We just received this at Hoooniverse Central from Tony (Thanks Man!), and there isn’t any words to describe this thing, at least anything complimentary. See more vomit inducing images after the jump…
This is being offered by Daniel Schmidt & Company, located in St. Louis, which specializes in unique, exotic, and classic vehicles along with current Maserati, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, and Jaguar vehicles. This particular car was commissioned for Expo 67 by Imperial Oil Canada, which wanted a car that looked futuristic but retained an identity of the times. Believe it or not, there were four more created.
Opening bid? $96,770.00! Yes you read that right, almost $100,000 for a piece of rolling blech. While I admire Daniel Schmidt & Company, the price they are asking for this thing is a little over the top. However, if you crave something from the 60’s that was created by George Barris, this might do it for you. Read the listing here!
Hooniverse Weekend Edition: George Barris Toronado makes you Hurl
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If I bought this thing I'd paint it a nice kandy red and jazz up the interior a little so it would be less drab-blech and more rolling 60s lounge like the car deserves. Also I'd put the stock front end back on because that shit is fugly.
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Whatever evils that Toronado was guilty of while it was stock, it didn't deserve what Barris did to it. Jeezus, what a mess. The interior isn't too bad, but unfortunately you have to buy the rest of the car in order to get it, and it sure as hell isn't worth 97 grand.
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Imperial Oil operates Esso branded stations in Canada – the five cars were the grand prizes in a gas station contest. Some additional info here: http://expo67.ncf.ca/remembering_expo67.html
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This thing is so terribly ugly that it's a masterpiece. I wouldn't change a thing. Hey, it's a period piece, after all, a time capsule showing what was hip and cool back in the day. I mean, look at the Ebay page and scroll down to the photo of the broad leaning on the fender, and get a load of that tent she's wearing. In '67, she was a smokin' hot babe. I'd like to see this car photographed in front of a sixties Googie gas station or motel, it would look just bitchin' in that setting. Being a Barris car, the 100k pricetag isn't unbelievable. At the very least, you would be a hero at the LeMons Councours with this mutant.
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You're scaring me Captain…
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Hey, I'm just saying that this over-the-top stuff was all the rage back then. Pick up a copy of Playboy from 1967 and look at the ads and the features that tell you what's "in", like the bachelor pads.The same wretched excess in design is all over the place. It looks tacky as hell now, I'll admit it, but you've got to have a sense of humor about it.
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Peace, Captain. I was just giving you a hard time. I agree that the car just screams " '60s hip", and in the day I probably would have wanted to build a model of the thing and gone to a car show to see it in person. It's just that now with the benefit of hindsight (and a good pair of binoculars) I wonder, "What the hell were we thinking?".
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George Barris' Batmobile would also be thought of as grotesque if it wasn't associated with a famous high-camp TV show. A heavily-customized Barris original from the '60s in really good shape is worth $97K even if it is ugly.
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The fenders remind me of something from the Wacky Races, but I'm not sure if it is Dick Dastardly(Graham Hill) or Penelope's car that it looks like. The interior seems kind of dangerous, thanks to all the square corners. It is a better fate for a Toronado than the crusher, but not as good as remaining stock.
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If anyone can believe it, I have an even more grotesquely customized Toronado and it doesn't have the benefit of the Barris heritage. As a couple other commented have said, this is an amazing period piece and, if the sight of it doesn't cause immediate stomach distress, it's not a bad value.
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Any pictures (old or new) of it you can share with us…?
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I just took a quick snap at the body shop of the new paint job (Lime Metallic with Pearl White inserts) before color sanding but I'm perplexed about posting pics.
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Junkman, email the image to me (just go to the Masthead for my e-mail address) and I will post it.
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