Owning a vehicle that allows the entire family to experience the classic motoring experience offers a wonderful bonding opportunity, and this 1972 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser is ideal for that role. It presents superbly, and its third-row seating provides accommodation for eight people. It would be perfect for a cross-country adventure or a spot of relaxed weekend touring. It is spotless, with the seller listing it here on eBay in Lake Forest, California. The bidding has raced beyond the reserve and sits at $9,700. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Larry D for spotting this beauty.
Oldsmobile introduced its Second Generation Vista Cruiser in 1968, with the vehicle remaining in production for five model years. Sales volumes were healthy, with this ’72 Vista 1-of-21,340 sold in an eight-seat configuration. Its panels wear attractive Butternut paint, contrasted by vinyl faux woodgrain trim. The paint shines impressively, but the underside shots tell this classic’s story. They reveal only the occasional spot of dry surface corrosion, confirming this classic is rust-free. The panels show no signs of dings or dents, and the trim is as impressive as the paint. The Vista Cruiser’s defining characteristic is the roof’s glass panels. These provide a light and airy feel inside, avoiding a potentially claustrophobic experience for rear-seat passengers. The glass looks perfect, and the wagon rolls on a spotless set of 14″ x 7″ Super Stock III wheels.
Classic station wagons are prone to the wear and tear inflicted by young families during daily use, leaving upholstery and carpet tired. This Vista Cruiser avoided that fate, with its Dark Brown vinyl upholstery looking perfect. We only receive brief glimpses of the vulnerable rear cargo area, and these show promise of continuing excellent presentation. The carpet, headliner, dash, and woodgrain trim look spot-on. The back seat sunvisors are intact, and this wagon offers the versatility of third-row seating. That makes it perfect for long journeys with large families, with the factory air conditioning and AM/FM radio helping increase the enjoyment.
Powering this Vista Cruiser is a 350ci V8 producing 160hp. A three-speed Hydramatic transmission feeds those ponies to the rear wheels, with the original owner adding power assistance for the steering and brakes. The company aimed to provide owners with a practical family wagon, and performance was a secondary consideration in an era of tightening emission regulations. That made the ¼-mile ET of 18.5 seconds pretty irrelevant to most buyers. However, the wagon’s ability to cruise on the open road at freeway speeds while consuming fuel at around 15mpg won it many admirers planning long journeys. The seller supplies no information on how well this Vista Cruiser runs or drives or whether there are any mechanical needs. The engine bay presentation is as impressive as the rest of the vehicle, holding the promise that it could be a turnkey classic needing nothing.
I am a late convert to classic station wagons. I once believed people bought them as a necessity rather than by choice. When I received my first wagon as a company car, I did so somewhat begrudgingly. However, I quickly realized the attraction of these vehicles and the versatility they offered. Buying a new full-size station wagon today is impossible unless you focus on European models. SUVs and people carriers have supplanted the wagon, and there is no evidence manufacturers plan to reintroduce this lost breed. That makes vehicles like this 1972 Vista Cruiser relevant to some enthusiasts because they offer a viable alternative to SUVs. This Olds may consume more fuel than the new alternative, but the purchase price is likely considerably lower. If you earmark some of that extra cash towards fuel costs, this classic makes perfect sense. Does that thought tempt you to pursue it further?
Wow! My favorite classic American wagon. I can’t help saying she’s a beaut Clark. I would most definitely want to use this for the vacation and ditch the SUV. You could always swap the Hydramatic 350 for a 4L60e unit with a stand alone controller. Would probably give you a few more MPG’s and quieter cruising.
Just pull the trigger and put a complete LS engine in with your 4L60e transmission.
I totally agree, fuel mileage and performance would come up considerably. Wouldn’t look any different.
A beautiful classic wagon in and out. Turn-key cars have a lot of appeal, especially to those who don’t have the skills or resources to restore a vintage vehicle. It will be interesting to see the final bid on this beauty. I’m a huge fan of station wagons and have been ever since my first one, a 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera Cruiser station wagon. After that, I had an ’89 Taurus wagon, then a ’99 Taurus wagon. Next, I had a beautiful, loaded 2005 Mercury Sable wagon that I really liked but I traded it in on a 2007 Dodge Magnum SXT which I still have. It’s too bad there are no more American wagons being made any more. These days, it seems everybody wants a box-on-wheels SUV that has all the character of a bucket.
There is the Buick wagon of a few years ago which was the best looking modern car in my opinion. Only problem was it was an Opel with unobtanium pieces parts in the US.
All the character of a bucket. Perfect!!!
FWIW, the pictures were taken at a premier detailer in Costa Mesa called Dr. Detail. The shop does some amazing work. The fact they detailed it says a lot (of good things) about the seller.
I don’t know……. it’s a pretty car, but I still think I’d trade it in for a Family Truckster.
Clark Griswold disagrees.
“Hangin’ out, down the street, the same old thing, we did last week”. Erics car was a 1969, but all Vista Cruisers remind me of that show. It was, for a TV show, horribly accurate. Turns out, FEZ, ( Wilmer Valderrama) bought the car from the producers.
If I could buy this Vista Cruiser in a heartbeat though I hate to think what NJ winters could inflict. It is still a beauty even after 50 years! I grew up with station wagons. My dad was a salesman, and we had many, 1964 Buick Special, (our last non a/c car), a 1965 Buick Sportwagon, 1967 Dodge Monaco-what a great wagon, a 1970 Monaco and a 1972 Catalina another great one. Dad would put on about 130,000 miles in 4 years. Too bad both Oldsmobile & Pontiac are no longer around. It was a very different automotive scene back then.
Tony,,,,,Hard to beat an olds engine very tough
I thought I was the only one that cried when that crush the one just like this in the start of movie . was hysterical though
My Dad really liked to buy Pontiac Catalinas and Bonivilles, They would really Get up and go, the last one we Had was a 1970 Bonaville, the 455ci engine would really Get up and go, fuel mileage wasn’t much of a factor, it was so fast, and had a lot of HP for a family car, I was young and ran the hell out of it, even spun the engine, to Bad They don’t make car’s like that anymore, sure Wish I still had it.
Lovely looking car. Assuming everything works like they should, I’d be willing to pay around $9500 for the car.