TORONADO  PARTS

A listing of Parts that can be used from the Toronado

[TRANSMISSIONS]

JUNK YARD GEMS

In case any of you are interested, I just posted the long awaited update of Junk Yard Gems by Bob Cook and Chuck Garton,  Bdub
http://www.gmcws.org/Tech/junkyardgems/

AC CONDENSER
I took a condenser out of a 72 Toro which was an exact replacement for the one in my 77 PB. If you can't find a new one, maybe a recycled one will do until you do. Just a thought. Good luck.Andy M, PA

Oil Filter Bracket
Tthe oil filter bracket for the GMC w/455 is the same as on the Toro's w/455 for the same year. 403, same deal.Happy GMCing.....Bob

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I thought all the Toranodos had the same ratio, something like a 3.30 or 3.40 or something.  Did some of these old timers have different ratios?  Know of any sites that list these ratios and how to ID them?Dick Groves


 Here's what I found. '66 & '67 Toros and '67 Eldos had the
3.21 because of the switch-pitch.
'68 to '78 Toros and Eldos had the 3.07 ratio.
'71 to '78 Toros there was an option for the 2.73.
'74 to '78 Eldos there was an option also for the 2.73.
Manny

Do not use a 2.73.  A transmission shop in Las Vegas put one of these in my GMC in spite of my telling them it had to be a 3.07.  I later replaced it with a 3.55 from Jim Kanamota.

Go to:
http://www.442.com/oldsfaq/ofdif.htm for a listing of Olds differentials.

You may also want to look at:
http://www.442.com/oldsfaq/oftor.htm#Toronado
for more info on Toronados. Emery Stora
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Then you need the front mount from a 68-72 Eldo.

* 75-78 GM car heater control panels if you keep the original vacuum select wafer from the
GMC.
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The following is from "GMC Junk Yard Gems" published By Bob Cook, Oct
1998:

A Frame /upper & lower arms 71-78 Toro (must use MH lower ball joint)
Air Compressor -ElectoLevel II from car w/rear air suspension
DelcoTron 80 amp Alternator
Inner & Outer CV joints (Axles won't fit)
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I think 66 thru 78 Toros and 67 thru 78 Eldos CV joints are the same.Milt Wade-Las Vegas
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Brake calipers- 73-76 Toro Steering knuckles-73-78 Toro/ Modifications req'd


Knuckles 1966 to 1977
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Gill:    1978 and older Toronado and Eldorado knuckles will fit except that
the lower ball joint tapered hole is smaller and reaming out this hole is
not possible without a (as far as I know) custom made piloted reamer. If
anyone has the specs for this reamed hole I would like to hear the
particulars.
Russ
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Here is the correct reamer for the taper in the knuckle for the lower GMC
ball joint.   You will have to rig a method of coupling the shaft to the
actual reamer.  Use it dry as using a cutting oil has a tendancy to make
it chatter.  Use your old ball joint taper to gauge the depth of the
ream.  Moderate speed, heavy feed and checking depth frequently will do
the
job.  I use a 1/2 Makita hand drill and get excellent results.
http://www.mytoolstore.com/kd/kdbody02.html#2044
  It's about$30 or less IIRC.
Steve F.
I cut off the tapered end of an OEM ball joint to use as a gauge for the auto knuckles I was reaming to accept the larger GMC ball joint.  To test for fitment, I used Markum dye on the OEM taper to see if
the KD tool taper was correct.  I found a very poor match.  Then I used Markum dye on the Moog replacement and had excellent contact the length of the taper. I don't see how a hardened shank could wear in a cast iron knuckle but perhaps the fitment  (QA) was poor from the factory.  You wouldn't think so given the effort removal required.  All I know for sure is that the new one fit as it should.  No conclusions, just wanted to see if anyone else has been there yet.  Terry is quite a wrench spinner and I
thought maybe he had seen something like this so I wanted to share with him. May not even be an issue.
  I bought the tool from an established GMCer here on the left coast that had used it on countless sets of knuckles and who used to be THE guy to see for bearing replacement/service.  Some of the old timers remember George Dimik, a member of Pacific Cruisers, Western States and on and on.  BTW, he's full timing it now in an SOB.

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The 66 and 67 2.73 had an AB followed by a mfg. date code stamped on the flange below the fill tube boss.  The 68 and 69 3.07 had a T followed by the mfg.date code stamped on the flange by the spreader hole on the passenger side.
 

