Project or Parts? 1969 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser Roller
With no evidence that local manufacturers plan to reintroduce Station Wagons to their product range, buyers are faced with several choices. They can opt for an SUV, purchase an import, or search the market for a secondhand alternative. That situation has seen the values of classic Wagons climb steadily, and spotless examples typically find a new home fairly quickly. This 1969 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser is far from perfect, raising the question of whether it is a viable project. It is missing its engine and transmission but is otherwise complete. It seems the seller hasn’t been inundated with potential buyers since they listed the Olds here on Facebook Marketplace in Toms River, New Jersey. They set their price at $3,500, and I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Edward W for spotting this wonderful Wagon.
Whenever I see a Second Generation Vista Cruiser, I am reminded of the tidy vehicle that Clark Griswold traded on the Wagon Queen Family Truckster in the original National Lampoon’s Vacation movie. That Olds met a sad fate in a crusher, although I believe the sacrificed Vista was actually a 1971 or 1972 model. The seller only supplies one complete exterior shot of our feature Wagon, concentrating on close-ups of the distinctive glass that defines a Vista Cruiser. The Saffron paint has seen better days, and the faux woodgrain is all but gone, although neither issue is insurmountable. There is visible rust in some lower extremities, but with only one side of the vehicle visible, determining the extent of the problem is impossible. There is no information regarding the floors, but the seller states the frame is solid. The tinted glass looks okay, and while the taillights are missing their lenses, the remaining trim might be salvageable.
This Vista Cruiser’s interior needs as much love as its exterior, meaning a total restoration is the only option. However, it retains its vital components, and the wiring harness has not been cut or hacked. There are holes in the dash where components like the radio should live, but there is also what could be a pleasant surprise. The interior shots seem to reveal an uncracked dashpad, which is significant. These are becoming harder to find, with good secondhand ones typically selling for over $400. An overlay is an affordable alternative if someone decides to revive this classic and finds the pad is cracked. The photos also reveal that the original owner ordered the Wagon with air conditioning, but determining further factory options is impossible.
There may be several reasons why this Vista Cruiser has been on the market for thirteen weeks. One could be that it no longer features an engine and transmission. The seller confirms it rolled off the line with a 350ci V8 and a three-speed Turbo Hydramatic transmission. It is safe to assume it also featured power assistance for the steering and brakes. Oldsmobile offered Vista Cruiser buyers a choice between two versions of the 350, with even the least potent producing 250hp and 355 ft/lbs of torque. The range-topping 350 churned out 310hp and 390 ft/lbs, with both providing excellent performance. The loss of these major drivetrain components may be crucial in determining whether this is a project or a parts car. I performed a very brief internet search and had no trouble finding a date-correct and rebuildable 350 for $400. A competent enthusiast could breathe new life into it in a home workshop, although a more intense search may unearth one ready to be bolted straight in.
It will be interesting to gauge reader feedback on this 1969 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser and see what percentage of you feel it is a viable project. Oldsmobile produced 33,387 examples of the Vista Cruiser in that year, but this is one of 11,879 Vistas where the original owner selected the six-seat variant. That reduces its versatility, but a patient search could unearth a third-row seat that would increase it. It is possible to find running and roadworthy examples for under $20,000 in the current market, but immaculate ’69 Vista Cruisers can sell for over $45,000. The final factor to consider is potential future value because these Wagons have appreciated far beyond the market average during the past year. Therefore, this could be a case of “short-term pain for long-term gain” if someone brings it back from the brink. Purchasing a classic as an investment is always risky, but would you take a chance with this one?
Auctions Ending Soon
2002 Subaru Impreza WRXBid Now1 days$333
1975 Chevrolet Corvette ConvertibleBid Now1 days$4,000
1964 Ford F-100 Camper CustomBid Now1 days$2,000
2006 Jeep Wrangler SportBid Now3 days$11,000
1974 Datsun 260ZBid Now5 days$750
Comments
That’s a lot of money for what is essentially a core. I would think $1,500 is more in line. Then source a 6.6 403 cid from a 79 trans am doing a rebuild and mild cam upgrade, use the th200-4r to get the lower first gear plus an overdrive, with the usual headers and duals. Year one should have most of the needed interior components. These are really cool cars when redone. Best of bidding to the lucky winner but a lot of work is here.
