One of the cool factors of the first and second generation Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser is those fun skylights on top, but the coolness of this one goes beyond that, as it’s got a great surprise hiding under the hood. This is one of those wagons that already appears to be a competent driver, so there’s no real sense of urgency to make any improvements. However, it also seems like a good candidate for a higher-level cosmetic treatment sometime in the future. Reader Hans H. found this 1970 Vista Cruiser here on Facebook Marketplace in Janesville, Wisconsin, and we’d like to thank him for sending in the tip here! All things considered, the asking price of $8,000 doesn’t sound unreasonable.
The seller refers to his Vista Cruiser as a 20-footer, meaning it looks good from about that distance. I get that this one’s not perfect, but it appears to be decent enough to use as a fun driver without immediately prepping the body for a fresh paint job. More good news is that it’s mostly complete on the outside, including the trim, so when the time comes to start making improvements to the exterior, you shouldn’t have to go shopping for very many parts. A couple of items that could use replacement soon are the front grille sections, as each one has some broken pieces.
The original engine has been swapped out for a Chevrolet 400, a high-torque small block manufactured between 1970 and 1980. The seller doesn’t go into any details about where this SBC came from, but he does indicate that it runs well, and we can see that it’s received headers plus a set of dress-up valve covers. However, what’s probably most important and definitely the most intriguing feature here is the Weiand supercharger on top. The original automatic transmission is still present, a B.O.P. Turbo 400, which I didn’t think would bolt up to a Chevy engine, so perhaps an adapter or some other sort of mod has been incorporated here.
We only get to see a couple of interior shots, which show the dashboard still looking pretty good and the driver’s door panel appearing a bit worn. It’s unclear whether the seat covers are for protection or concealment, but the good news is that the owner confirms this is indeed a three-seater. The price is said to be negotiable if the seller keeps the supercharger and wheels, but I’d certainly rather pay more and keep those components intact. I’m of the mindset that this one should continue serving as a fun driver, at least for a while, without immediately becoming too concerned about the imperfections. What are your thoughts on this blown 1970 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser?
YUCK… What’s wrong with an Olds engine…
Chebby in Olds, NOPE!!
Folks like me wont consider a mismatched car like this . Just sayin .
People don’t forget how NASCAR was started. Moonshiners designing their own hotrods with what they had hell yeah. WRH
You don’t remember the 80’s?
They love a Chevy? Buy a Malibu wagon and embrace it as a Chevy.
Too bad. Destroying history.
Yes I remember the 80s. That was an error not an era.
I had a ’70 with the Olds 350 in it – snapped a timing chain at 80,000 miles. had a ’76 Cutlass Salon with an Olds 350 – also snapped a timing chain, Both also fried the transmission (TH 350’s). I was NOT driving them hard or towed anything with them. That, plus the thirst for oil (kept blowing the sender plugs) turned me off to Oldsmobile engines. To top that off, I had an ’88 Chevrolet Caprice Estate with – you guessed it – an Olds engine. Didin’t snap a timing chain, but it’s thirst for oil would have a sultan rich! Mybe it was just bad luck on my part, although three of them being bad seems odd, but I would venture to guess that that Chevy 400 will outlast the Olds 350. Overall though, I love this body style, and if it wasn’t for my location, I’d be tempted to get it with the three rows of seats!
A W25 hood would do wonders to spice it up in the looks department
How cool. I’m afraid to say I’d be a player if it was closer… Close to 2 grand to ship it to my neck of the woods
As far as I recall, a GM turbo 400 was built with a chev engine bolt pattern or a buick olds pattern. They were not interchangeable. Although not common, they did build a multicase turbo 350 which had both engine bolt patterns cast on them making them interchangable.
There were some transmissions that had both. Dual Pattern or Unicase. TH200-4r and 350. I suppose an adapter could be used or just find one with the correct bolt pattern.
You can, but I wouldn’t. Not as strong.
As much as love a big wagon the VC wasn’t my thing. I prefer smaller lighter Cutlass Cruiser. But, what’s with people who post rotated photos or worse, the narrow sliver with the blurry edges?
This is the Cutlass body, it was available as a Vista Cruiser like this one or as a simple Cutlass wagon, without the little windows in the roof. Size wise they are the same except for the bump up on the rear part of the roof.
No sir. VCs are a longer wheelbase. But you are right, they’re otherwise a Cutlass.
Vista Cruisers have a 121 inch wheelbase vs the other Cutlass wagon’s 116 inch. The extra length is all the behind the front doors.
My 70 Vista awaits attention. It has pretty much every option, including the 455. Hopefully coming out in the next year or two, will run it as is – just make it safe and fun. The next caretaker can take on the restoration or restomod.
The 400 THM trans are basically the same thru GM in these years except for the bellhousing bolt pattern. The BOP/Cadillac cases can be swapped for a Chevy case, or I think there are simple adapters out there.
only a clown would go thru all the trouble to swap out frame mounts and all the other B/S to put a chevy motor in an olds. this needs a worked 455 in it and the chevy motor stuffed in Chevelle or a nova. looks to be a solid wagon. how much without the circus motor in it?
Just my opinion, but I think people get too excited about swapping makes of engines. If it’s already swapped, or if it’s what you can afford, I see no problem with a different make engine under the hood. You don’t have to open the hood and advertise it if you don’t want to.
I personally have installed a 455 Olds in a Chevy and am gathering parts for a 500 Cadillac in a square body Chevy K25 chassis to have mid 40s Chevy G506 (army truck) sheet metal. I don’t care if others don’t like it, I’m making it for me.
I personally like GM in GM, Ford in Ford etc. but if I were to build a 30s – 40s Ford it would most likely have a small block Chevy. They just fit well.
