1972 Oldsmobile

Wagon

8 - Cyl.

Automatic

Clear

Gasoline

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE NO RESERVE! NO RESERVE! NO RESERVE! Extremely RARE 1972 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser Are you looking for a unique big block muscle car? Something a little different than the proverbial Chevelle, Mustang, or Camaro? Want to show up at the kid’s soccer games in the coolest car on the planet? No mini-van or crummy Explorer here..... we are talking the ORIGINAL SUV! The family truckster! The super-luxo Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser! Can you fit a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood flat in the back of your pick-up or SUV? You can in the Custom Cruiser, AND close the tailgate!!! This fabulous car is not for the faint of heart, or for folks who want to be inconspicuous. This wagon stops traffic where ever it goes. Pulling into any car show or Friday night cruise-in all eyes immediately go to this bad-ass wagon! The long low silhouette is underscored by the elegant rear fender skirts, finned rear quarters, and graceful tapered bent glass rear windows. The Custom Cruiser was the most luxurious and elegant looking of the GM clamshell wagons, it was the closest thing to having a factory Cadillac wagon. While cream-puff Cadillacs and Lincolns show up all the time, nice full size 70s wagons are a rarity. Most people who bought luxury cars took care of them and garaged them. Wagons were purchased by big families for utilitarian pursuits.....hauling kids to baseball practice, camping with the girl scouts, weekend homeowner projects. After years of abuse by Mom and the kids they were either passed on to teenage drivers or construction folks who finished them off. Survivor wagons are few and far between and exceedingly hard to find. When is the last time you saw one of these? The Oldsmobile clamshells were the lowest production of the GM clamshell wagons and early examples (71-73) almost never become available. Collector interest in these unique wagons has been growing steadily and fewer and fewer show up for sale these days. This is a rare opportunity to step up and buy one at NO RESERVE, HIGHEST BIDDER WILL OWN IT. This is an original dry Eastern Oregon (The Dalles) with 11,970 miles showing on the odometer; obviously it has rolled over. I purchased this car from the children of the original owner, Mr. B. Delay, who originally purchased the car at Sunset Motor Co. Oldsmobile in The Dalles, OR. The original 1970s Dalles, OR license plates, dealer license frames, and even the original leather key fob from Sunset Motor Co. Oldsmobile are included with the sale. His son told me that his father ADORED this car and money was no object in keeping it up and running. He never wanted to buy a new car, he just kept driving and improving this one. In fact, he was so enamored with this car that he continued driving it after his driver’s license was revoked when he was well into his 80s!! His kids finally had to take the Custom Cruiser from him. Mr. Delay used this car to go back and forth between his summer home in The Dalles, OR and his Winter home in Phoenix, AZ (so the car has never seen any snow). It was garaged in both locations. His son told me that his Dad hated paying the high gas prices at the rural stations on the interstate between his two homes; he decided he wanted extra cruising capacity and fewer stops. So he had a second gas tank professionally installed. You sharp eyed clamshell guys might have already noticed this in the photos. Mr. Delay had the spare tire relocated to the rear cargo area under floor storage compartment, then had a second gas tank professionally installed where the spare used to stand (photos included). He had the correct Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser gas door installed on the right rear fender, hence this car has two gas doors on either side. The workmanship is excellent and it is an easy detail to miss on this car. There is a tiny toggle switch on the dash which allows for switching over to the second tank. I must admit I have not used this tank myself, but I am sure it is in the same, well cared for, excellent working order the rest of the car is in. The car is finished in Oldsmobile “Pinehurst Green” with Dark Green interior. It is equipped with the following options: · Power Windows· Power Tailgate and Power Rear Window· Deluxe ‘Comfortron’ Climate Control Air Conditioning· Six way Power Bench Seat · Tilt *AND* Telescopic Steering Wheel· Cruise Control – works too!· Electric Clock· Remote Control Driver's side Mirror· AM radio with front and rear speakers· Rear Bumper Guards · Factory Chrome Roof Rack The powerful 455 V8 / 4 barrel runs and drives great. The transmission shifts smooth. The brakes stop on a dime. The car gives an incredible smooth ride...the long wheelbase and even weight distribution make this car a joy to drive. No doubt the car is huge, but driving and handling is a breeze. Condition Exterior: The car looks great and the body and frame are virtually rust-free. The car was repainted once many years ago. The vinyl “wood” siding was removed and that area was painted dark brown. The re-paint was average quality and presents well enough for a driver; but it is not show quality. As you can see it still has gloss to it. However, there are portions of the paint that show some thinning/oxidation. There are various small dings here and there, nothing major, as can be seen in the photos and to be expected on a car of this age. Again, it is very presentable for a