Anybody know of a twin engine '66 Toronado LSR car?

[SteveM]

I was talking to one of the machinists at work the other evening, and he told me about a car he saw back in 1966.  He said that he was traveling back to MO from Las Vegas, when his family stopped at a gas station.  At the station, he says that he saw a '66 Olds Toronado that had 2 engines (one in the front, one in the back).   He said the car was on an open trailer, and the owner told him that he had just been to the Bonneville salt flats and was on his way home.  Apparently, the car made an impression on John (the machinist).

Does anyone here have a recollection of any twin engine Toronados (he thinks the year was '66 when he saw the car, and that was the first year for the Toronado).

I just thought it would be cool if I could find any information or photos of the car.

Thanks,

Steve M.

[4-barrel Mike]

I didn't look at any of the links to see if B'ville is involved:

http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&source=hp&q=twin-engine+toronado&pbx=1&oq=twin-engine+toronado&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=1021l9354l0l9775l22l15l1l6l6l0l339l1767l9.5.0.1l22l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=39d4c75cd492ccc4&biw=1280&bih=646

Mike

[Nortonist 592]

Maybe he was thinking of the late John Smyser's "Terrifying Tornado" drag car?


By weslake at 2012-01-30

[SteveM]

Thanks guys.  It seems possible that the car he saw might have been the Grant Pistons twin-engine Toronado.  I'll show him the photos tonight to see if they jog any memories.

Steve.

[John Burk]

Joe Shubeck dragraced a twin engine Toranado .

[Elmo Rodge]

The place for which I worked in 1965/66 built a fiberglass hood for Smysers Toronado. Wayno

[Pete1]

Back about that time a good friend, John Gorman in Seattle, built a 2 engine Toronado.
He took it to the drags a couple times and played with it for awhile then sold it to Shorty Shager
from Quilcene,Wa. I lost track of it after that...The engines were stock but it went fairly well.
It was a very neat installation and from standing alongside you couldn't tell it had an engine in the back.

[jacksoni]

Don't know about '66 but in my '79 rule book multiple engines were only allowed in Streamliners (still the case + diesel trucks). Don't about time only runs then but suppose could have done that. Did your friend say was covered in salt?

[SteveM]

Yes, he said it was covered in salt and sitting on an open trailer.  My co-worker was only 12 years old at the time, but apparently, the car made an impression on him.

I wonder if it might have been the Grant Piston Ring car, which may or may not have been run on the salt for testing.  It seems that the Grant company has had a presence on the salt for many years, so it seems reasonable.

My co-worker is not an internet kind of guy, so I doubt that his story was made-up based on anything he read online. 

SteveM.

[JBKSeattle]

Back about that time a good friend, John Gorman in Seattle, built a 2 engine Toronado.
He took it to the drags a couple times and played with it for awhile then sold it to Shorty Shager
from Quilcene,Wa. I lost track of it after that...The engines were stock but it went fairly well.
It was a very neat installation and from standing alongside you couldn't tell it had an engine in the back.

Yessir, John Gorman of John Gorman Auto Repair on Gilman blvd. in Magnolia/Seattle. His son Jimmy Gorman has been running John Gorman Auto Repair for about 45 years, since John passed unexpectedly of a heart attack. Jonny Gorman also built Jerry Grants Indy 500 winning race car. Until they gave gave him a penelty lap for accidently using Unser's or somebody that DNF'd gas on the last pit. circa 1972?
Truely automotive genius my dad always told me, (as one of his many very close friends).
Then, years later he confided in me that his son (Jimmy,now running HIS shop) was even more gifted.
I know Jim, He's a kind of a grease laden Socrates, and full understanding of the fast and friendly retort he'll deliver is over my head. If you call and ask the shop to speak to John they say, not here, he's dead

[manta22]

Doesn't Jay Leno have a twin-engine Toronado in his Big Dog Garage?

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[Pete1]

Back about that time a good friend, John Gorman in Seattle, built a 2 engine Toronado.
He took it to the drags a couple times and played with it for awhile then sold it to Shorty Shager
from Quilcene,Wa. I lost track of it after that...The engines were stock but it went fairly well.
It was a very neat installation and from standing alongside you couldn't tell it had an engine in the back.

Yessir, John Gorman of John Gorman Auto Repair on Gilman blvd. in Magnolia/Seattle. His son Jimmy Gorman has been running John Gorman Auto Repair for about 45 years, since John passed unexpectedly of a heart attack. Jonny Gorman also built Jerry Grants Indy 500 winning race car. Until they gave gave him a penelty lap for accidently using Unser's or somebody that DNF'd gas on the last pit. circa 1972?
Truely automotive genius my dad always told me, (as one of his many very close friends).
Then, years later he confided in me that his son (Jimmy,now running HIS shop) was even more gifted.
I know Jim, He's a kind of a grease laden Socrates, and full understanding of the fast and friendly retort he'll deliver is over my head. If you call and ask the shop to speak to John they say, not here, he's dead

Yup, neat stuff.....I still see Jim once in awhile.