Personal Luxury: 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado

I’m going to go out on a limb and say whoever gets this car will be lucky. Based on the pictures and information, it will likely go higher than the current $9,000 bid. The auction ends on November 7th, and there are 22 bids from 12 bidders. There appears to be no reserve, either. 1966 brought about the change in Detroit that we didn’t think would happen in the good old USA. A front-wheel-drive luxury car. The Toronado was the first FWD car produced since Buick and Cadillac built mere prototypes in the forties. Before that, the 1929 Cord L-29 and the 1937 LaSalle were the notable front-wheel-drive cars of the day. This gorgeous first-year Toronado is available here on eBay in Nine Mile Falls, Washington.

Front-wheel drive with a 425-cubic-inch monster under the hood. 385 horsepower and 475 ft.-lbs. of half-shaft-snapping torque. The three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic automatic transmission was recently rebuilt, and the seller has the $3,200 receipt. According to the seller, “The car starts right up and drives great. The transmission shifts nice and smooth, and the power steering works very well. All power windows go up and down. All gauges work as they should. The AC needs R12, which Washington State does not sell. I think you can get it in Arizona? All the lighting works throughout the vehicle. Blinkers work as well on both sides.”

The interior looks well maintained and has all the luxury car accouterments you would want. It has power steering and brakes, an AM/FM radio, and an under-dash 8-track with tapes included. The package also includes power windows and seats, cruise control, and a telescoping and tilting steering wheel. It has hideaway headlights, and there is no mention of any issues with them, which could be a common problem. The paint appears to be the original Bimini Blue, and the matching dark blue interior is stunning.

The odometer shows 88,843 miles. The seller claims it has had 2 adult owners since it was new in ’66. 1966 Toronados are generally well liked in the auction world. The median price for one was $16,500, according to conceptcarz.com. This car appears to be in excellent or perfect condition, with command prices up to $68,750. The eBay ad includes so much information that it can’t fit here, but it will help any seriously interested buyer decide whether to bid. Either way, this front-wheel-drive beauty will be gone this Saturday, so why not take a look?