My parents had a 1974, I remember it well. Got my foot stuck in between the rear jump seat. My father was an Italian immigrant and loved big American cars with big engines. He really liked the 455. In 1978 they traded it in for a new custom cruiser, my dad cursed the 350 for being underpowered. The ‘73 started my love affair with cars. I used to love the sound of full throttle while we would pass two cars at one time on a two lane highway. We lived in louisiana and took it to Colorado every year on vacation. You’ve got a great machine there pal, take care of her.
Parents special ordered a '73 model. Dad built a clam shell for the roof and a matching clam shell trailer so our family of 7 could travel the country. We live in Texas and drove it all over the U.S. and up into Alberta once too. It was a real beast of a machine. Smooth ride and comfortable with plenty of power. Dad sold it back around 1990 for junk and still kicks himself or such a bad decision. It had around 300,000 miles on it and engine still ran good. It needed some minor work but at the time he wanted to get it out of the yard. Dad just turned 92 and according to him, he never had a better vehicle! I would love to find one to restore and go back to some of the places we vacationed so long ago!
The 455 engine runs smooth 1976 was the last year for the 455 Oldsmobile big block love the chunky clicking sounds of the turn signals its so nostalgic
Aww man I was hoping to see the clamshell tailgate work! Granny and Granddaddy had a 1976 Buick Grand Estate station wagon and that was the most fascinating part of the car to me was watching the rear glass disappear and the tailgate disappear when Granddaddy would stick the key in it!
Awesome Clamshell wagon!! Love them. I grew up and learned to drive on our mint, loaded 76 Grand Safari with the cornering lights and rally II key colored wheels as optios. It had everything!! Cream with wood!! Today i own a maroon 76 caprice Estate in beautiful awesome condition inside and out. Maroon with red interior and wood sides. Never goes out in the rain!! It has the 3 seats and power gate and doorlocks.. but not completely loaded!! It has the 400 4bbl rebuilt and ac blows cold but i replaced Everything under the hood but the carburetor... my mechanic said its good. Dont touch it yet!!! Our Pontiac wagon had the 455.. same gas mileage on both. Thanks again for sharing your GEM with us!!!!! ❤
My father inherited a 70s buick estate wagon with the 455 rocket engine from his friend who passed away!! The friend was a funeral director who used it to transport bodies!! We used for trips to the beach and the drive in movies!! I would hate to have to pay to fill it up nowadays at close to 4 dollars a gallon!! It was fun to drive while we had it !! I think one of us kids traded it in for a smaller foreign car . Thanks for showing the video and bringing back the memories!!?
@@patrickflohe7427 it was whatever buick had for there biggest motor! It was a huge car but could still fly down the highway! Alot of these monsters ended up in demo derbys!
I always thought that the Vista Cruiser was the biggest & best Olds Wagon based on the 98 & the Custom Cruiser on the Cutlass & the Buick Estate Wagon was based on the Electra & the Sport Wagon on the Skylark. The bigger Vista Cruisers & Estate Wagons had 455's & the smaller Custom Cruisers & Sport Wagons had 350's.
I used to drive my employers 72 98 he bought it new loaded all you could get on one, 2door red of white damask seats ,this is the first wagon I've seen,at least the door panels are good,carpet and seats are easily replacd,no dents, I like it ,it'd be worth investing in .maybe later do more,it's getting older.😊
Love these big wagons !!! She sure is a beauty, & for 51 years old in pretty decent shape. That Clam Shell rear door certainly adds to the character! My folks bought a new 1974 Olds Custom Cruiser 9 passenger wagon in Oct 1973. Not much difference than your 72, grill, tail lights, & trim. It was non metallic light green without the wood grain. Had a medium green interior. There were 5 of kids & we needed the room. Traveled many miles on some great vacation in that big car. It had a 455 V 8 as well, but suffered from the emission & smog controls that your 72 doesn't suffer with. The gas mileage was 10 - 14 mpg, but the power was NOT as snappy as those per-emission models. The horsepower rating were down because of the emission controls, but these were heavy cars. My folks drove that car for years & well over 200K then donated to the church they attended & the last I new it was still at it with over 300K before it drove off into the sunset. These big wagons had some style & character about them. They could be a luxurious dressy ride for a formal outing, sporty ride to transport the team, or the lake side, canoeing, fishing, or camping & had the muscle to pull a big boat or travel trailer with ease, as well as a load floor & capacity to handle a home improvement project, no problem. The wagons that followed these certainly didn't have that character, or capacity. I have looked for this era of Olds Custom Cruiser wagons for years. All were extremely rusty, over priced, or both. So I've settle for a solid rust free 1973 Chrysler Town & Country wagon with a 440 V-8, 9 passenger rear facing 3rd seat, drop down gate / swing out rear door, beige with the wood grain. It got class & character as well. All these big wagons were used, & used, & used, & abused, & to find a solid rust free model is rare. Love you Olds. she sure has class & style. Best of luck with her, Hope that really unique clam shell window gate works for you. Thanks for sharing it has brought back a lot of good memories!!!!
