Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser

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Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser
Production period: 1964-1977
Class : upper middle class
Body versions : Station wagon
Successor: Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser

The Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser was a combination of the upper middle class , the 1964 to 1977 of Oldsmobile , a brand of General Motors , was built. It was based on the F-85 , later on the Cutlass Supreme , but had a longer wheelbase and was offered in parallel to the station wagons of the respective base series.

Year by year

1964-1967

Vista Cruiser (1964-1967)
Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser (1965)

Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser (1965)
Production period: 1964-1967
Body versions : Station wagon
Engines: Petrol engines :
3.7-5.4 liters
(114-235 kW)
Length: 5276-5321 mm
Width:
Height:
Wheelbase : 3048 mm
Empty weight : 1519-1765 kg

From February 1964, Oldsmobile offered a station wagon with a wheelbase extended by 5 inches (127 mm) in addition to the F-85 series station wagon. With the wide, horizontal radiator grille and the double headlights used, it was stylistically exactly the same as the F-85, but had a standard glass roof over the rear bench seat and the loading area as a special feature. The Vista Cruiser was offered with six or nine seats in the standard and the custom version. Also, the engine line originated from the F-85-series: base engine was a six-cylinder with 3687 cc capacity and a power of 155 hp (114 kW) at 4400 min -1 . On request, there was also a V8 engine with a displacement of 5408 cm³, which also delivered 210 bhp (154 kW) at 4400 min −1 .

The change to the bone-shaped grille in model year 1965 (the first full model year for the Vista Cruiser) made the model with. The V8 engine put in power to 250 bhp (184 kW) at 4,800 min -1 to, otherwise little changed. In 1966 the six-cylinder engine, which no longer met the performance requirements of customers, was discontinued and the V8 engine - now the basic engine - increased to 260 bhp (191 kW). Again there was a slightly different radiator grille and the “hip swing” came into play above the rear wheel cutouts.

In 1967 the Vista Cruiser also got additional position lights between the double headlights and the V8 engine increased to 320 bhp (235 kW). The version with three benches only had eight seats and the version with six seats was only available in the better equipped custom version.

1968-1972

Vista Cruiser (1968–1972)
Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser (1969)

Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser (1969)
Production period: 1968-1972
Body versions : Station wagon
Engines:
Petrol engines : 5.7–7.5 liters
(132–268 kW)
Length: 5525-5545 mm
Width:
Height:
Wheelbase : 3073 mm
Empty weight : 1763-2000 kg

In 1968 the Vista Cruiser appeared completely revised. Its wheelbase had increased by 1 ″ (25 mm). The twin headlights with the position lights in between had remained, but in the middle of the front of the vehicle there was a central section protruding as a V-shaped nose. The grille in this area consisted of vertical chrome bars. The better equipped custom variant was no longer available. The new V8 engine had a displacement of 5735 cm³ and developed 310 bhp (228 kW) at a speed of 4800 min −1 . On request, the V8 engine of the 4-4-2 model with 6555 cm³ displacement and an output of 325 bhp (239 kW) could also be installed.

In 1969 the position lights between the headlights disappeared. Instead, there was a vertical, lacquered strip in the middle with the Oldsmobile emblem emblazoned on it. Left and right of it stretched the grille with vertical bars. The engine range has not changed this year.

1970 remained stylistically everything the same and the 5.7-liter V8 made only 250 bhp (184 kW) at 4,400 min -1 . But the new high-V8 engine of the model was optional to have 4-4-2 with 7456 cc capacity, of 365 bhp (268 kW) at 5000 min -1 gave.

In 1971 the radiator grilles, like the sister models Cutlass and Cutlass Supreme, were heavier and taller and had a chrome-plated honeycomb pattern. The 5.7-liter V8 made only 240 hp (176 kW) at 4200 min -1 , the 7.5 liter V8 only 340 bhp (250 kW) at 4600 min -1 .

In 1972 there were only minor changes to the body - the radiator grilles were a little higher. Also was again a significant loss to complain of engine power: The 5.7-liter engine brought it only to 180 bhp (132 kW) at 4,000 min -1 , the 7.5-liter engine from the 4-4 2 managed 250 bhp (184 kW). However, there were a few examples of the Vista Cruiser whose 7.5 liter engine was treated by Hurst Performance and now delivered 300 bhp (221 kW). These vehicles were used in parallel with the official pace car on the Indy 500 (this year an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme ). Two of these very special specimens still exist today.

1973-1977

Vista Cruiser (1973-1977)
Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser (1976)

Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser (1976)
Production period: 1973-1977
Body versions : Station wagon
Engines:
Petrol engines : 5.7–7.5 liters
(125–202 kW)
Length: 5359-5585 mm
Width:
Height:
Wheelbase : 2946 mm
Empty weight : 1936-2092 kg

In 1973 the Vista Cruiser appeared completely differently designed. It replaced the smaller Cutlass station wagon, which was no longer manufactured with immediate effect. Accordingly, the wheelbase of the new series was the same as the Cutlass / Cutlass Supreme . The large glass roof that originally gave the Vista Cruiser its name had also disappeared. Instead, there was a sliding glass roof over the front seats. The bend in the hip over the rear wheel cutouts had become obsolete, as had the twin headlights. There were individual round headlights in square frames. The two-part radiator grille with a painted middle section had a wide horseshoe shape that was open at the bottom. The 5.7-liter V8 is unchanged from last year's model, the 7.5-liter V8 made back 275 bhp (202 kW) at 3600 rpm -1 .

In 1974, the horseshoe-shaped grille became rectangular and slightly smaller to allow space for additional, square position lights between them and the main headlights. This year, the Vista Cruiser was accompanied by a slightly less luxurious, but otherwise structurally identical Cutlass Supreme Cruiser . The engine output of the 7.5-liter unit adopted to 210 hp (154 kW) at 4000 min -1 from. In 1975 there were few changes, only the position lights introduced in the previous year disappeared and the radiator grilles became somewhat wider.

In 1976 there was another major facelift . The round single headlights were replaced by rectangular double headlights with flat position and indicator lights underneath; the two radiator grills consisted of vertical slots in the front panel that extended into the horizontal panel in front of the bonnet. The painted nose with the Oldsmobile emblem remained (see photo). The length of the wagons increased by 4.2 ″ (107 mm) compared to the previous year with the same wheelbase. The performance of the 5.7 liter V8 decreased to 170 hp (125 kW) that of the 7.5-liter V8 to 190 hp (140 kW) at 3400 min -1 . 1977 there were no changes in style, but the 7.5-liter V8 was a smaller model with 6604 cc and 185 bhp (136 kW) at 3600 rpm -1 replaced. The 8-seater was no longer available in this last year of production.

In the following year, the Cutlass Cruiser completely replaced the Vista Cruiser. 361,759 copies were made in 14 years.

Appearances in the film

Web links

Commons : Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

swell

  • John Gunnell (Ed.): Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975. Krause Publications, Iola 2002, ISBN 0-87349-461-X .
  • James M. Flammang, Ron Kowalke: Standard Catalog of American Cars 1976-1999 . Krause Publications, Iola 1999, ISBN 0-87341-755-0 .