driver as is. The exterior chrome and stainless trim are very nice and original. The tires have lots of tread. The undercarriage and frame are exceptionally solid and rust free (a benefit of a garaged life in Eastern OR/Phoenix, AZ). Photos of the rear side windows are included to show that there is no rust in this common problem area. I have also included photos of the underside of the car and spare tire area which is rust free – very rare on these cars. You'll notice that the tailgate is glossier than the rest of the car. It was dented in a parking lot a few years ago and repainted at that time. There is a tiny dime sized chip in the windshield (see photo). It is at the bottom of the windshield and is not visible from inside the car. Interior: The interior of this car is very nice and clean. The car is a six passenger wagon. The two bench seats are in very good condition as is the carpeting throughout. The door panels and cargo area are excellent. The headliner has a couple of minor tears. The dash has a couple of small cracks. There is no key for the glove compartment so the door remains open at this time. There is a seller on eBay who sells the correct glove compartment assembly lock & key for $40. I just never got around to ordering it. Note the armrests/door panels on this car. They are the full width, top of the line, Olds 98 armrests with full chrome console. These were only offered on the 98s, no 88 was equipped with them. They are very rare, only some of the Custom Cruisers had them. Even Buick never offered the deluxe door panels/full armrests that were on the Electra series in their Estate Wagons. These Custom Cruisers were truly the most luxurious full size wagons available! You will notice that the seats are upholstered in two different cloths. Mr. Delay hated sticking to the original factory vinyl seats in the warm E. OR & AZ sun. So he had both seating areas reupholstered in a beautiful gold brocade fabric almost immediately after buying the car. I was told it was a very expensive Cadillac factory upholstery material. At some point the front seat upholstery needed to be replaced and it was recovered in the dark green cloth you see in the photos. Both seats are in beautiful condition, and were upholstered using the correct details and dark green factory buttons you see. Mechanical: This car is in EXCELLENT mechanical condition. A few years ago Mr. Delay had a complete BRAND NEW Oldsmobile 455 V8 dropped into the car at GREAT expense. He intended on driving the car forever. His son estimated there could be no more than 20k miles on the new engine, and it definitely runs strong and smooth. The car starts right up first time, every time. In fact, amazingly it can sit for 10 days and start right up and idle perfectly smoothly immediately. The 455 V8 is powerful, smooth, and idles nicely. The transmission shifts ultra smoothly. The brakes are firm and the car stops with confidence. The rear shocks are adjustable air shocks. The ride is very smooth. *The car has never been used as a tow vehicle.* The power windows, power seat, headlights, dash/interior lights, cruise control, and wipers, all work. The radio was working great but recently mysteriously stopped when I pressed a preset button. (?) The Air Conditioning blows cold however it works only in the Hi or LO settings; not in the Auto setting. The original ultra cold r12 coolant still creates frost condensation on the system under the hood! The power tailgate and rear window both work fine from the rear exterior key switch; as does the dash tailgate switch. The dash rear window switch does not. The rear window can be finicky and sometimes needs assistance going up/down (may be slightly off track, as motor works fine). NO RESERVE NO RESERVE NO RESERVE Clear WA title in hand, car is located in Seattle. I have included lots of large photos for your review. You can click on any of the photos and save them to your own computer which will allow you to view them even larger for details. Thanks and Happy Bidding! The car is nearly 40 years old, so obviously it is sold as is, with no warranty expressed or implied. I have tried to describe the car in the best detail possible, but I may have missed something important to you. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have BEFORE bidding. A $500 NON-REFUNDABLE deposit is due within 24 hours of the end of the auction. The balance is due within 7 days of the end of the auction. Wire transfer for the balance is preferred. Cashiers or personal check is okay, but verification of clearance will delay the release of the car. I am happy to work with your shipper once the car is paid for and I can provide indoor storage for the car up to 30 days after the end of the auction. I reserve the right to cancel all bids and end the auction early for local sale. I am happy to work with International buyers. Please keep in mind car will need to be paid in full and clearance of payment will need to be verified prior to the car being released for transport. I have had the same eBay id for OVER THIRTEEN YEARS; my feedback speaks for itself. Additionally you will note the check symbol next to my id. My identity information has been checked and verified through eBay’s third party screening system. I have sold a number of cars over the years and every buyer has been very happy with their purchase. You can buy with confidence. On Sep-29-11 at 19:57:59 PDT, seller added the following information: **** Click on "See Other Items" at top of this auction page to see the other auction I have listed for a 1962 Imperial ****