Asbestos products in a 1966 Toronado?

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Ian Hank Williams
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2018 6:45 pm
TOA Membership Number: 1361
Years Owned: I have just restored a 1961 Simca Vedette V8.
I would like to purchase a 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado.

Asbestos products in a 1966 Toronado?

Postby Ian Hank Williams » Sat Jan 05, 2019 6:21 pm

Hello to all on the TOA forum. I'm new here and am hoping to purchase a 1966 Toronado, the only hitch that I may have, is that living in Australia, our border protection authorities WILL NOT allow a vehicle into Australia that has ANY asbestos products in it, be it insulation, gaskets, transmission clutch packs, etc. Can anyone please advise if the 1966 Toronados did in fact contain any asbestos products? Any help on this subject would be greatly appreciated.
Thankyou in advance.
Ian "Hank" Williams.

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Otto Skorzeny
Posts: 1721
Joined: Fri Feb 28, 2014 12:41 pm
TOA Membership Number: 0
Years Owned: 1966 Toronado

Re: Asbestos products in a 1966 Toronado?

Postby Otto Skorzeny » Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:51 am

I'm not aware of any asbestos used on '66 Toros. Brake linings and possibly the donuts in the exhaust manifold/header pipe connection may have originally contained asbestos but I seriously doubt you'll find a car with its original brakes and exhaust.

Those items have been made from other materials for a very long time.

Re the exhaust donuts, how would they even know? Surely they aren't going to dismantle your car piece by piece at port.

Ian Hank Williams
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2018 6:45 pm
TOA Membership Number: 1361
Years Owned: I have just restored a 1961 Simca Vedette V8.
I would like to purchase a 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado.

Re: Asbestos products in a 1966 Toronado?

Postby Ian Hank Williams » Sun Jan 06, 2019 3:26 pm

Hello Otto, thanks for your reply to my question, the border protection force in Australia are brutal in enforcing their "powers", there have been reports of vehicles dismantled, holes drilled in the frames etc, if they suspect any asbestos products present, whats worse is that the time and effort is chargeable to the car owner who can't do the work himself, it is contracted out by the border protection force. I did read recently that 6 Ferraris that were imported for a car show were refused entry into Australia because of asbestos related materials being present and were sent back to the port from which they came.

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Otto Skorzeny
Posts: 1721
Joined: Fri Feb 28, 2014 12:41 pm
TOA Membership Number: 0
Years Owned: 1966 Toronado

Re: Asbestos products in a 1966 Toronado?

Postby Otto Skorzeny » Mon Jan 07, 2019 5:22 pm

I bet the Ferraris had asbestos exhaust wrap.

Truly , I don't think you'll have a problem. At least in the US, asbestos hasn't been used for a long time in anything. Brakes and those exhaust donuts are the only possible things I can think of that may have originally been made from the stuff and I doubt you'll find a car with its factory installed brakes and exhaust headers.

Ian Hank Williams
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2018 6:45 pm
TOA Membership Number: 1361
Years Owned: I have just restored a 1961 Simca Vedette V8.
I would like to purchase a 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado.

Re: Asbestos products in a 1966 Toronado?

Postby Ian Hank Williams » Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:00 am

Thankyou Otto, I have been hoping for an answer like yours, all I now have to do is find a good Toronado. I thought I had found one in the USA, contacted the guy, he replied and told me how good it was and after a spell of not hearing from him, contacted him again but got no reply, although it's still listed, I figure it's a scam. Trying to find a genuine seller from the other side of the globe is a challenge.

Schurkey
Posts: 158
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:28 am
TOA Membership Number: 67

Re: Asbestos products in a 1966 Toronado?

Postby Schurkey » Tue Jan 29, 2019 3:35 pm

Original rope rear main seal probably had asbestos. I expect that's long-gone by now.


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