The automobile aftermarket wheel industry is on fire!  Every day I covet the awesome wheels sported by pickups, '60s muscle, modern tuners, and SUVs.  I know I'm not alone. Unfortunately for us early model Toronado owners, we have to make do with austere hubcaps or worse: those hideous factory wheels.  Click the thumbnail photos for larger images of my 1968 Toronado's mutts.

This is the factory wheel for the Generation I and II Toronado (and Eldorado).  Not pretty.

Note these disc brake wheels have 7 slots.

Many owners have taken steps to improve their wheels' appearance.  Some chrome-plate their factory wheels, adding "dog dish" hubcaps and outer trim rings.

Here is a different breed of dog.

Note these drum brake wheels have 10 slots.

Factory wheels have 15" diameter and 6" width.

The Sparkmobile's wheels show an interesting variation.

Jay Leno had his wheels custom fabricated so their appearance mimics factory wheels.  However they are 17" diameter and 8" width.

These wheels are on a Toronado that was auctioned on eBay.  I sent the seller an e-mail asking who was the manufacturer, and were there any problems such as the tires either rubbing the wheel wells, protruding out too far, or a reduced steering arc.  Nobody responded.  Maybe that meant yes.

See below for a description of wheel offset, backspacing, and bolt pattern.  Together these are called wheel fitment, and the Toronado/Eldorado's unique wheel fitment means aftermarket wheels are virtually nonexistent.

A close-up of one of these wheels shows what my untrained eye believes is a less positive offset than what is required for this car. The hub mounting surface is rather inward.  It might work, but I have doubts.

The owner of this fine '69 Toronado show-car informed me that his 18" wheels work out perfectly, the steering is normal, and they were manufactured by "Zinik".

Zinik never responded to my repeated inquiries about this  wheel, or others in their product line.  Their many distributors' websites provide little or no fitment data, and the friendly representatives who fielded my calls assured me that neither these nor any other wheel currently manufactured by any company will correctly fit the Toronado. 

A rep from Zinik distributor TireRack insisted that this wheel would not correctly fit the Toronado.

These red Toronados, a '66 and a '69, have aftermarket wheels.  I corresponded with both sellers (they were also eBay auctions).  Both claimed to know nothing about their cars' wheels.

This unusual Toronado was featured in a Barrett Jackson auction.  I don't know if it sold.  The wheels appear that they just might have enough positive offset to work.  The tires, however, seem to have a sidewall thickness of not much more than that of the blades of grass upon which this Toronado is parked.

The "dubs" on this car also might work.  However there are several disadvantages of large diameter rims.  First, the necessity of thin-sidewall tires predisposes the rims to damage if driving through a pothole or onto a curb. This is exacerbated by the Toronado's massive weight over the front axles.  Second (and rather cerebral), the greater gyroscopic stabilization imposed by a heavier mass rotating further from its axis leads to an exponentially greater force required for steering and braking.  This car and the one above both will require service and replacement of brake and steering parts much sooner than Toronados with factory wheels.  It may be best to limit wheel upsizing to 17 inches.

In fact, the June 2009 edition of Motor Trend magazine printed a relevant summary supporting my view on the potential risks of installing upsized wheels:

As if 20" wheels were not large enough, the seller of this '69 stated that he mounted low profile tires onto 22" Varance Flash wheels.  He claims there is no rubbing, and the car sits at stock height.

More reasonably sized wheels on this 1969 Toronado recently auctioned on eBay.  Unfortunately its owner didn't respond to my inquiries.

This picture is a fake.  The owner of this car admitted to me that he cleverly used Photoshop software to give his car racing wheels.  Here, the wheel offset is so negative that if this were a true setup, the entire tread width would be protruding, I suppose . . .

. . . unless the suspension was extensively modified

. . . just a few junkyard spinners

The Terrifying Toronado sports different front and rear negative offset wheels.

How was it done?  Read the caption below.

I'm not certain whether it has different front and rear engines.

In the 1970s, several aftermarket manufacturers offered wheels specifically designed for the Toronado/Eldorado. Unfortunately, these are no longer in production.

Same wheels on a 1969 Eldorado.

This junkyard king sports another aftermarket wheel specifically manufactured for the Toronado/Eldorado.

A more recent eBay auction featured identical wheels in better condition.

This Toronado/Eldorado wheel was manufactured by Western Wheel.  Like the two types of aftermarket wheels shown above, these are no longer manufactured.  Occasionally they will appear on eBay.

In December 2005, this particular set sold on eBay for $1200.

