Oldsmobile launched an unusual station wagon in 1964. Based on the new mid-size Cutlass, the Vista Cruiser had a raised roof in its back half, with fixed-glass, roof-mounted skylights. They provided visibility for passengers in the second and third rows of seating. To spread development costs, Buick used the same body on its Skylark-based Sport Wagon, and both would employ the design through 1972. The seller doesn’t know much about this Olds, including the model year, as there is no title. Located in Appleton, Wisconsin, this non-running project is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $1,500 OBO. Thanks for the tip, “Lothar… of the Hill People.”
For the first two years (1964 and 1965), sales were light (3,394 and 5,445 units, respectively). Traditional Cutlass wagons were also in production, so perhaps the layout of these wagons took time to catch on. Which sales finally did in 1966 and stayed strong enough through 1972. When GM redesigned its intermediates in 1973, the concept was dropped, but the name lived on for a few more years.
The seller believes this Vista Cruiser is complete. And I’m guessing it’s a 1964 edition. But photos are limited to exterior shots, so we don’t know what’s going on under the hood or in the passenger compartment. At one point, a previous owner tried to turn this wagon into a Ghostbusters Ecto-1 tribute, but that seems limited to a few decals.
We’re told this Olds was used in the local Christmas parade, but it’s been dormant at least for a year, and two of the tires have since gone flat. We’re guessing there’s a 330 cubic inch V8 in the machine, but who knows what this vehicle will need to run again. So, “who you gonna call?”
Probably call Fox Valley Auto Recyclers. It’s a shame, really, the car isn’t that bad, and the car itself has some significance, being the 1st year, but the sun, I fear, has set on these types of cars, and oh look, here comes the rollback with the $300 check.
“Where the action is” was the slogan( their “action” differs greatly from mine) and probably has the 330 V8. The roof added $200 bucks to the base wagon ( $2738) and not a big seller until later( Eric Formans car) and while there are similarities to the Greyhound bus, I read they had nothing to do with it. Sorry, looks like curtains for the silly Ghostbusters tribute. What, all the white Caddy ambulances called for?
Yes, this is a 1964 Vista, which was released in February 1964. I don’t know where you got your sales figures, but Olds sold 14,000 Vistas in the abbreviated first year and 31,985 in 1965. Additionally, the Buick SportWagon only shared the extended wheelbase “vista” body through the 1969 model year. When Buick got a B-body wagon for 1970, the vista-roof A-body wagon was dropped.
Send the crew up to Lambeau to exorcise Jordan Love.
Hi Kim, oh, that was a crummy game, but still a Packer fan to the bitter end. Whoever called the plays should be blamed. I used to deliver to Green Bay a lot, and I hated when the Packers lost. Took forever to get unloaded. After a win, big smiles, it truly is their religion up there. You dasn’t say anything bad about the Packers in Green Bay.
The vin or door tag would give you the year.
The ad doesn’t have enough pictures or information to even make it interesting.
As a kid we had a ’62 Olds wagon. White with red interior. My mother made my dad get rid of the Ford wagon with the flip up tailgate window that you had to turn the knobs for it to stay up. She said it would fall down and chop off our little fingers. So, we got the Olds and it had a power rear window that would chop off our little fingers if they were in the way too. Within 6 years the front floor pan completely rusted away.
New York AND Wisconsin license plates. Both rust belt areas. As much as I have a soft spot in my head for these. (Bought one for my first late wife, which she loved.) This one is bone yard bound.
The value could be increased considerably just by firing up the heat gun and removing the ridiculous decals.
at least have tires on it that hold air. price is right even if it’s just for a parts car. would be nice redone but there may be a lot of rust to deal with
$1500 or make offer for a wagon without a title.. NOPE