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1970 Oldsmobile Toronado on 2040-cars

Year:1970 Mileage:79010 Color: Blue /
 Black
Location:

Saint Cloud, Minnesota, United States

Saint Cloud, Minnesota, United States
Advertising:
Transmission:Automatic
Body Type:U/K
Engine:7.5L 7456CC 455Cu. In. V8 GAS OHV Naturally Aspirated
Vehicle Title:Clear
Fuel Type:GAS
For Sale By:Private Seller
Year: 1970
Interior Color: Black
Make: Oldsmobile
Number of Cylinders: 8
Model: Toronado
Trim: Base
Warranty: Vehicle does NOT have an existing warranty
Drive Type: U/K
Mileage: 79,010
Sub Model: GT
Exterior Color: Blue
Condition: Used: A vehicle is considered used if it has been registered and issued a title. Used vehicles have had at least one previous owner. The condition of the exterior, interior and engine can vary depending on the vehicle's history. See the seller's listing for full details and description of any imperfections. ... 

Own a first generation Front Wheel Drive Oldsmobile muscle car!  Toronados have always been front wheel drive, and this particular model was advertised with 400 horsepower and 500 ft-lbs of torque! http://encyclopedia.classicoldsmobile.com/toronado/70.html

I was told it was really a GT when I bought it, but that may or may not be true. The transmission is NOT from a GT based on the tag, the rear bumper is Not from a GT (the GT had cutouts for the factory dual exhaust), the front grill is modified to include earlier ('68 or '69?) Toro headlight covers that you have to manually open, no vacuum motor. Has single exhaust, but is not original. 


The body is faded and a bit rusty, was probably repainted many years ago. The interior is in really good shape. There is a tear in the driver's seat, but other than that, it looks really good. The dash is not cracked. 

Manual windows and locks
Power steering
455 Rocket V8 with newly rebuilt and restored Quadra-jet carburator.
A/C (currently no belt)
A/M radio
Less than 500 miles on new master cylinder, front brakes (including rotors and calipers), water pump, thermostat, fuel pump.

Odometer shows 79,xxx, very likely original, but who knows?

The car runs and drives very nice, goes down the road fairly straight, has plenty of power, shifts through the gears very nice. I don't take it on long trips, because it is 40 years old, but is fun to drive to DQ or to get groceries. There is a problem with the heat, I think a vacuum issue. It blows hot for a few minutes, then cools off until you run the temp lever over to cold and back to hot.

- Gas gauge doesn't work
- When I replaced the pads and calipers, the front left side caliper was rusted tight. The new caliper wouldn't move, either, so I knew the brake line was blocked with corrosion. The parts store was closed at the time, so I removed the brake line, and reamed out the blockage with a cleverly modified coat hanger attached to a cordless drill. It worked at the time, but the brakes on that wheel sometimes drag a bit, as the flow of the fluid is restricted. (a lot like the plaque buildup in my arteries). Buyer should plan to replace both front brake hoses eventually (front left will be included, but not installed).
- After I put the newly rebuilt carb back on, I lost the hardware that secures the throttle cable to it. I haven't missed it, it works ok as is, but someone with a lessor sense of adventure than I have may want to attach it properly. 
- I had some trouble with overheating. I managed to fix it, but any potential buyer should know that the radiator is not likely the proper size (looks too small, was that way when I bought the car), the overflow hose is not the right one (I put a non-automotive clear hose on so I could watch the flow and direction of the coolant, it gets soft, but so far it has managed to handle the heat), and the water pump that O'Reilly's sold me is too short (I just left off the A/C belt and moved the other two belts up one space). It does have a newer thermostat, water pump, fuel pump, heater coolant control valve, and fan clutch.
- The tires have good tread, but may be old. They hold air all summer, but tend to lose air during winter storage.
- Recently developed a hole in the muffler.  Car is fairly loud now.
The pictures don't show the rust very well.  If that bothers you, send me an email address or text number, and I'll send better pictures.  Please be aware that there is some rust-through, especially above the rear wheels.

NOT a show car, but has potential for a parts car or a driver. Will not part it out, though, come and get the whole thing. If it doesn't meet my reserve, I'm keeping it a while longer! I try to sell it every Fall to avoid storing it over the winter, but I do enjoy driving it come spring! If you live within 100 miles, you could likely drive it home. Any further, I'd recommend a trailer.