@@patrickflohe7427 Hey there, Sorry to say I don’t know of any photos for that 1974 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser that my parents purchased new. I would have like to have some pics of it myself; would have gladly shared. 🎄 “Happy Holidays “ !!!!!! 🎄
Dad bought a red/red one new. Took my friends and girlfriends to the drive in with it a few times (friends were not supposed to be in the car). He traded it in in ‘74 for a deep blue Pontiac Grand Safari wagon. Somewhere both exist on old 8mm film I still have
Hi my name is Carmine and this car leaves me speechless! The car is beautiful looking and running. I have the same wide white wall tires on my 1984 Olds 98 Regency. It was the same size that the car had from the factory. It has 151,000 mi. I also have a 1987 Olds Customer Cruiser with the 307. It just passed 270,000 mi. The engine had never been open and it still runs and drives great. Last but not least my 1978 Olds Delta 88 Royale.. with the Olds 350. It is a 1 owner car that I was lucky enough to buy from the grandson of the original owner. She only has 33,000 mi. It was never taken out in any weather. I always say you can't go wrong with an Oldsmobile. I love yours and I wish I owned it. If you ever want to sell it let me know. But if I were you I'd keep it. Glad to hear that you're keeping it doors. If your looking for alittle extra power, do like I did to my 3 cars. Put on true duel exhaust from the manifold back. Use stock mufflers and don't forget the exhaust resonators at the end of the pipes. It will keep it factory quiet and it will give it a noticeable improvement in power especially on the highway. You can use a lead substitute but you don't have to. Just stick to using PREMIUM fuel. Yes they have lower compression engines but trust me always use PREMIUM. The little bit of alcohol won't kill it. I use Sunoco 94 ultra in all my Oldsmobiles. Last but not least use Royale Purple oil. It is fantastic. I noticed on avarage a 5 to 10 degree drop in my coolant temperatures. Feel free to contact me at any time for advice. Good luck with it. Enjoy it hang on to her.
Appreciate the response, Carmine. This is all good information to have. I plan on the dual exhaust and new door seals this season along with a cooling system flush and new wheel cylinders. Next season I will probably tackle some of the more minor Imperfections.
@@Land-Yacht Liam you have a great car. And wait til you do the exhaust you will be happy. I did my cooling systems to. If you don't have a 3 core radiator which I'm sure the 455 has, get one. If you not going to drive it much in the winter you may want to use a 180 thermostat. Like I do with mine. Keep me in the loop I'd love to hear how the car is doing. That's some car!
I drove a ‘72 Buick Estate as an airport courtesy car, fun to tool around in. It was Buick’s Electra offering to a wagon as the Olds 98 copy. Good luck with your project.
Great to see, Liam. My Dad bought a cranberry red '73 new that we had for about 17 years but had no more than 54,000 miles in its use transporting us children around primarily. The Custom Cruiser was the most expensive station wagon at that time and simply loaded with everything. I wish I had the chance to drive my parent's just to get the experience of the legendary Olds 455. What did the car in were electrical problems. I suspect that a rust hole near the back window and locking switch for the tailgate was due to inadequate drainage resulted in water accumulating causing rust and electrical issues. I guess I am partial to the look of the '73. And the rear tailgate was a total party trick certainly. A very solid RWD car from General Motors "good ole" days.
Then the sound was actually mechanical- the electromagnetic relay controlling the blinking lights made this iconic audible noise. Since it’s genuine in a car like this, it sounds more full and authoritative. Modern cars just play a digital facsimile through a speaker in the instrument cluster.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane! I was 12 and my dad sold Oldsmobile and Cadillac's. 1972 we had that same car! The front seat should be a green broadcloth and the vinyl in the back was kid proof so they said. Wow, time flies!
This is a Bad A car, I'm an Olds man like my dad was and I love this car. It would make a perfect wagon to hall my musical instruments and I would be proud of it!
More you drive them the hapier they are! Spot on perfect comment, . I have a 73 Black over Burgundy T- bird 429 4bbl and Im from Upstate NY , drive my T- bird until the snow arrives. Just found this channel subscribed Immediately. Thanx , keep ' em coming
Fantastic find i haven't see one of those since i was a kid in the 70s supr reliable love those classic Oldsmobile and those wagons are another version of the Oldsmobile ninty eight / delta 88 in wagon form
Is this your pot o' gold? 8 track, score! Our family wagon was never this luxurious with no bells or whistles, I spent a summer in the third, rear facing seat travelling across the country, not sure if the tailgate window was open or closed, breathe in the exhaust kids. Great memories.
You're probably aware of this, but by 1972 these had hardened exhaust valves, so were designed to run on unleaded. I had two clamshell wagons and found the gate to be utterly reliable, but every couple of years it appreciated white lithium grease on the tracks to keep it moving at a proper pace.
Very interesting find. Had a '72 350 rocket powered Vista cruiser as a winter beater (30 years ago when they were still considered disposable beaters🙂) -but I have never seen one of these 98 platform-based wagons, didn't know they even existed honestly. Be interested to see the updates on this project -I would definitely hold onto it if I were you. Its a very unique piece for sure that would grab attention at classic shows. Thanks for sharing - you are now a steward of history with this thing!!
A friend of mine has a 1975. The man he bought it from was the original owner, who bought it new in 1975 as his retirement car. It has a factory alarm, which is really cool for 1975.
