I grew up with station wagons and bought this classic Olds four years ago with the intention of restoring it to its former glory, as well as beefing it up to make it worthy of the Olds Cutlass legacy. Upon purchase I had the car tuned up and new shock absorbers installed along with a complete diagnostic test, which showed the car as being mechanically sound. I then spent approximately $5000 having all rust and rot damage removed and replaced. This car has new front driver and passenger floor pans and new rear cargo and spare tire compartment pans. The rust around the windshield and rear quarter windows was also professionally removed and repaired. New carpet was installed at that time. All body work was done at Corby Auto Body in Santa Rosa.

This is an original California car with the original black plates. This particular model did not come with a factory third seat in the rear.

I have driven this car approximately 200 miles since purchasing it. I recently started the process of restoring this wagon but circumstances and the acquisition of a 1970 Mopar find me in the position of selling it.

THE GOOD:
This car runs like a top with a strong 350 and automatic transmission that shifts smoothly. Brakes are solid and stop well for drum brakes on a tuna boat!

Body is all there: doors, quarter panels, fenders, etc.
Interior is clean with new carpet and intact bench seats front and rear with no tears.
The 350 4bbl Olds motor runs like a top and appears to have been rebuilt by a previous owner.
All new bushings on front end.
All lights work: headlights, high beams, turn signals, dome light.
New shocks all the way around.
High performance aluminum radiator.
Electronic ignition.
Oldsmobile factory matching 14" steel rally wheels with good rubber.
Rust damage was limited to floor pans. Frame rails and undercarriage are all intact.
Car is registered through next year in California with a clean and clear California title.

THE NOT SO GOOD:

To make this car really shine and to restore it to its former glory would require some serious TLC and a commitment of time and money.

Previous body work was done with fillers, i.e. Bondo, etc. The body is smooth but obviously needs to be redone.
The Holley carburetor needs to be rebuilt or replaced (I was told that it's cheaper to replace the carb).
Needs new seat belts.
Air conditioning has been disconnected and AC unit is missing.
Rear tailgate window does not work. It worked when I purchased the car but has since stopped. It is most likely a fuse that I have been too lazy/busy/tired to crawl under the dash and replace.
Sun tachometer and gauges under dash are not hooked.

I am including as many pictures that I can from my current file. If you are interested I can take more photographs and also add information that I missed or that you might find useful. This is a good looking car with great lines and would make an awesome 442 tribute car or just a killer hot rod wagon. Or better yet, a cool surf mobile.

Auto Services in California

Zenith Wire Wheel Co ★★★★★

Automobile Parts & Supplies, Wheels, Tire Dealers

Address: 818 Cristich Ln, Brookdale

Phone: (831) 425-7770

Yucca Auto Body ★★★★★

Automobile Body Repairing & Painting, Truck Body Repair & Painting

Address: 56132 29 Palms Hwy, Pioneertown

Phone: (760) 365-9410

World Famous 4x4 ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Restoration-Antique & Classic

Address: 75 E Palm Ave, Alhambra

Phone: (818) 816-0121

Woody`s & Auto Body ★★★★★

Automobile Body Repairing & Painting, Truck Body Repair & Painting

Address: 22920 Lockness Ave, East-Rancho-Dominguez

Phone: (310) 784-3820

Williams Auto Care Center ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Inspection Stations & Services, Auto Oil & Lube

Address: 18380 Highway 12, Sonoma

Phone: (707) 996-1056

Wheels N Motion ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Parts & Supplies, Tire Dealers

Address: 961 E Holt Ave, Chino

Phone: (909) 622-1232

Auto blog

This Or That: 1980 Oldsmobile 442 vs. 1989 BMW 635CSi [w/poll]

Thu, 09 Oct 2014

The last time I roped a coworker into an automotive debate, I lost. Resoundingly, I might add. Still, 2,385 voters chose to cast their lots for the Fiat 500 Abarth, as opposed to 5,273 choosing the Ford Fiesta ST, and so I can rest easy in the knowledge that at least 30 percent of you, dear readers, see things my way. I still like to think we have more fun, too.
My loss in the first round of our This or That series, in which two Autoblog editors pick sides on any given topic and then attempt to explain why the other is completely wrong, didn't stop me from picking another good-natured fight, this time with Senior Editor Seyth Miersma. Last time, our chosen sides were eerily similar in design, albeit quite different in actual execution. This time, our vehicular peculiarities couldn't seemingly fall any further from one another: A 1980 Oldsmobile 442 wouldn't seem to match up in comparison to a 1989 BMW 635CSi.
How did we come up with such disparate contenders? Simple, really. Seyth and I mutually agreed to choose a car that's currently for sale online. It had to be built and sold in the 1980s, and it had to be a coupe. The price cap was set at $10,000. The fruits of our searching labors will henceforth be disputed, with Seyth on the side of the Germans, and myself arguing in favor of the Rocket Olds. Am I setting myself up for another lopsided loss?

Ferrari FF pitted against Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser in crazy Generation Gap comparison

Thu, 13 Nov 2014

The folks behind Generation Gap have lost their minds with this latest video. The goal here is to determine the ultimate family cruiser, but the choices are what you would least expect, with a heavily modded 1970 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser going up against a 2012 Ferrari FF.
You might anticipate an over-40-year-old Oldsmobile to pale in comparison to any modern Ferrari, but this wagon has a ton of secrets under its skin thanks to Lingenfelter. First, it packs a supercharged LS3 V8 with a claimed 650 horsepower and a six-speed manual gearbox. That big upgrade in power is further helped with air suspension and massive Wilwood disc brakes. The result is nothing short of deafening, with blaring yelps whenever the driver even nudges the accelerator.
The alternative sounds just as good, albeit in very different way. The Ferrari's 6.3-liter V12 pumps out 651 hp and 504 pound-feet with a part-time all-wheel drive system. While the FF lacks a lot of the hauling ability of the Olds, it makes up for the deficit in handling, luxury, and in many eyes, simply by having the famous prancing horse on the grille.

GM recalling 8.4M cars, 8.2M related to ignition problems

Mon, 30 Jun 2014

General Motors today announced a truly massive recall covering some 8.4 million vehicles in North America. Most significantly, 8.2 million examples of the affected vehicles are being called back due to "unintended ignition key rotation," though GM spokesperson Alan Adler tells Autoblog that this issue is not like the infamous Chevy Cobalt ignition switch fiasco.
For the sake of perspective, translated to US population, this total recall figure would equal a car for each resident of New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, Alaska, North Dakota, the District of Columbia, Vermont and Wyoming. Combined. Here's how it all breaks down:
7,610,862 vehicles in North America being recalled for unintended ignition key rotation. 6,805,679 are in the United States.

1968 Olds Cutlass Station Wagon on 2040-cars

Oldsmobile Cutlass for Sale