Ah, the seemingly eight-foot-long hood. So smooth and square, with no nose curving downward as if trying to sniff the pavement. This is a piece of sheet metal big enough to feed an entire family their Thanksgiving dinner off of. Those are just some of the ways you might describe the second generation (1971-78) Olds Toronado, like this 1975 Brougham. TJ was the tip artist who spied this one for us, and you’ll find it available here on ebay for a buy-it-now price of $12,500. If that’s in your budget, you’ll have to get yourself to Salem, OH, to collect it.
The Toronado came out in 1966 and, shockingly, featured front-wheel drive, the first US-produced front driver since the Cord 810/812 of the 1930s. Why FWD? Partly it was packaging efficiency—no driveline bump interfered in the spacious cabin. Part of the motivation seems also to be as a showcase for GM engineering and ability to rapidly develop, test, and produce something which was not what most folks at the time thought of when they contemplated the personal luxury car category. The second generation of Toronados adopted more of a traditional luxury car persona than had the earlier one, growing in size and squaring off in styling. It also debuted two high-mounted taillights, one on either side above the trunk and below the rear window. The 1975 model, which this car represents, featured rectangular headlights for the first time, and on the emissions-reduction side, catalytic converters, which would mean that the Toronado had to run on unleaded gas.
This car’s got only 46,401 miles on the clock, powered by a 455-CID engine. This was the standard Toronado mill at the time (to be replaced by a 403 in 1977). A bit unusually, the specs of the engine are not spelled out early in this ad, but in the fine-print paragraph shown after the millions of images. Also indicated there is that the car is not pristine, but in “fair + to good condition.” As a Brougham, it features cut-pile carpeting, door-mounted courtesy lights, and a split 60/40 bench front seat with armrest.
The asking price is not a ton of money for a collector car. However, as one of those “shoulder” vehicles—not really a muscle car, more luxury, and plagued (depending on your attitude) with FWD—it’s not terribly collectible, though as cars of more common and desirable type get snapped up, the market is looking more and more towards these types of vehicle. This one likely gets single-digit gas mileage, so don’t buy this if your commute is thirty miles door-to-door, but if, like me, you live 4 miles from your office, then this might be one to snap up. Make an offer—if you can get it for under $10Gs, you’re golden, as long as you keep in mind the car’s driver status. Why not a better rating? Under the hood looks scruffy; there’s some rust at the base of the interior of the one door; there’s rust on the roof ahead of the vinyl top as well as at the base of said top; and the underbody has been slathered with undercoating in spots, it looks like. You could undo all of this, but why bother? Just drive.
Yes this a driver. The surface rust can be fixed. Change all the fluids and a proper tune-up. I drove one of these back then. Had to laugh at the fuel saver guage. Always in the red! 😂 The only way to keep in the green was.. going down hill with the wind at your back!! 😂😂 . It’s a shame with the 455 smog engine. Low compression smaller cam. Now if it has the 1970 version of that motor with 500 lb of torque it would be a no problem moving this hunk of metal. Maybe get 12 miles to a gallon. This vehicle is great for down in Florida on flat roads it’s a cruiser. Good luck to the next owner. 🐻🇺🇸
Had a 71 back many years ago as my winter car. It was great in the snow and ice. Well I did have studded snows on the front. The rear of the car always followed the front. With the weight of the big olds, transmission and diff up front it would dig and dig some more. Fuel mileage was normal for a big block maybe 12 but don’t let that discourage anyone. These are good drivers and this looks a lot better than mine did. It would roll down the road at 75 mph so easy. It’s down to 10k or best .
Speaking of the Cord 810/812, I only recently realized the center nose design of this generation of Toronado (and the next) was probably meant to resemble the Cord’s “coffin nose” as a nod to its American FWD ancestor.
Price dropped to 9950 offer.
At $9950 on eBay and seems appropriate if this is your fancy. What can you get for under 10K in collector cars these days. It is a nice car and it would be a fun cruiser on weekends. Yes, these are beasts in the snow. Man they were BIG!
But those TAILPIPES😬
I know, right? I was going to say something about them and forgot!
Stunning light blue with white vinyl half roof. Square and powerful and luxurious equipment. A big 455V8 although deturned for emissions and no lead gas but still had torque. Front wheel drive for better traction as a forerunner of late model cars. This Toronado is the epitome of a 1970s dream car. My tastes have changed over the years due to better small easier to park and maneuver cars and some all wheel drive to one up fwd and power windows even in economy cars. But as a time capsule and collector vehicle, the Toronado and its pricier Eldorado corporate cousin definitely deserves a look by someone with the time, garage space and money to keep it going.
Ah, the bloated massive Olds Toronado. Ugly as sin for this generation and that color!!! The color does not help its looks at all. But, taste is subjective.
46000 and that interior looks dengy . Never did like the look of those interiors. Kind of ghetto. From the start. For this kind of money you can find an earlier version with much better looks.
Looks like when the dual exhaust was added, the converter(s) was not replaced. Since it’s a 75 which came w/a converter, in some states it could not be registered as equipped w/no converter (smog checks).
That’s a lot of money for a Brougham with no leather or sunroof
Ahhh, Angel…”Beauty’s in the eye”.
I am in love with this car, the color, and yes, even those baggy cloth seats.
Apparently, I’ve enjoyed too many of the 70’s Eldo’s and the 80’s D’elegant Caddy’s, and still think they’re the best.
That powder blue is a perfect match for my prom tuxedo from that era.
Seriously though, nice example of the second-gen Toronado, a vehicle that was ahead of its time.