Long before That ’70s Show introduced the Vista Cruiser to a new generation of fans, these Oldsmobile family-movers already achieved a level of cool rarely attained by a station wagon. This 1972 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser in Boise, Idaho not only features the optional glass roof panels, but also the mighty 455 cid (7.5L) V8. After 15 years of stasis, the engine is seized, but hopefully, some patience and lubrication (or a tear-down and reassembly) will solve that. The listing here on eBay has attracted at least four bidders and a market value beyond $1500.
The L75 455 Rocket V8 made 270 HP and a bountiful 370 lb-ft of torque, not as potent as earlier high-compression models, but strong enough to tow your boat or travel trailer. The three-speed TH400 automatic transmission (used in some Ferrari models) should handle the strain of towing or ferocious burnouts with aplomb. Air conditioning and power brakes add comfort and ease. This green machine could cruise the vistas for hours, or at least until your gas card explodes.
The interior shows wear and also some care. The aftermarket tape deck detracts from a mostly-stock interior. Woodgrain and shiny trim add some class to this cruiser. The $5 Wal-Mart steering wheel cover likely hides a cracked original wheel, but it may have simply been added for grip.
Most cars went to fatter, uglier bumpers after 1972, and an all-new cutlass appeared in ’73, making this grille the last of its kind. The body shows few dents, though the paint is shot. Technically a two-owner car, this Cutlass served a single master for all its driving miles, a number excluded from the listing, but likely 130,000 or 180,000 miles judging from the wear and odometer.
Nice speakers, dude! The bountiful cargo area offers room for your coolers, toys, dogs, and paraphernalia for tailgating, camping, or other activities. Models with no third seat feature an additional storage compartment under the floor. Coming in 1600 lb lighter than a 2020 Chevrolet Suburban, this wagon could be a nimble and stylish alternative, for much less money. In a sea of blah-blah SUVs, the Vista Cruiser brands you as the Cool Mom, or Dad on the block. Are you cool enough to restore this glass-roofed Olds to its former glory?
Though her refrigerator cost more than about 5 of these!
As the great Curly Howard would say, nyuk, nyuk, nyuk!
Good time now to get the groceries even with this(dare i say) guzzler in parts of Wisconsin where regular gas is now …
https://nypost.com/2020/04/18/some-gas-prices-drop-under-a-dollar-per-gallon-due-to-coronavirus/
You could do a lot worse. It looks like actual surface rust, not what is typically contrived by sellers to explain away rot. It looks complete and the price is low at this point, it could wind up being a good project if the price remains reasonable.
Steve R
You need to look closer at the rear quarters and bottom of front fenders. Real rust not just surface. Would like to see pictures of the spare tire well or what’s left of it.
I had a ’70 with the 455 as a winter beater back in 84 or so. First time I hit the throttle to the floor from a start, blew both rear wheel covers off. Man, that car had torque for days. And a beast in the snow. Good times…
Surprisingly, the metal around the Vista windows appears to be in pretty decent shape. Typical rust like the fender bottoms and lower 1/4’s don’t scare me nearly as much as window channel rust. If this is as decent as it appears, and the glass isn’t discoloring or delaminating, you have a really solid builder. Rebuilding window channels is painful. Almost all original cars have a damaged front bumper from towing slings, this one is perfectly straight. The hood, fenders, grille all appear to be in perfect alignment, all the body panels look great. This car has a ton of potential!
Look again. The rust on the inside trim around the rear side windows suggests a water leak. My own, allegedly “rust free” 1964 Vista from Reno, NV had a nasty surprise when I removed the stainless trim around the roof windows.
The glass roof panels were standard equipment on the Vista Cruiser. The smaller Cutlass Cruiser was not available with the glass roof panels.
Clark Griswald traded this for the Family Truckster
I can see this: get mechanicals sorted, detail interior, new paint, 4-4-2 striped hood, color matched Olds Rallye wheels wrapped in T/A radials, then just cruise!!
GLWTA! :-)
My parents owned a ’64 Buick Sport Wagon with the raised roof
and I would love to have another raised roof model. Sadly though, a lot of these gentle Giants went to the crusher after
giving up their drive trains for someone’s hot rod project. I think of our old Sport Wagon every time I see one of these. They
represent a time when getting there was more than half the fun.
I’m sure I’m not the only person who wants particular cars based on childhood memories. I think I have always liked wagons because as a kid we used to vacation in a wagon. One reason the Vista Cruiser is at the top of my list is my dad had to borrow a friend’s Vista when our family truckster was in the shop. He had a 70 Toyota Corona mark 2 wagon. I remember how cool it was to ride in the back seat of the Vista. My dad however complained about the poor gas mileage. I don’t think the Corona model name would be well accepted in our current state. This one is close enough to me to grab it. Unfortunately the timing is wrong:(
Yet another candidate for a used LS with matching transmission and then you can cruise in style without the 3 miles to a gallon …
Speakers look like Realistic Minimus 7s. They were introduced by Radio Shack in the late ’70’s and ended up in a lot of cars (mine included). Pretty sure the mounting brackets came with them.
LarryRS
The Realistics were exactly the speakers I installed in my 68 Vista, in that same location. Yes, they did come with the mounting brackets.