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40k Mile Survivor: 1978 Oldsmobile Toronado

Oldsmobile’s Toronado would serve as their personal luxury offering between 1966-92. During that time, just four generations of the automobile would be engineered. The Toronado is known for its transaxle version of GM’s Turbo-Hydramatic transmission and was the first U.S.-built front-wheel-drive production car since the Cord in 1937. This 1978 edition looks to have been kept under wraps inside a garage and is said to only have 40,000 miles. We’re told it runs good and may only need some cleaning up. Located in Hollister, California, this second-generation Toronado is available here on eBay where the first bid of $18,000 has yet to be cast.

The second-gen of the noteworthy Toronado ran from 1971-78. It would be one of the last of the larger GM cars to get downsized (the full-size models in ’77 and the intermediates in ’78). From that point forward, the rest of General Motors’ products would begin the shift to FWD as the Toronado had from the beginning. In 1978, Olds built nearly 25,000 Toronado’s and 90% of them were the super-luxury Broughams like the seller’s car.

Due to the energy crisis of the 1970s, engine displacements began getting smaller, not larger. In 1977, the Toronado lost its 455 V8 to a 403 cubic inch edition that was rated at 185 hp SAE net. For two years – until 1979 – the car would be the largest automobile sold by Oldsmobile. We’re told that the seller’s auto, with a reported 40k miles, runs like new, but it half covered up in a garage surrounded by other cars doesn’t make for a convincing argument.

As the story does, this Olds has spent all its life in California and has never been restored. Indoor storage has helped preserve the car whose only body flaw may be that one of the rear fender extensions is cracked. The exterior is white over white (the vinyl top was part of the Brougham package), while the interior is some form of gold. It’s a two-owner car that the seller is advertising on behalf of that second owner. We’re told they’re both long-time Oldsmobile collectors.

If this is a turn-key car, a few more questions might deserve answers. For example, since it’s inside all the time, has the fuel delivery system been kept pure? How old are the tires? What is the condition of the other rubber bits and fluids? Collectors tend to go into lots and lots of details about their cars and this description falls a little short.

Comments

  1. Avatar Mike

    You want $18k? Take the ****ing cover off and push it outside! What’s up with this peekaboo s***?

    Like 26
    • Avatar Gerard Frederick

      The photos say – run away. Any seller who is so dense as to publish such trashy pictures in support of selling a car, or anything else for that matter, doesn´t deserve the time of day. There is somethin wrong here.

      Like 7
    • Avatar Keith D.

      It’s an Ebay car, Ebay allows poor photo advertisements on their site. And there’s a lot of them on Ebay.

      Like 1
  2. Avatar Stan

    All Toronados were a very well appointed automobile and well equipped with luxuries for the passengers. A very comfortable 😌 car.

    Like 2
  3. Avatar Steve Clinton

    If this is a turn-key car, a few more questions might deserve answers. For example, why are there no decent photos of the complete car?

    Like 5
  4. Avatar Ken

    Gotta say, I love those seats. Looks like sitting in a catcher’s mitt.

    Like 6
  5. Avatar SamJ

    Nice Hudson Hornet!

    Like 2
  6. Avatar Jack

    I’ve had 73 and 76 Toros. They drive great, but the energy crisis really killed the model.

    Like 2
  7. Avatar chuck

    Car is so big you can’t even take a full picture of it.

    Like 1
  8. Avatar James Martin

    18000 is a dreamers price. Nobody is going to pay that! The 6500 for the other 71 toro is a little high for these kind of cars. Just not that popular. And the old farts( like myself) just aren’t looking for them anymore. And the youg pups look at it and says my grandpa wouldn’t drive that.

    Like 1

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