Introduced in 1966, the Olds Toronado was a different kind of personal luxury car. It deployed front-wheel-drive more than two decades before it would become the norm with most U.S. automobile production. This second-generation edition from 1973 is a one-owner auto that still wears its original paint and has accumulated a few awards over the years. Located in Dix Hills, New York, this cruiser is available here on craigslist for $9,550. Our thanks to Pat L. for another trip down memory lane!
With a revision in styling in 1971, the Toronado grew in popularity with sales reaching a new high two years later at 56,000 units. They would be bigger than ever, a trend that would continue until the vehicles were downsized in 1979. These Toronado’s would introduce a novelty that led to a federal mandate a dozen years later: two high-mounted taillights above the trunk and below the rear window. These taillights mirrored the brake and turn functions of the normal taillights.
This ’73 edition has been owned by the selling party for almost 50 years. Its 455 cubic inch Rocket V8 is said to run smoothly and quietly, even though those motors had been detuned to run on low-lead fuel and then later, unleaded gasoline. Demand for the big cars would fall off after the OPEC oil embargo of 1973-74 as the combined fuel economy of the Toronado was between 8.5 and 11 miles per gallon. And that was when gas was 50 cents a gallon, not like today’s prices.
The body and paint on this car are great with the only apparent flaw being the plastic filler pieces around the front bumper. But the seller has replacement parts that have already been painted to match the Olds, so they’re ready to go on. The interior is not quite as nice at 83,000 miles with the driver’s side of the front seat looking as though some of the leather material is either discolored or peeling. The back seat contains the awards the car has taken over time. Other than the A/C needing a charge, this seems to be a turn-key automobile.
The first series Tornados looked like the future. These, not so much.
According to automobile_catalog this beast will average 9.9 miles per gallon! It does not, shall we say, seem like the time for this vehicle.
A lot of people in the old car hobby have many reasons to justify spending money on their cars. Gas will be the same thing. People tell me they don’t drink or they don’t smoke. My buddies crack up and add stranger examples, like I don’t do Cocaine or I don’t use prostitutes!
I tell my wife the same thing when she complains about my multiple collections (toys, DVDs & CDs, coins, etc.).
Imagine the mpg with a fully loaded ’74 olds wagon with this motor & 6-9 people & their gear inside & a heavy 5 mph bumper on the back too.
Even worse with a heavier 454 chevy wagon.
Whoever runs & supports this gas station
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would go nuts seeing a GM full size ’70s wagon pulling in the station –
with a bonus being a huge gas tank, not to mention very frequent repeat stops. lol
Or even better, the biggest/heaviest 4wd carbureted 454 chevy trucks back then.
A lot of air conditioners need charging. Seems like such an easy task if these people are true.
It isn’t. Usually mean something is leaking. That means an expensive repair and a conversion to R32 refrigerant, since they do not make the old school coolant any more.
Exactly. If charging the air would be such a small thing, it would have been done already. Usually there lurks some major problem somewhere.
The doors on these huge heavy 2 door boats weighed a ton. After a while a lot of them starting sagging. Detroit had no idea where the market was headed in this time period(apparently). And they payed dearly as the ghost town of Detroit today shows.