Want something big and bold and useful? Ever consider one of the full-sized station wagons of the 1970s? These are cars that have been hot in the collector hobby for a while, though the fever is now cooling while the crazy money pursues Broncos. Given that fact, this might be the time to have a look at a wagon, like the 1975 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser seen here on ebay. It’s available for bid, and we have it on our radar thanks to tipster TJ, with the current number sitting at $7700 with two people having weighed in. If you get involved, and you win, head to Cassopolis, Michigan, to load your family into the four-door with the clamshell tailgate.
Driving this car puts you immediately into a zone of cool that grows from the way these models have been used in movies. Think about the famous station wagons of film and television history. The Griswold Family Truckster. The Ecto-1 of Ghostbusters. The Ford Country Squire of Harry and the Hendersons. Each has a kind of outsized charm, becoming a character in their respective films every bit as real as the actors who drove them. You can read about the top ten of the genre here if you’re keen.
What do you get with this particular model? Nine-passenger seating. A 455-cid Olds Rocket V8 with but 71,000 clicks on the odo. The deliciously named “Buttercream over Mahogany” color scheme. Fender skirts on the rear. A spoiler (“airfoil”) mounted up high at the rear. Acres of brown vinyl upholstery, and, gotta love it—crank windows. This is a true throwback to the era when everyone in the northern climes piled into one of these at Spring Break and headed for Disney World in Florida for fun and to escape the snow.
The ad brings out an interesting point. Many people have never even seen one of these, let alone gone on a trip in one. The thing is, as the ad also points out, there aren’t many big wagons left. This one-family-owned unit is all ready for you to find a long road to somewhere, though. It has had a good deal of attention paid to renewing the mechanical bits like the brakes and rubber parts. And it has been run through a tire shop for new shoes. Does that ease of use act as a temptation? There’s an audience for this car—everyone who ever got shunted to the “way in the back” section as punishment for sibling misbehavior or because a bunch of family and friends were on board. Isn’t it about time that you lived those days over, or lived them for the first time?
It’s seems like of all the GM clamshell wagons I see the least amount of Oldsmobiles. This is an excellent example.
I remember going to Elementary School with a kid whos parents had a blue one. Even back then you didn’t see these very often it seems. I remember the Chevys with the Clamshell gate the most. I’m pretty sure these were built on the Ninety Eight chassis and that 455 is a huge plus moving all this weight around. These must’ve been a great way to travel on a family vacation. I see a hitch too, I’m sure this would’ve made a great tow vehicle too. Back then you could get a factory tow package on Eighty Eights and Ninety Eights, 455 4 barrel factory dual exhaust and posi rear too if I remember correctly. They towed very well.
Imagine working on that tailgate after it stops mid-stride.
Just for the record, we always called it the “way back”, and was seat of choice for us kids, as far away from the old man listening to the ball game as we could get. This, in ’75, was still the preferred method of travel for a family. Airplanes were too expensive, and still falling out of the sky, this was it. Ho-Jos provided the grits, Bob Bodett ( Motel 6,,,SIX BUCKS!!!) the roof and this new fangled “innerstate” thing,,,no stopping!!! Might be a tad thirsty, but any travel today will cost ya’, may as well go in style. Great cars to the bitter end.