I have a friend who would like it for a demo derby car. If the frame is solid, these things are a tank. Not quite as good as an Imperial, but most derbys outlawed Imperials years ago. I’ll do the car world a favor and not tell him about it.
Yes, please don’t.
No they’re not – this is just a Cutlass, and like the rest of the 68-72 mid-size GM line the frames are no where near as strong as their full size siblings , and there are no reinforced bumpers front or rear. . And worse than that the Vistas have a mostly glass roof, with no real structure in them. I’ve seen these in derbies in the past where the whole rear body just balls up , and they dont last long after that. – Of course if you’re talking about modern derbies where they put over 10g into a car and just bounce around on solid fork lift tires pushing people with a gigantic solid steel bumper, it may be ok
I think it depends on many things. Assuming everything is solid and there’s no rust holes in the chassis to compromise the safety of the car, restoration of the car can and should be done.
Yes!! I agree Car Nut this car should be saved & not for demo derby !? If this car is @ least 75% solid; chassis & body it s worth the time & $$ ; even if it takes a few years to complete ?! I too love these Old’s Vista Cruisers stemming from t v show that 70s show ! (1969-72)!! d k letter for this body style? ; Old’s put out some great cars aside from Cutlass S & 442’s ! & these are those cars ! & yes agree Car Nut closer in person inspection is needed to see how savable this car is & thankfully most parts are out there to find for restoration & yes these cars are getting hard to find & far few in between ?! And like Chevelles hiding in a barn or garage ?! I feel that a sight unseen purchase of this car ; max bid would be about $5k?
I recall a metaphor “Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? If you answered two out of three then the third doesn’t matter. This car is beat up from the street up.
what a shame as a previous v/c owner i hate to see them like this. good luck getting a title if it stays nj. almost impossible to get one with a bill of sale or not. i think the price is way too high for what is there. good luck to the seller.
This is one of those “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t!” cars. There may be too much rust to justify restoring it, but OTOH, there’s not enough here to justify parting it out and crushing the shell. Without an engine or transmission at home, and most of the interior missing or too damaged to save, there’s not many parts left to sell. If you decide to restore it, by the time you spend the money to strip the paint, so you can see how bad the rust is, you’re already in too deep to bail out!
It would be a shame to crush it, but just beware, you’ll only have two (2) chances to get your money back when you sell it: slim and none! If you can afford to take the financial hit, this could be a great restomod candidate, with an LS or LT crate motor and modern A/T riding in a an aftermarket frame with either a four-link or IRS holding up the back end, if the body work and paint don’t break the bank first!
Crush It
I thought that the Thunderbird with a Vista Cruiser roof grafted onto it was a fabulous thing.
This is probably – slightly – too good for that, but re-doing it with modern gubbins is probably a good idea as there’s not really enough of it left to restore.
Quite a few of those roofs found their way onto custom vans back in the 1970s.
We had a 68 Olds wagon.vista..same color everything..I agree..800bucks at the most..that needs everything inside..get a Good 305 motor and turbo 200 and let it rip…..paints gonna be a monster.o. that..that top window.if broke..seal it in with a cut piece of sheet.metal…they were good old cars..drove.ok..ours had the small Olds motor..small power 2bbl….we traded it in 1974 when nixon let gas go to 85 cents per gallon..Olds wagon got 8mpg…thus..we owned a 73 vega gt..
I have always liked the vista cruisers with those roof windows. When I was a kid I wanted my father to buy one but he always bought Mercury wagons. If I was a younger man I would buy this and restore it. Since engine options are open I would build a Chevy 350 with hi performance parts mate it to a TH400 auto. I would rather a Oldsmobile 350 but parts are easier to get and cheaper for the Chevy. With the mechanicals sorted I would take care of the interior and do the body work while driving it. Then lastly have it painted. This car really needs to be saved. GLWTS