I've always liked these '71-'76 Olds 98 wagons, it was a "luxury" wagon of the day - didn't see too many of them on the road when new and very rarely see one anymore. The only thing that I thought they should have added was the glass panels in the roof like the Vista Cruiser.
I Definitely would keep it. Just keep after the rust and try to fix the leaks. Especially in the tailgate. The sliders for the tail gate get misaligned. Its a little tricky but its doable.
I remember in 1982, when I was 13, I'd help some guys at at truck terminal in my 'hood prep some cars for the Annual County Derby- '73 Impalas, a '74 Lincoln MV, and... 71 Ford Maverick. These cars were everyday drivers, not in bad shape (ten yrs old) and well...weren't just collectable then. But hell, as a kid of 13, I was already driving at 11, having learned in my Dad's '72 Impala, and I'd love to have had ANY ONE of those cars then, just as much now... Sigh.. 🤔😮💨🥲
..Yes, R.I.P...I don't understand why they kept Buick over Oldsmobile or Pontiac..or keeping GMC, for that matter..Chevy already made trucks, GMC rebadged Chevy truck..and now they make GMC cars, so sad...The only thing Buick ever did that was exciting was the '63-'65 Riviera, the '70 GS and GS Stage 1, and the '80's Grand National...
@@dyer2cycle When I lived in Asia, I saw plenty of GM cars, but maybe one or two Oldsmobiles. My Chinese friend said no one would buy a car with Old in the name, so I am convinced GM wanted to sell many GM products to China and so the y kept Buick( a Cadillac wannabe)
@@japanjack62 Funny,because I always associated the name Buick with the sound someone makes when they are sick and throwing up...and the big toothy open mouth grills they often used just reinforced that...especially the late 1940's-mid-1950's ones...
My family owned the 1973 model, the most expensive wagon GM made AND was more expensive than most Cadillacs. They drove beautifully. We had an issue with the fiberglass lined gas tank, which made its way into the engine clogging everything.
That doesn’t mean much. Salt, is the big killer. If you are in a state that doesn’t use salt, then it’s not so bad. -unless it sits outside all the time
I, too, have always been a sucker for the clamshell wagons. It looks like they ordered every factory option available except for cruise control on this one... although I was kinda' expecting FIVE ashtrays. 😤
My parents bought a '72 Custom Cruiser new. It was medium blue. My mother drove school carpool with it for 8 years. It was a great car! A total beast with that 455 V8. Mom got an Eldorado in '80, but we kept the wagon for another couple of years. It was sad to see it go. I wish I had it back today!
The old Station Wagons were the best & most practical vehicles in their time. They rode like Limos & they had payloads like 1/2 ton pickups with RWD & great towing capacity. The Olds Vista Cruiser & the Buick Estate Wagons with the 455's were the ultimate Wagons in luxury also. These new SUV's are a joke in comparison. The Station Wagons were better in every way except for gas mileage.
From back when cars were the size they should be. Please restore this well and DON'T let it go to a demolition derby. Those guys would give an arm to get a hold of this and use it in a demo derby. They LOVE these wonderful old wagons (so they can destroy them -- and they're getting harder and harder to find).
With a sled like that I'd give priority to the brakes. I've had a couple 70s vehicles where the brakes worked but something still wasn't right and it turned out to be the proportioning valve was bad. Also if the fuel filter was clogged with rust I'd check the tank to see where all that came from.
Totally awesome! Keep it going :). Ps, had a 75 grandville, same brake light issue. Just need to center the proportioning valve. You tube vid can help :).
Years ago my mom had a station wagon. It wasn’t an Oldsmobile. It was an Impala Station wagon. Total rust bucket but the engine and transmission worked fine. I remember going thru a car wash with my mom and because of the rust seals around the window leaked. I got totally soaked
I always loved the look of the full-size SUVs (err, sorry, station-wagons...but really, what's the difference besides the platform they're built on?) of GM from '71-'76, regardless of make. I always thought they were *the* best-looking wagons ever, and one of the best-looking cars in general from the '70s. The very streamlined profile, the slant back with the wraparound curvature of the windows, and of course that cool tailgate mechanism all were decisive factors in my love for them, be they built by Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, or Oldsmobile. If Cadillac had jumped on the bandwagon back then (maybe their first-ever "Escalade"...?), that would have really been something! I remember wanting one of those as a kid, but my grandmother would not hear of it...probably because she still sorely remembered her experience with a brand-new 1960 Kingswood she had been convinced into buying. Of course, the Kingswood of that year had nothing looks-wise on the Kingswoods that would come about 11 years later. I would still like to acquire one of those as part of a personal collection, though I think I might prefer one from the Buick division; I just like Buicks best of all the GM makes.
This it going to show my age, and put on display what a movie geek I am, but I’m struck by the irony that this Oldsmobile wagon is Metallic pea green with wood grain. That was the color combo for the famous family truxter in National Lampoon’s Vacation. Now I know the Truxter was actually an over embellished Ford Country Squire, but here’s the Irony. The car that Clark and Rusty traded in for the Truxter was an Oldsmobile wagon! Although, it was a Vista cruiser, built on the same platform with Cutlass, as supposed to this fine example of a custom cruiser that shares the platform with the Ninety Eight.