For sale as is, where is. No warranty or guarantee of any kind.  Shipping is the buyer's responsibility. I'll deliver within Minnesota for $1.50/mile, prepaid, non-refundable (may be negotiable).
$500 due within 48 hours, balance due within 7 days. Car must be picked up within 7 days (this is negotiable, but after October 1st, I'll need to put it in storage, and will have to charge you for that). 
Will accept cash any time.  Will accept personal check or cashier's check during business hours only, drawn on a local bank only, or a national bank with a local branch (such as Well's Fargo or US Bank).  Check will be verified before transaction is completed.
I have a clear Minnesota title. 

Auto Services in Minnesota

Zimmerman Collision ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Body Repairing & Painting, Automobile Racing & Sports Cars
Address: 26069 2nd St W, Burns-Township
Phone: (763) 856-5949

South Central Auto Service ★★★★★

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Address: 510 17th St N, Courtland
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Sleepy Eye Auto Salvage ★★★★★

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Sears Auto Center ★★★★★

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Saigon Garage ★★★★★

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Address: 3028 E Lake St, Saint-Louis-Park
Phone: (612) 721-7087

Rose Car Care ★★★★★

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Address: 1695 Fernwood St, Saint-Anthony
Phone: (651) 383-4532

Auto blog

GM recalling 8.4M cars, 8.2M related to ignition problems

Mon, 30 Jun 2014

General Motors today announced a truly massive recall covering some 8.4 million vehicles in North America. Most significantly, 8.2 million examples of the affected vehicles are being called back due to "unintended ignition key rotation," though GM spokesperson Alan Adler tells Autoblog that this issue is not like the infamous Chevy Cobalt ignition switch fiasco.
For the sake of perspective, translated to US population, this total recall figure would equal a car for each resident of New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, Alaska, North Dakota, the District of Columbia, Vermont and Wyoming. Combined. Here's how it all breaks down:
7,610,862 vehicles in North America being recalled for unintended ignition key rotation. 6,805,679 are in the United States.

Ferrari FF pitted against Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser in crazy Generation Gap comparison

Thu, 13 Nov 2014

The folks behind Generation Gap have lost their minds with this latest video. The goal here is to determine the ultimate family cruiser, but the choices are what you would least expect, with a heavily modded 1970 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser going up against a 2012 Ferrari FF.
You might anticipate an over-40-year-old Oldsmobile to pale in comparison to any modern Ferrari, but this wagon has a ton of secrets under its skin thanks to Lingenfelter. First, it packs a supercharged LS3 V8 with a claimed 650 horsepower and a six-speed manual gearbox. That big upgrade in power is further helped with air suspension and massive Wilwood disc brakes. The result is nothing short of deafening, with blaring yelps whenever the driver even nudges the accelerator.
The alternative sounds just as good, albeit in very different way. The Ferrari's 6.3-liter V12 pumps out 651 hp and 504 pound-feet with a part-time all-wheel drive system. While the FF lacks a lot of the hauling ability of the Olds, it makes up for the deficit in handling, luxury, and in many eyes, simply by having the famous prancing horse on the grille.

Jay Leno bangs up his own Toronado in GT6

Wed, 11 Dec 2013

Ever since Gran Turismo 4, Jay Leno has had at least one of his cars included in the popular racing simulator (starting with the Tank Car), and more of his machines appears in Gran Turismo 6. They include this nose-heavy, front-wheel-drive V8-powered muscle car. Yes, that aptly describes a 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado - except Leno's is rear-wheel drive. And it has a Cadillac CTS-V race engine modified to pump out 1,070 horsepower.
For the latest Jay Leno's Garage episode, he takes his real Toronado out for a cruise and then drives the virtual one like he stole it, accruing some body damage along the way. Leno also drives the virtual supercar Mercedes-Benz designed for GT6, the AMG Vision Gran Turismo Concept that debuted at the LA Auto Show, along with the real one, which is a 1:1-scale model. The model is radio-controlled and equipped with a small electric motor, sufficient to move it on and off of auto show floors.
Head below to watch the episode, which includes a few words from GT6 creator Kazunori Yamauchi.