<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-01-18</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000098720</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TOREADOR RESOURCES CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TRGL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000943980</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FALB PETER LAWRENCE ET AL</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>33 BROAD STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02109</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-01-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>23372</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>23.05</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>907028</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Falb Family Charitable Trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 211,828 shares of common stock held directly and indirectly by Mr. Falb; includes 695,200 shares of common stock
held indirectly through Firethorn I Limited Partnership and Dane, Falb, Stone &amp; Co., Inc.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ G.T. Graves III, Attorney-In-Fact for Peter L. Falb</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-01-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0202
4
2005-01-18
0
0000098720
TOREADOR RESOURCES CORP
TRGL
0000943980
FALB PETER LAWRENCE ET AL
33 BROAD STREET
BOSTON
MA
02109
1
0
0
0
Common Stock
2005-01-18
4
S
0
23372
23.05
D
907028
I
By Falb Family Charitable Trust
Includes 211,828 shares of common stock held directly and indirectly by Mr. Falb; includes 695,200 shares of common stock
held indirectly through Firethorn I Limited Partnership and Dane, Falb, Stone & Co., Inc.
/s/ G.T. Graves III, Attorney-In-Fact for Peter L. Falb
2005-01-19