I find it amazing that GM had the money to use a shorter wheelbase on the essentially similar Chevy. Not sure that the extra couple of inches really made any difference in the interior room. Perhaps it was just a selling point. BTW, according to specs that are available now, the Chevy 454 made more HP than the Buick and Olds 455s.
I Love those wagons. We had a76 chevy caprice wagon. Drove till it had over half a million miles. Still wish I had it.But the frame and body were to rotted out.
I explained to someone that these clam-shell wagons were at least one foot wider and 3-4ft longer than a 2020 Subaru Forester. The only thing the Subaru had on these wagons was height, and definitely better handling.
As this was posted 3 weeks ago you've probably been told to hold the Parking brake release,and pull up on the pedal to turn off the brake warn light.GM's did that all the time.The spring doesn't pull hard enough for the last bit to hit the switch.Nice ride.If it isn't a fuse,then water around the key switch at the tailgate rusted it and the contacts are poo.
The 72s had reflectors above the taillights, that little body-colored piece that's attached and makes the tip of the rear fender "straight" I guess you would say. That's how you tell the difference between the 71 and the 72 from the back. I don't know why this one has 71 rear 1/4 pieces...
The valve guides wear out in the 120k mileage range ( might start to smoke a bit on start up) as far as the air conditioning goes it could be as easy as replacing the dryer ( the moisture makes them crap out) overall she's a beaut Clark!
I knew I guy in high school, back in the mid-80s, that had a Custom Cruiser in the exact same color, with the 8-track. His parents stopped using it and gave it to him as his first car. We loved piling a bunch of people into it and cruising around in it, but the fuel economy was atrocious! He bought his older brother's Dodge Colt so he could actually afford to go places.
Not sure of this, but I think I read somewhere that this vehicle was built on a pickup truck frame. If so, no wonder it was so large and 5,000 or so pounds.
I made previous comment forgot to mention i have 5 wagons oldest 50 mercury 56 nomad 56 corvette engine 66 Mercury 67 new Yorker 2 one 33k and one 73 k Best lead substitute marvel mystery oil add to fuel i use in all my wagons other equipment and trucks Use Delo 30 in summer 10 30 winter or 15 40 Use A/C Delco filters or Wix or Napa Gold (made by wix ) Never Never use fram filters They ruin engines ...### now as far as Brakes you have 3 Rubber brake hoses ## Change them ASAP average life 8 years on them max change and flush brake systems ... fuel economy add dual exhaust helps ... buy parts at napa for best quality Awesome wagon thanks for sharing this 😊👍 what state are you located
Those tailfins on it are really cool.
I’ve always liked the little tail fins.
I owned the best 1982 0lds Cusrom Cruiser. Many great memories. Regreat I traded for a 1991 olds cruiser. 1991 was the best year for our family trips
455 V8. Beast
*Omg, she’s a BEAUTY!*
Awesome find! Turn signals sound from another world. I loved it!
Any car with a 455 V8 is just plain cool!
17:20 Best soundtrack for a ride like this! 😆 Ol Willie. Who needs a 747 when you've got the perfect land-based representative of a widebody jet!
that is gem you have there.😘
Nice find ... beautiful sunset
My parents had a 1974, I remember it well. Got my foot stuck in between the rear jump seat. My father was an Italian immigrant and loved big American cars with big engines. He really liked the 455. In 1978 they traded it in for a new custom cruiser, my dad cursed the 350 for being underpowered. The ‘73 started my love affair with cars. I used to love the sound of full throttle while we would pass two cars at one time on a two lane highway. We lived in louisiana and took it to Colorado every year on vacation. You’ve got a great machine there pal, take care of her.
Parents special ordered a '73 model. Dad built a clam shell for the roof and a matching clam shell trailer so our family of 7 could travel the country. We live in Texas and drove it all over the U.S. and up into Alberta once too. It was a real beast of a machine. Smooth ride and comfortable with plenty of power. Dad sold it back around 1990 for junk and still kicks himself or such a bad decision. It had around 300,000 miles on it and engine still ran good. It needed some minor work but at the time he wanted to get it out of the yard. Dad just turned 92 and according to him, he never had a better vehicle! I would love to find one to restore and go back to some of the places we vacationed so long ago!
I owned one just like this only in red with cream interior. Drove and rode beautifully...
455 is a greaaaat engine! Keep it forever
My Mom had a car like that. We called it the Enterprise. I've always liked Oldsmobile because they were smooth and quiet.
My family has that same model when we were kids. Brings back memories.
Give that car some love, it deserves it. 💚
The car ride is more comfortable than today's cars.
The 455 engine runs smooth 1976 was the last year for the 455 Oldsmobile big block love the chunky clicking sounds of the turn signals its so nostalgic
Yep, last year for all big blocks in GM cars.
☹️
Aww man I was hoping to see the clamshell tailgate work! Granny and Granddaddy had a 1976 Buick Grand Estate station wagon and that was the most fascinating part of the car to me was watching the rear glass disappear and the tailgate disappear when Granddaddy would stick the key in it!
Awesome Clamshell wagon!!
Love them.
I grew up and learned to drive on our mint, loaded 76 Grand Safari with the cornering lights and rally II key colored wheels as optios.
It had everything!!
Cream with wood!!
Today i own a maroon 76 caprice Estate in beautiful awesome condition inside and out. Maroon with red interior and wood sides.