The thing is, at one time each brand developed and produced their own engines. GM isn’t just GM, at least up to a point when they went corporate with engines. There was a certain pride in that the brands differentiated themselves with the engines. It was part of their DNA, which was more than skin deep. Now, it’s badge engineering. I find that facile.
427Turbojet, I installed a 500 Caddy in my ’78 2500 crewcab (5th wheel hauler) IIRC all it took was the left motor mount swapped to the right side and an extra hole drilled into the left side frame. It was a torque monster that I wish I had kept. Good luck on your project.
At least it wasn’t another LS swap.
While I would prefer the Olds motor, have done them in my 57, 62 and 66 442, I am also a believer in that like myself, guys build them the way they want..not for others…or, somtimes you run what you can afford or already have or just what you like…just like all the 20s-40s Fords with SBC in them…I did a bunch as a teen…oil pan clearance and pick them up cheap at the yard…was nice a buddies dad owned a junkyard
Every time I see one of these, either the Buick sportwagon wagon or the Vista cruiser they don’t last long available. In an age of SUVs where all of them look a like and you can barely carry or put anything in them while fully loaded with people. I have come to love, admire and appreciate these Wagons.
Ruined it with a Chevy engine. Some folks think that brands are just skin deep. I mean, GM invented badge engineering, but at least at one time, the brands developed their own engines, and that made them special.
If it works, use it! If the shoe fits, wear it! I don’t care what powers the car. What matters to me is how well it powers the car. What matters to me is whether a car can be serviced and maintained.
Yall about to burn that man to a stake because he put a Chevy motor in it.. then yall will flip on me then cause im in the process of swapping mine 69 sport wagon with a hellcat. Pray for me please.. the task have been a pain but slowly getting there 😂
People can do as they please, but it doesn’t inoculate them from social commentary. The consequence might be that he either takes less than he wanted or it doesn’t sell. Some of us appreciate different things. For me, it’s authenticity and the meaning behind what the brands represented at the time. Today, some folks think a badge change makes it a completely different car, and the identity is just skin deep. Maybe that’s where we are today with the younger generations. They don’t understand history and context, just a simplistic interpretation of a perception created by appearance.
Jim, I can appreciate originality/stock. And if the vehicle hasn’t been modified (by a human OR the tin worm) or is a rare/limited production model. Then by all means keep it original. I have a Ford Durango (212 built)But, tooling around with a 200 CI straight 6 is not my cup of tea. So I am resto-modding it to my taste. But saving all the parts and pieces so someone (after I’m gone) can revert it back to original if desired. Many people like different (as do I) and visually the car “makes your day” but driving it may be boring to them. (And possibly me also) So owning/driving what you want is why there are so many different makes and m/or models of cars and trucks. If you own it, you have the right to make it the way you want. Just because others don’t agree with your vision is their problem. Luckily we are all different individuals because the alternative WOULD BE BORING!
@Wayne Considering how old these are, they aren’t making anymore and there are fewer of them every year, it’s kind of nice if not a good idea to keep them as close to original as possible. It’s like pearls before swine with changing things too much. It’s not like it’s a 2003 crown vic.
Just plain turdish – Hard Pass !
“You bring your money and you makes your choices.”
In 1969 you could get all the pieces of the 442 package in a Vista Cruiser EXCEPT dual exhaust , due to the longer wheel base. That changed sometime later
My father ordered a black one in ’69 with the 400, positraction, 3:73, variable ratio steering but only the single exhaust. Guess that made it a “441”!
To late to find this listing. Damn!
Question…Why do so many hot rods like Dodge Fords etc…have Chevy engines in them? Just saying.
Easy to answer that question. Cheap and easy to find parts.
Economics is the lowest common denominator with many.
There Ya Go!
To go fast with reliability
Olds is reliable.
Because they are plentiful,reliable and less expensive.
If your the type that subscribes to deleting a torque monster Oldsmobile engine, I could MAYBE understand an LS swap. But a 400 SBC with a Weiand Blower and stock heads/small exhaust ports?? She be breathn’ like a 2 pack-a-day smoker with COPD running a marathon.
Lordy! What happened to the 455, or even the stock engine. They could have pulled those out done some machine work got an intake manifold for the Weiland, plugged that puppy in, bolted up a set of headers and not have to deal with all the stuff putting the Chevy mill in. Cost would have been similar to messing around with the Chevy mill.
Some folks just don’t know any better.
Started with easy to source and compared to others inexpensive parts. Also the rear sump oil pans clear the stock crossmembers.. many others don’t
Ad states it was sold!
Yeah it didn’t last long until someone snatched it 😆
Adapter plate from a Chevy engine to a BOP pattern trans is just a 1/2″ thick steel plate. The lower bolts are the same, just the uppers need relocating. No big deal.
Sounds like sounds like something I would build because the first vehicle that I built I built when I was 16 in the backyard with a tree and an old school come along and I put a 350 old rocket and transmission in a 72 GMC long bed pickup truck I like those Frankenstein mobiles when it comes to GMS you can make anything out of anything long as it’s GM and the right motor mount setupI 8
Very cool for sure! ! Years ago I listed my 1968 vista wagon that was near finished into athe coolest wagon with buckets, center console m22 4 speed w27 trans. Ram air air cleaner red fender wells 3.23 posi 12 bolt rear end. It drove like a dream and the last thing was a dual exhaust bumper made from cut out,so and welded in the correct place with the trumpets !! It was sold from hear on Barn Finds ! I would love to buy it back if the owner wants to sell it ? It’s in TN now. If you are the owner please call me anytime Craig !!