You spy a Nomadesque car like this 1966 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser and you think, wow, how unique – someone really wanted to make a statement by creating something that never existed. I have seen four-door models reduced to two, but have never encountered a doorectomy performed on an Oldsmobile station wagon. Or have I…? More on that item to follow. This outrageous mashup, located in Richmond, Illinois, is definitely worth a closer look and it’s available, here on eBay for a current bid of $1,525 with twelve bids tendered so far.

OK, first up is a 1981 Cutlass wagon that has given its rear doors the bum’s rush. I really liked the fabrication work on what turned this four-door wagon into a sedan delivery – well executed all the way around. But here’s the shocker, it’s another ’66 Vista Cruiser whose rear doors did the 23 skidoo, and it’s not the same car as our subject – how odd, there are actually two!?

The customization work on this example looks fairly well executed but my guess is that Bondo has played a starring role and, based on all of the cracks, it’s now falling down on the job. There’s not a lot said from the seller, but he does state, “Outside body needs work no major rust through but roof needs some work. Floors are good the storage compartment in the back has rust. It is pretty much what you see is what you get missing some trim“. The C-pillar treatment is not bad, not bad at all actually, I’ve seen more awkward designs on modern cars. It looks a bit unbalanced but that may be due to my eyes expecting two doors per side and having to adjust to the sight of just one. Regardless, this baby’s got some serious surface rust going on.

Unlike our previously covered rear doorless Vista Cruiser, this car has no powertrain, as in no engine, transmission, or driveshaft – they’re all lost to the ages would be my guess. A 250 gross HP 330 CI “Jetfire Rocket V8” engine was standard Vista Cruiser equipment according to Oldsmobile’s ’66 documentation but it’s not a given that’s what originally powered this rig and the VIN is no help in further identification. There is a clutch pedal present but it’s smaller than the adjacent brake pedal so it could be the result of a swap from an automatic to a manual gearbox. There’s no other evidence noted of what might have been.

The seller suggests that the “interior needs to be redone” and that’s an understatement. There are bucket seats that have been swapped in and most of the other necessaries, save the carpet, are still present, but the entire environment looks very weathered. There are no images of the cargo area but the underfloor storage area is shown and it’s pretty well rusted-through. Note the 442 badge on the right side of the instrument panel!

The imagination needed, and the actual modification work performed, are great but I still can’t get over the idea that there’s another one of these running around, or maybe it’s just existing around. It would be fantastic to put this car back into the state that was intended when the rear doors took flight. But judging from this wagon’s forlorn appearance, it has probably been sitting, out in the elements, for a very long time, and once you start digging, more problems will likely surface. And then there’s the entire engine/transmission matter to consider. But hey, hope springs eternal, right?