Never goes out in the rain!!
It has the 3 seats and power gate and doorlocks.. but not completely loaded!!
It has the 400 4bbl rebuilt and ac blows cold but i replaced Everything under the hood but the carburetor... my mechanic said its good. Dont touch it yet!!!
Our Pontiac wagon had the 455.. same gas mileage on both.
Thanks again for sharing your GEM with us!!!!! ❤
My father inherited a 70s buick estate wagon with the 455 rocket engine from his friend who passed away!! The friend was a funeral director who used it to transport bodies!! We used for trips to the beach and the drive in movies!! I would hate to have to pay to fill it up nowadays at close to 4 dollars a gallon!! It was fun to drive while we had it !! I think one of us kids traded it in for a smaller foreign car . Thanks for showing the video and bringing back the memories!!?
The Buicks wouldn’t have had the Olds Rocket engine.
@@patrickflohe7427 it was whatever buick had for there biggest motor! It was a huge car but could still fly down the highway! Alot of these monsters ended up in demo derbys!
@@mikef4776
Buick had a 455 also, but it was a very different engine.
Only Olds V-8 engines were called rocket.
My father had a 72 same color as yours. Not sure if it was an option, Speed alert. Looks like yours didn't have it.
I always thought that the Vista Cruiser was the biggest & best Olds Wagon based on the 98 & the Custom Cruiser on the Cutlass & the Buick Estate Wagon was based on the Electra & the Sport Wagon on the Skylark. The bigger Vista Cruisers & Estate Wagons had 455's & the smaller Custom Cruisers & Sport Wagons had 350's.
Ohhh man what a car. Thanks for showing it to us.
😍Oh wow, now that is a beautiful '72 wagon!!!!!!👍
Have always wanted one like that, nice find!! 🙂
I love it!
‘72 Olds Custom Cruiser is my favorite!
@@patrickflohe7427 👍👍
I used to drive my employers 72 98 he bought it new loaded all you could get on one, 2door red of white damask seats ,this is the first wagon I've seen,at least the door panels are good,carpet and seats are easily replacd,no dents, I like it ,it'd be worth investing in .maybe later do more,it's getting older.😊
My favorite wagon!!!!!! 😍 ❤️!!!!!! Beautiful 😍
Love these big wagons !!! She sure is a beauty, & for 51 years old in pretty decent shape. That Clam Shell rear door certainly adds to the character!
My folks bought a new 1974 Olds Custom Cruiser 9 passenger wagon in Oct 1973. Not much difference than your 72, grill, tail lights, & trim. It was non metallic light green without the wood grain. Had a medium green interior. There were 5 of kids & we needed the room. Traveled many miles on some great vacation in that big car. It had a 455 V 8 as well, but suffered from the emission & smog controls that your 72 doesn't suffer with. The gas mileage was 10 - 14 mpg, but the power was NOT as snappy as those per-emission models. The horsepower rating were down because of the emission controls, but these were heavy cars. My folks drove that car for years & well over 200K then donated to the church they attended & the last I new it was still at it with over 300K before it drove off into the sunset.
These big wagons had some style & character about them. They could be a luxurious dressy ride for a formal outing, sporty ride to transport the team, or the lake side, canoeing, fishing, or camping & had the muscle to pull a big boat or travel trailer with ease, as well as a load floor & capacity to handle a home improvement project, no problem. The wagons that followed these certainly didn't have that character, or capacity.
I have looked for this era of Olds Custom Cruiser wagons for years. All were extremely rusty, over priced, or both. So I've settle for a solid rust free 1973 Chrysler Town & Country wagon with a 440 V-8, 9 passenger rear facing 3rd seat, drop down gate / swing out rear door, beige with the wood grain. It got class & character as well.
All these big wagons were used, & used, & used, & abused, & to find a solid rust free model is rare. Love you Olds. she sure has class & style. Best of luck with her, Hope that really unique clam shell window gate works for you. Thanks for sharing it has brought back a lot of good memories!!!!
Chuck, do you have any phots of your wagon?
@@patrickflohe7427 Hey there, Sorry to say I don’t know of any photos for that 1974 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser that my parents purchased new. I would have like to have some pics of it myself; would have gladly shared.
🎄 “Happy Holidays “ !!!!!! 🎄
Dang, I love the whitewall tires!
So many people put black walls on, but they look terrible!
I agree. I plan on putting the same ones on my Lincoln.
@@Land-Yacht
Where did you get them?
@@patrickflohe7427 gigatire
Dad bought a red/red one new. Took my friends and girlfriends to the drive in with it a few times (friends were not supposed to be in the car). He traded it in in ‘74 for a deep blue Pontiac Grand Safari wagon. Somewhere both exist on old 8mm film I still have
These clamshell wagons have become like unicorns, the Oldsmobiles are a real beautiful car, probably my favorite for sure
You're right. Someone's going to get a really great car!
