Quarter-Century Later: 1976 Oldsmobile Toronado

Oldsmobile rolled out a new kind of personal luxury automobile in 1966, the Toronado. What made it different was that it was the first U.S. production front-wheel-drive car since the Cord 810/812 of 1936 and 1937. Across four generations, the Toronado would remain in the Olds lineup through 1992. The seller has a 1976 edition, a barn dweller that was parked in 2000 and left to fend for itself. We don’t know much about the auto other than it looks like a restoration challenge.

The second generation of the Toronado was around from 1971 to 1978, after which it would become the next General Motors product to undergo downsizing (in the name of better fuel economy). This gen was bigger than the one before it, so the seller’s 1976 is probably the longest Toronado to ever hit the road. Initially a 455 cubic inch V8 was under the hood to get the job done, replaced later by a 403 which probably found it difficult to propel the vehicle which approached 5,000 lbs. in weight.

Besides having FWD (the Cadillac Eldorado would also go that way in 1967), the Toronado had its own version of the Turbo-Hydramatic transmission, a 3-speed automatic called the TH-425. These cars would be noted for being a dry run for driver and passenger-side airbags, which would soon become an industry standard. Oldsmobile built about 24,000 Toronados in 1976, a typical production figure for the car that decade.

After 24 years in hiding, it’s doubtful this Olds will run with any minimal amount of effort. And there’s no telling whether rust has become an issue over the years. We can’t gauge the condition of the interior, either, with stuff piled inside. Located in Eugene, Oregon, this land yacht will need to be pulled out of its dwelling. It can be found here on Facebook Marketplace, and the seller’s ante is $4,500. We’re told it’s a one-owner car and has been posted on behalf of the owner, so the lister is not the seller.