With only two kids in our family, my parents never owned a station wagon, there was just no need for a car with that much room. My first car was a tiny station wagon but one of these days I have to get a full-sized one like this 1967 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser. This one can be found here on eBay in beautiful, dry, warm, sunny (I’d better quit or I’ll be even more depressed about where I live) Scottsdale, Arizona. The current bid price is just over $2,000 and the reserve isn’t met.
The first-generation Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser was made for the 1964 through 1967 model years and they were the first time Oldsmobile offered the famous Vista Cruiser raised roof. We have seen many of them here on Barn Finds, or many Vista Cruisers. The first-generation cars don’t show up quite as often, but Olds made a lot of them.
This example would have had the woodgrain 3M Dinoc on the sides but it has been removed, according to the seller. Here’s a great forum where someone tested quite a few varieties on their Grand Cherokee to see what the best match would be. They also say that it appears to be original paint mostly but some parts have been repainted. There is a bit of rust and what looks like really bad paint to have to deal with and it looks like the left rear bumper edge is bent a bit.
The interior looks good overall other than some upholstery work being needed. The back seat area looks clean and this is a two-seat Vista Cruiser according to the VIN. The rear cargo area could use some work but it would hold enough picnic and/or camping supplies for an entire boy or girl scout troop.
The engine should be Oldsmobile’s 330 cubic-inch V8 which had horsepower ranging from the low-200s to 320 hp, but we’re not sure which version this is. The seller says that it runs and drives but it smokes a bit. It looks like it’s had a bit of a freshening-up with some spray cans, unfortunately, but the next owner can take it out, rebuild and restore it and put it back in again. How hard could that be?! (crickets) Have any of you owned a Vista Cruiser?
The thing looks kinda shaggy for a 58K mile car.
and the seller sounds defensive.
I can hear it now. “Nobody cares about station wagons. I’ll haul it away if you pay the towing fee.”
The real Wagon Family Truckster direct from factory!
Perhaps a 318 Poly swap?
Why would you suggest putting a Mopar engine in an Oldsmobile?
It’s just his way…
He wants to Poly swap literally everything.
It’s a funny joke. Kinda like saying “put an LS motor in it”
Only funny the first 86 times….
Hold on. The first three comments give the impression that the seller (Unknown to me) claims 58K miles, is a defensive “flipper”, and wrangled it away from the original owners for little or nothing…
WTF, maybe you all should read the eBay ad closely, and if you don’t have anything nice to say, well you know what your Mom said…
On to the car, pretty rough around the edges and probably worth no more that 3-3500
On that note, my Italian mother always says, “Get over it”, as many of the whiners herein need to do. These wagons are fun and a vestige of the “Road Trip” culture at the time of their production. Fuel was plentiful and reasonably priced. Fuel economy? Not a consideration and probably 16 to 18 mpg for this behemoth. Indicated mileage? Who knows and irrelevant for most classics. The seller has put it all out there with good photos and descriptions. I imagine it will sell in the $3500 to $4000 range and within budget for many people wanting something fun and conversational to drive. A nice driver that can be improved upon while operating it.
16-18 mpg? That’s “meters per gallon” right? I’m thinking closer to 10-12.
My Italian Grandmother would always say fanculo which would send us kids into laughing fits, but annoy my Dad to no end!
This one has been on fleabay for some time and while it’s a cool early Vista it’s not a good example. Considering the rust, particularly below the RH rear window, I get the notion it didn’t spend its entire life in dry Arizona.
It’s obvious we can’t be picky when out shopping for 50years+ cars in this price range, but given it’s been for sale so long makes me believe seller’s expectations are beyond its market value
Why call it fleabay? Is that derogatory? I’m a simpleton so let me in on the joke. I honestly think I’m getting dumber every single day.
It sounds like a simple pun joke, so you shouldn’t get your panties in a bunch over it. More accurately, it should be FEE-bay, so if you’ve had any experience selling on the site, this pun is self-explanatory.
I understand the play on words for FEEbay as they charge a Fee. But Flea implies there’s bugs involved. I don’t get it.
Rex: my panties, which are a very nice polka dot pattern today, are not in any sort of bunch. If the pun is wrong, the pun is… well…wrong.
Fair enough Weasel, no umbrage intended.
Weasel; ebay is not solely a platform where high end collector cars change hands. You must have observed it has also become the most massive digital flea market of our time…?
Nice looking car. I’ve always loved the 1964-66 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser. I can see this being a good restoration project, or at least a daily driver. Whatever one wants. :)
To much rattle can under hood. Might be a 58000 mile car. But moms rode them hard and put them a way wet.
A jeweler in town had a 67 Vista with bucket seats, console and a 4 speed with the Super Stock 1 wheels. Absolutely a cool car. This one, not so much. The ignition switch isn’t in the dash, as well as the headlight switch. Most of the rust shown is not too bad, but there isn’t a single shot of the vista glass area, which is usually where these really rust bad. Amazing how someone thinks that spraying some paint under the hood adds value. I’ll pass…
I have a restored 67. Just took it out for the first ride of the year last Saturday since the salt is finally off the roads. This one looks to be a two barrel version since it doesn’t have the “Jet Fire” air cleaner. They rust as shown in the one picture along the lower edge of the side windows due to bad water shedding.
fanculo sei cos – ‘fu’ you are such a… such a what? Sentenence not done…
I’m w/John, needs a shot of the whole pont of the ‘vista’…
Know some guys who grafted them on some other vehicles (passenger vans, busses, other wagons & sedans).
Thanks for the trim link, Scotty.