In February 2006, WireWheelWorld offered for sale on eBay, 10 sets of custom wheels for the Generation II Eldorado, that they manufactured in-house.  The fixed price was $2350 for a set of four wheels.  Here is the description, in their own words, and several photos:

I asked the seller a question:

What is the factory offset and bolt pattern?  I have a similar year Toronado.  I've been begging too.  Thank you,

Dave B.

Seller's response:

We make 30 different wheels..  I can't have all these numbers in my head....I write them down.. and move on.  If you're purchasing a set for a Toronado 71-78... they should fit.  I say these were made specifically for Eldo's 1971-1978.  Do your research..  If they fit.. we'll be happy to service you.  Ask a GM person.  A dealer maybe.  Thanx.

Christopher Sabatino DC [DocSab@adelphia.net]

At the listing's conclusion, only one set was sold.   "DC", by the way, is the abbreviation for Doctor of Chiropractic.

I will add to this web page as I find additional examples of what early model Toronado owners are substituting for their factory wheels.  The ultimate goal, of course, will be to add my car to this growing list of Toronados having custom wheels.  So please check back every now and then.  But I promise I'll never do this to my car! (click thumbnail photo - I call this car the "Lemonado")

What is it about the Toronado/Eldorado wheel fitment that makes it so difficult to find aftermarket alternatives?  Plenty.  Let's begin with the bolt pattern.  The bolt pattern, sometimes referred to as pitch circle diameter (or PCD), is 5 on 5".  The metric equivalent is 5 x 127 mm.  Very few automobiles have this pattern.  Accordingly, very few aftermarket wheels with this pattern are available.  Some aftermarket manufacturers can supply their wheels without bolt holes, thus allowing for custom drilling by the manufacturer or a local machine shop.  If you can find wheels you like having the correct offset but not the correct bolt pattern, contact the manufacturer about this potential option.  The graphic at the right demonstrates the proper method of measuring a wheel's bolt pattern.

Even more problematic for us Toronado owners is our wheels' offset.  Just what is offset?  Offset is defined as the distance between the centerline of a wheel and the hub mounting surface, and is demonstrated on the graphic to the right.  There are three types of wheel offset:

Negative Offset

The hub mounting surface is more inboard, or toward the brake side of the wheel.  Deep dish wheels have a negative offset.  An example can be seen above in the Photoshopped photo.

Zero Offset

The hub mounting surface is at the wheel's centerline.

Positive Offset

The hub mounting surface is more outboard, or toward the street side (the side you see) of the wheel.  Front wheel drive cars use wheels having a positive offset.

The Toronado/Eldorado wheels' offset is so highly positive that the hub mounting surface is nearly in the same plane as these wheels' outer edge.  New aftermarket wheels having an offset as extreme as this are virtually nonexistent, unless you either commission a set of one-offs like Jay Leno did, or are able to convince a volume manufacturer to meet your needs (like I am trying).  Chances are good that they will be able to provide a 5 on 5" bolt pattern, but not the proper offset.

If the offset of the wheel is not correct for the vehicle, the handling can be adversely affected, and potentially dangerous stresses can be added to the suspension, tires, bearings, studs and lug nuts.  To review additional explanations, graphics, and important considerations when changing your automobile's wheel offset, conduct a GOOGLE search for "wheel offset".

Wheel offset is somewhat tricky to correctly determine, so wheel manufacturers and retailers often utilize a simpler measurement: backspacing.  Wheel backspacing is the distance between the hub mounting surface and the inboard edge of the wheel.  To determine wheel backspacing, position the wheel face down, lay a straight edge across the back of the wheel, and measure the distance between the straight edge and the hub mounting surface below it.

By the way, a wheel's width is properly measured between the two inboard flanges, as depicted at the top of the previous graphic ("Rim Width").

The final consideration is wheel load rating.  Obviously, our 4800+ pound Toronados require wheels having a much higher load rating than our neighbor's Mazda Miata, two of which equal the weight of one Toronado.  And now a few words from my attorney:

It is recommended that the load rating of a wheel as determined by the wheel manufacturer, either by a stamp on the actual wheel or in the wheel manufacturer's literature, never be exceeded.  If such a load rating is not available, it is recommended that the wheel not be used on the vehicle.  Wheel load rating requirements are determined by dividing the vehicle's heaviest gross axle weight rating (GAWR) by 2.  The GAWR for most vehicles is shown on the identification label located on driver's side door jamb, gas tank door, trunk lid or glove compartment.

 

by	David Breznick, MD
	Anesthesiologist & Toronadologist
	TOA # 99
	The End