Oldsmobile had a long history of offering a diverse range of cars, from massive luxury cruisers to muscle cars. The Toronado might be one of their more interesting offerings, as they were luxurious, powerful, and equipped with a unique front-wheel-drive powertrain. By the time this 1973 was built, other American brands were offering front-wheel drive luxury cars, but the Toronado is in my opinion still the most interesting one. Just take a look at the rear of this original owner survivor with its deck-mounted brake lights and weirdly shaped trunk lid. You can find this beautiful example here on craigslist in Dix Hills, New York with a $17,495 asking price.
The seller doesn’t give us all that much information to go on, but they state that the car is a one-owner car that’s all original. They note that the A/C hasn’t been converted to R134 and doesn’t currently work. The car is said to otherwise run quiet and smooth. We don’t get a look at the 455 or the engine bay, but hopefully, it looks as clean as the rest of the car. We do get a look at the original sales invoice, which shows that the car sold at Paragon Oldsmobile in New York for $6,402.
Outside of a tear in the driver’s seat and needing a good cleaning, the interior looks original and in good shape. The tear in the seat could be repaired and a new floor mat would make this a very nice place to spend some time.
There was a time when you wouldn’t have given this Toronado much thought, but you really don’t see nice ones like this anymore. Like its Cadillac siblings, the bumper fillers on these tend to fail, but the seller has already found replacements and had them painted to match. With those installed, this car could be one of the nicest examples left. It really is in beautiful shape and could be fun to have! I’d be very curious to know more about the car’s history and what the add-on gauge is for on the door. Thoughts?
You’re finding an incredible amount of well maintained one owners lately!
That gauge down by the drivers left knee appears to be an aftermarket tachometer. The owner must be a closet drag racer.
If you’re talking about the picture of the drivers-side rearview mirror, that is the optional outside thermometer. That was available on Oldsmobiles in the early to mid 70’s. Buicks had that option too, but their thermometer was built in with the drivers side mirror. Now you get the outside temperature in your dash. LOL
I figured it was a thermometer, but wasn’t 100% sure.
The Olds thermometer was also in the mirror.
The one shown on this car is an aftermarket (JCWhitneyish) one.
Be sure to verify that the Comfortron works, parts are getting thin on the ground to repair the automatic functions of it, and they didn’t last long when new.
The mechanical cooing/heating bits are the same as normal A/C, but the automatic dash controls are not.
One of the most comfortable, luxurious, and well equipped models the General ever offered.
Boaty, floaty, groaty. Even I can’t get on board with this one, but my cutoff is 1971 as I’ve said numerous times
Upgrade to performance tires and shocks. You will be amazed how much better it rides and responsive. 😎
I thought they were grotesque in size when they came out and 5 MPH bumper regulations made them even worse as the decade went on.
Bottom of the EPA’s first gas mileage rankings, BTW. 6 mpg or so IIRC.
These big 70’s cruisers sure are interesting to look and and consider, given how times have changed. This Toronado is cool in its own way. Those aftermarket gauges are kind of jarring. I wouldn’t want it but I’m glad it exists and hope it finds a good home.
There was a ’72 for sale here recently. I was out in my ’86 Olds Calais two door and had to take a picture.
Being that the Calais always seemed like a Toronado in miniature [albeit powered by a tractor engine] to me, that shot of them side by side was a WTF moment.
My car looked like a Crosley station wagon next to a school bus. The sheer mass of that Toronado, pre-bumper regs was sort of unbelievable.
Absurd, gas hungry, impractical, interior room of a two door A body on a full size frame.
Ridiculous automobile.
A true Road Hog only matched by the Lincoln Continental and Twon Cars of the ’70s.
True comment by Joshua about the trunk lid; it is oddly shaped. I can’t say I recall a rear bumper with more bends and angles in it either. The grille-less front end is an interesting design, too. If you’re into luxo-barges, this has to be high on your list, though I’m not sure if this behemoth is worth $17,500. But, as I’ve said before, what do I know.
