Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 23:42, 13 March 2007

Motor vehicle Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser Overview Manufacturer General Motors Production 1964–1977 Body and chassis Class Mid-size Body style 4-door station wagon Platform FR A-body Related Buick Century Buick Special Chevrolet Chevelle Chevrolet Monte Carlo Oldsmobile Cutlass Pontiac Grand Prix Pontiac Tempest Chronology Successor Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser

Motor vehicle First generation Overview Production 1964–1967 Powertrain Engine 330 in³ Rocket V8 Dimensions Wheelbase 120 in

Motor vehicle Second generation Overview Production 1968–1972 Powertrain Engine 350 in³ Rocket V8 400 in³ Rocket V8 455 in³ Rocket V8 Dimensions Wheelbase 121 in

Motor vehicle Third generation Overview Production 1973–1977 Powertrain Engine 350 in³ Rocket V8 403 in³ Rocket V8 455 in³ Rocket V8 Dimensions Wheelbase 116 in

The Vista Cruiser was a station wagon built by the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors from 1964 to 1977, which was based on the Oldsmobile Cutlass/F-85 model, but had a slightly longer wheelbase than the cars it was based upon.

Noted for the glass found in the roof over the second-row seating and for the smaller glass panels over the rear cargo area windows, this car was introduced to the public on February 4, 1964 as a 1964 model. This body style with the split front skylight continued through the 1967 model year and was replaced by a radically redesigned model for 1968 that featured a one-piece front skylight. This body style was not unique to Oldsmobile, being shared with the Buick Sport Wagon, and was not repeated in future Oldsmobile mid-size wagons, however, the skylight concept was repeated with the 1991-92 full-size Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser wagon and echoed by its corporate sibling, the 1991-96 Buick Roadmaster wagon. The forward facing third row seat is also unusual for car-based wagons, and is also seen on the Ford Freestyle and Eagle Medallion.

This design also featured an elevated rear roof section, based on the Budd Company Vista Dome, and the GM SceniCruiser bus made for Greyhound Lines in the 1950s, and also allowed extra headroom for an optional front-facing third-row seat.

Although the roof glass was substituted for an optional pop-up front-row sunroof for the 1973 model year, the Vista Cruiser name continued for five more model years as an elevated trim level of the Cutlass Supreme station wagon until the Cutlass Cruiser was introduced for the 1978 model year.

Pop Culture

A second generation 1969 Vista Cruiser was Eric Forman's car on That '70s Show.

At the beginning of National Lampoon's Vacation the car that gets crushed is a Vista Cruiser.

External links

• GM Skywagon Club
• Vista Cruiser specifications
• Oldsmobile Club of America

v t e Oldsmobile vehicles
A division of General Motors, 1908–2004
Production models (by year of introduction)	1900s Curved Dash (Model 6C / Model B / Model F / Model R / Straight Dash) Model A Model D Model M Model S Model X Model Z Series 20 1910s Light Eight Limited Model 42 Model 43 Series 22 Series 28 Series 40 Six 1920s F-Series Model 30 1930s L-Series Series 60 Series 70 1940s 88 1950s 98 Starfire 1960s Cutlass 442 Supreme Hurst/Olds Jetstar I Vista Cruiser Toronado 1970s Omega Custom Cruiser 1980s Cutlass Calais Cutlass Ciera Firenza Touring Sedan 1990s Achieva Alero Aurora Bravada Intrigue Silhouette
Concept models	F-88 (1954) Golden Rocket (1956) Aerotech I (1987) Tube Car (1989) Aerotech III (1989) Expression (1990) Antares (1995) Alero Alpha (1997) Recon (1999) Profile (2000) O4 (2001)
Related brands	Viking
Category Commons

• Oldsmobile vehicles
• Rear wheel drive vehicles
• Mid-size cars
• Station wagons
• 1960s automobiles
• 1970s automobiles