Find or Sell Used Cars, Trucks, and SUVs in USA

1978 Oldsmobile Toronado Xs Brougham on 2040-cars

Year:1978 Mileage:87265 Color: White /
 Blue
Location:

Hermitage, Pennsylvania, United States

Hermitage, Pennsylvania, United States
Transmission:TH-400 (425) Automatic
Body Type:Coupe
Engine:403 V-8
Vehicle Title:Clear
Fuel Type:Unleaded Gasoline
For Sale By:Private Seller
Year: 1978
Number of Cylinders: 8
Model: Toronado
Trim: XS Brougham
Drive Type: Front Drive
Options: Panoramic Wrap Around Rear Window, Sunroof
Mileage: 87,265
Power Options: Air Conditioning, Cruise Control, Power Locks, Power Windows, Power Seats
Sub Model: XS Brougham
Exterior Color: White
Interior Color: Blue
Warranty: Vehicle does NOT have an existing warranty
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. ... 

Selling this Toronado if I can get more than it's worth to me in scrap!


It has a clear Colorado title but is currently in western PA.

At the going rate for scrap by weight this can get me about $750 at the yard 5 miles from here if I don't pull the motor and tranny for storage.

For me it's a daily driver but it's fading fast!

When I bought it in 10/08/04, it showed 55K on the odometer and at the time it looked like it was true mileage, but now it definitely looks like a serious project due to outdoor storage and no money for upkeep for the last 6 years.

It was a partially finished project car for the previous owner when I bought it.

The first thing I did when I bought it was replace the timing chain and both gears which I did as I don't like the big polymere/fiberglass gear they have in them stock for reasons I don't need to get into here.

I also replaced the stock distributor the XS came with because they were notorious for issues and it had them. I took the one I put into it from a 75 Toro I had laying around the yard and haven't had a problem with it since.

Since then the motor oil dipstick tube has become dislodged so the dipstick won't go down to measure the level. Thus it gets a regular dose of fresh oil based upon how much it appears to be leaking in between the regular oil and filter changes. The leak hasn't been located by any mechanic I've had look for it but it's probably the oil pan gasket or the main seal, both of which require pulling the motor to fix.

It has an exhaust gap so it's loud but it sounds great to a true motorhead!

It sat at my mechanic/friend's farm for several months, outside in a field during a rainy summer/fall season a couple years back and got soaked inside from the leaky sunroof and the interior is trashed including the dash area, door panels and everything else. I still can't get rid of the moldy smell and I'd say the interior is completely unsalvageable. It has no back seat bench as it was rotten when I came back for it so I ripped it out and tossed it.

No clicking in the transaxle CV joints, one of which was a factory rebuilt part and installed by me a couple years ago.

It has some body rust but the frame is solid.

I only drive it no more than 5 miles at a time due to a severe radiator leak. Because of this I didn't drive it all of winter 2012-2013 from 10/12 through 4/13. 

The heater core was replaced in winter 2013 with a NOS copper core and the heater works great. 

Power Windows work.

Power Steering works.

Power Brakes work but have minor issues. Yeah, yeah, I know, no brake issue can really be called "minor", but they do stop the car exactly as they should.

Cruise Control works.

Rear defogger works.

Radio works. 

Power Seats work partially.

Door glass, Astroroof glass, Rear Wrap Around glass is all perfect. 

All exterior lights and signals work.

Dashboard Lights work.

Interior cabin lights do not work.

Windshield glass is cracked.

Astroroof does not work.

Horn does not work.

AC does not work. Compressor is seized.

Power Antenna does not work.

8 Track Tape does not work.

The shocks are fairly shot so it's riding mainly on the coils.

Driver's side door handle is broken but I have the replacement for it.

Power lock works on the driver's side but the passenger side only works intermittently.  

In spite of its condition, it starts up and drives great every day. Transmission shifts perfectly smoothly and it has plenty of power.

It also has 4 General, Altimax RT tires that have a little over 15,000 miles of use, and two good, salvaged tires also on rims for spares.

It's for sale at auction with a starting bid of WAY more than I can get for it as scrap since there aren't many of them out there, they're collectible and it's still restorable. Restoration would be my preferred destiny for this beauty, but that's not up to me. The other good purpose for this one is as a 99% complete and functioning parts car for the owner of one in much better condition and there's far more than $3,500 in parts in this one. 

Pick up or shipping is the responsibility of the buyer in addition to the sale price.

No Warranty or guarantee is implied or expressed about this car in any way whatsoever but it is as described in this listing. If anything happens to it during the course of this or any future listing of it, that will be added to the description.

Interested lookers are welcome to stop by and look it over and if one comes along and meets my asking price or the current bid in cash, that will end the auction. 

I have and can take more pictures but will have to email them as attachments if requested.

Also, I can answer any intelligent questions from those who know these cars. I've been rebuilding and driving damaged Toronados for over 20 years so I know my way around them from every angle. 

Best of luck to us all.

Auto Services in Pennsylvania

West Penn Collision ★★★★★

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Address: 10479 Route 6N, West-Springfield
Phone: (814) 756-4464

Wallace Towing & Repair ★★★★★

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Address: Hilliards
Phone: (724) 452-4200

Truck Accessories by TruckAmmo ★★★★★

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Town Service Center ★★★★★

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Address: Lincoln-University
Phone: (610) 857-3585

Tom`s Automotive Repair ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Leasing, Mufflers & Exhaust Systems
Address: 75 Fowler St, Dingmans-Ferry
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Stottsville Automotive ★★★★★

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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.

eBay Find of the Day: 1976 GMC Motorhome is a jolly green giant

Wed, 18 Jun 2014

If you have a need to relive the 1970s, then here is the vehicle for you. This groovy blast from the past is a 1976 GMC Motorhome currently for auction in Florida on eBay Motors, and it is one green machine - just not in the modern sense.
The seller claims that this beast has had just two owners and has covered a mere 61,308 miles in its decades on the road. It's reportedly never been restored or repainted and comes with all of the necessary books and manuals. A 7.5-liter (455-cubic-inch) Oldsmobile V8 with a three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic automatic transmission powering the front wheels propels this far-out RV, and the double set of rear wheels out back use a self-leveling air suspension to provide a cushy ride.
The purported low miles and good condition really make this GMC a stand out, though. The exterior combination of lime stripes and beige with just a touch of green is like nothing else on the road today. Plus, the polished bumpers and wheels make it all pop. Inside, it's even better with monochromatic green upholstery and shag carpet. It features everything you'd ever need on a long trip, including a bathroom, kitchenette and lots of seating. The only hint of modernization is an HD TV next to the stove, but its size is a perfect fit for the hole there.

This Or That: 1980 Oldsmobile 442 vs. 1989 BMW 635CSi [w/poll]

Thu, 09 Oct 2014

The 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?