Hi my name is Carmine and this car leaves me speechless! The car is beautiful looking and running. I have the same wide white wall tires on my 1984 Olds 98 Regency. It was the same size that the car had from the factory. It has 151,000 mi. I also have a 1987 Olds Customer Cruiser with the 307. It just passed 270,000 mi. The engine had never been open and it still runs and drives great. Last but not least my 1978 Olds Delta 88 Royale.. with the Olds 350. It is a 1 owner car that I was lucky enough to buy from the grandson of the original owner. She only has 33,000 mi. It was never taken out in any weather. I always say you can't go wrong with an Oldsmobile. I love yours and I wish I owned it. If you ever want to sell it let me know. But if I were you I'd keep it. Glad to hear that you're keeping it doors. If your looking for alittle extra power, do like I did to my 3 cars. Put on true duel exhaust from the manifold back. Use stock mufflers and don't forget the exhaust resonators at the end of the pipes. It will keep it factory quiet and it will give it a noticeable improvement in power especially on the highway. You can use a lead substitute but you don't have to. Just stick to using PREMIUM fuel. Yes they have lower compression engines but trust me always use PREMIUM. The little bit of alcohol won't kill it. I use Sunoco 94 ultra in all my Oldsmobiles. Last but not least use Royale Purple oil. It is fantastic. I noticed on avarage a 5 to 10 degree drop in my coolant temperatures. Feel free to contact me at any time for advice. Good luck with it. Enjoy it hang on to her.
Appreciate the response, Carmine. This is all good information to have. I plan on the dual exhaust and new door seals this season along with a cooling system flush and new wheel cylinders. Next season I will probably tackle some of the more minor Imperfections.
@@Land-Yacht Liam you have a great car. And wait til you do the exhaust you will be happy. I did my cooling systems to. If you don't have a 3 core radiator which I'm sure the 455 has, get one. If you not going to drive it much in the winter you may want to use a 180 thermostat. Like I do with mine. Keep me in the loop I'd love to hear how the car is doing. That's some car!
OMG, We had the same car, loved it..
I drove a ‘72 Buick Estate as an airport courtesy car, fun to tool around in. It was Buick’s Electra offering to a wagon as the Olds 98 copy. Good luck with your project.
Great to see, Liam. My Dad bought a cranberry red '73 new that we had for about 17 years but had no more than 54,000 miles in its use transporting us children around primarily. The Custom Cruiser was the most expensive station wagon at that time and simply loaded with everything. I wish I had the chance to drive my parent's just to get the experience of the legendary Olds 455. What did the car in were electrical problems. I suspect that a rust hole near the back window and locking switch for the tailgate was due to inadequate drainage resulted in water accumulating causing rust and electrical issues. I guess I am partial to the look of the '73. And the rear tailgate was a total party trick certainly. A very solid RWD car from General Motors "good ole" days.
‘72 was my absolute favorite.
Growing up our family had a 72 Custom Cruiser, SD 455, trailer special in silver over fake wood. Damn thing was actually pretty quick for it's weight.
She scoots!
SD was for PONTIAC 455 Super Duty 73-74 only.
What a neat ole wagon!
16:30 Now THAT's what a turn blinker/hazard indicator should sound like when in use! Not all wimpy soft as on today's cars.
Then the sound was actually mechanical- the electromagnetic relay controlling the blinking lights made this iconic audible noise. Since it’s genuine in a car like this, it sounds more full and authoritative. Modern cars just play a digital facsimile through a speaker in the instrument cluster.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane! I was 12 and my dad sold Oldsmobile and Cadillac's. 1972 we had that same car! The front seat should be a green broadcloth and the vinyl in the back was kid proof so they said. Wow, time flies!
This is a Bad A car, I'm an Olds man like my dad was and I love this car. It would make a perfect wagon to hall my musical instruments and I would be proud of it!
Just beautiful..I love that bodystyle..Great find
More you drive them the hapier they are! Spot on perfect comment, . I have a 73 Black over Burgundy T- bird 429 4bbl and Im from Upstate NY , drive my T- bird until the snow arrives. Just found this channel subscribed Immediately. Thanx , keep ' em coming
Beautiful Custom Cruiser 💚😈👍
Well it’s a Olds. It’s basically a Ninety Eight wagon. I love the clam shell tailgate. Great vehicle. Oldsmobile was one of the most reliable brands.
Fantastic find i haven't see one of those since i was a kid in the 70s supr reliable love those classic Oldsmobile and those wagons are another version of the Oldsmobile ninty eight / delta 88 in wagon form
Is this your pot o' gold? 8 track, score! Our family wagon was never this luxurious with no bells or whistles, I spent a summer in the third, rear facing seat travelling across the country, not sure if the tailgate window was open or closed, breathe in the exhaust kids.
Great memories.
SWEET !!!
You're probably aware of this, but by 1972 these had hardened exhaust valves, so were designed to run on unleaded. I had two clamshell wagons and found the gate to be utterly reliable, but every couple of years it appreciated white lithium grease on the tracks to keep it moving at a proper pace.
I thought that wasn’t until ‘73 or ‘74?
Very interesting find. Had a '72 350 rocket powered Vista cruiser as a winter beater (30 years ago when they were still considered disposable beaters🙂) -but I have never seen one of these 98 platform-based wagons, didn't know they even existed honestly. Be interested to see the updates on this project -I would definitely hold onto it if I were you. Its a very unique piece for sure that would grab attention at classic shows. Thanks for sharing - you are now a steward of history with this thing!!
Oh man these are pretty! Id love to get me one. You can now join aswoa and show it off in their next meeting. Love your new ride. Enjoy!