I had a white 1973 Toro in high school last through college. The driving couch was incredible. It had power, and could haul 7 of my friends comfortably. The no hump in the center made every seat great. Full frame wonder. It even plowed the snow off the driveway enough to let my tractor take over the duties. One tough car and it lasted with my led foot. By the way, my buddies 6.6 TA couldn’t keep up with this car on the highway.
My father had this exact car (same year,
same color). I wasn’t quite old enough to drive it, but it was an awesome ride. Only needed one toe on the gas and one finger on the wheel. It was also absolutely unstoppable in the snow with that massive weight over the front wheels.
Dad worked in Tool and Die and Stamping at Fisher Body. I always remember him telling me what a royal pain it was for them to figure out how to get those trunk mounted brake lights stamped, because the corners would crack.
As a stamping tool maker myself, I can tell you this would definitely be a challenge to draw without splits and buckles. Creative reliefs in the draw plug corners, strategic placement and shape of the draw beads, a lot of blanker wash and at least one restrike would be necessary. All part of the job though. We had the same problem in the early 90s with the Ford Explorer fender nose, especially when we tried switching from steel to aluminum. We went back to steel.
I had a 74 and loved it. Mine came with factory air bags. There was an 800-phone no in the owner’s manual to call GM if the air bags deployed. Most repair shops didn’t want to work on my car, they were afraid of the air bags going off. M<y biggest problem…..13 MPG on the highway, forget about local driving.
I remember a story back when air bags were new, an air bag went off spraying corn starch or talcum powder (whatever they used) all over the driver. Haz mat team was called out and the driver had to strip on the road and was hosed down. They thought it was some dangerous chemical. How far we’ve come.
This is what I was talking the other day. This is one fugly yellow for a car, especially a luxury car. Pale yellow, people, pale yellow.
As for the Toronado, beautiful car, but I prefer the earlier models. It got too big, (did I actually say that?) The earlier models were a nice size, shape and sportier. It’s the sportiness of the first Gen that I like. After this behemoth though, they shrunk them down to Chevrolet Cavalier size and completely ruined them, IMO.
I wish GM didn’t axe Oldsmobile. They had some great cars, even back in the 1940s.
This color was used by all the divisions in 73, except Cad. Chevy called it Chamois. It was not a good color then, and it hasn’t improved with time. However, on a collector car, we don’t have the privilege of picking a color that WE would’ve chosen (which would NOT have been Chamois).
The Brits called it Harvest Gold, like kitchen appliances in the US. As seen in my profile pic, I own a 74 MG in this shade (faded, but still unsettling).
@ Chuck. 👍
I’ve always wondered why a tach on a vehicle with an automatic trans. And in this case, on a big, heavy vehicle at that. As far as the car itself, I owned one as a traveling salesman and enjoyed the comfort, luxury and road-handling of this great car. Made good money, gas was cheap, so gas mileage wasn’t a concern.
Front bumper fillers = hen’s teeth
Little_cars…..
Your harvest gold Midget is pretty. Lots of other cars look good in a harvest gold shade. This Toronado is Mustard Yellow.
Kind of a cross between regular mustard and spicy brown.
Just fugly
My dad was mainly a Ford guy but also a fan of Oldsmobiles and Toronados specifically. I remember we had a yellow 1977 with a 403 and power moon roof in the early 80s and later he bought a one owner green 1972 455 that he drove for years. The 72 developed some rust in the rear frame rails from all the winter driving, which it excelled at, and it eventually wound up in our junk yard. I put the 455 into 1980 Trans Am and had stump pulling beast with a 350 turbo, shift kit and 3.73:1 gears. The thing would only run 120 but when it went into drive at 90 it would lay ten foot position marks. Super fun to drive. That car helped finance my Mach 1 engine rebuild. I took the buyer for a ride and he was sold before it hit second gear.
I love these old boats! I think the price is a bit excessive, but that could maybe be negotiated.