once
or twice near my job, but other than that, nada.

According to my Kause book, there were approx. 25,000 Toros produced in 1970.
Judging by the number that have apparently survived over four decades, the attrition
rate is, what? Maybe 99% or more? Probably similar numbers for the 2nd gen models?

Is there a way to check the number of Toros still registered and on the road?

Postby **toro_mike** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 3:46 pm

Good question! I wonder the same thing... hopefully somebody will chime in.

Hasty · Postby **Hasty** » Sun Nov 14, 2010 2:04 am

Good place for a Toronado Story.

My car is not a show car, not by any stretch of the imagination. It has a bit of rust, very faded and peeling paint, and a couple of small dents. It sags in the back, due to weak leaf springs, has an arch scratched in the windshield from the previous owner being to lazy to replace the wiper blades, and has several exhaust leaks.

The interior is in really good condition, and it runs great, so I drive it. When it is warm outside, I do drive it to work, and take it on the occasional errand, but that's it.

A couple months ago, I drove a few friends and myself to a local bar that was having a small car show and benefit fundraiser for a young man that had been injured in a car accident. I had no intention of entering the car in the show, or even showing it off. I don't like being in the spotlight, and neither does my Toro.

I parked in a far corner of the lot, away from the car show going on in the adjacent parking lot. We walked over, and looked at some of the real "show cars". There were several original and restored 'Vettes, a mid '80s Monte Carlo that looked like it was trying to be a Grand National, a couple of '55 - '57 Chevy / Olds show cars, a really nice early '50s Ford pickup with the original flathead V8, a Ford retractable, or maybe early T-Bird, not sure, a few bikes I know nothing about, and other various examples of car show exhibits. These cars were all "show cars", in every sense of the word. Many even had trophies on display from other events, just in case you needed proof that they were show cars. My friends kept bugging me to park next to the show cars, and I kept reminding them that we were there to look around, and contribute to the benefit. I finally had to tell them, rather rude-like, to shut the #$@% up, lest they would rather walk home. The Toro is not a show car, and I'm not in to pretending.

We eventually went into the bar, had a few burgers (proceeds to the injured young man, of course), and decided to leave. As we walked out the door, we had to walk through a group of people that had assembled just outside. As I was walking away, I could clearly hear the conversation was about a "455", and "they use that powertrain in the motorhomes, you know". I heard someone say that they hadn't even seen one for at least 20 years.

I did a quick scan of the parking lots, just to be sure. Nope, no other Toronados in attendance that day, not even a 4-4-2 or Riviera or Trans Am. Nothing there but my car would have sparked a conversation about 455s, much less the GM motorhomes. All those wonderful show cars there that day, and these folks are mesmerized by the rusty Toronado by itself in the corner of the lot.

So, yes, I agree, it seems they are kind of rare.

Twilight Fenrir · Postby **Twilight Fenrir** » Sun Nov 14, 2010 8:15 am

Theyre a unique car, and everyone seems to know about them, though noone seems to want them for some reason...

Im sure the survival rate is pretty poor, but, there are more out there than we probably realize. Whe I was looking for my 66 I found 4 of them in various places... A field, a garage, a kids project he could no-longer afford...

The only way to really get a good handle in how many are arround, would be the DMV. Every toro on the road has to be registered, thats the only way I kniw. But I dont know how friendly they are with that kind of information.