Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser

The Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser was a mid-size station wagon produced from 1972 through 1996. The first year for the Cutlass Cruiser was 1968 indeed on the A body platform with the 116 inch wheelbase shared with the 68-72 Cutlass A body wheelbase. Production from 68-72 average just under 10,000 units a year. Most 68-72 Cutlass Cruisers were produced with the 350 Olds Rocket engine with 2 barrel rochester carb and a 350 turbo hyrdomatic trans. Standard engine offered was the inline 250 Chevy built six which was seldom ordered. Visually these 68-72 models are a shorter version of the more popular Vista Cruiser riding on a 121 inch wheelbase; however, the Cutlass Cruiser was always a flat top wagon without the sky glass. Vista Cruisers offered beefier options compared to the Cutlass Cruiser: standard 350 engine with optional big block engines; front disc brakes, heavier springs, and a standard 400 turbo hydromatic engine. 68-72 Cutlass Cruisers were outsold each year by the Vista Cruiser on average 3 to 1. Vista Cruiser came in 2 and 3 seat models whereas Cutlass Cruisers were offered in 2 seat models. 68-72 was the first generation Cutlass Cruiser although arguably the Cutlass Cruiser can be traced back to the 64 to 67 Cutlass flat top models offered alongside the 64-67 Vistas. The second generation Cutlass Cruiser was the 73-77 Colonade models which were much harder to distinguish from the 73-77 Vista Cruisers as now the Vista Cruisers had only a small sunroof barely noticeable from outside the car. Cutlass Cruiser wheelbases remained 116 inch as opposed to 121 inch for the Vistas.