Worked for Oldsmobile from 63 to 75 great car love the tail gate 455 v8 great engine keep it done sell it you will always love it
I rescued a 70 Dodge Monaco Wagon...it's awesome. The back of the cars are like a work of art and functional 🎉
A friend of mine has a 1975. The man he bought it from was the original owner, who bought it new in 1975 as his retirement car. It has a factory alarm, which is really cool for 1975.
I've always liked these '71-'76 Olds 98 wagons, it was a "luxury" wagon of the day - didn't see too many of them on the road when new and very rarely see one anymore. The only thing that I thought they should have added was the glass panels in the roof like the Vista Cruiser.
There were lots of these on the road, back in the day.
NOT BAD !!!!!!!!!!!! SHE IS PRETTY
I Definitely would keep it. Just keep after the rust and try to fix the leaks. Especially in the tailgate. The sliders for the tail gate get misaligned. Its a little tricky but its doable.
I would love to have a round back wagon, unfortunately most around here have been destroyed in demo derbies.
Way too many classic cars that had potential to be preserved or restored were destroyed in that mindless “sport”.
I remember in 1982, when I was 13, I'd help some guys at at truck terminal in my 'hood prep some cars for the Annual County Derby- '73 Impalas, a '74 Lincoln MV, and... 71 Ford Maverick. These cars were everyday drivers, not in bad shape (ten yrs old) and well...weren't just collectable then. But hell, as a kid of 13, I was already driving at 11, having learned in my Dad's '72 Impala, and I'd love to have had ANY ONE of those cars then, just as much now... Sigh.. 🤔😮💨🥲
Beautiful car, it's is worth it...RIP Oldsmobile.....
..Yes, R.I.P...I don't understand why they kept Buick over Oldsmobile or Pontiac..or keeping GMC, for that matter..Chevy already made trucks, GMC rebadged Chevy truck..and now they make GMC cars, so sad...The only thing Buick ever did that was exciting was the '63-'65 Riviera, the '70 GS and GS Stage 1, and the '80's Grand National...
@@dyer2cycle When I lived in Asia, I saw plenty of GM cars, but maybe one or two Oldsmobiles. My Chinese friend said no one would buy a car with Old in the name, so I am convinced GM wanted to sell many GM products to China and so the y kept Buick( a Cadillac wannabe)
@@japanjack62 Funny,because I always associated the name Buick with the sound someone makes when they are sick and throwing up...and the big toothy open mouth grills they often used just reinforced that...especially the late 1940's-mid-1950's ones...
Big Blocks are fun, fun for the whole family.
She's a rare.classic, especially with the classic clam shell tailgate. If I was you I would keep her for sure.
Awesome look!
My family owned the 1973 model, the most expensive wagon GM made AND was more expensive than most Cadillacs. They drove beautifully. We had an issue with the fiberglass lined gas tank, which made its way into the engine clogging everything.
That's a sweet car. Hang on to her, That even has the electric clamshell rear hatch.
It's good you bought a car that was owned in Wyoming. Their winters are SO mild.😁😁😁😁
JEEZ! An 8 track.....
That doesn’t mean much.
Salt, is the big killer.
If you are in a state that doesn’t use salt, then it’s not so bad. -unless it sits outside all the time
I ❤ like american cars from 60'ies to 70'ies. They were still cool until 2000. Recently, i watched a CADILLAC from end 90. I said " WOW" !
I, too, have always been a sucker for the clamshell wagons. It looks like they ordered every factory option available except for cruise control on this one... although I was kinda' expecting FIVE ashtrays. 😤
My parents bought a '72 Custom Cruiser new. It was medium blue. My mother drove school carpool with it for 8 years. It was a great car! A total beast with that 455 V8. Mom got an Eldorado in '80, but we kept the wagon for another couple of years. It was sad to see it go. I wish I had it back today!
Jesus we had one when i was a child in the late 80s...
That thing is cool
The old Station Wagons were the best & most practical vehicles in their time. They rode like Limos & they had payloads like 1/2 ton pickups with RWD & great towing capacity. The Olds Vista Cruiser & the Buick Estate Wagons with the 455's were the ultimate Wagons in luxury also. These new SUV's are a joke in comparison. The Station Wagons were better in every way except for gas mileage.
Great car ! Rolling restoration. Learned to drive in one of these (a ‘73). Won’t be a hard sell…I’d snap it up in a minute.
What a great car! Love these old wagons ❤
The front facing rear bench kinda caught me by surprise
I love it😊
If you don’t have a center armrest, I would upgrade front seat to one from a ‘72 Olds 98 Regency before reupholstering.
Love it ! Great Great Find. There's 1 around here but yours appears in better shape
That thing's as quiet as an electric!!! 😎😎
From back when cars were the size they should be. Please restore this well and DON'T let it go to a demolition derby. Those guys would give an arm to get a hold of this and use it in a demo derby. They LOVE these wonderful old wagons (so they can destroy them -- and they're getting harder and harder to find).
Vomit green that is a 70s color for sure make sure to get 4 docking cushions... lmao 😅😊
With a sled like that I'd give priority to the brakes. I've had a couple 70s vehicles where the brakes worked but something still wasn't right and it turned out to be the proportioning valve was bad. Also if the fuel filter was clogged with rust I'd check the tank to see where all that came from.
