1970 Oldsmobile Toronado on 2040-cars
Saint Cloud, Minnesota, United States
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
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
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.
- 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.
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.
Oldsmobile Toronado for Sale
Auto Services in Minnesota
St. Anthony Mobil ★★★★★
Rongo`s Auto Repair ★★★★★
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Auto blog
GM recalling 8.4M cars, 8.2M related to ignition problems
Mon, 30 Jun 2014General 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.
This Or That: 1980 Oldsmobile 442 vs. 1989 BMW 635CSi [w/poll]
Thu, 09 Oct 2014The last time I roped a coworker into an automotive debate, I lost. Resoundingly, I might add. Still, 2,385 voters chose to cast their lots for the Fiat 500 Abarth, as opposed to 5,273 choosing the Ford Fiesta ST, and so I can rest easy in the knowledge that at least 30 percent of you, dear readers, see things my way. I still like to think we have more fun, too.
My loss in the first round of our This or That series, in which two Autoblog editors pick sides on any given topic and then attempt to explain why the other is completely wrong, didn't stop me from picking another good-natured fight, this time with Senior Editor Seyth Miersma. Last time, our chosen sides were eerily similar in design, albeit quite different in actual execution. This time, our vehicular peculiarities couldn't seemingly fall any further from one another: A 1980 Oldsmobile 442 wouldn't seem to match up in comparison to a 1989 BMW 635CSi.
How did we come up with such disparate contenders? Simple, really. Seyth and I mutually agreed to choose a car that's currently for sale online. It had to be built and sold in the 1980s, and it had to be a coupe. The price cap was set at $10,000. The fruits of our searching labors will henceforth be disputed, with Seyth on the side of the Germans, and myself arguing in favor of the Rocket Olds. Am I setting myself up for another lopsided loss?
Jay Leno bangs up his own Toronado in GT6
Wed, 11 Dec 2013Ever 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.