Emery Stora
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I parted out a '73 Toronado - I pulled the engine, transmission and final
drive as a unit ( almost gave the poor engine hoist a hernia ), with
starter, alternator, carburetor, etc. attached.
I also saved:
- front upper and lower control arms ( lower arms  need to be reinforced for
use on the GMC ),
-knuckles ( sent them to Ken Thoma as cores when I  ordered my rebuilt
ones )
-axles ( they were only good for cores )
-misc. hardware like front bearing retainers, torsion bar "pork chops",
special bolts - you can always throw it away later! ( I'm a pack rat, can you
tell? )

If your '66 has front drum brakes, I don't know if the knuckles are the same
as on the GMCs.
Hope this helps,
--------------------------------

At 02:01 PM 8/12/00 EDT, you wrote:
>Hi All,
>Are the Toronado and Eldorado upper control arms the same as the GMC?
>Jerry Lader

Peter
yes except for an extra reinforcement on the lower arm
 

tom
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There are no complete column assys. that will interchange with the
motorhome.  You can, however, change the column from the
middle of the tilt joint up.  Use any t&t column from a full-sized
GM car of that era.
My personal preference is the 79-81 Eldorado T&T column,
which allows you to move the dimmer switch to the column and
operate it with the turn-signal lever.  Then, to gold-plate the
project, you can incorporate the turn switch with the flash-to-pass
feature.  (Boy, do I love trick stuff!)
Gary Kosier
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leveling valve
Look under the back end of an old Caddy with an automatic leveling
set-up.  The arm and bracket will be different, but the basic valve
is the same piece. HTH
Gary Kosier
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Answer to what Steering wheels fit:
The Olds have the most open area to see the dash.
82 - 90 Olds Cutlass, Omega,
Olds Sierra 84 -85 Sport Model,
82 -90 FWD Buick, Pontiac, Cadillac
Paul
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Maximum Torque Specialists say on their web site that all Eldorados from
1970-1976 had 500s.  I believe the 5 character of the serial number should
be 'S' if the car has a 500. Dave Mumert
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TRANSMISSION

Transmissions 75 or later (TH425) look for ID tag on casing left side  Toro OJ or OM on tag
Switch pitch on earlier models 1966-67
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The 78 trannies have more plastic parts than the earlier ones. These plastic parts get distorted or melted from the hot  fluid and performance is affected. That means more parts to replace but the problem is that some of these parts are obsolete so you have to rob the parts from earlier trannies.
Manny
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 The 1967 (only) Eldorado transmission has a slightly different configuration of the bellhousing and may need a hole drilled to fit the Olds engine, however the casting is the same for the case. All 1968-1978 Eldorado transmissions will bolt to the Olds as-is. 1967 Eldorado had the Cadillac 429 engine which was an altogether different animal than the 1968-1978 472/500/425 Cadillac.

The switch pitch feature was used in all 1966 and 1967 Toronados, and in the 1967 Eldorado. All 1966-'67 transmissions also featured a 3.21 axle ratio and a different differential carrier design. It uses a different half shaft across the bottom of the engine which must be retrieved from the donor vehicle if you wish to use the 3.21 carrier. The special 3.21 carrier is a stronger and more expensive design than the 1968 and later cars and the GMC used.

All 1968 and newer transmissions are non switch pitch. Some very late transmissions (1976-on) do not have a fluid passage to allow the switch pitch to be added to them apparently, I have been told. When exactly this change was made I do not know, my understanding is it occured sometime during 1976-77 in the cars. GMC may have the passage in its cases very late in production if they were old enough stock.

There are minor internal differences between different years and models of the Turbo HydraMatic 425 transmissions but they are all quite good and parts/major assemblies are almost entirely interchangable between them. Any unit could be installed in a GMC. If a switch pitch unit is availible I would encourage you to obtain the pieces neccesary from it to add this feature which I feel is very advantageous for the GMC. If you have a late (post 1975) transmission case you may need to drill the fluid passages out
to use it if they arent present.

Each transmission has a tag on the case with a code designating its intended purpose. Many different versions and combinations of parts were used for a variety of uses, from the 'high performance' Toronado GT versions which had changes for late full throttle upshifts and better response, to the Cadillac units which were tuned for imperceptible shifts and to make the most of the very low RPM torque of the Cadillac engine. Little changes like speedo gears to match axle ratio also are present.

All the 1970s units likely have the big pump and extra clutch. The 1966 and 1967's never have them. The differences between an Eldorado and Toronado and GMC transmission from the same year are very subtle. I dont feel the extra disc is neccesary but most units you'll encounter including for Toronado
likely have them. The original purpose of the extra disc was to allow lower pressure shifts for better smoothness, the extra surface allowed a soft shift and good torque capacity as well. Brent Covey

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