Totally awesome! Keep it going :). Ps, had a 75 grandville, same brake light issue. Just need to center the proportioning valve. You tube vid can help :).
Years ago my mom had a station wagon. It wasn’t an Oldsmobile. It was an Impala Station wagon. Total rust bucket but the engine and transmission worked fine. I remember going thru a car wash with my mom and because of the rust seals around the window leaked. I got totally soaked
Change the points,and the condenser. That allows it to fire. The electrical area.
I always loved the look of the full-size SUVs (err, sorry, station-wagons...but really, what's the difference besides the platform they're built on?) of GM from '71-'76, regardless of make. I always thought they were *the* best-looking wagons ever, and one of the best-looking cars in general from the '70s. The very streamlined profile, the slant back with the wraparound curvature of the windows, and of course that cool tailgate mechanism all were decisive factors in my love for them, be they built by Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, or Oldsmobile. If Cadillac had jumped on the bandwagon back then (maybe their first-ever "Escalade"...?), that would have really been something! I remember wanting one of those as a kid, but my grandmother would not hear of it...probably because she still sorely remembered her experience with a brand-new 1960 Kingswood she had been convinced into buying. Of course, the Kingswood of that year had nothing looks-wise on the Kingswoods that would come about 11 years later. I would still like to acquire one of those as part of a personal collection, though I think I might prefer one from the Buick division; I just like Buicks best of all the GM makes.
This it going to show my age, and put on display what a movie geek I am, but I’m struck by the irony that this Oldsmobile wagon is Metallic pea green with wood grain. That was the color combo for the famous family truxter in National Lampoon’s Vacation. Now I know the Truxter was actually an over embellished Ford Country Squire, but here’s the Irony. The car that Clark and Rusty traded in for the Truxter was an Oldsmobile wagon! Although, it was a Vista cruiser, built on the same platform with Cutlass, as supposed to this fine example of a custom cruiser that shares the platform with the Ninety Eight.
Love to have one fall in my lap! But in Michigan if it did it be disinterested rust ! Sweet ride .
1971-76 custom cruiser was a 98 station wagon.
You found a rare car😮
I find it amazing that GM had the money to use a shorter wheelbase on the essentially similar Chevy. Not sure that the extra couple of inches really made any difference in the interior room. Perhaps it was just a selling point. BTW, according to specs that are available now, the Chevy 454 made more HP than the Buick and Olds 455s.
My Dad had a 72 Delta 88 with 455. Engine & Trans bulletproof. 8mpg city/18 mpg highway.
Nice car man I like it
if you hold the brake pedal down hard for a few seconds it should reset your warning light. nice car enjoy it!
Thanks for the tip!
I Love those wagons. We had a76 chevy caprice wagon. Drove till it had over half a million miles. Still wish I had it.But the frame and body were to rotted out.
I’d check the parking brake, that the pedal is releasing all the way.
Also, the light might just be grounding out.
I explained to someone that these clam-shell wagons were at least one foot wider and 3-4ft longer than a 2020 Subaru Forester. The only thing the Subaru had on these wagons was height, and definitely better handling.
As this was posted 3 weeks ago you've probably been told to hold the Parking brake release,and pull up on the pedal to turn off the brake warn light.GM's did that all the time.The spring doesn't pull hard enough for the last bit to hit the switch.Nice ride.If it isn't a fuse,then water around the key switch at the tailgate rusted it and the contacts are poo.
The 72s had reflectors above the taillights, that little body-colored piece that's attached and makes the tip of the rear fender "straight" I guess you would say. That's how you tell the difference between the 71 and the 72 from the back. I don't know why this one has 71 rear 1/4 pieces...
The valve guides wear out in the 120k mileage range ( might start to smoke a bit on start up) as far as the air conditioning goes it could be as easy as replacing the dryer ( the moisture makes them crap out) overall she's a beaut Clark!
Keep it it's nice
I knew I guy in high school, back in the mid-80s, that had a Custom Cruiser in the exact same color, with the 8-track. His parents stopped using it and gave it to him as his first car. We loved piling a bunch of people into it and cruising around in it, but the fuel economy was atrocious! He bought his older brother's Dodge Colt so he could actually afford to go places.
I have the same car but mine has manual back tailgate and manual windows. Yours is in excellent condition. Mine does not have 3rd row.
Not sure of this, but I think I read somewhere that this vehicle was built on a pickup truck frame. If so, no wonder it was so large and 5,000 or so pounds.
LOLOLOL
No, it wasn’t.
I made previous comment forgot to mention i have 5 wagons oldest 50 mercury
56 nomad 56 corvette engine 66 Mercury 67 new Yorker 2 one 33k and one 73 k
Best lead substitute marvel mystery oil add to fuel i use in all my wagons other equipment and trucks Use Delo 30 in summer 10 30 winter or 15 40
Use A/C Delco filters or Wix or Napa Gold (made by wix ) Never Never use fram filters
They ruin engines ...### now as far as Brakes you have 3 Rubber brake hoses ##
Change them ASAP average life 8 years on them max change and flush brake systems ... fuel economy add dual exhaust helps ... buy parts at napa for best quality
Awesome wagon thanks for sharing this 😊👍 what state are you located
National lampoons Vacation! All the way!