This 1990 Oldsmobile isn’t any ordinary Custom Cruiser. It’s a custom Custom Cruiser. It offers a fantastic alternative for someone seeking a classic Station Wagon with performance credentials because its engine bay houses a fire-breathing Corvette V8. It is loaded with luxury touches, and its presentation means it isn’t just the engine attracting attention. Considering all that it offers, the asking price represents excellent bang for your buck. The Olds is listed here on Craigslist in Cranston, Rhode Island. You could take it home by handing the seller $16,900, and I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Mitchell G. for spotting this Muscle Wagon.
Oldsmobile’s Second Generation Custom Cruiser enjoyed an extended production run, gracing showroom floors from 1977 until 1990. The first owner ordered this final-year Cruiser in Gunmetal, and faulting its presentation is almost impossible. The seller doesn’t indicate whether the car is restored, but the paint retains an excellent shine. The color is consistent across the vehicle, with no signs of the patchiness that often plagues silver shades with age. I can’t spot any panel imperfections, and with this color renowned for exposing problems, that is positive news. The seller states it is rust-free and has never had any issues on that front. The chrome looks exceptional, and the roof rack is a practical feature. The glass is crystal clear, and the American Racing wheels are the ideal finishing touch to a Wagon that is more than a pretty face.
If this Wagon’s exterior makes a positive impression, its interior heightens its appeal. Its overall presentation is incredible, which is unsurprising. The seller replaced everything, making this as close to a showroom fresh interior as you will likely find in any Custom Cruiser of this vintage. There is no wear or physical damage and no failing plastic. Occupants enjoy all the creature comforts they could want, including ice-cold air conditioning, power windows, power locks, a remote driver’s mirror, cruise control, and a tilt wheel. It is unclear what type of in-car entertainment system it features, but an AM/FM radio is the minimum I would typically expect in any vehicle of this vintage.
Many readers will probably feel that everything to this point has been the entree, and lifting the hood reveals the main course. Custom Cruiser buyers in 1990 received a 307ci V8 generating 140hp. It provided competent performance but would hardly set pulses racing. However, this Olds is a genuine Muscle Wagon. The 307 has gone the way of the Dodo, and its spot is occupied by a 350ci Tuned Port Injection Corvette V8 that churned out 375hp in its original home. However, even that figure is probably pretty soft because the seller had this engine rebuilt with a host of desirable components. The engine block houses forged pistons, with the builder balancing the short block. They bolted on GM aluminum high-performance cylinder heads, and with the 350 inhaling deeply through the Tuned Port system, getting rid of spent gases was crucial. A stainless steel dual exhaust copes with that task, with the power feeding to the road via a bulletproof and upgraded Turbo 400 automatic transmission. Potential buyers shouldn’t be concerned that this might be a DIY effort. The seller handed the Cruiser to the specialists at Conti’s Automotive to ensure the conversion was completed to a high standard. The Wagon runs and drives well, producing performance figures well beyond what its original designers envisaged.
The seller says that recreating this 1990 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser for their asking price would be impossible, and that is easily believed. You will struggle to find a tidy and original example for under $7,000, and the interior retrim adds to the build costs. However, what is hiding under the hood helps it stand out from the crowd. It hasn’t been on the market for long, and I think it will find a new home fairly quickly. Would you consider parking this Muscle Wagon in your garage?
Cool looking wagon. Nice touch putting the 350 TPI under the hood. And rebuilding the engine for better performance! I just wish we saw the cargo area of the wagon. And main concern was the location of the air filter. It will get very hot and sucking in warm to hot air. The engine likes cool air to perform better. I would route it near the canister filter and radiator. It would get cooler air down there. Otherwise it worth checking out in person. I bet you could smoke tires easy. Good luck to the seller. 🐻🇺🇸
It isn’t a 375 hp Vette engine..This era of TPI engines churned out barely 250 hp in the Vette,and if this started out as an IROC 350 then it was barely 220-240 hp
It isn’t a 375 hp Vette engine..This era of TPI engines churned out barely 250 hp in the Vette,and if this started out as an IROC 350 then it was barely 220-240 hp If memory serves me correctly Vette didn’t have 375 hp until the 90 ZR1 and that was a Lotus-built 4 cam exotic motor possibly?
these engines did build torque at a relatively low RPM. When the LT-1 came out (before the new architecture LS1) a friend who had a hot rod shop continued to use the old tuned port engines because of the torque and the looks when polished up.
Best truck engine to never be put in a truck.
This is a re-run from July, 2023. Same photos, too.
https://barnfinds.com/corvette-engine-1990-oldsmobile-custom-cruiser-wagon/
If the motor ever made 375hp, that ended when the Tuned Port went on it.
I seen the comments about the horsepower on this engine. It was rebuilt for what I read and with the right cam , pistons and reworking the heads it can achieve the 375 number or more. i seen this done with TPI setup. Unless the seller is blowing smoke. Have a nice day.. 😊
My L98 with ported plenum, big tube runners, ported big mouth base, ported d-port heads, 5 angle valve job, cam, 1.6 rockers, headers, underdrive pulleys, msd distributor, wires, and coil, hot chip, k&n filters and a got-dang airfoil makes 375 hp every time I hit the nitrous.
General Motors would still be bigger than Toyota today if it actually sold as many Corvettes, that all of these engines claimed to be removed from.
You could have had a LS V8 !
That would have been a better choice.
I am frankly surprised by all the negative comments on this car. This is a very cool car that I would buy in a heartbeat if I had the room. I had a ’66 Biscayne wagon that this car reminds me of. Dark brown with a tan interior out of a Caprice Estate wagon, power everything. Vette rally wheels, Flowmasters, Etc.I personally don’t doubt the HP figure given the listed modifications. The was built right and is really nice. I hope the seller finds someone that will appreciate it.
And the price got a little more realistic.
I wholeheartedly agree that the price is overly optimistic, but at 74 and having been purchasing and selling hot rods since the sixties, I think that peoples perceived values of “classic cars” originates in crazy town.
I’ve seen this car in person here in RI at a car show last year. It presents very well.
Woke up a little cranky, but no indication what year the engine is, the interior is ghastly, and personally I’d go without the racer wheels. But it’s probably fun to drive, from one gas station to the next.
With a super mild cam and 9.5:1 compression, my 350 TPI in my 76 Chevy pick up dyno’d 222 HP at the wheels and 320 LB/FT of torque.
Cam was super mild at 192/201 duration. .453/.468 lift
So, ya, torque is good HP, not so much.
A bigger cam would bring the HP up for sure. Not much more, but still, fun to drive.