1975 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser

???

Why do you care? Is this your car?


I think it will sell for what it will sell for. I think the evolution of this car's asking price has been very entertaining and very informative, coming all the way down from the no-one-will-take-him-seriously $8,000 range to now the isn't-it-priced-too-low $3,000 range.

There is a dynamic at work here. As nice as these old station wagons are, as we all know, the market for them is very small compared to all of the other types and kinds of collector cars out there. We, of course, would like to see these sell for as much possible, but those of us selling them would also like to see them sold within our lifetimes, and sometimes you have to do what you have to do to get the car sold.

 

The fact that this one is not 'loaded' is having a serious effect on the bidding. If it had the power equipment that would normally be expected on a vehicle of this type, IMO it would easily go for $6,000 or more.

Never buy an under-equipped vehicle expecting it to hold a good value.

It might pay this seller to spend a few hundred to have A/M power windows and locks installed.

 

Because of Derby Guys. Though I wonder if I'm being silly or not in that hope.

 

However, with these cars, beggars cannot be choosers. While there are pristine examples for big money, the cars with conditions that warrant a cheap price do seem destined for derby death. I feel the real problem would be restoring one due to the lack of parts.

 

OK, that's a good reason to care! That's a reason we should all care.

But what happens happens. We can't save them all. However, unless this seller gets so desperate that he lets it go for a song, I doubt it would get low enough to attract the derby people.

 

As far as mechanical parts (engine, drivetrain, brakes, etc), there is no real problem as anything that fits on the full-sedans and coupes of the same era will work on these cars, and parts like this are pretty much readily available at any auto parts store or many online vendors.

The only real issues are the wagon-specific parts, and that's stuff from the rear doors rearward. Again, the situation is pretty much the same as it is for the full-size non-wagons. No one makes reproduction body and trim parts for any full-size Oldsmobile of any era, so anyone needing a fender or bumper or anything like that for a '75 Delta 88 or 98 would be in the same boat as someone needing similar parts for a '75 Custom Cruiser--the parts would have to come from a donor car. You just go into the project knowing this.

 

I don't mind Derby guys getting some cars. Then it's parts for us (as long as they strip them) and cars for them.

Such parts can still be manufactured again in small numbers, but maybe expensively.

 

Supposedly this one did finally sell for $3000.